INTRODUCTION

THEORY

Humidity Ratio

The humidity ratio can be determined from the partial pressure of water vapor and air:

x = 0.62198 pw / (pa - pw)

where

pw = partial pressure of water vapor in the moist air (Pa)

pa = atmospheric pressure of the moist air (Pa)

Calculating EnthalpyThe enthalpy of moist air can be expressed as:

h = cpa t + x [cpw t + hwe]

where

h = specific enthalpy of moist air (kJ/kg)

cpa = specific heat capacity of air at constant pressure (kJ/kg.oC,) = 1.01

t = air temperature (oC)

x = humidity ratio (kg/kg)

cpw = specific heat capacity of water vapour, (kJ/kg.oC) = 1.84

hwe = 2,502 - evaporation heat of water at 0oC (kJ/kg)

Specific Volume of Moist Air per Mass Unit of Dry Air

Specific volume is defined as the total volume of dry air and water vapor mixture per kg of

dry air (SI-units). The specific volume can be expressed as:

vda = V / ma

where

vda = specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air (m3/kg)

V = total volume of moist air (m3)

ma = mass of dry air (kg)

When dry air and water vapor with the same temperature occupies the same volume the

equation for an ideal gas can be applied.

pa V = ma Ra T

where

pa = partial pressure air (Pa)

Ra = the individual gas constant air (J/kg.K) = 286.9

T = temperature of the moist air (K)

vda = Ra T / pa

The partial pressure of air can be expressed as:

pa = p - pw

where

p = pressure in the humid air (Pa)

pw = partial pressure water vapour (Pa)

vda = Ra T / (p - pw)The ideal gas law can also be applied for the water vapor:

pw V = mw Rw T

where

pw = partial pressure water vapor (Pa)

Rw = the individual gas constant water vapor (J/kg.K) = 455

T = temperature of the moist air (K)

The mass of water vapor can be expressed by the humidity ratio and the mass of air:

mw = x ma

where

x = humidity ratio (kg/kg)

pw V = x ma Rw T

Therefore, from:

vda = x Rw T / pw

i.e. pw = x Rw T / vda

Therefore, from:

vda = Ra T / (p - (x Rw T / vda))

Which can be re-arranged to express the specific volume of moist air per unit mass of dry air

as:

vda = (1 + x Rw / Ra) Ra T / p

Specific Volume of Moist Air per unit Mass of Dry Air and Water Vapour

To calculate the total mass flow from the air speed, we need to know the density of the moist

air.

The specific volume, v, of the moist air can be expressed as:

v = V / ma + mw

where

v = specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air and water vapor (m3/kg)

Therefore, from:

v = V / ma (1 + x)

v = vda / (1 + x)

v = (Ra T / p) [(1 + x Rw / Ra)/ (1 + x)]For the low humidity ratios found in an air conditioning system
such as RA3 there will only

be very small differences between the specific volume of moist air per unit mass of dry air

(vda) and the specific volume of moist air per unit mass of dry air and water vapour (v).

OBJECTIVE

To investigate and understand the use of psychrometric charts, understand relative humidity
(RH) measurements and the effect of temperature on RH and understand the Humidity Ratio.

Method
To change the conditions of the air entering a duct and looking at the changes in RH,
temperature and humidity ratio by using a psychrometric chart and computerised calculations.
APPARATUS

For this experiment, a RA3 Recirculating air unit is used as the air conditioning unit. The RA3 was
provided to facilitate the experiment.

FEATURES OF THE APPARATUS

 Transparent duct for full visibility of the process and the components

 Includes pre-heaters, humidifier, chiller/dehumidifier and reheaters

 Fully instrumented, with temperature and relative humidity sensors at every stage of the
process, plus an air flow sensor

 RH sensors calibrated for maximum accuracy

 Suitable for both vocational training and for rigorous academic analysis of the
thermodynamic principles involved

 Fully computer controlled with real-time data logging of results (requires a PC not supplied
by Armfield)

 Capability of using PID control for preheat, humidity and reheat allows stable conditions to
be set up for investigations
Procedure
The inlet and outlet louvre were fully open, and the internal louvre was closed. The fan was
switched to 40%, PID1 was set to control T2 at 28 oC. PID3 was set to control T4 at 20oC. The
chiller was switched on. The preheat element was checked on the mimic diagram so that it
changes between grey and red to indicate the times during which power is being supplied to
the heater. The preheat temperature sensor was checked so that it was seen rising before
finally stabilising at approximately the set temperature. The increase in velocity sensor
reading was checked in the software. the system to was allowed to stabilise for approximately
15 minutes.
RESULTS

