12-4 PSYCHROMETRY, EVAPORATIVE COOLING, AND SOLIDS DRYING

Example 1: Compare Wet-Bulb and Adiabatic-Saturation ∆H = moisture added to or rejected from the air stream, lb
Temperatures For the air-water system at atmospheric pressure, the mea- water/lb dry air
sured values of dry-bulb and wet-bulb temperatures are 85 and 72°F respec- h′ = enthalpy at saturation, Btu/lb dry air
tively. Determine the absolute humidity and compare the wet-bulb temperature D = enthalpy deviation, Btu/lb dry air
and adiabatic-saturation temperature. Assume that hc /k′ is given by Eq. (12-4).
Solution. For relatively dry air the Schmidt number µ/ρDv is 0.60, and from h = h′ + D = true enthalpy, Btu/lb dry air
Eq. (12-4) hc /k′ = 0.294(0.60)0.56 = 0.221. At 72°F the vapor pressure of water is hw = enthalpy of water added to or rejected from the system,
20.07 mmHg, and the latent heat of vaporization is 1051.6 Btu/lb. From Eq. (12- Btu/lb dry air
1b), [20.07/(760 − 20.07)](18/29) − H = (0.221/1051.6)(85 − 72), or H = 0.0140 qa = heat added to the system, Btu/lb dry air
lb water/lb dry air. The humid heat is calculated as cs = 0.24 + 0.45(0.0140) = qr = heat removed from system, Btu/lb dry air
0.246. The adiabatic-saturation temperature is obtained from Eq. (12-2) as
Hs − 0.0140 = (0.246/1051.6)(85 − ts) Subscripts 1, 2, 3, etc., indicate entering and subsequent states.
Values of Hs and ts are given by the saturation curve of the psychrometric chart,
such as Fig. 12-2. By trial and error, ts = 72.1°F, or the adiabatic-saturation tem- Example 2: Determination of Moist Air Properties Find the
perature is 0.1°F higher than the wet-bulb temperature. properties of moist air when the dry-bulb temperature is 80°F and the wet-bulb
temperature is 67°F.
Solution. Read directly from Fig. 12-2 (Fig. 12-6 shows the solution dia-
USE OF PSYCHROMETRIC CHARTS grammatically).
Three charts for the air-water vapor system are given as Figs. 12-1 Moisture content H = 78 gr/lb dry air
to 12-3 for low-, medium-, and high-temperature ranges. Figure 12-4 = 0.011 lb water/lb dry air
shows a modified Grosvenor chart, which is more familiar to the Enthalpy at saturation h′ = 31.6 Btu/lb dry air
chemical engineer. These charts are for an absolute pressure of 1 atm.
The corrections required at pressures different from atmospheric are Enthalpy deviation D = −0.1 Btu/lb dry air
given in Table 12-2. Figure 12-5 shows a psychrometric chart for com- True enthalpy h = 31.5 Btu/lb dry air
bustion products in air. The thermodynamic properties of moist air Specific volume v = 13.8 ft3/lb dry air
are given in Table 12-1. Relative humidity = 51 percent
Examples Illustrating Use of Psychrometric Charts In these Dew point td = 60.3°F
examples the following nomenclature is used:
Example 3: Air Heating Air is heated by a steam coil from 30°F dry-
t = dry-bulb temperatures, °F bulb temperature and 80 percent relative humidity to 75°F dry-bulb tempera-
tw = wet-bulb temperature, °F ture. Find the relative humidity, wet-bulb temperature, and dew point of the
td = dew-point temperature, °F heated air. Determine the quantity of heat added per pound of dry air.
H = moisture content, lb water/lb dry air Solution. Reading directly from the psychrometric chart (Fig. 12-2),

FIG. 12-1 Psychrometric chart—low temperatures. Barometric pressure, 29.92 inHg. To convert British thermal units per pound to
joules per kilogram, multiply by 2326; to convert British thermal units per pound dry air-degree Fahrenheit to joules per kilogram-kelvin,
multiply by 4186.8; and to convert cubic feet per pound to cubic meters per kilogram, multiply by 0.0624.
 PSYCHROMETRY 12-5

FIG. 12-2 Psychrometric chart—medium temperatures. Barometric pressure, 29.92 inHg. To convert British thermal units per pound
dry air-degree Fahrenheit to joules per kilogram-kelvin, multiply by 4186.8; and to convert cubic feet per pound to cubic meters per kilo-
gram, multiply by 0.0624.

