mass of water vapor mwv

absolute humidity,   
mass of dry air mda
partial pressure of water vapor in air
relative humidity,  
saturation pressure of water vapor at the same temperature of the wet bulb
p
 wv
pg

mass of water vapor in air

percentage saturation  x100%   x 100%
mass of water vapor at saturation

Regnault, August and Apjohn equation

p wv  p g  0.0006666 PT  Tdb  Twb 
p wv  partial pressure of water vapor in millibar (mbar)
p g in millibar (mbar)
PT total air pressure or the atmospheric pressure in millibar (mbar)
Tdb dry bulb temperature in 0C
Twb wet bulb temperature in 0C

Specific enthalpy of superheated water vapor

h  hg  C superheate
p
d water vapor
(Tdb  To )
hg  specific enthalpy at saturated water vapor
kJ
C superheate
p
d water vapor
 1 .9
kg
Tdb  dry bulb temperature in oC
To  saturation temperature of water vapor corresponding to the vapor pressure
of the water vapor

WORKED EXAMPLE
Properties of Air
Determine the enthalpy (relative to 0.0l°C), specific volume and "moisture" content of air at a
total pressure of 1.013 bar (101.3 kN m-2) and having dry and wet bulb (sling) temperatures of
20°C and 14°C respectively.
From Thermodynamic Tables, Pg = 15.97 mbar
Using the Regnault/August/Apjohn expression,
Pwv = 15.97 - 6.6666 x 10-4 x 1013(20 - 14)
= 11.92 mbar
The saturation pressure at 20°C is 23.37 mbar

relative humidity, ϕ = 11.92 / 23.37 x 100% = 51%

From Steam Tables,

The saturation temperature of water vapor at 11.92 mbar is approximately 9.5 OC. The
water vapor is therefore superheated. Its enthalpy may be obtained from tables or charts, if
available, or calculated from,
h  hg  C superheate
p
d water vapor
(Tdb  To )

= 2517.4 + 1.9 (20 - 9.5) kJ/kg

= 2537 kJ/kg
The specific volume of water vapor at the above given condition may be found from tables or
psychrometric chart, if available, or may be calculated with sufficient accuracy from the gas
equation.
V RT Ru
PV  MRT ; specific volume, v   ; R
M P MW
Ru = universal gas constant = 8314.5 J/kgmol-K

R = specific gas constant in J/kg-K

MW = molecular weight in kg/kgmol
= 18 kg/kgmol for water or water vapor

RuT
8314.5
N m
kgmol  K

x 20o C  273 K 
therefore, v  
MW x p wv N
101325 2
kg m
18 x11 .92 mbar x
kgmol 1013 mbar
m 3 of water vapor
 113.51
kg of water vapor

This means that the volume of 113.52 m3 is the volume the dry air and water vapor occupies in
air will contain 1 kg water vapor having a specific enthalpy of 2537 kJ/kg.
The mass of dry air in the same volume may be found from Dalton’s law provided the air
pressure or atmospheric pressure is known.
pT  pda  p wv ; p da  pT  p wv  1.013 bar  0.01192 bar  1.001 bar

N m2
100100 x 113 .51
mda 
p da v
 m2 kg
 135 kg
Rda Tdb 287.1 N  m x (200 C  273)
kg  K

The enthalpy, H relative to 0.01OC,

kJ
H  mda C air (Tdb  0.01 )  135 kg x 1.005 o
( 20  0.01) o C  2714 kJ
kg- C

Thus, 113.51 m3 of air will contain,

1 kg water vapor having an enthalpy of 2537 kJ
135 kg of dry air having an enthalpy of 2714 kJ
____ _______
136 kg air 5251 kJ

5251 kJ kJ
Thus, the specific enthalpy of this mixture is = 136 kg  38.6 kg

m3
113 .51
specific volume of dry air = kg air m3
 0.841
135 kg dry air kg da

specific volume of mixture(dry air + water vapor)

volume of air(dry air  water vapor 113 .51 m 3 air

   0.835
mass of air (dry air  water vapor) 136 kg of air
 absolute humidity,

mass of water vapor in air 1 kg of water vapor

 
mass of dry air 135 kg of dry air
kg of water vapor
 0.00741
kg of dry air

ENERGY BALANCE ON THE COOLING TOWER

 Heat transfer coming from the heated water to be cooled.

 Heat is loss to the surroundings by radiation, conduction and convection.

 Work is done on the water by the pump.

 Energy is transferred along mass loss, because dry air enters and humid air leaves.

ENERGY MASS BALANCE ON THE COOLING TOWER

 mass of air coming in and out of the cooling tower

 mass of water coming and out of the cooling tower

Energy Balance:

rate of heat energy added by the
hot water to the cooling tower
+ =
rate of work given to the hot
water by the pump entering to the
cooling tower
rate of enthalpy loss in the water
vapor going out
+
rate of enthalpy gain due to air
entering and water entering into
the make-up tank

In equation form,

Where when the rate of Q and rate of P does not cross the
boundary system.

Therefore

The energy balance becomes,

In terms of mass rate and enthalpy, the energy balance becomes,

Simplifying,

Mass Balance,
mass rate of dry in = mass rate of dry air out

mass rate of water vapor in + mass rate of make-up water

= mass rate of water vapor out

In terms of specific or absolute humidity, ω

Where: