Psychrometric Fundamentals

Terms, Chart, Air Mixing, and Basic

Calculations

Tim Junker, P.E.

Learning Objectives
y Understand the significance of psychrometrics to “air conditioning”
y Understand common psychrometric terms including: dry bulb and wet
bulb temperature, relative humidity, specific humidity, dew point,
enthalpy, flow rate, & “standard air”
y Identify all lines and units of measure on the psychrometric chart
y Given any 2 properties of air, use a psychrometric chart to determine all
other other psychrometric properties
y Understand the relationship between sensible, latent, and total heat
y Understand air mixing and be able to calculate the properties of the air
resulting from the mixture of two airstreams
y Use the basic psychrometric equations to calculate sensible, latent, and
total cooling/heating
 What is air conditioning?
y Temperature
y Moisture
y Cleanliness
t rol y Ventilation
c on
o us . y Sound
lt an e … .
u O f
Sim
What is Psychrometrics?
y The study of the state of the atmosphere with regard to
its temperature and moisture content.
What is air?
0
6 1

Pounds 78% Nitrogen

5 2
3
21% Oxygen

1% Other

AIR
Standard Conditions
y “Standard conditions at SL”
y 70° F
y 29.921 in. Hg (atmospheric pressure)
y Dry (no water vapor)
y Spec. vol. of air at std conditions = 13.35 cu. ft. / lb
y Air flow rate expressed as: cubic feet / minute (CFM)
y Air flow rate at standard conditions expressed as (SCFM)
y Specific volume changes with temperature, moisture
content, and atmospheric pressure

y At 5,000 ft atmospheric pressure is 24.896 in. Hg

y Density of dry air at 70°F at 5,000 ft is 16.04 cu. ft. / lb
Standard Conditions
13.35 cu. ft. / lb
SCFM = X Actual CFM
Actual sp. vol.

At 5,000’ Elevation
13.35 cu. ft. / lb
0.83 SCFM = X 1 CFM
16.04 cu. ft. / lb
Water Vapor
y Not present in large quantities
y Significant factor in air conditioning
 .028

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. air)

.024
80°

.020

70°
.016

60° .012

50°
.008
40°
.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 e
n
Li
n
tio
ra
tu
Sa

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)
.028

.024

ne
Li
.020

n
io
at
r
tu .016
Sa

.012

.008

.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
Moisture - Units of Measure

7000 1 pound
Grains
 Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air) or (grains/lb. Dry air)
75° Dry-bulb .028

Specific Humidity of
.024
0.010 lbs/lb

ne
Li
.020

n
tio
ra
.016
tu
Sa

.012

.008

.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)
Suppose this air is cooled .028

.024

ne
Li
.020

n
io
at
r
tu .016
Sa

.012

.008

.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
Suppose this air is cooled

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

.028

Does its moisture Content .024

Change?

ne
Li
.020

n
io
at
r
tu .016
Sa

.012
Dew Point
.008

.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Actual moisture

ity

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

R.H. = .028

id

ty
Maximum moisture

um

idi

ity
H

um
.024

id
ive

eH

um
lat

tiv

eH

ty
Re

i
la

id
.020

tiv
0%

Re

um
la

H
10

Re

e
80

iv
%
.016

at
60

el
R
y
dit

%
i

40
u m .012
e H
iv
lat
Re
% .008
20

.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Sling Psychrometer
y The sling psychrometer is a simple and
practical device for measuring the
moisture content of air.
 Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)
Wet-bulb is a practical .028
indicator of the moisture
content in a sample of air .024
80°

.020

70°
.016

60° .012

50°
.008
40°
.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)
ir ) .028
a
d ry 43.7
o f
. .024
/ lb 80°
TU
(B 34.1 .020
- H
p y
l 70°
t ha 20.2 .016
En

60° .012
15.0
50°
.008
40°
.004

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
Specific Volume

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

.028

15.
(Cubic ft / lb dry air)

0
.024
80°

14.
.020

5
70°
.016

14.
0
60° .012
13.

50°
.008
5

40°
13.

.004
0

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 ity
ir) .028

id
a

ty

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. air)

15.
ry

um

idi
d

ity
of 43.7

um

0
b. .024

id
ive
l

eH

um
/ 80°

lat
U

tiv

eH
T

ty
Re

14.
B

i
la
(

id
.020

tiv
y 34.1

0%

Re

um
lp

la

5
ha

H
10

Re
t

e
n

80
70°

iv
E

%
.016

at
20.2

60

el
14.
R
y
dit

%
i

40 0
60° u m .012
15.0 e H
iv
lat
13.

50° Re
% .008
5

20
40°
13.

.004
0

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
Given any two properties...
All other properties can be
determined

Sp ume
Vo
eci
l
fi c
e
it v ty
We ela idi
t-b R um
ulb H

Dew Point
Specific
Humidity

Dry-bulb
 ity

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

90° F Dry-bulb
.028

id

ty
70° F Wet-bulb

15.
um

idi
Given any two properties...

ity
43.7

um
All other properties can be

0
.024

id
ive
determined

eH

um
80°

lat

tiv

eH

ty
Re

14.
i
la

id
.020

tiv
34.1

0%

Re

um
la

5
H
10

Re

e
80
70°

iv
%
.016

at
20.2

60

el
14.
R
y
dit

%
i

40 0
60° u m .012
15.0 e H
iv
lat
13.

