MTX311

Gas Mixtures
Study Theme 3: Borgnakke and Sonntag, Chapter 11
Lecture 3
Dr WG Le Roux

Additional Reference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdIB1sEpWVI

Çengel, Y.A. and Boles, M.A., Thermodynamics: An Engineering Approach, 8 th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2015.
 Psychrometric chart
Properties of air + water vapor
mixtures in graphical form.

Valid for 100 kPa.

Figure 11.8
 Class Example 1
Consider air at 100 kPa, 35°C and 40% relative humidity.
Determine:
(a) the humidity ratio
(b) the dew-point temperature
(c) the specific enthalpy.

Figure 11.8
 Enthalpy
The enthalpy of atmospheric air is the sum of
the enthalpies of dry air and water vapour.

Thus, the specific enthalpy (in kJ/kg dry air) is:

 Enthalpy
The enthalpy values given in the psychrometric
chart in the Borgnakke and Sonntag textbook
assume that:
• the enthalpy of dry air is zero at −20°C,
• the enthalpy of vapour is taken from the
steam tables (which are based on the
assumption that the enthalpy of saturated
liquid is zero at 0°C).
 Enthalpy
The values used in the psychrometric chart are
therefore:

where ha(-20°C) = 253.453 kJ/kg.

➢ Note that other textbooks and other psychrometric charts

might use a different convention!

➢ Note that we are usually only concerned with the enthalpy

difference.
 Adiabatic saturation
In this process, an air–vapor mixture comes in contact
with a body of water in a well-insulated duct. If the
mixture leaving the duct is saturated and if the process
is adiabatic, the temperature of the mixture on leaving
is known as the adiabatic saturation temperature.

Figure 11.6
 Wet-bulb temperature
The bulb of the wet-bulb thermometer is covered with
a cotton wick saturated with water. The basic principle
involved is similar to that in adiabatic saturation.

Figure 11.7
 Psychrometric chart

Figure 11.9
 Class Example 2
Consider air at 100 kPa, 35°C
and 40% relative humidity.
Determine the wet-bulb
temperature.

Figure E.4
 Class Example 3
Consider air at 86 kPa, 35°C and
40% relative humidity.
Determine the:
(a) humidity ratio
(b) dew-point temperature
(c) specific enthalpy
(d) wet-bulb temperature.