Psychrometrics

Scott Laurila ~ Senior Application Engineer

Greenheck Fan Corporation
Schofield, Wisconsin

1
A
Agenda
d
 Properties of Air
 The Psychrometric
y
Chart
 Applications
 Mixed Air
 Cooling
 Dehumidification
 Energy Recovery

2
C
Course Obj
Objectives
ti
 At the completion of this session, you should be able to use a
Psychrometric Chart to:
 Identify
Id if the h properties
i off air
i at a given
i state condition
di i
 Illustrate the performance characteristics of basic heating
and cooling processes
 Demonstrate how the use of Energy Recovery devices can
reduce heating and cooling loads in building designs

3
P
Psychrometrics
h ti
 Psychrometrics
h i is
i the
h science
i dealing
d li with
i h the
h physical
h i l
laws or air – water mixtures

 Important in the design of HVAC systems as numerous air

properties can be found over a broad range of conditions

4
P
Properties
ti off Air
Ai
 Properties of Air
 Dry-Bulb Temperature
 Wet-Bulb Temperature
 Dew-Point Temperature
 Relative Humidity
 Humidity Ratio
 Enthalpy
 If any two of the above properties are known, the
Psychrometric Chart can be used to find the remaining
properties

5
Properties of Air
 Dry-bulb temperature is the
temperature read from a
standard thermometer
 Representative of the sensible
heat energy at the given
condition
 Wet-bulb
Wet bulb temperature is read
from a thermometer with the
bulb covered by a wet wick
 "Sling Psychrometer"
 Difference between dry-bulb
and wet
wet-bulb
bulb represents the
dryness of air
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P
Properties
ti off Air
Ai
 Dew-point temperature is the
temperature at which
moisture leaves the air and
condenses on objects
 When the dry-bulb, wet-bulb,
and dew-point temperatures
are equal, the air is saturated
 Fog occurs when the air is
saturated

7
P
Properties
ti off Air
Ai
 Relative humidity is the measure of how much moisture the air
is holding versus how much moisture the air can hold at a
given dry-bulb
dry bulb temperature
 Expressed as a percentage
 As the dry-bulb
dry bulb temperature increases, the amount of
moisture the air can hold increases

Amountt off moisture

A it the
th air
i is
i holding
h ldi
Relative Humidity =
Amount of moisture the air can hold

8
P
Properties
ti off Air
Ai
 Humidity Ratio is a measure of the weight of water in a given
amount of air
 Also
Al referred
f d to as S
Specific
ifi Humidity
H idi
 Can be expressed in grains
 7,000
7 000 grains equals one pound of water

Pounds
P d off moisture
it
Humidity Ratio =
Pounds of dry air

9
Th P
The Psychrometric
h t i Ch
Chartt

10
S t ti Curve
Saturation C

Saturation Curve

11
D B lb T
Dry-Bulb Temperature
t

12
W t B lb T
Wet-Bulb Temperature
t

13
D
Dew-Point
P i tTTemperature
t

14
R l ti H
Relative Humidity
idit

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Humidity Ratio

16
S
Sensible
ibl and
dLLatent
t tE Energy
 Sensible Energy is the heat that causes changes in the air's dry
bulb temperature
 L
Latent Energy
E i the
is h heat
h associated
i d withi h phase
h change.
h It
I is
i
representative of changes in the air's moisture content with no
g to the dry-bulb
change y temperature
p
 Enthalpy is the total energy in a given amount of air at its
present conditions

Enthalpy (h) = Sensible Energy + Latent Energy

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E th l
Enthalpy

18
P
Psychrometric
h t i Ch
Chartt R
Reconstructed
t t d

19
Example:
93°F DB, 65°F WB
Find: E th l
Enthalpy

Relative Humidity = 24.0%

Dew-Point = 50.9°F
Hum. Ratio = 66.8 grains/lb dry air
Enthalpy = 32.9 Btu/lb
Wet-Bulb
Dew-Point