Elapsed Sampl R.H Temp R.H Temp R.H Temp R.H Temp Inlet Temp
Time e No. 1 T1(oC) 2 T2(oC) 3 T3(oC) 4 T4(oC) R.H. T6(oC)
(%) (%) (%) (%) (%)
00:00.0 1 39.1 25.3 37.6 24.9 81.3 10.6 58.6 16.7 42.6 25.7
02:33.0 2 38.7 25.4 38.4 25 80.8 10.8 58.3 16.8 42.3 25.8
04:38.0 3 38.6 25.5 38.1 25.1 80.1 11 57.6 17.2 42.4 25.9
06:45.0 4 39.3 25.6 37.5 25.1 79.9 11 57.6 17.1 42.3 26
08:50.0 5 38.3 25.7 38 25.3 79.4 11.1 57.8 17.1 42.6 26.1
10:53.0 6 38.3 25.8 37.6 25.3 79.3 11.2 57.8 17 42.4 26.3
Average 38.7 25.6 37.9 25.1 80.1 11.0 58.0 17.0 42.4 26.0

Sample Manual Calculations

Using t= 25.6 oC and R.H (Φ) = 38.7 %

𝑷𝒘 = Φ𝑷𝒂
Pa is obtained from steam table A2 at the given temperature. An interpolation was done for none
exact temperatures for approximation.

Pa =0.032854 bar = 3.2854 kPa

Therefore:

𝑷𝒘 = Φ𝑷𝒂
= 0.387 ∗ 𝟑. 𝟐𝟖𝟓𝟒 = 𝟏. 𝟐𝟕𝟗𝟗 𝒌𝑷𝒂

𝒑𝒘
𝑯𝒖𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝑹𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐(𝑿𝟏 ) = 𝟎. 𝟔𝟐𝟐
𝒑𝒂 − 𝒑𝒘
𝒑𝒘
= 𝟎. 𝟔𝟐𝟐 𝒑
𝒂 −𝒑𝒘

𝟏.𝟐𝟕𝟗𝟗𝒌𝑷𝒂
= 𝟎. 𝟔𝟐𝟐 𝟏𝟎𝟏.𝟑−𝟏.𝟐𝟕𝟗𝟗 𝒌𝑷𝒂 = 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟗𝟎𝟗𝟔𝟏 kg/kg of dry air
𝑬𝒏𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒑𝒚 (𝒉) = 𝑪𝒑𝒂 𝒕 + 𝒙[𝑪𝒑𝒘 𝒕 + 𝒉𝒘𝒆 ]
= 𝟏. 𝟎𝟏𝒕 + 𝒙[𝟏. 𝟖𝟒𝒕 + 𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟐]
= 𝟏. 𝟎𝟏𝒕 + 𝒙[𝟏. 𝟖𝟒𝒕 + 𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟐]
= 𝟏. 𝟎𝟏(𝟐𝟓. 𝟔) + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟗[𝟏. 𝟖𝟒(𝟐𝟓. 𝟔) + 𝟐𝟓𝟎𝟐 = 𝟒𝟓. 𝟗𝟔𝟕 kJ/kg

Specific volume (v)

𝑹𝒘 𝑹𝒂 𝑻 𝟏
𝒗 = (𝟏 + 𝑿 ) .
𝑹𝒂 𝒑 (𝟏 + 𝑿)
𝟒𝟓𝟓 𝟐𝟖𝟔.𝟗(𝒕+𝟐𝟕𝟑.𝟏𝟓) 𝟏
= (𝟏 + 𝑿 ) .
𝟐𝟖𝟔.𝟗 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑𝟎𝟎 (𝟏+𝑿)

𝟒𝟓𝟓 𝟐𝟖𝟔.𝟗(𝟐𝟓.𝟔+𝟐𝟕𝟑.𝟏𝟓) 𝟏
= (𝟏 + 𝟎. 𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟗 𝟐𝟖𝟔.𝟗) 𝟏𝟎𝟏𝟑𝟎𝟎
. (𝟏+𝟎.𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟗) = 𝟎. 𝟖𝟒𝟗𝟖m3/kg