E – 1774 Application of Psychrometrics to HVAC Systems

Maintaining thermal comfort for building occupants is one of the most important goals of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) design engineers. Psychrometrics is used to help select the proper air conditioning equipment and determine the environmental conditions that affect human thermal comfort.
Psychrometrics is a study of moist air. Air conditioning engineers use the psychometric chart to predict changes in the environment when the amount of heat and/or water in the air changes. A psychrometric chart provides a convenient way to look at the air conditioning processes and it will answer why heated air can hold more moisture, and conversely, how allowing moist air to cool will result in condensation.
Once you understand, you will also understand how one or more of them can be mechanically manipulated to achieve the desired space conditions.