Humidity Ratio

Relative Humidity

Dry-Bulb

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Ai D
Air Density
it CCorrections
ti
 Do NOT forget about elevation!
 Above 2,000 feet elevation, the air density is reduced by
approximately
i t l 3 3.6%
6% per every 11,000
000 ffeett
 A change in air density also changes the physical and
thermodynamic properties of air-water
air water mixtures

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P
Psychrometric
h ti P Processes

 Air Conditioning
 Mixed Air
 Cooling Coils
 Reheat
 Calculations
 Energy Recovery
 Sensible Devices
 Total Enthalpy Devices

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Psychrometric Processes
Example Processes
Evaporative Steam
Cooling Humidification
 Sensible: Side
Side-to-side
to side 180

 Latent: Up & down 80 160

Coolingg & Desiccant 140

Dehumidification Dehumidification
120
70
100

60 80

50 60

40
Heat
eat 40
30
20

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Dry Bulb Temp.

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Use the ASHRAE indoor
d i conditions
design di i to help
h l with
ih
ASHRAE IIndoor
d D
Design
process calculations
i C Conditions
diti

Summer Indoor Design

75°F, 50% RH

Winter Indoor Design

72°F, 35% RH

24
Mi d Ai
Mixed Air C
Conditions
diti
 Step 1: Identify outdoor condition, indoor condition, and
ventilation rate (% outside air)
 Step 2: Draw a straight line between the outdoor and
indoor conditions
 Step 3: Draw a straight line between points 1 and 2

25
Mi d Ai
Mixed Air E
Example
l
Outdoor Air: 95°F DB/75°F WB
Room Air: 75°F DB, 50% RH
Ventilation: 25% Outdoor Air

95°F x 00.25
25 = 23
23.75°F
75°F
75°F x 0.75 = 56.25°F
Mixture = 80°F

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C li P
Cooling Process E
Example
lCondenser
High
g Pressure

Compressor
Expansion Valve

E
Evaporator
t

Low Pressure

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C li C
Cooling Coilil P
Processes
Capacity (Btu/hr) = 4.5 x SCFM x Δh
 1 Cooling
C li TonT = 12,000
12 000 Btu/hr
B /h
Capacity (Tons) = 4.5 x SCFM x Δh / 12,000

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C li E
Cooling Exercise
i
 Exercise 2: A customer wants to cool 4,000 SCFM of
outside air from 93°F DB / 65° WB to 50°F saturated air
 Find the following parameters for 50°F saturated air:
Property Value Units

Relative Humidity 100 %

Dew Point 50 °F

Humidity Ratio 64.8 grains / lb dry air

Enthalpy 22 Btu / lb dry air

 What is the change

g in enthalpy
py from 93DB/65WB to
50DB/50WB?
 Δh = 10.9 Btu / lb dry air
 D t
Determine
i the
th cooling
li tonnage
t required
i d in
i this
thi process.
 Capacity = 16.4 Tons
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Deh midification w// Reheat
Dehumidification
 Introducing cold, saturated air directly into an occupied
space may be too cool for occupant comfort
 Reheat can be used to bring the air to a space-neutral
condition
 Reheat Methods
 Electric Heat
 Hot Water Coil
 Hot Gas Reheat

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C li P
Cooling Process E
Example
lCondenser
High
g Pressure

Compressor
Expansion Valve

E
Evaporator
t

Low Pressure

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H t Gas
Hot G Reheat
R h t
Discharge Line

Reheat
Coil
Air Conditions After Reheat Coil:
65°F DBT/56°F WBT (50% RH)

Air Conditions After Evaporator:

50°F DBT / 50°F WBT

Evaporator

Supply Air

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E
Energy R
Recovery

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Traditional HVAC System

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35
Wh E
Why Energy R
Recovery?
?
 Economic Benefits
 Reduced Initial Costs
 Reduced
R d d Operating
O ti Costs
C t
 ASHRAE Standards & Guidelines
 ASHRAE 62.1 – 2010 – Ventilation for Acceptable
p indoor
air quality
 ASHRAE 90.1 – 2010 – Energy Standard for Buildings
 ASHRAE 189 189.1
1 – Standard for Design of High
Performance Green Buildings

