Humidity Measurement: Instrumentation Engineering Department

HUMIDITY MEASUREMENT
Instrumentation Engineering
Department
Abstract
• Humidity is the amount of water vapor present in the air.
Water vapor is the gaseous state of water and is
invisible. Humidity indicates the likelihood
of precipitation, dew, or fog. Higher humidity reduces the
effectiveness of sweating in cooling the body by reducing the
rate of evaporation of moisture from the skin. This effect is
calculated in a heat index table or humidex . The amount of
water vapor that is needed to achieve saturation increases as
the temperature increases. As the temperature of a parcel of
water becomes lower it will eventually not reach the point of
saturation without adding or losing water mass.
Humidity can be classified into :
Absolute Humidity
Relative Humidity
Absolute Humidity
• Absolute humidity is the total mass of water vapor
present in a given volume of air. It does not take
temperature into consideration. Absolute humidity in
the atmosphere ranges from near zero to roughly
30 grams per cubic meter when the air is saturated at
30 °C (86 °F).
• Absolute humidity is the mass of the water vapor ,
divided by the volume of the air and water vapor .
The absolute humidity changes as air temperature
or pressure changes. This makes it unsuitable
for chemical engineering .
Relative Humidity
• Relative humidity (RH) is the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor
to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water at a given temperature. Relative
humidity depends on temperature and the pressure of the system of
interest. It requires less water vapor to attain high relative humidity at low
temperatures; more water vapour is required to attain high relative
humidity in warm or hot air. The relative humidity (RH} of an air–water
mixture is defined as the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor (PH 20)
in the mixture to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water (P * H20) a flat
surface of pure water at a given temperature :
• RH = PH20 / P* H20
• Relative humidity is normally expressed as a percentage ; a higher
percentage means that the air–water mixture is more humid ; a lower
percentage means that the air-water mixture is less humid .
Calculation Of Relative Humidity
• The amount of water vapor in the air at any given
time is usually less than that required to saturate the
air. The relative humidity is the percent of saturation
humidity , generally calculated in relation to saturated
vapor density.
• Relative Humidity = Actual Vapor Density /
Saturation Vapor Density * 100 %
• The most common units for vapor density are gm/m3.
Humidity Relative Humidity
1. Humidity is the amount of 1. Relative humidity is one
water vapour in the type of humidity .
atmosphere . 2. Relative humidity is the
2. Humidity is the water percentage of water vapour
content of the mixture of in the air at a given
water vapour and other temperature .
element found in the air . 3. Relative humidity is used
3. Humidity is used to for climate control and how
determine the likelihood of it affects the health,
precipitation , fog or dew . comfort and safety of
4. Determining the humidity humans .
of a certain place provides a 4. Relative humidity is also
way to gauge the weather . used to ensure of machines,
vehicle and buildings.
Types Of Hygrometer's
Classical Hygrometer's Modern Hygrometer's
1. Metal-paper coil type 1. Capacitive
2. Hair tension 2. Resistive
hygrometer
3. Thermal
3. Pyschrometer (wet and
dry bulb hygrometer ) : 4. Gravimetric
Sling pyschrometer
4. Chilled mirror dew
point hygrometer
Hygrometer
• A hygrometer is an instrument used for measuring the
moisture content in the atmosphere. Humidity measurement
instruments usually rely on measurements of some other
quantity such as temperature, pressure, mass or a mechanical
or electrical change in a substance as moisture is absorbed. By
calibration and calculation, these measured quantities can lead
to a measurement of humidity. Modern electronic devices use
temperature of condensation (the dew point), or changes in
electrical capacitance or resistance to measure humidity
differences.
Basic Principle :-
• Due to humidity, several materials experience a change in
physical, chemical and electrical properties. This property is
used in transducer that are designed and calibrated to read
relative humidity directly. Hair hydrometer is a type of
absorption hydrometer and uses the mechanical humidity
sensing technique. Certain hygroscopic materials such as
human hair, animal membranes, wood, paper, etc., undergo
changes in linear dimensions when they absorb moisture from
their surrounding air. This change in linear dimension is used
as the measurement of humidity present in air.
Description :-
• Human hair is used as the humidity sensor. The hair is
arranged in parallel beam and they are separated from
one another to expose them to the surrounding
air/atmosphere. Number of hairs are placed in parallel
to increase mechanical strength. This hair
arrangement is placed under small tension by the use
of a tension spring to ensure proper functioning. The
hair arrangement is connected to an arm and a link
arrangement and the link is attached to a pointer
pivoted at one end. The pointer sweeps over a
humidity calibrated scale.
Hair Hygrometer
Human hair has a property that its length increases when it

