Discussion

In this experiment, we are required to measure the ambient humidity using dry and
wet bulb thermometer. The device was used is whirling psychrometer apparatus,
which also known as hygrometer. Whirling psychrometer is a psychrometer with a
handle, which allows rapid rotation of mounted wet and dry bulb thermometers to
ensure air flow around the bulbs. It is used to determine the relative humidity, or
moisture content. Relative humidity refers to the moisture in the air compared to how
much moisture the air can grasp at a given temperature.
Whirling psychrometer consists of two thermometers, one that is dry and one
that is kept moist with distilled water on a sock or wick. At temperatures above the
freezing point of water, evaporation of water from wick lowers the temperature, so
that he wet-bulb thermometer usually shows a lower temperature than that of the drybulb thermometer. When the air temperature is below freezing, however, the wet-bulb
is covered with a thin coating of ice and may be warmer than the dry bulb.

The Dry Bulb temperature, usually referred to as "air temperature", is the air
property that is most commonly used. When people refer to the temperature of the air
they are normally referring to the dry bulb temperature. The Dry Bulb Temperature
refers basically to the ambient air temperature. It is called "Dry Bulb" because the air
temperature is indicated by a thermometer not affected by the moisture of the air. Drybulb temperature Tdb, can be measured using a normal thermometer freely exposed
to the air but shielded from radiation and moisture. The temperature is usually given
in degrees Celsius (C) or degrees Fahrenheit (F). The SI unit is Kelvin (K). Zero
Kelvin equals to -273C. The dry-bulb temperature is an indicator of heat content and
is shown along the bottom axis of the psychrometric chart or along the left side of the
Mollier diagram. Constant dry bulb temperatures appear as vertical lines in the
psychrometric chart or horizontal lines in the Mollier diagram.
The Wet Bulb temperature is the adiabatic saturation temperature. Wet Bulb
temperature can be measured by using a thermometer with the bulb wrapped in wet
muslin. The adiabatic evaporation of water from the thermometer bulb and the cooling
effect is indicated by a "wet bulb temperature" lower than the "dry bulb temperature"
in the air. The rate of evaporation from the wet bandage on the bulb, and the
temperature difference between the dry bulb and wet bulb, depends on the humidity of

the air. The evaporation from the wet muslin is reduced when air contains more water
vapor. The Wet Bulb temperature is always between the Dry Bulb temperature and the
Dew Point. For the wet bulb, there is a dynamic equilibrium between heat gained
because the wet bulb is cooler than the surrounding air and heat lost because of
evaporation. The wet bulb temperature is the temperature of an object that can be
achieved through evaporative cooling, assuming good air flow and that the ambient
air temperature remains the same. By combining the dry bulb and wet bulb
temperature in a psychrometric chart or Mollier diagram the state of the humid air can
be determined. Lines of constant wet bulb temperatures run diagonally from the upper
left to the lower right in the psychrometric chart.

Relative humidity table gives the approximate relative humidity directly from
the reading of the air temperature, which are dry bulb and the wet bulb. It is computed
for a pressure of 74.27 cm Hg. Errors resulting from the use of this table for air
temperatures above 10C and between 77.5 and 71 cm Hg will usually be within the
errors of observation. The psychrometric chart shows graphically the parameters
relating to water moisture in air. This application note describes the purpose and use
of the psychrometric chart as it affects the HVAC engineer or technician.
The whirling hygrometer offers the maximum level of accuracy due to the
nature of measurement. Housed in a robust yellow plastic frame and black folding
handle, the instrument incorporates a water cistern linked to the "wet" bulb by means
of a cotton sleeve. The whirling hygrometer is whirled rapidly for thirty seconds, after
which time a reading of the two thermometers is taken, with the wet bulb
thermometer normally read first. This is repeated until 2 consecutive readings are
obtained which are comparable. Relative humidity can then be determined by
correlating the readings with those on the hygrometric table supplied with each
instrument. The whirling hygrometer comes complete with hygrometric tables and a
carrying case.

Measurement: percentage humidity in a room

Range: temperature -5 to 50C; %RH 1-99%RH
Accuracy: %RH 2%

In order to determine the relative humidity, the whirling psychorometer is

prepared. The water is filled in the water container and the cloth of the wet bulb
thermometer is wet. The initial reading of dry and wet bulb thermometer is recorded.
Then, the whirling psychorometer is rotated about 30 seconds. After rotate, the
reading of the dry and wet bulb thermometer is recorded. The humidity is calculated
based on the psychromatric chart and relative humidity table.
We did three times in this experiment in order to increase the reliability of the
result which was done at inside and outside of thermodynamics laboratory
respectively. The all three of the initial readings and final reading are recorded in the
tables. In addition, the average of initial and final reading are calculated and recorded.
From the relative humidity table, the numbers in the center of the chart represent
relative humidity in percentages. Relative humidity is determined by finding the
differences in degrees between the dry-bulb and wet-bulb readings on the horizontal
scale at the top, and then reading off where this column intersects the horizontal row
containing the dry-bulb temperature reading.
At inside laboratory, the average initial reading for wet bulb temperature is 19
C while the average initial reading for dry bulb temperature is 26 C. The difference
between the two readings (dry-bulb depression) is 7 C. According to the table, when
the dry-bulb depression is 7 C and the dry-bulb temperature is 26 C, the relative
humidity is 52 %. Moreover, the relative humidity is 53.5 % according to
psychrometric chart. After the psychorometer is rotated 30 seconds, the final readings
are recorded. The average final readings for wet bulb and dry bulb temperature are 18
C and 24 C respectively. The difference between the two readings is 6 C. When the
dry-bulb depression is 6 C and the dry-bulb temperature is 24 C, the relative
humidity is 56 % according to the table. Futhermore, the relative humidity is 58 %
according to psychrometric chart.
At outside laboratory, the average initial reading for wet bulb temperature is
25.5 C while the average initial reading for dry bulb temperature is 29.0 C. The
difference between the two readings is 3.5 C. According to the table, when the drybulb depression is 3.5 C and the dry-bulb temperature is 29 C, the relative humidity
is 76 %. Moreover, the relative humidity is 79.0% according to psychrometric chart.
After the psychorometer is rotated 30 seconds, the final readings are recorded. The
average final readings for wet bulb and dry bulb temperature are 26 C and 30 C
respectively. The difference between the two readings is 4 C. When the dry-bulb
depression is 4 C and the dry-bulb temperature is 30 C, the relative humidity is 73
% according to the table. In addition, the relative humidity is 75.0% according to
psychrometric chart.
We also can observe that wet bulb temperatures are always lower than dry
bulb temperatures from the result. This is because water evaporates from the wet bulb.
Evaporation causes cooling that lowers the temperature. The humidity that inside the
laboratory is lower than the outside laboratory. We can concluded that the higher the

humidity, the smaller the difference between the temperatures shown on the wet-bulb
thermometer and the dry-bulb thermometer.

http://www.oxfordreference.com/view/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803122044742
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hygrometer
http://www.engineeringtoolbox.com/dry-wet-bulb-dew-point-air-d_682.html
http://novalynx.com/store/pc/Relative-Humidity-Table-d44.htm
http://www.cambeep.eng.cam.ac.uk/equipment/tempandhumidity/hygrometer