Fundamental Aspects of Psychrometry

Abstract

Psychrometry is the study of gas mixtures in which one or more vapour components may condense while the other components remain gaseous. The most important example of such systems is the water-air system in which water vapour may condense from the air. In nature the condensation and vaporization of moisture out of and into air gives rise to such important meteorological phenomena as cloud formation, rain and the wind chill factor. Such systems also have important engineering applications. Evaporative coolers cool air by vaporizing water and increasing the air’s humidity, while many solids dryers operate by transferring the moisture from the solid to air, again increasing the air’s humidity