Lecture 3

Psychrometry

BSE2201 – Air Conditioning I

Dr. Wen Tao (tao.wen@polyu.edu.hk)

Department of Building Services Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

1
Learning Outcomes
 By the end of this lecture, you should be able to
 Describe moist air and psychrometry
 State the equation of state for ideal gas, the Dalton law and the
Gibbs-Dalton law
 State the function of a psychrometer
 Identify the properties of moist air
 Determine the condition of moist air on a psychrometric chart
 Determine the condition of moist air from the table of properties
of water

2
Introduction
 Moist air
 It is the atmospheric air surrounding us
 It is a mixture of dry air and water vapour
 Its properties depend heavily on the amount of water vapour
present, which at a temperature range between -10 and 40˚C
varies from 0 to 3% by mass
 It is conditioned in the air conditioning systems, so it is
necessary to study moist air
 Psychrometry
 It is the science of studying the thermodynamic properties of
moist air

3
Equation of State for Gas
 Ideal gas
 It is a hypothetical gas whose equation of state can be expressed
as
pv  RT
where p = pressure of the gas (Pa)
v = specific volume of the gas (m3/kg)
R = gas constant for individual gas (J/kg·K)
T = absolute temperature of the gas (K)
T (K) = T (oC) + 273.15

 It indicates the relationships between the thermodynamic

properties of an ideal gas

4
Equation of State for Gas
V
 Using v  , then pv  RT  pV  mRT
m
where V = total volume of the gas (m3)
m = mass of the gas (kg)

Ro
 Using m  nM and R  , then pV  mRT  pV  nRoT
M
where n = number of moles (mol), M = molecular weight (kg/mol),
Ro = universal gas constant = 8.314 J/mol·K

pV
 In another word, is constant for all gases
nT

5
Equation of State for Gas
 Real gas
 A modified form of the equation can be expressed as
pV
 1  Ap  Bp 2  Cp 3      Z
RT
where A, B, C, … = viral coefficients, and Z = compressibility factor
 Compressibility factor Z
 It indicates the degree of deviation of the behaviour of the real

gas from the equation of state for an ideal gas, owing to the
reactions between the gas molecules
 For ideal gas, Z = 1

6
Equation of State for Gas
 The deviation of Z from
unity is very small for
both dry air and water
vapour
 The equation of state
for an ideal gas can be
applied to moist air at a
temperature range of 0
to 40°C and a pressure
of 101.3 kPa
Compressibility factor Z for dry air and water
vapour (1 atm = 101.3 kPa)

7
Question :
Calculate the specific volume and density of a sample of dry air which is at a pressure of 101
325 Pa and at a temperature of 20 oC.

Solution:

Therefore:

8
Dalton’s Law and Gibbs-Dalton Law
 Dalton’s Law
 It states that for a mixture of gases occupying a given volume at a
given temperature, the total pressure of the mixture is equal to the
sum of the partial pressures of the constituents, such that

p  p1  p2    
where p = total pressure of the mixture (Pa)
p1, p2, … = partial pressures of the constituents 1, 2, … (Pa)

 The partial pressure exerted by each constituent of the mixture is

independent of the presence of the other gases in the mixture

9
Moist air

Fog in autumn

Condensed water on window and at the outlet of air conditioning system

10
 Dalton’s Law and Gibbs-Dalton Law
Mass and pressure of dry air, Main components of dry air
water vapour and moist air

Mair = 78.048×28.02 + 20.9476×32.00 + …

+ 0.9347×39.91 + … ≈ 28.96 g/mol
ta = 25.5°C tw = 25.5°C t = 25.5°C
ma = 1 kg ma = 0 kg ma = 1 kg
mv = 0 kg mv = 0.0102 kg mv = 0.0102 kg
pa = 99.692 kPa pa = 0 kPa pa = 99.692 kPa
pv = 0 kPa pv = 1.633 kPa pv = 1.633 kPa
Patm = 101.325 kPa

11
 Dalton’s Law and Gibbs-Dalton Law
Mass and pressure of dry air,  Principle of conservation of mass:
water vapour and moist air
m  ma  mv
where m, ma, mv = mass of moist air,
dry air and water vapour (kg)

 Dalton’s law to moist air:

ta = 25.5°C tw = 25.5°C t = 25.5°C patm  p  pa  pv
ma = 1 kg ma = 0 kg ma = 1 kg
mv = 0 kg mv = 0.0102 kg mv = 0.0102 kg where patm = atmospheric pressure,
pa = 99.692 kPa pa = 0 kPa pa = 99.692 kPa p = pressure of the moist air, pa =
pv = 0 kPa pv = 1.633 kPa pv = 1.633 kPa partial pressure of dry air, pv = partial
Patm = 101.325 kPa pressure of water vapour (Pa)

