Chapter 3

Moist Air Properties

and
Conditioning Processes

Dr. Khaled AlQudah

 Psychrometry
• Psychrometry : Is that branch of engineering science which deals with the study of the moist air( Dry
air mixed with water vapor or humidity ).
• It is also includes the study of the behavior of dry air and water vapor mixture under various sets of
conditions.
Composition of dry air

• Even Though it is a mixture of gases ( N2,O2 , Ar and CO2 ) , yet for the purpose of Psychrometry , it is
considered to be a mixture of dry air and water vapor only.
The atmospheric air can be treated as an ideal-gas mixture whose pressure is the
sum of the partial pressure of dry air Pa and that of the water vapor Pv, Partial
Pressure of water vapor (vapor pressure):

P = Pa + Pv
The pressure of water vapor would exert if it existed alone at the temperature and
volume of atmospheric air
 Important Psychometric Properties:
1-Dry Bulb Temperature (DBT): Is the temperature of the moist air as it
measured by a standard thermometer or other temperature measuring
instruments.
2-Saturated Vapor Pressure (Psat): Is the saturated partial pressure of
water vapor at the dry bulb temperature. This is readily available in
thermodynamic tables and charts.
3-Humidity ratio (ω): The humidity ratio (or specific humidity) ω is the
ratio of mass of water (ma) associated with each kilogram of dry air
(m𝑣)
𝒎𝒗
ω= (kg water vapor/kg dry air)
𝒎𝒂
Important Psychometric Properties
Assuming both water vapour and dry air to be perfect gases, the
humidity ratio is given by:
𝑚𝑣
ω =
𝑀𝑎
Using perfect gas law: PV=mRT
𝑃𝑣𝑉 𝑃𝑣𝑉𝑀𝑣 𝑃𝑎𝑉 𝑃𝑎𝑉𝑀𝑎
Where 𝑚𝑣 = = ത & 𝑚𝑎 = = ത
𝑅𝑣𝑇 𝑅𝑇 𝑅𝑎𝑇 𝑅𝑇
• Substituting the values of gas constants of water vapour and air Rv and Ra in the
above equation; the humidity ratio is given by:
 Important Psychometric Properties:
𝟏𝟖.𝟎𝟏𝟓 𝑷𝒗 𝑷𝒗
• (Humidity Ratio) ω = = 0.6219 (1)
𝟐𝟖.𝟗𝟔𝟓 𝑷𝒂 𝑷𝒂
•
• It is to be noted that, ω is a function of both total barometric pressure and vapor
pressure of water. P= Pt=Pa+PV
4- Relative humidity (Φ) or RH: Is defined as the ratio of actual mass of
water vapor in a given volume to the mass of water vapor in the same
volume of saturated air at the same temperature and pressure.
𝑷𝒗ൗ 𝑷𝒗 𝑷𝒗ൗ 𝝆𝒗
𝑹𝒗𝑻
𝜱= 𝑷
= = = (2)
𝑷𝒔ൗ
𝑷 𝑷𝒔 𝑷𝒔ൗ
𝑹𝒗𝑻 𝝆𝒔 T,P
The ratio of the amount of moisture air holds (mv) to the maximum amount of moisture air
can hold at the same temperature (mg) is called the relative humidity,

where Pg = Psat @ T
The relative and specific humidifies can also be expressed as

(3)

Relative humidity ranges from 0% for dry air to 100% for saturated air.
 Important Psychometric Properties:
• At a given temperature and pressure the dry air can only hold a
certain maximum amount of moisture. When the moisture content is
maximum, then the air is known as saturated air, which is established
by a neutral equilibrium between the moist air and the liquid or solid
phases of water.
• For calculation purposes, the molecular weight of water vapour is
taken as Mv=18.015 and its gas constant is Rv=461.52 J/kg.K.
 Important Psychometric Properties:
• For a given barometric pressure pt, given the DBT, we can find the
saturated vapour pressure psat from the thermodynamic property
tables on steam.
5-Dew-Point Temperature (DPT): 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:
 13-27

The ordinary temperature of atmospheric air is referred to as

the dry-bulb temperature.
The temperature at which condensation begins if the air is
cooled at constant pressure is called the dew-point
temperature:

(4) (4)
(4)
• It can be obtained from steam tables

• 𝑻𝒅𝒑 = 𝑻𝒔𝒂𝒕@𝑷𝒗 (5)

Moist air constant-pressure cooling and dew-point
temperature of water
 Important Psychometric Properties:
6-Degree of saturation (μ): The degree of saturation is the ratio of the
humidity ratio ω to the humidity ratio of a saturated mixture ωs at the
same temperature and pressure.

