Professor Eugene Silberstein, CMHE

SUFFOLK COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE – BRENTWOOD, NY

CENGAGE DELMAR LEARNING – CLIFTON PARK, NY

HVAC EXCELLENCE INSTRUCTOR CONFERENCE

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
MARCH 14-16, 2010
 What Makes Psychrometrics so
Painful for our Students?

Unfortunately, most of the time it’s us!

 How Do We Introduce the Topic?
• You guys are going to hate this
• This stuff is really difficult
• You guys are going to hate this
• This involves a ton of math
• You guys are going to hate this
• You’re not going to understand this but it’s
okay because I don’t either
• You guys are going to hate this
• I hate it, so you will also
 How Much Does the Air in this
Room Weigh?
0 pounds? 10 pounds? 50 pounds?
100 pounds? 250 pounds?

500 pounds? 1000 pounds? 1500 pounds?

THE ANSWER MIGHT SURPRISE YOU...

(I Hope It Does!)
 Room Dimensions...
• Length: 42 feet
• Width: 42 feet
• Ceiling Height: 16 feet
• Room Volume: 42 x 42 x 16 = 28,224 ft3
• Based on this volume, the air in this room
weighs approximately:

28,224 ft3 x 0.075 lb/ft3 = 2,117 POUNDS

 The First Four Things...

Dry-Bulb Temperature
Wet-Bulb Temperature
Absolute Humidity
Relative Humidity
 TEMPERATURES: WET & DRY

• Are all temperatures created equal?

• Are all pressures created equal?
• What is the difference between psia and psig?
• How do we teach our students the difference?
• How are wet/dry bulb temperatures similar?
• How are wet/dry bulb temperatures different?
• Can we create visual examples?
 Dry Bulb Temperature
• Measured with a dry-bulb thermometer
• Measures the level of heat intensity of a
substance
• Used to measure and calculate sensible heat
and changes in sensible heat levels
• Does not take into account the latent heat
aspect
• Room thermostats measure the level of heat
intensity in an occupied space
DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE SCALE
As we move up and down, the dry
bulb temperature does not change

As we move from left to right, the

dry bulb temperature increases

As we move from right to left, the

dry bulb temperature decreases

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
 Wet Bulb Temperature
• Measured with a wet-bulb thermometer
• Temperature reading is affected by the
moisture content of the air
• Takes the latent heat aspect into account
• Used in conjunction with the dry-bulb
temperature reading to obtain relative
humidity readings and other pertinent
information regarding an air sample
WET-BULB TEMPERATURE SCALE

As we move up and down along a wet-

bulb temperature line, the wet bulb
temperature does not change
The red arrow indicates an increase
in the wet bulb temperature reading
The blue arrow indicates a
decrease in the wet bulb
temperature reading
WET-BULB, DRY-BULB COMBO

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
 100%
75 75

WET BULB TEMPERATURE

80%

70
70

68 60%

65 65

65 69 70 71 73 75

DRY BULB TEMPERATURE

 ---- HUMIDITY ----
ABSOLUTELY RELATIVE
• There are two types of humidity
– ABSOLUTE
– RELATIVE
• “AH” and “RH” are not the same
• Cannot be used interchangeably
• All humidities are not created equal
 ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY
• Amount of moisture present in an air sample
• Measured in grains per pound of air
60
• 7,000 grains of moisture
GRAINS = 1 pound

1 POUND
 The moisture scale on the
right-hand side of the chart
provides information regarding
the absolute humidity of an air
sample
 MOISTURE CONTENT SCALE

As we move from side to side, the

moisture content does not change

As we move up, the moisture

MOISTURE CONTENT (BTU/LBAIR)

content increases

As we move down, the moisture

content decreases
WET-BULB, DRY BULB & MOISTURE CONTENT

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
 RELATIVE HUMIDITY
• Amount of moisture present in an air sample
relative to the maximum moisture capacity of
the air sample
• Expressed as a percentage
• Can be described as the absolute humidity
divided by the maximum moisture-holding
capacity of the air
RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Example #2
 RELATIVE HUMIDITY
Example #3