12
Dalton’s Law and Gibbs-Dalton Law
 Gibbs-Dalton Law
 It extends the Dalton’s law to relate the internal energy, enthalpy
and entropy of a gaseous mixture with its constituents

where
m = mass of the gaseous mixture (kg)
mu  m1u1  m2u2    
 u = specific internal energy of the mixture (kJ/kg)
 mh  m1h1  m2 h2     h = specific enthalpy of the mixture (kJ/kg)
 ms  m s  m s    
 1 1 2 2 s = specific entropy of the mixture (kJ/kg·K)
Subscripts 1, 2, … = the constituents 1, 2, … of the
gaseous mixtures

13
Psychrometer
 It measures the relative humidity of the moist air from the
difference between the dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures
 Dry bulb temperature t
 It is the temperature of the moist air measured by the dry bulb
thermometer with its sensing bulb kept dry in the moist air
 Wet bulb temperature twb
 It is the temperature measured by a thermometer whose bulb is
wrapped in a piece of cotton wick, one end of which is dipped into
distilled water, so that the surface of the bulb is kept wet due to the
capillary effect
 It is used to describe the process of evaporative cooling

14
Psychrometer
 The dry bulb thermometer is usually separated from the wet bulb
thermometer by a radiation shield plate
 When the unsaturated moist air
flows over the wet bulb
thermometer, water from the
surface of the cotton wick will be
evaporated, resulting in a drop of
the wet bulb temperature
 Unsaturated means the condition
when the amount of water vapour is
less than the maximum possible

15
 Psychrometer

Wall-hung psychrometer

Sling psychrometer
Simple construction, cheap,
reliable but cannot monitor rapid
change of moisture
16
Psychrometer

Aspiration psychrometer

17
Properties of Moist Air

 Partial pressure of water vapour pv

 It can be calculated if both the dry bulb temperature and wet bulb
temperature are known

pv  ps , wb 
 p atm  ps , wb   t  t wb 
 Pa 
1547  1.43  t wb
where
patm = atmospheric pressure (Pa)
ps,wb = saturation pressure of water vapour in the moist air at the wet
bulb temperature (Pa)
t = dry bulb temperature (°C)
twb = wet bulb temperature (°C)

18
Properties of Moist Air
 Humidity ratio (or moisture content) w
 It is the ratio of the mass of water vapour mv to the mass of dry air
ma contained in the moist air mixture
mv
w  kg/kg dry air 
ma
 When dry air and water vapour occupy the same volume at the same
temperature, equations of state for ideal gas
 For dry air: paV  ma RaT

 For water vapour: pvV  mv RvT

where Ra, Rv = gas constant for dry air and water vapour respectively (J/kg·K)

19
Properties of Moist Air
 Therefore,
mv pvVRaT Ra pv 287 pv pv
w       0.622
ma paVRvT Rv patm  pv 462 patm  pv patm  pv

 For moist air at saturated conditions, then

pvs
ws  0.622
patm  pvs

where ws = humidity ratio of saturated moist air (kg/kg dry air)

pvs = pressure of the water vapour in the saturated moist air (Pa)

 The air leaving a cooling coil should be saturated when the

contact factor is 1

20
Properties of Moist Air
 Relative humidity RH or 
 It is defined as the ratio of the mole fraction of the water vapour xv
in a given moist air sample to the mole fraction of water vapour in
an air sample of saturated moist air xvs at the same temperature t
and pressure p
xv

xvs t, p

 Saturated means the condition when the moist air contains the
maximum amount of water vapour that it can hold, i.e. RH = 100%

21
Properties of Moist Air
nv
 By definition, xv 
na  nv
where na = number of moles of dry air, mol
nv = number of moles of water vapour, mol
 For moist air, the sum of the mole fraction of dry air and water
vapour is equal to 1, i.e. xa  xv  1
 pvV  nv RoT pv pvs
  xv  Similarly, xvs 
p
 a V  n R
a o T p a  pv pa  pvs

xv pv   pv  xv  pa  pv   xv patm 
 Thus, RH    
  pvs  xvs  pa  pvs   xvs patm 
 
xvs t, p
pvs t, p

22
Properties of Moist Air
 Degree of saturation (or percentage saturation) 
 It is the ratio of the humidity ratio of moist air w to the humidity
ratio of saturated moist air ws at the same temperature t and
pressure p
pv xv patm xw
0.622
w patm  pv p x p 1  xw
   atm v atm 
ws pvs xvs patm xws
t ,p 0.622
patm  pvs t ,p
patm  xvs patm t ,p
1  xws t ,p