50° Re
% .008
5

20
40°
13.

.004
0

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
A - HUMIDIFYING ONLY
B - HEATING AND HUMIDIFYING

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

C – SENSIBLE HEATING ONLY .028
D – CHEMICAL DEHUMIDIFYING
E – DEHUMIDIFYING ONLY .024
F – COOLING AND 80°
DEHUMIDIFYING A
G – SENSIBLE COOLING ONLY .020
H – EVAPORATIVE COOLING H B
70°
.016

60° .012
G C
50°
.008
40°
F D
.004
E

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
Mixing Air Streams
y The result of mixing
two airstreams always
falls on a line
connecting the two
points on a
psychrometric chart.
 Mixing Air Streams
OA = 95DB/78WB 1000 CFM 1) Draw a line between OA & RA

RA = 78DB/65WB 4000 CFM 2) Determine the relative percentage of

OA & RA
Total CFM = OA + RA = 5000
CFM
OA = 1000/5000 = 20%
OA RA = 4000/5000 = 80%
3) Determine the DB or WB
MA temperature of the mixed point
using ratios. Using DB:
Delta T = 95-78 = 17F
RA RA Delta = 17F X 0.20 = 3.4 F
Mixed Air DB = 78 +3.4 = 81.4 F
4) The mixed air point lies on the
mixing line at the 81.4F point
WB = 67.3 F
 SA

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

Cooling Coil .028

Fan
.024
MA

ne
Li
.020

n
io
at
r
Dew Point tu .016
Sa

SENS AND LATENT

COOLING SENS COOLING .012

.008

.004
FAN HEAT

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Sensible Heat Ratio (SHR)
Room design for: 78° / 50% RH
Sensible heat gain = 150,000 BTUH
Latent heat gain = 30,000 BTUH
QSensible QSensible
SHR = =
QSensible + QLatent QTotal

50% RH 150,000
SHR =
150,000 + 30,000

SHR = 0.833

28 78°
 Sensible Heat Ratio (SHR)
Room design for: 78° / 50% RH
Sensible heat gain = 150,000 BTUH
Latent heat gain = 30,000 BTUH
QSensible QSensible
SHF SHR = =
QSensible + QLatent QTotal

50% RH 150,000
.833 SHR =
150,000 + 30,000

SHR = 0.833

29 78°
 Sensible Heat Ratio (SHR)
Room design for: 78° / 50% RH
Sensible heat gain = 150,000 BTUH
Latent heat gain = 30,000 BTUH

QSensible QSensible
SHF SHR = =
QSensible + QLatent QTotal

50% RH 150,000
.889 SHR =
150,000 + 30,000
el
40% RH Parall
SHR = 0.833

30 75° 78°
 RA
SA

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

Cooling Coil .028

Room
Fan
.024
MA

ne
Li
.020

n
io
at
r
Dew Point tu .016
Sa

SENS AND LATENT

COOLING SENS COOLING .012

.008

SENS AND LATENT GAIN

(ROOM) .004
FAN HEAT

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Formulas
Qsensible = SCFM (ft3/Min) x ∆ T (°F) x 1.085 (BTU*Min)/(ft3*Hr * °F)
(Sometimes also see 1.1, 1.09, or 1.08)
Qsensible (5000 ft) = CFM (ft3/Min) x ∆ T (°F) x 0.90 (BTU*Min)/(ft3*Hr *
°F)

QTotal = QSensible + QLatent

QTotal = SCFM (ft3/Min) x ∆ h (BTU/lb) x 4.5 (Min * lb/ ft3)
QTotal (5000 ft) = CFM (ft3/Min) x ∆ h (BTU/lb) x 3.74 (Min * lb/ ft3*Hr)

Q is in BTU/h
Total Heat

∆
t
ea
h al H
t
To

Latent Heat

Sensible Heat
 RA
SA

Specific Humidity (lbs. moisture/ lb. dry air)

Cooling Coil r ) .028

Room
ai
d ry
Fan
o f 43.7
.024
b.
MA /l

ne
U

Li
B T
( .020

n
-H 34.1

io
at
p y
l
Dew ha Point r
30.0
tu .016
n t
Sa

E
SENS AND LATENT 27.6
COOLING SENS COOLING .012

18.0 .008
15.0
SENS AND LATENT GAIN
(ROOM) .004
FAN HEAT

40° 50° 60° 70° 80° 90° 100° 110° 120°

Dry-bulb temperature
 Formulas
y Qroom = 5,000 (ft3/Min) *(27.6 BTU/LB-18.0BTU/LB)*3.74 (Min * lb/ ft3*Hr)
y Qroom =179,600 BTU/h

y Qcoil = 5,000 (ft3/Min) *(30.0 BTU/LB-15.0BTU/LB)*3.74 (Min * lb/ ft3*Hr)

y Qcoil =280,500 BTU/h
Questions?

Thank You