Heat Flow 21

Latent Heat
The definition of latent or hidden heat is: heat that is known
to be added to or removed from a substance but no temperature
change is recorded.” The heat released by boiling water is an
example of latent heat. Once water is brought to the boiling point,
adding more heat only makes it boil faster; it does not raise the
temperature of the water. The level of latent heat is measured in
degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and it is indicated as dew point (dp) tem-
perature (for example, 60°Fdp). Enthalpy is in Btu/lb°F. People,
water equipment, and outdoor air are examples of substances that
give off latent heat. A seated person in an office gives off approxi-
mately 225 Btuh of latent heat into the conditioned space.

Total Heat
Total heat is the sum of sensible heat and latent heat. It is
measured in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) and it is indicated as wet
bulb (wb) temperature. For example, 54°Fwb. Total heat level is
measured with an ordinary thermometer; however, the thermom-
eter tip is covered with a sock made from a water-absorbing
material. The sock is wetted with distilled water and the ther-
mometer is placed in the air stream in the air handling unit or
duct. As air moves across the wet sock, some of the water is
evaporated. Evaporation cools the remaining water in the sock
and cools the thermometer. The decrease in the temperature of the
wet bulb thermometer is called “wet bulb depression.” For room
wet bulb temperature the wet bulb thermometer is typically in an
instrument such as a sling- or power-psychrometer along with a
dry bulb thermometer. Enthalpy is in Btu/lb°F. A seated person
gives off approximately 450 Btuh of total heat (225 Btuh sensible
heat plus 225 Btuh latent heat).

HEAT TRANSFER EQUATIONS

AIR SYSTEMS - SENSIBLE HEAT TRANSFER EQUATION

Btuh = cfm × 1.08 × TD

22 HVAC Fundamentals

Where:
Btuh = Btu per hour (sensible heat) also written Btuhs
cfm = volume of airflow, cubic feet per minute
1.08 = constant:
60 min/hr × 0.075 lb/cf (density of air) × 0.24 Btu/lb°F (spe-
cific heat of air)
TD = dry bulb temperature difference of the air entering and
leaving a coil EAT – LAT or LAT – EAT (Entering Air Temperature
and Leaving Air Temperature). TD (temperature difference) is of-
ten written as delta T or ∆T. In applications where cfm to the con-
ditioned space needs to be calculated, the TD is the difference
between the supply air temperature dry bulb and the room tem-
perature dry bulb.

To find volume: cfm = Btuh ÷ (1.08 × TD)

To find temperature difference: TD = Btuh ÷ (1.08 × cfm)

AIR SYSTEMS - TOTAL HEAT TRANSFER EQUATION

Btuh = cfm × 4.5 × ∆h

Where:
Btuh = Btu per hour (total heat) also written Btuht
cfm = volume of airflow, cubic feet per minute
4.5 = constant: 60 min/hr × 0.075 lb/cf
∆h = Btu/lb change in total heat content (enthalpy) of the air
The total heat content of the air is determined from a wet
bulb and dry bulb temperature, and a psychrometric chart. For
example, the air temperature leaving a typical commercial cooling
coil might be 55°Fdb and 54°Fwb. Plotting these temperatures on
a psychrometric chart gives an enthalpy (total heat content) of the
air at 22.627 Btu/lb.

To find volume: cfm = Btuh ÷ (4.5 × ∆h)

To find enthalpy difference: ∆h = Btuh ÷ (4.5 × cfm)