478 ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

water = 1000
Example 10.15. A cooling tower used in power plant consists of 10 big fans, m
kg/min. It is cooled from 35ºC to 30ºC. Atmospheric conditions are 35ºC DBT, 25ºC WBT. Air
leaves the tower at 30ºC, 90% RH. Find out the quantity of air handled per fan hour and the
quantity of make-up water required per hour. (AMIE Winter, 1999)
Solution. Refer Fig. 10.19.
Heat absorbed from the cooling tower
water × c × ∆T
= m
= (1000 × 60) × 4.186 × (35 – 30)
= 1.256 × 106 kJ/h
From psychrometric chart, we have
At 35ºC DBT and 25ºC WBT :
h1 = 76.5 kJ/kg ; W1 = 0.016 kg/kg of air
At 30ºC and 90% RH :
h2 = 92.5 kJ/kg ; W2 = 0.0246 kg/kg of air
Heat gained by air = Heat lost by water
air (h – h ) = 1.256 × 106
m 2 1
Fig. 10.19
1.256 × 106
air
∴ Mass of air, m =
(h2 − h1 )

1.256 × 106
= = 78.5 × 103 kg/h
( 92.5 − 76.5 )
78.5 × 103
∴ Quantity of air handled per fan = = 7850 kg/h. (Ans.)
10
air (W2 – W1)
Quantity of make-up water = m
= 78.5 × 103 (0.0246 – 0.016) = 675.1 kg/h. (Ans.)

SOLUTIONS USING PSYCHROMETRIC CHARTS

Example 10.16. The following data pertain to an air-conditioning system :

Unconditioned space DBT = 30ºC
Unconditioned space WBT = 22ºC
Cold air duct supply surface temperature = 14ºC.
Determine : (i) Dew point temperature.
(ii) Whether or not condensation will form on the duct.
Solution. Refer Fig. 10.20.
(i) To determine the dew point temperature for the given conditions, find the intersection of
30ºC DBT and 22ºC WBT and move horizontally (as shown by the arrow) to the dew point tempera-
ture scale. The dew point (tdp) is 18.6ºC. (Ans.)
(ii) Since the duct temperature (14ºC) is less than tdp (18.6ºC) therefore moisture will con-
dense on the duct surface. (Ans.)

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PSYCHROMETRICS 479

22ºC

tdp = 18.6ºC

W
30ºC
DBT
Fig. 10.20

Example 10.17. 200 m3 of air per minute at 15ºC DBT and 75% R.H. is heated until its
temperature is 25ºC.
Find : (i) R.H. of heated air.
(ii) Wet bulb temperature of heated air.
(iii) Heat added to air per minute.
Solution. Refer Fig. 10.21.
l Locate point 1 on the psychrometric chart on intersection of 15ºC DBT and 75% R.H.
lines.
l Through point 1 draw a horizontal line to cut 25ºC DBT line and get point 2.
l Read the following values from the psychrometric chart :
h1 = 35.4 kJ/kg
h2 = 45.2 kJ/kg
vs1 = 0.8267 m3/kg.
(i) R.H. of heated air (read from chart) = 41%. (Ans.)
(ii) WBT of heated air (read from chart) = 16.1ºC. (Ans.)
200
(iii) Mass of air circulated per min., ma = = 241.9 kg.
0.8267
∴ Heat added to air/min.
= ma (h2 – h1) = 241.9 (45.2 – 35.4) = 2370.6 kJ. (Ans.)

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480 ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

h2 = 45.2

h1 = 35.4

RH
)
/kg

75%
kJ
h(

RH

W
41%
1 2

15ºC 25ºC
DBT
Fig. 10.21

Example 10.18. It is required to design an air-conditioning plant for a small office room
for following winter conditions :
Outdoor conditions ...... 14ºC DBT and 10ºC WBT
Required conditions ...... 20ºC DBT and 60% R.H.
Amount of air circulation ...... 0.30 m3/min./person.
Seating capacity of office ...... 60.
The required condition is achieved first by heating and then by adiabatic humidifying.
Determine the following :
(i) Heating capacity of the coil in kW and the surface temperature required if the by pass
factor of coil is 0.4.
(ii) The capacity of the humidifier.
Solve the problem by using psychrometric chart.
Solution. Refer Fig. 10.22.
l Locate the points ‘1’ and ‘3’ on the psychrometric chart.
l Draw a constant enthalpy line through ‘3’ and constant specific humidity line through
‘1’.

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PSYCHROMETRICS 481

l Locate the point ‘2’ where the above two lines intersect.

h2 = 42.3

W(gm / kg
of dry air)
h1 = 29.3

RH
%
60

W3 = 8.6
3
)
/kg
kJ
h(

W1 = 6.8
1 2 4

12ºC 20ºC 24.5ºC

DBT
Fig. 10.22
From the psychrometric chart :
h1 = 29.3 kJ/kg, h2 = h3 = 42.3 kJ/kg
tdb2 = 24.5ºC, vs1 = 0.817 m3/kg
The mass of air circulated per minute,
0.30 × 60
ma = = 22.03 kg/min.
0.817
(i) Heating capacity of the heating coil
= ma(h2 – h1) = 22.03 (42.3 – 29.3) = 286.4 kJ/min.
= 4.77 kJ/s or 4.77 kW. (Ans.)
The by-pass factor (BF) of heating coil is given by :
tdb4 − tdb2
BF =
tdb4 − tdb1
tdb4 − 24.5
0.4 =
tdb4 − 12
∴ 0.4 ( tdb4 – 12) = tdb4 – 24.5
i.e., tdb4 (coil surface temperature) = 32.8ºC. (Ans.)
(ii) The capacity of the humidifier
ma (W3 − W1 ) 22.03 ( 8.6 − 6.8)
= × 60 kg/h = × 60 = 2.379 kg/h. (Ans.)
1000 1000

