Air Psychrometrics

What is air-water equilibrium?

In the air-water system, we have a non-condensable gas, air, and a volatile liquid, water [small solubility of air in
water is ignored] Due to the overlap in the energies in the molecules of liquid and water vapor, water molecules
are constantly moving from one state to the other. The image shows, that when some molecules in the water near
the surface [liquid] attain high enough kinetic energy to escape the water surface by overcoming liquid-phase
intermolecular forces, they become molecules of water vapor. Only a fraction of liquid water can escape and
become vapor. Most molecules those which do not have enough kinetic energy to escape, condense into liquid,
and fall to join the liquid. When water is in equilibrium with moist air, there is an equal exchange of water
molecules between liquid and vapor.

Psychrometric chart [One can also use Mollier’s psychrometric chart- 2nd image]

A psychrometric chart is a graphical representation of the psychrometric processes of air at constant pressure.
Psychrometric processes include physical and thermodynamic properties such as dry bulb temperature, wet bulb
temperature, humidity, dew point, enthalpy, and air density, etc.

The various lines shown in the Figure are explained below.

1. Dry-bulb [DBT] temperature lines: DBT points are given on the x-axis. The vertical lines emerging from each DBT
point on x-axis are DBT lines. It is the ambient temperature of the air.
2. Relative humidity [RH]: Steady RH is represented by the bent lines running from the base left to the upper right
of the graph. RH is the amount of water vapor present in air expressed as a percentage of the amount needed for
saturation at the same temperature.
3. Humidity ratio: Humidity ratio is given on the humidity ratio-axis. It represents an air/moisture mixing ratio.
Line parallel to x-axis emerging from each point on the humidity ratio axis is the humidity ratio line [see the
psychrometric chart]. It is moisture in the air per unit weight of dry air.
4. Wet-bulb temperature [WBT] lines: WBT line emerges from the intersection of DBT and RH and goes along the
diagonal line. The point where this diagonal line intersects the saturation line is WBT. It is an indicator of moisture
air . WBT is the temperature of air if air gives off all its absorbed enthalpy [moisture] adiabatically and returns to
its initial RH.
5. Dew-point temperature [DPT] lines: DPT lines originate from humidity ratio points on the humidity ratio axis
and go parallel to the x-axis. The point where this line intersects the saturation line is DPT. The dew point is the
temperature to which air must be cooled to become saturated with water vapor. When further cooled, the water
vapor in the air will condense to form liquid water..
6. Enthalpy line: This is the extension of the WBT point along the diagonal. The point where extension of WBT
intersects the enthalpy line is the enthalpy in the air for given DBT / RH / WBT. Enthalpy is the heat content of the
air [latent heat stored in water vapor] .

7. Specific volume line: On the psychrometric chart, lines of the constant specific volume are almost vertical lines
with scale values written below the dry-bulb temperature scale and above the upper boundary's saturation
temperature scale. Greater specific volume is an indicator of more moisture in the air. Specific volume is defined
as the total volume of dry air and water vapor mixture per unit of dry air and water vapor. Important point: The
specific volume of air is about 17 ft3/lb while for water vapor it is about 28 ft3/lb. Dry air is denser than moist
air.These numbers have important roles in air psychrometrics.
8. Saturation line: This is a 100% RH line when air is fully saturated with moisture. At saturation DBT, WBT and
DPT are all same [see the psychrometric chart].
The intersection of any two variables can define all properties of air.

All data used are in Imperial scale

Calculation
Let us take a typical case, air DBT/RH , 80/50 at constant pressure and calculate properties of air from a
psychrometric chart:.