60
GRAINS

If capacity is 120 grains, then the relative humidity will be:

RH = (60 grains ÷ 120 grains) x 100% = 50%

RELATIVE HUMIDITY SCALE

As we move along a relative

humidity line, the relative humidity
remains the same
As we move up, the relative
humidity increases
As we move down, the relative
humidity decreases
WET-BULB, DRY BULB, MOISTURE CONTENT & RELATIVE
HUMIDITY

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
 The lines that represent
constant wet-bulb temperature
also represent the enthalpy of
the air
 ENTHALPY SCALE

As we move up and down along

an enthalpy line, the enthalpy
does not change

The red arrow indicates an

increase in enthalpy

The blue arrow indicates a

decrease in enthalpy
WET-BULB, DRY BULB, MOISTURE CONTENT, RELATIVE
HUMIDITY & ENTHALPY

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
SPECIFIC VOLUME & DENSITY

• Specific volume and density are reciprocals

of each other
• Density = lb/ft3
• Specific volume = ft3/lb
• Density x Specific Volume = 1
• Specific volume can be determined from the
psychrometric chart, density muse be
calculated
 LINES OF SPECIFIC VOLUME
As we move along a line of constant
specific volume, the specific volume
remains unchanged
As we move to the right, the specific
volume increases

As we move to the right, the

specific volume increases
WET-BULB, DRY BULB, MOISTURE CONTENT, RELATIVE
HUMIDITY & ENTHALPY

DRY-BULB TEMPERATURE
Return Air: 75ºFDB, 50% r.h.

Supply Air: 55ºFDB, 90% r.h.

Airflow: 1200 cfm

RETURN AIR

SUPPLY AIR
 ΔT = Return Air Temp – Supply Air Temp
ΔT = 75ºF - 55ºF = 20ºF

ΔW = Return grains/lbAIR – Supply grains/lbAIR

ΔW = 64 Grains – 60 Grains = 4 grains/lbAIR

Return Air: 75ºFDB, 50% r.h. Δh = Return btu/lbAIR – Supply btu/lbAIR

Supply Air: 55ºFDB, 90% r.h. Δh = 28.1 btu/lbAIR - 21.6 btu/lbAIR = 6.5 btu/lbAIR
Airflow: 1200 cfm
h = 28.1 btu/lbAIR
h = 21.6 btu/lbAIR

RETURN AIR 64 grains/lb

SUPPLY AIR 60 grains/lb

55ºF 75ºF
 AIR FORMULAE
QT = QS + QL

QT = 4.5 x cfm x Δh

Qs = 1.08 x cfm x ΔT

QL = 0.68 x cfm x ΔW
Yeah, yeah, but where do they come from?
 100 MILES 24 HOURS 365 DAYS 5280 FEET
X X X
HOUR DAY YEAR MILE

100 x 24 x 365 x 5280 FEET 12 IN 2.54 cm 10 mm

X X X
FT INCH cm
YEAR

So, my rate of speed was...

100 x 24 x 365 x 5280 x 12 x 2.54 x 10 mm/year, which is....

1,409,785,344,000 mm/year!
 Try These Ideas for Your Students
• If your car get 30 miles per gallon, how many
inches per ounce will you be able to travel?

• If you earn $15/Hour, how many pennies per

year will you earn in a year if you work 40
hours per week and 50 weeks per year?

• If air weight 0.075 lb per cubic foot how many

ounces per cubic inch is that?
Let Students Take Ownership

• Ask the right questions

• Let the students “create” a formula
• Let students identify relevant factors that
should be included in the formula
• Let students identify relevant conversion
factors that should be included
 Total Heat Formula
• We all know QT = 4.5 x CFM x Δh
• Where does the 4.5 come from?
• Work with the units
– QT (btu/hour)
– What factors will contribute to get this result
– Factors must be relevant to sensible heat
– For example, grains/pound is not a relevant
term as it applies to latent heat
 Total Heat Formula
• QT (btu/hour)= 4.5 x CFM x Δh
• Units on the right must be the same as the
units on the left

Let the students “BUILD” the Sensible

Heat Formula...
 Heat Formulae Variables
So, ask your students what variables and
factors will have an effect on the amount
of heat transferred by the process

Δh?
 Total Heat Formula
We have btu/hour on the left...
btu/hour = ? x ? x ? x ? x ?
Which factor, Δh, ΔW, or ΔT, is associated with the total heat?

btu/hour = Δh (btu/lbAIR) x ? x ? x ? x ?

