Properties of Moist Air, Psychrometric

Chart, Basic Psychrometric Processes

For comfort air conditioning, properties of air should be known so that we can
control the environment in the space. The study of properties of ambient air
is known as psychrometric.
Pressure: Pressure is the effect of a force applied to a surface. Pressure is
the amount of force acting per unit area. The symbol of pressure is
Total pressure of air p=pv+pa
where, pv = partial pressure of water vapour
ps = partial pressure of dry ai
Partial pressure of water vapour

where, (pvs)wb = saturation pressure of water vapour corresponding to wet

bulb temperature
p = atmospheric pressure of moist air
Twb = wet bulb temperature
Tdb = dry bulb temperature
Dry Air: It is the mixture of gases. Generally O2 and N2 make up the major
part of the combustion.
It consists 21% O2 and 79% N2 by volume.
It consists 23% O2 and 77% N2 by mass.
Moisture: The water vapour present in the air is called moisture.

Moist Air: It is the mixture of dry air and water vapour.

Absolute Humidity: The weight of water vapour present in unit volume of
air is called absolute humidity.

Specific Humidity: It is the ratio of mass of water vapour in air (mixture) to

mass of dry air in air mixture.

Relative Humidity: It is the ratio of mass of water vapour in a given volume

to mass of water vapour in the same volume of saturated air at same
temperature.

where mv and ms are the mass of water vapour and mass of saturated
air pv and pvs are the partial pressure of water vapour and partial pressure of
water vapour in saturated air at same temperature for saturated air relative
humidity is 1 or 100%.
Degree of Saturation (): It is the ratio of mass of water vapour in a
sample of air to mass of water vapour in saturated air at the same
temperature.

where w and ws are specific humidities of air and saturated air.

Dry Bulb Temperature (DBT): It is the normal temperature of air

measured by an ordinary thermometer.
Wet Bulb Temperature: It is the temperature measured by a thermometer
when bulb is covered by wet cloth.
Wet Bulb Depression (WBD) = DBT WBT
Dew Point Temperature (DPT): It is temperature at which water vapour in
air start condensing.

For unsaturated air, DBT > WBT > DPT

For saturated air, DBT = WBT = DPT

Dew Point Depression: It is the difference between Dry Bulb Temperature

(DBT) and Dew Point Temperature (DPT), i.e.,
DPD = DBT DPT
Enthalpy of Air (h): Enthalpy of air is defined as
H = Ha + Hv, H=maha+mvhv
ha = Cpa(t)
hv = 2500 + 1800t
t = Dry Bulb Temperature in oC,
Or h = Cpm tab + w(hg Cpv tdb)

where, Cpm = Cpia + CpvW

Cpa, Cpv, Cpm are the specific heat of dry air water vapour and moist air
respectively.
hg enthalpy of saturated water vapour at DPT in kJ/kg.

Psychrometric Chart

Enthalpy is more or less constant with wet bulb temperature. Enthalpy

lines are also downward from lelt to right.

Constant specific Volume lines are more steeper inclined lines than wet
bulb temperate lines or enthalpy lines

Adiabatic lines on psychrometric chart are represented along constant

enthalpy lines.

Sensible Heating: It is process of heating air at constant w.

where, Cpm = specific heating moist

Sensible Cooling: It is process of cooling air at constant w. for sensible
cooling, the coil temperature must be greater than dew point temperature
and less than dbt.

Humidification: The addition of moisture to air at a constant, Dry Bulb

Temperature (DBT) is knows as humidification. It is process of increasing w at
constant DBT.

Dehumidification: The removal of moisture from air at a constant Dry Bulb

Temperature is called dehumidification. It is process of decreasing w at
constant DBT.
Heating with Humidification: It is process in which air heated with
humidification. The heating and humidification process line (1-2) as shown in
following figure. In this process, Dry Bulb Temperature and specific humidity
of incoming air increases.

Addition of heat Q1-2 = ma[(h1-h2)-(w1-w2)ht]

h2 h1 = Sensible heat (SH)
h2 h2 = latent heat (LH)
Sensible heat factor =

Heating with Dehumidification: In this process, air is heated with

dehumidification.

Cooling with Humidification: In this process, an air is cooled with

humidification.

Cooling with Dehumidification: In this process air is cooled below the

down point with dehumidification. It is necessary to maintain. In a cooling
with dehumidification, both the humidity ratio and temperature of most air
decrease. Some water vapour is condensed in the form of liquid water, called
a condensate. This process is shown by a curve in psychrometric chart.

Total heat load on cooling coil,

Q1-2 = ma[(h1-h2)-(w1-w2)hf]
Since, (w1-w2)h1=0
So, Q1-2 = ma(h1-h2)
Sensible heat factor
where, h1 and h2 = enthalpy of moist air entering and leaving the coil
ma = mass flow rate of the condensate
h2 = enthalpy of condensate.
Adiabatic Mixing of Air Streams: Streams of air at different condition are
mixed as shown in figure by mass balance.

Chemical Dehumidification: In chemical humidification DBT of air

increases while specific humidity decreases.

Adiabatic Evaporative Cooling: In adiabatic evaporative cooling, the heat

removed in lowering the Dry Bulb Temperature of the air is absorbed by the
moisture which evaporates and raises the humidity of the air.

By Pass Factor: Let Dry Bulb Temperature of coil surface is tcoil and air
temperature at entry and exit is t1 and t2 respectively.

By pass factor,

Coil Efficiency: It is determined by the mass coming in perfect contact of

coil.
-1-m=1-BPF
From figure,

Note: If by pass factor is low then coil efficiency will be better.

Summer Air Conditioning with Ventilation Air
GSHF the line joining of inlet and exit condition of an A/C equipment.
RSHF the line joining supply conditions with inside room condition.
The point of interaction of GSHF and RSHF will give supply condition to room.

Apparated Dew Point (ADP): The temperature at which cooling and

humidification lines meet sat

Comfort Chart: Relative humidity lines are taken from chart. It is found that
an effective temperature of 20oC, 99% of people where comfortable in winter
and in summer this temperature is found to be 21.6oC. The comfortable
relative humidity conditions are 50% to 60% and hence shaded region shows
comfort zone for year round conditioning.