The Islamic University College

th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

CHAPTER THREE
PSYCHROMETRY
3.1 Introduction:-
The psychrometry is that branch of engineering science, which deals
with the study of moist air i.e. dry air mixed with water vapour or humidity.
It is also includes the study of behaviour of dry air and water vapour
mixture under various sets of conditions. Though the earth's atmosphere is
a mixture of gases including nitrogen (N2), oxygen (O2), argon (Ar) and
carbon dioxide (CO2), yet for the purpose of psychrometry, it is considered
to be a mixture of dry air and water vapour only.
3.2 Psychrometric Terms:-
Though there are many Psychrometric terms, yet the following are
important from the subject point view:
3.2.1 Dry air: The pure dry air is a mixture of a number of gases such as
nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, argon, helium etc. but the
nitrogen and oxygen have the major portion of the combination.
The dry air is considered to have the composition as given in the
following Table (3.1):
Table (3.1) Composition of dry air
Item Symbol Molecular Weight Percentage volume
Nitrogen N2 28.016 78.084
oxygen O2 32 20.9476
argon Ar 39.944 0.934
neon Ne 20.183 0.001818
helium He 4.003 0.000524
methane CH4 16.043 0.00015
sulfur dioxide SO2 44.010 0 to 0.0001
hydrogen H2 2.016 0.00005
krypton, xenon,
----- ----- 0.0002
and ozone

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.2.2 Moist air: it is a mixture of dry air and water vapour. The amount of
water vapour depends upon the absolute pressure and temperature of the
mixture.
3.2.3. Saturated air: It is a mixture of dry air and water vapour. When the
air has diffused the maximum amount of water vapour into it. The water
vapour, usually, occurs in the form of superheated steam as an invisible
gas. However, when the saturated air is cooled, the water vapour in the air
starts condensing, and the same may be visible in the form of moist, fog or
condensation on cold surfaces.
3.3 Dry bulb temperature: it is the temperature of air recorded by
thermometer, when it is not affected by the moisture present in the air. The
dry bulb temperature (briefly written as DBT) is generally denoted by td or
tdb.
3.4 Wet bulb temperature: it is the temperature of air recorded by
thermometer, when its bulb is surrounded by a wet cloth exposed to the air.
Such a thermometer is called *wet bulb thermometer. The wet bulb
temperature (briefly written as WBT) is generally denoted by tw or twb.
3.5 Wet bulb depression: It is the difference between the dry bulb
temperature and wet bulb temperature at any point. The wet bulb
temperature indicates relative humidity of air.
Wet bulb depression = tdb- tw (3.2)

Fig. (3.1) Psychrometers. (a) Sling psychrometer. (b) Aspirating psychrometer.

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.6 Dalton's law of partial pressure:

It state, "The total pressure exerted by the mixture of air and water
vapour is equal to the sum of the pressures, which each constituent would
exert, if it occupied the same space by itself".
It is possible to show that if Dalton's law holds, each component of the
mixture obeys the general gas law. As a consequence, it is sometimes more
convenient to re-express the law in two parts:
(i) The pressure exerted by each gas in a mixture of gases is independent of
the presence of the other gases, and
(ii) The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases equals the sum of the
partial pressures. Figure (3.1) illustrates this. It shows an air-tight container
under three different conditions, from which it can be seen that the partial
pressures exerted by the water vapour in (b) and (c) are equal, as are those
exerted by the dry air in (a) and (c) and, that in (a), (b) and (c), the total
pressure equals the sum of the partial pressures.
As in the two gas laws already considered, Dalton's law agrees with the
results achieved by the kinetic theory of gases and, to some extent, finds
substantiation in experiment.

Fig.(3.1) Dalton's law of partial pressure referred

to a mixture of dry air and water vapour.

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

In other words, the total pressure exerted by air and water vapour
mixture is equal to the barometric pressure. Mathematically, barometric
pressure of the mixture,
Pb = Pa + Pv (3.3)
where:
Pa=Partial pressure of dry air, and
Pv= Partial pressure of water vapour.
From the equation of Ideal Gas:
Ta = Tv = T
Va = Vv = V
Ma + mv = m
Pa Va = ma R Ta & Pv Vv = mv RTv

R= (

The molecular mass of dry air is taken as 28.966 and the gas constant
of air (Ra) is equal to 0.287 kJ/kg K or 287 J/kg K.

The molecular mass of water vapour is taken as 18.016 and the gas
constant for water vapour (Rv) is equal to 0.461 kJ/kg K or 461 J/kg K.

3.6.1- Standard atmosphere

The temperature and barometric pressure of atmospheric air vary
considerably with altitude as well as with local geographic and weather
conditions. The standard atmosphere gives a standard of reference for estimating
properties at various altitudes. At sea level, standard temperature is
15°C; standard barometric pressure is 101.325 kPa. Temperature is assumed to
decrease linearly with increasing altitude throughout the troposphere (lower
atmosphere), and to be constant in the lower reaches of the stratosphere. The
lower atmosphere is assumed to consist of dry air that behaves as a perfect gas.
Gravity is also assumed constant at the standard value, 9.806 65 m/s2.
Table 1.2 summarizes property data for altitudes to 10 000 m.