Blue central dot is the intersection of 80 DBT and 50 RH. Diagonal extension of blue dot to red dot identifies
WBT,66F. Extension of red dot along the same diagonal line to the green dot on the enthalpy line is enthalpy, 32
Btu/lb. Extension of blue dot to orange dot on the left side parallel to x-axis intersecting 100 RH or saturation line
is DPT,58 F. Extension of blue dot to right sIde parallel to x-axis intersecting humidity ratio line is humidity in-lb
water/lb dry air,0.015.
The shift of air-water equilibrium
RH: Relative humidity is given as a percentage and tells you how close the air is to being saturated. If the relative
humidity is 100%, the air is saturated. If the relative humidity is 50%, the air contains half the water vapor
required for it to be saturated. If the amount of water vapor in the air increases, the humidity ratio increases.
RH is the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapor to the equilibrium vapor pressure of water at a given
temperature. RH depends on the temperature and the pressure of the system. As air temperature increases, air
can hold more water molecules, and its relative humidity decreases. When temperatures drop, relative humidity
increases. High relative humidity of the air occurs when the air temperature approaches the dew point value.
Temperature therefore directly relates to the amount of moisture the atmosphere can hold.
What happens when two key psychrometric variables, DBT/RH change?
Constant DBT vs variable RH: At DBT 80F and variable RH. Reduce RH. As RH reduces, there is less moisture and
more air. The specific volume of water vapor is 28 ft3/lb against 17 ft3/lb for air at 1 bar pressure. Air is denser
than water vapor. As moisture reduces and air increases, the volume of air reduces at constant pressure. this
results in a drop in temperature and condensation of water. As a result, there is a drop in humidity ratio, DPT,
WBT, and enthalpy of air.
Constant RH vs variable DBT: At RH 50 and variable DBT: Increase the temperature. As temperature increases,
air’s capacity to hold more water triggers evaporation wherever it finds water. This results in an increase in
humidity ratio, DPT, enthalpy, and WBT. DBT-WBT gap narrows. Air moves towards saturation. On a similar logic,
if at 50RH, DBT has reduced a point comes when there is a condensation of water because air has lost its
moisture-holding capacity at reduced temperature. Humidity ratio, DPT, enthalpy, and WBT reduce

The general relation between RH and temperature

As temperature increases, air expands and it can hold more moisture, therefore an increase in temperature
decreases RH of air. Unsaturated air triggers evaporation. The same logic applies when the air cools. Air contracts
and therefore has less capacity to hold water. Saturated air triggers condensation.

Sensible Cooling of the Air:

The sensible cooling of air is the process in which only the sensible heat of the air is removed so as to reduce its
temperature, and there is no change in the moisture content of the air. During the sensible cooling process, the
dry bulb (DBT) temperature and wet bulb (WBT) temperature of the air reduces, while the latent heat of the air
and the dew point (DPT) temperature of the air remains constant.
There is an overall reduction in the enthalpy of the air. The sensible cooling process is represented by a straight
horizontal line on the psychrometric chart. The line starts from the initial DBT of the air and ends at the final DBT
of the air extending towards the left side from high temperature to the low temperature The sensible cooling line
is also the constant DPT temperature line since the moisture content of the air remains constant. See the
psychrometric chart below. The initial and final points on the psychrometric chart give all the properties of the air.

Sensible heating of the Air: Sensible heating process is opposite to sensible cooling process. In sensible heating
process the temperature of air is increased without changing its moisture content. During this process the sensible
heat, DBT and WBT temperature of the air increases while latent of air, and the DPT point temperature of the air
remains constant, see the image below. Like the sensible cooling, the sensible heating process is also represented
by a straight horizontal line on the psychrometric chart. The line starts from the initial DBT of air and ends at the
final DBT extending towards the right. The sensible heating line is also the constant DPT temperature line.
Sensible cooling and heating of air on the Psychrometric chart

Sensible cooling of air from 80 – 70F: DBT1 = 80F, DBT2 = 60F , DPT constant at 58F
Humidity ratio constant at 0.015, Sensible cooling of air, ∆H = 5 Btu/lb

Sensible heating of air from 80 – 100 F: DBT1 = 80F, DBT2 = 100F , DPT constant at 58F
Humidity ratio constant at 0.015, Sensible heating of air, ∆H = 5 Btu/lb