(6)
7- Enthalpy (h): : 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.
13-5

Enthalpy of moist air

The enthalpy of moist air is expressed per unit mass of dry air,
not per unit mass of moist air
The enthalpy of water vapor in the air can be taken to be equal to the enthalpy of the
saturated vapor at the same temperature:

in the temperature range –10 to 50oC

 Enthalpy of moist air

𝒉 = 𝒄𝒑𝒂𝑻 + 𝝎𝒉𝒈
hg=2500.9 +cpvT
𝒉 = 𝟏. 𝟎𝟎𝟓𝑻 + 𝝎(𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟎. 𝟗 + 𝟏. 𝟖𝟖𝑻) kJ/kg (7)
• Where; cpa = specific heat of dry air, kJ/kg.K
• cpv = specific heat of water vapor, kJ/kg
• ω = humidity ratio, kg of water vapor/kg of dry air
• T = Dry-bulb temperature of air-vapor mixture, oC
• ha = enthalpy of dry air at temperature t, kJ/kg
• hg = enthalpy of water vapor at temperature T, kJ/kg
• hfg= latent heat of vaporization at 0oC, kJ/kg =2500 kJ/kg.
Important Psychometric Properties:
8- Specific volume(ѵ): The specific volume is defined as the number of
cubic meters of moist air per kilogram of dry air. From perfect gas
equation since the volumes occupied by the individual substances are
the same, the specific volume is also equal to the number of cubic
meters of dry air per kilogram of dry air,
 Important Psychometric Properties:

9- Adiabatic Saturation Temperature (Wet Bulb Temperature) WBT: Is

the temperature at which the air can be brought to saturation state,
adiabatically, by the evaporation of water into the flowing air.
Let the unsaturated air enters the chamber at section 1. as the air
passes through the chamber over a long sheet of water, the water
evaporates which is carried with the following stream of air and the
specific humidity of the air increases. The make up water added to the
chamber to make the water level constant. Both the air and water are
cooled as the evaporation takes place. When steady state conditions
are reached, the air flowing at section 2 is saturated with water vapor
and the temperature of the air is called wet bulb temperature (WBT).
Adiabatic Saturation Temperature
• Important Psychometric
Relative humidity and specific humidity of air can be determined by measuring the adiabatic
saturation temperature of air, which is the temperature the air attains after flowing over water in
a long channel until it is saturated,

where,

and T2 is the adiabatic saturation temperature.

A more practical approach:
Use a thermometer whose bulb is covered with a
cotton wick saturated with water and blow air over
the wick.

The temperature measured in this manner is called

the wet-bulb temperature Twb, and it is used in place
of the adiabatic saturation temperature.
Sling Psychrometer
 Psychrometric Chart
• Psychrometric chart graphically represents the thermodynamic
properties of moist air. Standard psychometric charts are bounded
by the dry-bulb temperature line (abscissa) and the humidity ratio
(ordinate).
• The Left Hand Side of the psychrometric chart is bounded by the
saturation line.
• Psychrometric charts are readily available for standard barometric
pressure of 101.325 kPa at sea level and for normal temperatures
(0-50oC).
•
Psychrometric Chart
• ASHRAE has also developed psychrometric charts for other
temperatures and barometric pressures (for low temperatures: -40
to 10oC, high temperatures 10 to 120oC and very high temperatures
100 to 120oC)
The properties of atmospheric air at a specified total pressure are
presented in the form of easily readable charts, called
psychrometric charts.
The lines of constant enthalpy and the lines of constant wet-bulb
temperature are very nearly parallel on these charts.
Schematic for Psychrometric Chart
Dry-Bulb, Wet-Bulb, Dew-Point Temperatures: identical for
saturated air
Example1: A room contains air at 1 atm, 35°C, and 40 % relative humidity.
Using the psychrometric chart, determine:

(a) the specific humidity

(b) the enthalpy
(c) the wet-bulb temperature
(d) the dew-point temperature
(e) the specific volume of the air
Various Air-Conditioning Processes
Psychrometric Processes

A) Sensible Cooling or Simple Cooling (O-A):

• During this process, the moisture content (ω) of air remains constant
but its temperature decreases as it flows over a cooling coil. For
moisture content to remain constant, the surface of the cooling coil
should be dry and its surface temperature should be greater than the
dew point temperature of air. If the cooling coil is 100% effective,
then the exit temperature of air will be equal to the coil temperature.
However, in practice, the exit air temperature will be higher than the
cooling coil temperature.
Psychrometric Processes

During simple cooling ω

remains constant, ϕ increases

Sensible cooling
Psychrometric Processes
B) Sensible Heating or Simple Heating (O-B): During this process, the
moisture content ω of air remains constant and its temperature
increases as it flows over a heating coil. The heat transfer rate during
this process is given by:

During simple heating ω remains

constant, ϕ decreases.
 Simple Heating or Cooling

During simple heating ω

remains constant, ϕ decreases During simple cooling ω
remains constant, ϕ increases
Psychrometric Processes