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

Table (3.2) summarizes property data for altitudes to 10 000 m and

pressure values in Table 3.2 may be calculated from
P 101.32512.25577105 Z 5.2559 (3.4)
The equation for temperature as a function of altitude is
T = 15 – 0.0065Z (3.5)
where
Z = altitude, m
p = barometric pressure, kPa
T = temperature, °C
Equations (3.4) and (3.5) are accurate from −5000 m to 11 000 m.
For higher altitudes, comprehensive tables of barometric pressure.
Table (3.2) Standard Atmospheric Data for Altitudes to 10 000 m

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.6.2The saturation pressure

Pws = saturation pressure, Pa
We can obtain the value of saturation pressure from Table (3.3) at wet bulb
temperature.
3.6.3The vapour pressure
The vapour pressure may be given by the following equation:
Pv = Pws - Patm A (DBT – WBT) (3.6)
where
Pv: vapour pressure in moist air in kPa
Pws: saturation pressure at WBT in kPa
Patm: atmospheric pressure or barometric pressure in kPa
DBT: Dry Bulb temperature ˚C
WBT: Wet Bulb Temperature ˚C
A is constant
A = 6.66 ×10-4 ºC-1 …. For WBT ≥ 0
A = 5.94 ×10-4 ºC-1 …. For WBT < 0

3.7 Relative Humidity (RH): It is the ratio of actual mass of the water
vapour in a given volume of moist air to the mass of water vapour in the
same volume of saturated air at the same temperature and pressure. It is
briefly written as RH.
RH = Ф = % (3.7)

Ф: Relative humidity
Pv: Vapour pressure in moist air (eq. 3.6)
PDS: Saturation vapour pressure at DBT (Table 3.3)

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

Table (3.3) Thermodynamic Properties of Water at Saturation

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.8 Specific Humidity, Humidity Ratio or Moisture Content (W)

It is the mass of water vapour present in 1 kg of dry air (in the air-vapour
mixture) and is generally expressed in in terms of gram per kg of dry air
(g/kg dry air).

(3.8)
From the equation of Ideal Gas:
Ta = Tv = T
Va = Vv = V
Ma + mv = m
Pa Va = ma R Ta (Dry air)
Pv Vv = mv RTv (Water vapour)

3.9 Degree of saturation: It is the ratio of actual mass of the water vapour
in unit mass of dry air to the mass of water vapour in the same mass of dry
air when it is saturated at the same temperature.

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.10 Vapour density or Absolute humidity: It is the mass of water vapour

present in 1 m3 of dry air, and is generally expressed in terms of gram per
cubic-meter of dry air (g/m3 of dry air). It is also expressed in terms of
grains per cubic meter of dry air.

( )

( )

Since

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

3.11Dew point temperature: It is the temperature of air recorded by

thermometer, when the moisture (water vapour) present in it begins to
condense. In other words, the dew point temperature is the saturation
temperature (tsat) corresponding to the partial pressure of water vapour (pv).
It is, usually, denoted by tdp. Since pv is very small, therefore saturation
temperature by water vapour (pv) is also low (less than the atmospheric or
dry bulb temperature). The water vapour in air exists in the superheated
state and the moist air containing moisture in such a form
(i.e. superheated state) is said to be unsaturated air. When the partial
pressure of water vapour (pv) is equal to the saturation pressure (ps), the
water vapour is in dry condition and the air will be saturated air.
Notes:
a) The dew point temperature is the temperature at which the water vapour
begins to condense.
b) For saturated air, the dry bulb temperature, wet bulb temperature and
dew point temperature is same.
3.12 Dew point depression: It is the difference between the dry bulb
temperature and dew point temperature of air.
Dew point depression = tdb- tdp (3.18)
3.13 Enthalpy (Total heat) of moist air: The enthalpy of moist air is
numerically equal to the enthalpy of dry air plus the enthalpy of water
vapour associated with dry air.

h = ha +W hv (3.19)

ha = 1.005 Tdb 0ºC >Tdb>-10 ºC (3.20a )

ha =1.007 Tdb - 0.026 60ºC >Tdb>0 ºC (3.20b )

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The Islamic University College
th
Air Conditioning Engineering Department / 2 Year
By M.Sc.: Hyder M. Abdul Hussein
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning - Chapter Three –Psychrometry

Where
h: The enthalpy moist air kJ/kg of dry air
ha: The enthalpy of dry air kJ/kg of dry air
hv: The enthalpy of water vapour kJ/kg of dry air
Assuming that the water vapour in the range of temperatures from
(0 ºC to 60ºC) is generate from water at 0 ºC temperature and the specific
heat for the superheated water vapour is constant. We can use the following
equation to calculate enthalpy of water vapour:

hv = 2501 + 1.84 DBT (3.21)

Now we can substituting the equations (3.20) and (3.21) in equation (3.19)
to get on the approximating equation accepting accuracy to calculating
enthalpy of moist air at rang of temperature from (0 ºC to 60ºC):

h = (1.007 DBT - 0.026) + W (2501 + 1.84 DBT) (3.22)

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