Relative humidity = 15 percent Enthalpy of added water hw = 0.2 Btu/lb dry air (from small diagram,
Wet-bulb temperature = 51.5°F 37 gr at 70°F)
Dew point = 25.2°F Then qa = h2 − h1 + hw
= 34.08 − 33.88 + 0.2 = 0
The enthalpy of the inlet air is obtained from Fig. 12-2 as h1 = h′1 + D1 =
10.1 + 0.06 = 10.16 Btu/lb dry air; at the exit, h2 = h′2 + D2 = 21.1 − 0.1 = 21 Btu/lb
dry air. The heat added equals the enthalpy difference, or Example 5: Cooling and Dehumidification Find the cooling load
per pound of dry air resulting from infiltration of room air at 80°F dry-bulb tem-
qa = ∆h = h2 − h1 = 21 − 10.16 = 10.84 Btu/lb dry air perature and 67°F wet-bulb temperature into a cooler maintained at 30°F dry-
If the enthalpy deviation is ignored, the heat added qa is ∆h = 21.1 − 10.1 = 11 bulb and 28°F wet-bulb temperature, where moisture freezes on the coil, which
Btu/lb dry air, or the result is 1.5 percent high. Figure 12-7 shows the heating is maintained at 20°F.
path on the psychrometric chart. Solution. The path followed on a psychrometric chart is shown in Fig. 12-9.
Inlet enthalpy h1 = h′1 + D1 = 31.62 − 0.1
Example 4: Evaporative Cooling Air at 95°F dry-bulb temperature
and 70°F wet-bulb temperature contacts a water spray, where its relative = 31.52 Btu/lb dry air
humidity is increased to 90 percent. The spray water is recirculated; makeup Exit enthalpy h2 = h′2 + D2 = 10.1 + 0.06
water enters at 70°F. Determine exit dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb tempera- = 10.16 Btu/lb dry air
ture, change in enthalpy of the air, and quantity of moisture added per pound of
dry air. Inlet moisture H1 = 78 gr/lb dry air
Solution. Figure 12-8 shows the path on a psychrometric chart. The leaving Exit moisture H2 = 19 gr/lb dry air
dry-bulb temperature is obtained directly from Fig. 12-2 as 72.2°F. Since the
Moisture rejected ∆H = 59 gr/lb dry air
spray water enters at the wet-bulb temperature of 70°F and there is no heat
added to or removed from it, this is by definition an adiabatic process and there Enthalpy of rejected moisture = −1.26 Btu/lb dry air (from small
will be no change in wet-bulb temperature. The only change in enthalpy is that diagram of Fig. 12-2)
from the heat content of the makeup water. This can be demonstrated as fol- Cooling load qr = 31.52 − 10.16 + 1.26
lows:
= 22.62 Btu/lb dry air
Inlet moisture H1 = 70 gr/lb dry air
Note that if the enthalpy deviations were ignored, the calculated cooling load
Exit moisture H2 = 107 gr/lb dry air would be about 5 percent low.
∆H = 37 gr/lb dry air
Inlet enthalpy h1 = h′1 + D1 = 34.1 − 0.22 Example 6: Cooling Tower Determine water consumption and
= 33.88 Btu/lb dry air amount of heat dissipated per 1000 ft3/min of entering air at 90°F dry-bulb tem-
perature and 70°F wet-bulb temperature when the air leaves saturated at 110°F
Exit enthalpy h2 = h′2 + D2 = 34.1 − 0.02 and the makeup water is at 75°F.
= 34.08 Btu/lb dry air Solution. The path followed is shown in Fig. 12-10.