1  xvs  1  xvs 
 RH   RH xv  1 and xvs  1   1
1  xv  1  xv 
t, p

23
Properties of Moist Air

 Dew point temperature td

 It is the temperature of saturated moist air at the same pressure p
and humidity ratio w as the given moist air sample, such that
ws t w
d ,p

 It is the temperature at which the water vapour of the moist air is

in a saturated condition and would condense if the air is cooled at
a constant pressure
 It is the temperature at which the saturation pressure of the water
vapour of the moist air ps is equal to its partial pressure pv

24
 Properties of Moist Air
 Density 
 It is the ratio of the total mass of moist air to the volume of the
mixture m  mv ma  mv 
 a  1     a 1  w  kg/m 3 
V V  ma 

 Specific volume (or moist volume) v

 It is defined as the total volume of dry air and water vapour
mixture V per unit mass of dry air ma
R T w  0.622 RaT
v
V
ma
RT
 a 
pa
RaT

RaT

patm  pv patm  pv p 
RaT
p atm w
 a
patm 0.622

patm
 1  1.608w   m /kg 
3

atm
w  0.622
 patm w 
 p 
w  0.622 
v

25
Properties of Moist Air
 Specific enthalpy h
 It is defined as the sum of its internal energy u and the product of
its pressure p and specific volume v

h  u  pv  kJ/kg 
 Assumptions for calculating the enthalpy of moist air
1. The equation of state for ideal gas and the Gibbs-Dalton law hold
2. The enthalpies of dry air and liquid water are both zero at 0°C
3. All water vapour contained in the moist air is vaporized at 0°C
4. The enthalpy of moist air = the enthalpy of a mixture of dry air and
water vapour, where the amount of dry air is exactly equal to 1 kg

26
Properties of Moist Air
 Based on these assumptions, then
h  ha  whv  c pat  w h fg , 0  c pvt   1.006t  w 2501  1.87t 

where
ha = specific enthalpy of dry air (kJ/kg)
hv = specific enthalpy of water vapour (kJ/kg)
cpa = specific heat of dry air at constant pressure (kJ/kg·K)
(cpa = 1.006 kJ/kg·K at a temperature range of -10 to 30°C)
t = temperature of moist air (°C)
hfg,0 = latent heat of vaporization at 0°C, i.e. 2501 kJ/kg
cpv = specific heat of water vapour at constant pressure (kJ/kg·K)
(cpv = 1.87 kJ/kg·K at a temperature range of -10 to 30°C)

27
Properties of Moist Air
 Enthalpy of moist air can be subdivided into two parts

h   c pa  wc pv t  wh fg ,0  1.006  1.87 w t  2501w

 The first term (in green box) indicates the amount of heat
energy associated with the change of temperature of the moist
air, and this kind of heat is called sensible heat
 The second term (in yellow box) represents the amount of
heat energy associated with the change of state between water
and water vapour during vaporization or condensation, and
this kind of heat is called latent heat

28
Properties of Moist Air

 Specific heat cp
q s
c p  c pa  wc pv   kJ/kg  K 
m T

where cpa = specific heat of dry air at constant pressure (kJ/kg·K)

w = humidity ratio of the moist air (kg/kg dry air)
cqpv = specific heat of water vapour at constant pressure (kJ/kg·K)
s

m = sensible heat of moist air (kW)

= mass flow rate of moist air (kg/s)
ΔT = temperature difference of moist air at two different points (K)

29
Properties of Moist Air

 Because cpa and cpv are both functions of temperature, cp is also a

function of temperature and humidity ratio
 At a temperature range of 0°C to 30°C,
 cpa = 1.006 kJ/kg·K,

 cpv = 1.87 kJ/kg·K, and

 if w = 0.0075 kg/kg dry air, then
c p  c pa  wc pv  1.006   0.00751.87  1.02 kJ/kg  K

30
Condensation on Surfaces
 It is the phenomenon when water vapour in the moist air
changes to water after making contact with a cold surface
having a temperature below the dew point temperature of
that moist air
 It should be avoided by controlling the relative humidity
of the moist air in the space, providing thermal insulation
for the surface, and covering the surface with a vapour
barrier