is wet and its length decreases when it goes dry .
Operation :-
• When the humidity of air is to be measured, this air is made to
surround the hair arrangement and the hair arrangement
absorbs the humidity from the surrounding air and expands or
contracts in the linear direction. This expansion or contraction
of the hair arrangement moves the arm & link and thus the
pointer to a suitable position on the calibrated scale and thus
indicating the humidity present in the air/atmosphere.
• Precaution : These Hair hydrometers are called membrane

hydrometers when the sensing element is a membrane.
Applications :-
These hydrometers are used in the
temperature range of 0’C to 75’C.
These hydrometers are used in the RH
(Relative Humidity) range of 30 to 95%.
Disadvantage :-
These Hydrometers are slow in Response .
If the Hair hydrometer is used constantly,
its calibration tends to change.
Wet & Dry Bulb Hygrometer
• A pyschrometer or wet & dry bulb thermometer , consist of two
thermometers , one that is kept moist with distilled water on a sock or wick
. At temperatures above freezing point of water evaporation of water from
the wick lower temperatures so that the wet-bulb usually shows a lower
temperature than that of the dry-bulb thermometer . When the air
temperature is below freezing , however the wet-bulb is covered with a
thin coating of ice and may be warmer than the dry bulb .
• Dry-Bulb temperature (DBT) :- The dry-bulb temperature is the
temperature indicated by a thermometer exposed to the air in a placed
sheltered from direct solar radiation . The term dry-bulb is customarily
added to the temperature to distinguish it from wet-bulb and dew-point
temperature .
• Wet-Bulb temperature (WBT) :- The thermodynamic wet-bulb is a
thermodynamic property of mixture of air and water vapor . The value
indicated by a wet-bulb thermometer often provides an adequate
approximation of the thermo-dynamic wet-bulb temperature .
Wet & Dry Bulb Hygrometer
Sling Pyschrometer :-
• A sling psychrometer, which uses
thermometers attached to a handle or length of
rope and spun in the air for about one minute,
is sometimes used for field measurements, but
is being replaced by more convenient
electronic sensors. A whirling psychrometer
uses the same principle, but the two
thermometers are fitted into a device that
resembles a ratchet or football rattle.
Sling Psychrometer
Operation :-
• In order to measure the dry bulb and wet bulb temperature, the
Psychrometer frame – glass covering – thermometer arrangement is rotated
at 5 m/s to 10 m/s to get the necessary air motion. The thermometer whose
bulb is bare contacts the air indicates the dry bulb temperature. At the same
time, the thermometer whose bulb is covered with the wet wick comes in
contact with the air and when this pass on the wet wick present on the bulb
of the thermometer, the moisture present in the wick starts evaporating and
a cooling effect is produced at bulb. Now the temperature indicated by the
thermometer is the wet bulb thermometer which will naturally be lesser
than the dry bulb temperature.
Precautions :-
• If the Psychrometer is rotated for a short period, then the wet bulb
temperature recorded will not be proper. If the Psychrometer is rotated for a
longer period, the wick will get dried soon and the wet bulb temperature
will not be at its minimum value.
Application :-
 It is used for checking humidity level in air-
conditioned rooms and installations.
 It is used to set and check hair hygrometer.
 It is used in the measurement range of 0 to
100% RH.
 It is used for measuring wet bulb temperature
between 0’C to 180’C.
Disadvantage :-
 The measured medium is disturbed due to the act of
measurement. The evaporation process at the wet
bulb will add moisture to the air.
 It cannot be used in automation requirement
situations.
 It cannot be used for continuous recording purpose.
 If the wick is covered with dirt, the wick will become
stiff and its water absorbing capacity will reduce,
however, a stiff/dirty wick will resume normalcy
when boiled in hot water.
Presented By :-
MOHIT SINGH RAJPUT

THANK YOU
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HUMIDITY MEASUREMENT

Human hair has a property that its length increases when it

• Precaution : These Hair hydrometers are called membrane

MOHIT SINGH RAJPUT

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