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482 ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

Example 10.19. It is required to design an air-conditioning system for an industrial proc-

ess for the following hot and wet summer conditions :
Outdoor conditions ...... 32ºC DBT and 65% R.H.
Required air inlet conditions ...... 25ºC DBT and 60% R.H.
Amount of free air circulated ...... 250 m3/min.
Coil dew temperature ...... 13ºC.
The required condition is achieved by first cooling and dehumidifying and then by heating.
Calculate the following :
(i) The cooling capacity of the cooling coil and its by-pass factor.
(ii) Heating capacity of the heating coil in kW and surface temperature of the heating coil if
the by-pass factor is 0.3.
(iii) The mass of water vapour removed per hour.
Solve this problem with the use of psychrometric chart.
Solution. Refer Fig. 10.23.

Fig. 10.23
l Locate the points ‘1’, ‘5’ and ‘3’ as shown on psychrometric chart.
l Join the line 1-5.
l Draw constant specific humidity line through ‘3’ which cuts the line 1-5 at point ‘2’.
The point ‘2’ is located in this way.
From psychrometric chart :
h1 = 82.5 kJ/kg, h2 = 47.5 kJ/kg
h3 = 55.7 kJ/kg, h5 = 36.6 kJ/kg

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PSYCHROMETRICS 483

W1 = 19.6 gm/kg, W3 = 11.8 gm/kg

tdb2 = 17.6ºC, vs1 = 0.892 m3/kg.
The mass of air supplied per minute,
250
ma = = 280.26 kg/min.
0.892
(i) The capacity of the cooling coil
m (h − h2 ) × 60 280.26 (82.5 − 47.5) × 60
= a 1 = = 42.04 TR. (Ans.)
14000 14000
The by-pass factor of the cooling coil is given by :
h2 − h5 47.5 − 36.6
BF = = = 0.237. (Ans.)
h1 − h5 82.5 − 36.6
(ii) The heating capacity of the heating coil
229813
.
= ma (h3 – h2) = 280.26 (55.7 – 47.5) = 2298.13 kJ/min = kJ/s
60
= 38.3 kW. (Ans.)
The by-pass factor of the heating coil is given by
tdb6 − tdb3
BF = t − t
db6 db2

tdb6 − 25
0.3 = t − 17.6
db6

∴ tdb6 = 28.2ºC.
Hence surface temperature of heating coil = 28.2ºC. (Ans.)
(iii) The mass of water vapour removed per hour
280.26 (W1 − W3 ) × 60 280.26 (19.6 − 11.8)
= = × 60 = 131.16 kg/h. (Ans.)
1000 1000

HIGHLIGHTS
1. ‘Air-conditioning’ is the simultaneous control of temperature, humidity, motion and purity of the atmos-
phere in a confined space.
2. ‘Psychrometry’ is an art of measuring moisture content of air.
The science which investigates the thermal properties of moist air, considers the measurement and control
of the moisture content of air, and studies the effects of atmospheric moisture on material and human
comfort may properly be termed ‘Psychrometrics’.
3. When air is saturated DBT, WBT, DPT are equal.
4. Dalton’s law of partial pressure states, that the total pressure of a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of
partial pressure which the component gases would exert if each existed alone in the mixture volume at the
mixture temperature.
0.622 pv
5. Specific humidity, W = .
pt − pv
Mass of water vapour associated with unit mass of dry air (W )
6. Degree of saturation (µ) = .
Mass of water vapour associated with saturated unit mass of dry air (Ws )

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484 ENGINEERING THERMODYNAMICS

pv
7. Relative humidity, φ = .
pvs
8. A ‘Psychrometer’ is a device which is used for measuring dry bulb and wet-bulb temperatures simultaneously.
9. The processes which affect the psychrometric properties of air are called ‘psychrometric processes’.
Important psychrometric processes are :
(i) Mixing of air streams (ii) Sensible heating
(iii) Sensible cooling (iv) Cooling and dehumidification
(v) Cooling and humidification (vi) Heating and dehumidification
(vii) Heating and humidification.

OBJECTIVE TYPE QUESTIONS

Choose the Correct Answer :

1. In an unsaturated air the state of a vapour is
(a) wet (b) superheated
(c) saturated (d) unsaturated.
2. For saturated air
(a) Wet bulb depression is zero (b) Wet bulb depression is positive
(c) Wet bulb depression is negative
(d) Wet bulb depression can be either positive or negative.
3. Which one of the following statements is correct ?
(a) Dew point temperature can be measured with the help of thermometer
(b) Dew point temperature is the saturation temperature corresponding to the partial pressure of the
water vapour in moist air.
(c) Dew point temperature is the same as the thermodynamic wet bulb temperature.
(d) For saturated air, dew point temperature is less than the wet bulb temperature.
4. During sensible heating of moist air, enthalpy
(a) increases (b) decreases
(c) remains constant (d) none of the above.
5. During sensible cooling, wet bulb temperature
(a) decreases (b) increases
(c) remains constant (d) can decrease or increase.
6. Which one of the following statements is correct ?
(a) Evaporative cooling and sensible cooling is the same
(b) Evaporative cooling is a cooling and humidification process
(c) Evaporative cooling is a cooling and dehumidification process
(d) Evaporative cooling is not effective for hot and dry climates.
7. An air washer can work as a
(a) filter only (b) humidifier only
(c) dehumidifier only (d) all of the above.
8. The relative humidity, during sensible heating,
(a) can increase or decrease (b) increases
(c) decreases (d) remains constant.
9. The vapour pressure, during sensible heating of moist air,
(a) increases (b) decreases
(c) can increase or decrease (d) remains constant.

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