31
Psychrometric Chart
 It gives a graphical representation of the properties of
moist air at a pressure of 101.325 kPa, and the heat and
mass transfer of various air conditioning processes
 Locating the condition of moist air on the chart
 It is represented by a point of intersection between the lines of
two independent properties on the chart
 Once the condition is located, other properties can also be
obtained

32
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

33
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 30 oC,

moisture content = 20 g/kg dry air)

34
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(Example: dry-bulb temperature = 25 oC,

Relative humidity = 50%)

35
Psychrometric Chart
 Lines of constant property values

t = 21°C

Humidity ratio w
Humidity ratio w Saturation line

Humidity ratio w
w = 0.012 (RH = 100%)
RH = 80%

Dry
Drybulb
bulbtemperature
temperaturett Dry bulb temperature t Dry bulb temperature t

a. Constant dry bulb temperature t b. Constant humidity ratio w c. Constant relative humidity RH

36
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

37
 Psychrometric Chart
 Lines of constant property values

Humidity ratio w
Humidity ratio w
Humidity ratio w
twb = 24°C
v = 0.85 m3/kg h = 63 kJ/kg

Dry bulb temperature t Dry bulb temperature t Dry bulb temperature t

d. Constant specific volume v e. Constant wet bulb temperature twb f. Constant specific enthalpy h

38
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

39
40
41
Table of
Thermodynamic
Properties of Water
 The absolute pressure shown in
the table is the pressure of the
water vapour in the saturated
moist air pvs or the saturation
pressure of the water vapour in
the moist air ps at the
corresponding temperature
Table of
Thermodynamic
Properties of Water
Table of
Thermodynamic
Properties of Water
Summary
 Definition of psychrometry and moist air
 Equation of state for ideal gas
 The Dalton law and the Gibbs-Dalton law
 Function of a psychrometer
 Properties of moist air
 Construction of a psychrometric chart
 Condition of moist air on a psychrometric chart
 Condition of moist air from the table of properties of water

45
Tutorial questions

46
 Question 1:(1) Calculate the moisture content of 1 kg of dry air at 20 oC
mixed with saturated steam for barometric pressures of (a) 101.325 kPa and
(b) 95 kPa. (2) and also use the psychrometric chart to determine the
moisture content at the barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa

 Question 2:(1) Calculate the percentage saturation and relative humidity

(RH) of air at 20 oC dry-bulb and a moisture content of 0.00734 kg per kg
dry air for (a) a barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa and (b) a barometric
pressure of 95 kPa, (2) and also use the psychrometric chart to determine the
percentage saturation at the barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa

 Question 3: Calculate the specific volume of air at a dry-bulb temperature

of 20 oC and a moisture content of 0.00734 kg per kg dry air at a barometric
pressure of 101.325 kPa.

47
 Question 4: Calculate the approximate enthalpy of moist air at a dry-bulb
temperature of 20 oC, 50% saturation and a barometric pressure of 101.325
kPa. Use CIBSE psychrometric tables or a psychrometric chart to establish
the moisture content.
 Question 5: Calculate the vapour pressure of moist air at a barometric
pressure of 101.325 kPa if the measured dry-bulb temperature is 20 oC and
the measured wet-bulb is 15 oC.

 Question 6: The states of moist air are given as: 28 oC dry-bulb

temperature, a vapour pressure of 1.926 kPa and a barometric pressure of
101.325 kPa, determine its humidity content, relative humidity, wet-bulb
temperature and enthalpy.

48
Tutorial Solutions

49
 Question 1: (1) Calculate the moisture content of 1 kg of dry air at 20 oC
mixed with saturated steam for barometric pressures of (a) 101.325 kPa and
(b) 95 kPa. (2) and also use the psychrometric chart to determine the
moisture content at the barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa
pvs
ws  0.622 
patm  pvs

From the table of Thermodynamic properties of water, pvs = 2.339 kPa

Therefore, for patm = 101.325 kPa
pvs 2.339
ws  0.622   0.622   0.0147 kg per kg dry air
patm  pvs 101.325  2.339

Therefore, for patm = 95 kPa

pvs 2.339
ws  0.622   0.622   0.0157 kg per kg dry air
patm  pvs 95  2.339

50
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 20 oC,

saturation state)

≈ 0.0148 kg/kg dry air

51
 Question 2: (1) Calculate the percentage saturation and relative humidity
(RH) of air at 20 oC dry-bulb and a moisture content of 0.00734 kg per kg
dry air for (a) a barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa and (b) a barometric
pressure of 95 kPa, (2) and also use the psychrometric chart to determine the
percentage saturation at the barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa

According to the previous question, the saturation moisture content at 20 oC is 0.0147

kg per kg dry air for patm = 101.325 kPa and 0.0157 kg per kg dry air for patm = 95 kPa

w 0.00734
   49.9%  RH
ws t, p
0.0147 20 oC,101.325 kPa

w 0.00734
   46.8%  RH
ws t, p
0.0157 20 o C,95 kPa

52
 For the calculation of relative humidity (RH), slide 22:
xv pv
RH  
xvs t, p
pvs t, p
pv wpatm
w  0.622   w  ( patm  pv )  0.622 pv  pv 
patm  pv 0.622  w
pvs  2.339 kPa

For patm = 101.325 kPa:

 wpatm 0.00734  101.325
pv 1.1818  pv    1.1818 kPa
RH    50.5%   0.622  w 0.622  0.00734
pvs 2.339  pvs  2.339 kPa

For patm = 95 kPa:

 wpatm 0.00734  95
pv 1.1080  pv    1.1080 kPa
RH    47.4%   0.622  w 0.622  0.00734
pvs 2.339  pvs  2.339 kPa

53
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 20 oC,

Moisture content = 0.00734 kg/kg dry air)

≈ 50%

54
 Question 3: Calculate the specific volume of air at a dry-bulb temperature
of 20 oC and a moisture content of 0.00734 kg per kg dry air at a barometric
pressure of 101.325 kPa.
 Specific volume (or moist volume) v
 It is defined as the total volume of dry air and water vapour
mixture V per unit mass of dry air ma

v
V
ma
RT
 a 
pa
RaT RT
 a  1  1.608w 
patm  pv patm
 m /kg 
3
[ paV  ma RaT ]

287  (273.15  20)

  1  1.608  0.00734   0.8401 m3 /kg
101325

pv wpatm
w  0.622   w  ( patm  pv )  0.622 pv  pv 
patm  pv 0.622  w

55
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 20 oC,

Moisture content = 0.00734 kg/kg dry air)

4
0.8

≈ 0.84 m3/kg

56
 Question 4: Calculate the approximate enthalpy of moist air at a dry-bulb
temperature of 20 oC, 50% saturation and a barometric pressure of 101.325
kPa. Use CIBSE psychrometric tables or a psychrometric chart to establish
the moisture content.

According to the CIBSE psychrometric chart, the corresponding moisture

content is: 0.0074 kg/kg dry air

 
h  ha  whv  c pat  w h fg ,0  c pvt  1.006t  w  2501  1.87t 
 1.006  20  0.0074  (2501  1.87  20)  38.90 kJ/kg

57
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 20 oC,

50% saturation)

≈ 0.0074 kg per kg dry air

58
 Question 5: Calculate the vapour pressure of moist air at a barometric
pressure of 101.325 kPa if the measured dry-bulb temperature is 20 oC and
the measured wet-bulb is 15 oC.

According to the CIBSE psychrometric chart, the corresponding moisture

content is: 0.0086 kg/kg dry air
pv patm w
w  0.622  pv 
patm  pv w  0.622

patm w 101.325  0.0086

pv    1.381 kPa
w  0.622 0.0086  0.622

59
 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 20 oC,

50% saturation)

≈ 0.0086 kg per kg dry air

60
 Question 6: The states of moist air are given as: 28 oC dry-bulb
temperature, a vapour pressure of 1.926 kPa and a barometric pressure of
101.325 kPa, determine its humidity content, relative humidity, wet-bulb
temperature and enthalpy.
pv 1.926
w  0.622  0.622 =0.01205 kg/kg dry air
patm  pv 101.325  1.926

According to table of Thermodynamic

properties of water, pvs=3.7822 kPa

pv 1.926
RH    50.9%
pvs 3.7822

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 Psychrometric Chart
(Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers)

(State point: dry-bulb temperature = 28 oC,

w = 0.01205 kg/kg dry air)

≈ 21.5 oC (wet-bulb)

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 The states of moist air are given as: 28 oC dry-bulb temperature, a vapour
pressure of 1.926 kPa and a barometric pressure of 101.325 kPa, determine
its humidity content, relative humidity, wet-bulb temperature and enthalpy.

 
h  ha  whv  c pat  w h fg ,0  c pvt  1.006t  w  2501  1.87t 
 1.006  28  0.01205  (2501  1.87  28)  58.94 kJ/kg

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