Which other factors are associated with the total heat?

 Total Heat Formula
btu/hr = Δh (btu/lbAIR) x ? x ? x ? x ?

Airflow

btu/hr = Δh (btu/lbAIR) x ft3/min x ? x ?

btu/hr = Δh (btu/lbAIR) x ft3/min x 60 min/hr

btu/hr = 60 x (btu x ft3)/hour x lbAIR x ?

 btu/hr = 60 x (btu x ft3)/hour x lbAIR x ?

We need to get rid of the ft3 in the numerator and

the lbAIR in the denominator...

What factor relating to air has ft3 in the

denominator and lb in the denominator?

Density

btu/hr = 60 x (btu x ft3)/hour x lbAIR x lb/ft3

 Total Heat Formula

Density = 0.075 lb/ft3 at atmospheric conditions

btu/hr = 60 x 0.075 btu/hour

QT (btu/hr) = 4.5 x Airflow x Δh

 Sensible Heat Formula
• We all know QS = 1.08 x CFM x ΔT
• Where does the 1.08 come from?
• Work with the units
– QS (btu/hour)
– What factors will contribute to get this result
– Factors must be relevant to sensible heat
– For example, grains/pound is not a relevant
term as it applies to latent heat
 Sensible Heat Formula
Which factor, Δh, ΔW, or ΔT, is associated with sensible heat?

We already have some of our variables in place

btu/hour = cfm x 60 x 0.075 x lb/hour x ?

btu/hour = 4.5 x cfm x lb/hour x ?
We need to add the “btu” to the right side
and get rid of the “lb” on the right side

Specific Heat
 Sensible Heat Formula
The specific heat of air is 0.24 btu/lb/ºF

btu/hour = 4.5 x lb/hour x 0.24 btu/lb

btu/hour = 1.08 x btu/hour

Adding in our other variable values gives us:

QS (btu/hr) = 1.08 x Airflow x ΔT

 Challenges with the Sensible
Heat Formula
• It doesn’t always give accurate results
• The 1.08 is only an estimate
• The 0.075 lb/ft3 is not correct most of the time
• The density comes from the specific volume
• Specific volume must be determined
• Specific volume estimate is the average of
the values before and after the heat transfer
coil
 Latent Heat Formula
• We all know QL = 0.68 x CFM x ΔW
• Where does the 0.68 come from?
• Work with the units
– QL (btu/hour)
– What factors will contribute to get this result
– Factors must be relevant to latent heat
– For example, grains/pound is definitely a
relevant term as it applies to latent heat
 Latent Heat Formula
Which factor, Δh, ΔW, or ΔT, is associated with sensible heat?

ΔW = Change in moisture in grains/lbAIR

We already have some of our variables in place

btu/hour = cfm x 60 x 0.075 x lb/hour x ?

btu/hour = 4.5 x cfm x lbAIR/hour x ?

btu/hour = 4.5 x cfm x grains/hour x ?

 Latent Heat Formula
1 pound of water contains 7000 grains

btu/hour = 4.5 x cfm x grains/hour x lb/7000 grains

btu/hour = (4.5 ÷ 7000) x cfm x lb/hour

We need to add the “btu” to the right side

and get rid of the “lb” on the right side
 RETURN AIR SUPPLY AIR

Water Vapor at 75ºF

Water at 50ºF
STEAM TABLES ACCOMPLISH ONE THING!
 Pertinent Enthalpy Information
ENTHALPY ENTHALPY
Saturated Saturated Saturated Saturated
TEMP °F Vapor Btu/Lb Liquid Btu/Lb TEMP °F Vapor Btu/Lb Liquid Btu/Lb
38 1078 6 68 1091 36
40 1079 8 70 1092 38
42 1080 10 72 1093 40
44 1081 12 73 1093 41
46 1081 14 74 1094 42
48 1082 16 75 1094 43
50 1083 18 76 1095 44
52 1084 20 77 1095 45
54 1084 22 78 1096 46
56 1085 24 80 1096 48
58 1086 26 82 1097 50
60 1087 28 84 1098 52
62 1088 30 86 1099 54
64 1089 32 88 1100 56
66 1090 34 90 1100 58
 Latent Heat Formula

