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Psychrometrices
Psychrometrices
Psychrometrices deals with thermodynamic properties of moist air and uses these properties To
analyze conditions and processes involving moist air.
Psychrometry is the study of the properties of mixtures of air and water vapour.
Psychrometric ratio
The psychrometric ratio is the ratio of the heat transfer coefficient to the product of mass
transfer coefficient and humid heat at a wetted surface. It may be evaluated with the
following equation:
hc
r=
k y cs
where:
• r = Psychrometric ratio, dimensionless
• = convective heat transfer coefficient, W m-2 K-1
hc
ln( )=
Psat C1
+ C 2 + C3T + C 4T 2 + C5T 3 + C 6 ln T
T
where,
psat = saturated vapor pressure of water in kiloPascals
T = temperature in K
The regression coefficients c1 to c6 are given by:
c1 = -5.80022006E+03, c2 = -5.516256E+00, c3 = -4.8640239E-02
c4 = 4.1764768E-05, c5 = -1.4452093E-08, c6 = 6.5459673E+00
=
Φ pv
p sat
pv
temp.
Relative humidity is normally expressed as a percentage. When Φ is 100 percent, the air
is saturated.
Dew-point temperature:
If unsaturated moist air is cooled at constant pressure, then the
temperature at which the moisture in the air begins to condense is known as dew-point
temperature (DPT) of air. An approximate equation for dew-point temperature is given by:
DPT=
4030( DBT + 235)
− 235
4030( DBT + 235) ln Φ
where Φ is the relative humidity (in fraction). DBT & DPT are in oC. Of course, since from its definition, the
dew point temperature is the saturation temperature corresponding to the vapour pressure of water vapour,
it can be obtained from steam tables or using Eqn
ln( )=
Psat C1
+ C 2 + C 3T + C 4T 2 + C 5T 3 + C 6 ln T
T
Degree of saturation μ:
W
µ=
Ws t, p
Enthalpy:
The enthalpy of moist air is the sum of the enthalpy of the dry air and the
enthalpy of the water vapour. Enthalpy values are always based on some reference
value. For moist air, the enthalpy of dry air is given a zero value at 0oC, and for water
vapour the enthalpy of saturated water is taken as zero at 0oC.
h = ha + WH g = C p t + W (h fg + C pw t )
The unit of h is kJ/kg of dry air. Substituting the approximate values of cp and hg, we obtain:
Specific volume:
Psychrometric Processes
In the domestic and industrial air conditioning applications some psychrometric
processes have to be performed on the air to change the psychrometric properties of air
so as to obtain certain values of temperature and humidity of air within the enclosed
space. Some of the common psychrometric processes carried out on air are: sensible
heating and cooling of air, humidification and dehumidification of air, mixing of various
streams of air, or there may be combinations of the various processes.
Illustrating and analyzing the psychrometric properties and psychrometric processes by
using the psychrometric chart is very easy, convenient and time saving. In the next few
paragraphs we shall see some of the most commonly employed psychrometric processes
in the field of HVAC and how they are represented on the psychrometric chart.
Industrial applications
Although the principles of psychrometry apply to any physical system consisting of gas-
vapor mixtures, the most common system of interest is the mixture of water vapor and
air, because of its application in heating, ventilating, and air-
conditioning and meteorology. In human terms, our comfort is in large part a
consequence of, not just the temperature of the surrounding air, but (because we cool
ourselves via perspiration) the extent to which that air is saturated with water vapor.