36
ASHRAE Standard 62
“Ventilation for Acceptable Indoor Air Quality”

 Must supply fresh outdoor air to occupied spaces to

minimize the potential for adverse health effects.
 Typical ventilation rates:
 15 CFM per person for Classrooms
 17 CFM per person for Offices

Steven Taylor – Taylor Engineering

37
ASHRAE 90
90.1-2010
1 2010
 Exhaust Air Energy Recovery (6.3.6)
 Supply air is greater than 5000 CFM
 70% or more of supply is outdoor air (3500 CFM)
 Energy recovery system shall have a total effectiveness
of greater than 50%

38
ASHRAE Climate Zones

39
ASHRAE 90.1-2010
Table 6.5.6.1 Energy Recovery Requirement (IP)

40
ASHRAE 189.1
“Standard for Design of High-Performance Green Buildings”
www.ashrae.org/greenstandard
Table 7.4.3.8 Energy Recovery Requirement (IP)

41
E
Energy R
Recovery B
Basic
i TTerms
 Sensible Energy Recovery transfers only sensible energy
(no moisture)
 Also referred to as heat recoveryy
 Total Energy Recovery transfers both sensible and latent
energy
 Effectiveness refers to the efficiency of the energy
recovery device (expressed as a percentage)
 Sensible effectiveness
 Total effectiveness

42
S
Sensible
ibl HHeatt R
Recovery
 Sensible Heat Recoveryy
 Aluminum fixed plate
 Run-around coils
 Heat-pipe heat
exchangers
 Sensible
S ibl wheels
h l (no
(
desiccant)
 Transfers sensible energy
gy
only (no moisture transfer)

43
S
Sensible
ibl Pl
Plate
t HRV

44
 Sensible Energy Recovery
 Sensible Energy
gy recoveryy
moves the outdoor air dry
bulb temperature laterally 180

toward the room dry bulb 80 160

temperature 140

120
70
Heat Outdoor Air
100
Exchangers
60 80

50 60
Room Air
40 40
30
20

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Dry Bulb Temp.
45
T t l Energy
Total E Recovery
R
 Total Energy
gy Recoveryy
 Enthalpy wheels
 Enthalpy plates (or cores)
 Transfers sensible energy
through the media
 T
Transfers
f latent
l t t energy
through a desiccant (wheel) or
molecular transfer (core)

46
E
Energy R
Recovery

Summer Operation w/ Rotary Wheel 47

Total Energy Recovery
 Total energy recovery 180
shifts OA point towards
80 160
RA point
140
 Total effectiveness 60-80%
60 80%
120
70
Outdoor
OutdoorAir
Air
100

60 80

50 60
Room Air
40 40
30
20

20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110
Dry Bulb Temp.

48
P tL dC
Part-Load Conditions
diti

49
Energy
gy Recovery
y and Cooling
g
Potential
Energy Savings

50
 Winter Operation
p
Supply Air
Dry Bulb 54°F
Humidity 31 grains/lb.

Room Air
(to be exhausted)
Dry Bulb 72°F
Humidity 41
grains/lb
grains/lb.

Outdoor Air
Dry Bulb 0°F
Humidity 2
grains/lb.

Exhaust Air
Dry Bulb 18°F
Humidity 12
grains/lb.

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Winter Operation
Sensible vs. Total ERV

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 Energy Recovery and Frost
 Possibility of condensation forming whenever a warm, moist
air stream comes in contact with a cold surface
 Always consider frost control methods in when winter design
temps drop below 55°FF

53
Winter Exhaust Air Process
Sensible vs. Total ERV

Sensible

Total

54
Question?

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R i
Review
 Psychrometric Charts are useful tool for
understanding
g HVAC pprocesses
 Easily find properties of air across numerous
conditions
 Allows us to plot, predict, and calculate the
heating and cooling capacities
 An understanding of psychrometrics is the
foundation of energy recovery

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THANK YOU!

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