Sensible Heating
Psychrometric Processes
C) Cooling and Dehumidification (Process O-C): When moist air is cooled
below its dew-point by bringing it in contact with a cold surface ,some of the water
vapor in the air condenses and leaves the air stream as liquid, as a result both the
temperature and humidity ratio of air decreases .This is the process air undergoes
in a typical air conditioning system. The heat and mass transfer rates can be
expressed in terms of the initial and final conditions by applying the conservation
of mass and conservation of energy equations as given below:
• By applying mass balance for the water:
Psychrometric Processes
Cooling with Dehumidification
• By applying energy balance:

• from the above two equations, the load on the cooling coil, Q is given
by:

• term on the RHS of the above equation is normally small compared to

the other term
•
• It can be observed that the cooling and de-humidification process
involves both latent and sensible heat transfer processes, hence, the
total, latent and sensible heat transfer rates (Qt, Ql and Qs) can be
written as:
• By separating the total heat transfer rate from the cooling coil into
sensible and latent heat transfer rates, a useful parameter called
Sensible Heat Factor (SHF) is defined. SHF is defined as the ratio of
sensible to total heat transfer rate,

• From the above equation, one can deduce that a SHF of 1.0
corresponds to no latent heat transfer and a SHF of 0 corresponds to
no sensible heat transfer. A SHF of 0.75 to 0.80 is quite common in air
conditioning systems in a normal dry-climate. A
• lower value of SHF, say 0.6, implies a high latent heat load such as
that occurs in a humid climate.
The sensible heat factor(SHF) is defined as qs/q. This parameter is shown on the
semicircular scale of Fig. 3-5. Note that the SHF can be negative. If we use the standard
sign convention that sensible or latent heat transfer to the system is positive and
transfer from the system is negative, the proper sign will result.
For example, with the cooling and dehumidifying process above, both sensible and
latent heat transfer are away from the air, qs and ql are both negative, and the SHF is
positive. In a situation where air is being cooled sensibly but a large latent heat gain is
present, the SHF will be negative if the absolute value of ql is greater than qs .
See problem 56
 Sensible Heat Factor
 The Sensible Heat Factor (SHF) is defined as 𝒒ሶ s/𝒒ሶ𝒕

 This parameter is shown on the semicircular scale of the chart

 A SHF of 1.0 corresponds to no latent heat transfer and a SHF of 0 corresponds to no

sensible heat transfer.

 A SHF of 0.75 to 0.80 is quite common in air conditioning systems in a normal dry-
climate.

 A lower value of SHF, say 0.6, implies a high latent heat load such as that occurs in a
humid climate.

 The slope of the cooling and dehumidification line is purely a function of the SHF.
Hence, we can draw the cooling and dehumidification line on psychrometric chart if
the initial state and the SHF are known.
Psychrometric Processes
D) Heating and Humidification (Process O-D): During winter it is
essential to heat and humidify the room air for comfort, this is normally
done by first sensibly heating the air and then adding water vapour to
the air stream through steam nozzles.
Mass balance of water vapor for the control volume yields the rate at
which steam has to be added,

• where ma is the mass flow rate of dry air.

Psychrometric Processes
From energy balance:

• where Qh is the heat supplied through the heating coil and hw is the
enthalpy of steam.
• Since this process also involves simultaneous heat and mass
transfer, we can define a sensible heat factor for the process in a
way similar to that of a cooling and dehumidification process.
Psychrometric Processes
Heating and Humidifying Moist Air
Heating with Humidification
Example2:An air-conditioning system is to take in outdoor air
at 10°C and 30 % relative humidity at a steady rate of 45 m3/min
and to condition it to 25°C and 60 % relative humidity. The
outdoor air is first heated to 22°C in the heating section and then
humidified by the injection of hot steam in the humidifying
section.
Assuming the entire process takes place at a pressure of 100 kPa,
determine,
(a) the rate of heat supply in the heating section
(b) the mass flow rate of the steam required in the humidifying
section
Example3:Air enters a window air conditioner at 1
atm, 30°C, and 80 % relative humidity at a rate of
10 m3/min, and it leaves as saturated air at 14°C.
Part of the moisture in the air that condenses
during the process is also removed at 14°C.
Determine the rates of heat and moisture
removal from the air.
 Evaporative Cooling

 Hot, dry air at state 1 enters the evaporative cooler,

where it is sprayed with liquid water.

 Part of the water evaporates during this process by

absorbing latent heat of vaporization from the
airstream. As a result, the temperature of the airstream
decreases and its humidity increases (state 2).

 In the limiting case, the air leaves the evaporative

cooler saturated at state 2′. This is the lowest
temperature that can be achieved by this process.
 Mixing Airstreams Adiabatically
When two airstreams at states 1 and 2 are mixed adiabatically, the state of the mixture lies on the
straight line connecting the two states
Mixing Airstreams Adiabatically
Example 4: Saturated air leaving the cooling section of an air-
conditioning system at 14°C at a rate of 50 m3/min is mixed
adiabatically with the outside air at 32°C and 60 percent relative
humidity at a rate of 20 m3/min.
Assuming that the mixing process occurs at a pressure of 1 atm,
determine the specific humidity, the relative humidity, the dry-bulb
temperature, and the volume flow rate of the mixture..