btu/hour = (4.5 ÷ 7000) x cfm x lb/hour

We need to add the “btu” to the right side

and get rid of the “lb” on the right side
From the steam table we get:

1094 btu/lb - 18 btu/lb - 1076 btu/lb

btu/hour = [(4.5 x 1076) ÷ 7000] x cfm x lb/hour x btu/lb

QL (btu/hr) = 0.68 x Airflow x ΔW

You can find automated steam tables at:
www.efunda.com/Materials/water/steamtable_sat.cfm

Enter Temperature Here

Read Cool Stuff Here

 MIXED AIR SYSTEMS
• Return air is mixed with outside air
• Heat transfer coil does not see return air
from the occupied space exclusively
• Percentage of outside air changes with its
heat content
• Process is governed by an enthalpy control
• The heat transfer coil sees only the mixture
of the two air streams
 LAW OF THE TEE
• Also known as nodal analysis
• What goes into a tee, must go out!
• Electric circuit applications
• Water flow applications
• Hot water heating applications
• Mixed air applications
 ?
5 AMPS

2 AMPS
 ?
5 GPM

2 GPM
5 GPM @ 100ºF ?

5 GPM @ 140ºF
5 GPM @ 100ºF ?

3 GPM @ 140ºF
 Here’s The Math...
(5 GPM x 100ºF) + (3 GPM x 140ºF) = (8 GPM x YºF)

500 + 420 = 8YºF

920 = 8YºF

Y = 115ºF
 LAW OF THE TEE FOR WATER
CLASSROOM DEMONSTRATION or EXPERIMENT

40ºF 70ºF

1 CUP 1 CUP
Have students predict final mixed temperature.... Then combine,
mix, measure and confirm..... Then change the rules!
 LAW OF THE TEE FOR WATER
CLASSROOM DEMONSTRATION or EXPERIMENT

THE RESULTS:

15ºF 15ºF

40ºF 55ºF 70ºF

LAW OF THE TEE FOR WATER
CLASSROOM DEMONSTRATION or EXPERIMENT

40ºF 70ºF

2 CUPS 1 CUP
 LAW OF THE TEE FOR WATER
CLASSROOM DEMONSTRATION or EXPERIMENT

THE RESULTS:

10ºF 20ºF

40ºF 50ºF 70ºF

LAW OF THE TEE FOR MIXED AIR

AIR
OUTSIDE AIR MIXED AIR
HANDLER

RETURN AIR
LAW OF THE TEE FOR MIXED AIR
PERCENTAGE OF RETURN AIR
+ PERCENTAGE OF OUTSIDE AIR

100% of MIXED AIR

OUTSIDE

RETURN
 LAW OF THE TEE FOR MIXED AIR
SAMPLE PROBLEM

AIR CONDITIONS: RETURN AIR (80%): 75ºFDB, 50%RH

OUTSIDE AIR (20%): 85ºFDB, 60%RH

MIXED AIR = 80% RETURN AIR + 20% OUTSIDE AIR

MIXED AIR = (.80) RETURN AIR + (.20) OUTSIDE AIR
MIXED AIR = (.80) (75ºFDB, 50%RH) + (.20) (85ºFDB, 60%RH)

MIXED AIR = 60ºFDB, 40%RH + 17ºFDB, 12%RH

MIXED AIR = 77ºFDB, 52%RH

Return Air: 75ºFDB, 50% r.h.
Outside Air: 85ºFDB, 60% r.h.
Mixed Air: 77ºFDB, 52% r.h.

OUTSIDE AIR

MIXED AIR
SUPPLY AIR
RETURN AIR