Air conditioning

Aim: - Study of psychometry properties, chat and its use

Introduction: -

The art of measuring the moisture content of air is termed

“psychrometry”. The science which investigates the thermal properties of
moist air, considers the measurement and control of the moisture content of air,
and studies the effect of atmospheric moisture on material and human comfort
may properly be termed “psychrometrics’’.

Some of the definitions of different psychometric properties are given

below:

1. Dry air

The dry air is considered as a mixture of nitrogen & oxygen neglecting

the small percentage of other gases.

2. Moist air

It is a mixture of dry air and water vapour. The quantity of water vapour
present in the air depends upon the temperature of the air.

3. Dry-bulb temperature (DBT).

It is the temperature of air measured by an ordinary thermometer (tdb).

4. Wet-bulb temperature (WBT).

It is the temperature measured by a thermometer when the bulb is covered

by a wetted wick and is exposed to a current of rapidly moving air (twb).

The difference between dry-bulb and wet bulb temperatures (tdb – twb) is
known as wet bulb depression.
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5. Dew point temperature (DPT).

It is the temperature to which the water vapour in the air starts to

condensing (tdp). Dew point temperature is equal to the saturation temperature
corresponding to actual partial pressure of the water vapour in the air

The difference between the dry bulb and dew point temperatures (tdb –
tdp) is called as dew point depression.

Note. When air is saturated DBT, WBT, and DPT are equal.

6. Specific humidity (Humidity ratio).

It is the ratio of the mass of water vapour per unit mass of dry air in the
mixture of vapour and air. It is generally expressed as grams of water per kg of
dry air.

7. Relative humidity (RH), (φ).

It is defined as the ratio of actual mass of water vapour in the given

volume to the mass of water if the air is saturated at the same temperature.

PSYCHROMETRIC CHARTS

The psychrometric charts are prepared to represent graphically all the

necessary moist air properties.

Psychrometric charts are available in SI (metric) and IP (U.S./Imperial)

units.

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Fig 1 Psychrometric chart

Dry bulb temperature lines are drawn straight & parallel to each other.
See fig 2.

Fig 2 Dry bulb temperature lines

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Dew point temperature lines from the state point follow the horizontal
line of constant humidity ratio or sp. humidity to the intercept of 100% RH, also
known as the saturation curve. The dew point temperature is equal to the fully
saturated dry bulb or wet bulb temperatures. See fig 3

Fig 3 Dew point temperature lines

Wet bulb temperature lines are oblique lines that differ slightly from the
enthalpy lines. They are identically straight but are not exactly parallel to each
other. These intersect the saturation curve at DBT point. See fig 4

Fig 4 Wet bulb temperature lines

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Relative humidity is the hyperbolic lines are shown in intervals of 10%.

The saturation curve is at 100% RH, while dry air is at 0% RH. See fig 5.

Fig 5 Relative humidity lines

Humidity ratio or Sp. humidity are the horizontal lines on the chart.
Humidity ratio is usually expressed as mass of moisture per mass of dry air
(pounds or kilograms of moisture per pound or kilogram of dry air,
respectively). See fig 6

Fig 6 Humidity ratio/ Sp. humidity lines

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Specific enthalpy lines are oblique lines drawn diagonally downward

from left to right across the chart that are parallel to each other. These are not
parallel to wet bulb temperature lines. See fig 7

Fig 7 Specific enthalpy lines

Specific volume lines are a family of equally spaced straight lines that are
nearly parallel. See fig 8

Fig 7 Specific volume lines

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How to read the chart

Determining relative humidity: The percent relative humidity can be

located at the intersection of the vertical dry bulb and diagonally down sloping
wet bulb temperature lines.

For example suppose a dry bulb of 25 °C and a wet bulb of 20 °C, read
the relative humidity at approximately 63.5%. In this example the humidity
ratio is 0.0126 kg water per kg dry air.

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