University of Cebu

College of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Laboratory

EXPERIMENT # 4
Psychrometer

Name: Jerremae C. Garcia Course & Year: BSME-3

Subject: ME 327 (LAB 2) Date: March 24, 2021

I. OBJECTIVE

To determine the dew point, vapour pressure, absolute humidity, and relative
humidity of the room.

II. DISCUSSION

Various type of dew point and wet bulb hydrometer are used to determine the
pressure of water in the room. Vaporization is the change of the substance into the gaseous
state. Molecules are continually leaving the surface of the liquid and forming into vapour;
the vapour molecules continually striking the surface of the liquid and entering it again. In
a closed vessel, equilibrium is reached when the number of molecules returning to the
liquid is equal to the number leaving it in the same time. The vapour is then said to be
saturated.

When there is a mixture of gases, such as in air, each gas or vapour contributes its
partial pressure to the whole. The contribution of a vapour cannot be greater than the
saturated vapour pressure. The mixture is said to be saturated.

The temperature at which air must be cooled at constant pressure to produce

saturation is called the dew point temperature. the ratio of the actual vapour pressure to
the saturated vapour pressure at the temperature is the relative humidity.

III. APPARATUS

Calorimeter
Thermometer
Sling Psychrometer
Crushed Ice

IV. SKETCH

Draw the actual set-up of the experiment neatly and label each apparatus.
V. PROCEDURE

Determination of Dew Point Temperature

1. Record the room temperature and pressure 9barometric0 near the position at which
you are working.
2. Polish with a dry cloth a small section of a metal or glass calorimeter cup until it is
dry and shiny
3. Fill the cup with about 2/3 full of water and stir it with a thermometer. Avoid
touching the cup with your hands or breathing directly on it.
4. Gradually add small pieces of ice to the water and carefully observe and record the
temperature at which a thin film of mist begins to form on the outside of the shining
surface. If the mixture temperature goes down to zero without observable
condensation, add salt to the ice and continue the observation. Record the
temperature at which the dew or mist first appear.

Determination of Wet and Dry Bulb Temperature

5. Soak the jacket of the cloth-covered bulb of the sling psychrometer in water. Record
the initial reading. Make sure to have plenty of room to operate the instrument
without touching or hitting any object and whirl it rapidly for 30 seconds and 60
seconds. As soon as the motion is stopped, record the reading of both thermometers.
6. Repeat the whirling of 3 to 4 times and keep the bulb wet until the readings of the
two thermometers have reached steady values. Record them.
7. Repeat the steps 5 and 6 in another part of the room.

VI. TABULATED DATA

Temperature Initial Temperature Final Temperature

Dew Point, tdp
Dry Bulb, td
Wet Bulb, tw

VII. COMPUTATION AND ANALYSIS

1. Using average experimental dew point, find the corresponding pressure of water
vapour from steam tables of psychrometric chart. From the same table or chart, find
the pressure of the saturated water vapour at the observed room temperature.
2. Calculate the following:
a. Humidity Ratio
b. Partial pressure of water vapour
0.662 P s
w=
Pt−Ps
where: Ps = partial pressure of water vapour
w = humidity ratio
Pt = total pressure
Pt = Pa + Ps
Pa = partial pressure of dry air
 c. Relative Humidity

Ps
RH =
Pd

1
ω=
v

RaT
v = Pa

where: Pd = saturation pressure from steam table

ω = density of air
v = specific volume of dry air
Ra = gas constant of air

VIII. OBSERVATION

IX. CONCLUSION

X. COMPUTATION SHEET