Summer air-conditioning application: The process most commonly used to lower air temperature and remove moisture simultaneously is called

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: cooling and dehumidification

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
In hot and humid climates, summer comfort conditioning requires both sensible cooling (lower dry-bulb temperature) and latent cooling (moisture removal). Coil-based systems accomplish this by passing moist air over a cold surface below the air’s dew-point temperature.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Cooling coil surface temperature less than the entering air dew-point.
  • Air flows at nearly constant pressure through the coil.
  • Condensate drains remove condensed moisture.


Concept / Approach:
As warm, humid air contacts a cold coil, it cools sensibly toward the apparatus dew-point and simultaneously crosses the saturation curve, condensing moisture. On a psychrometric chart, the process line slopes down-left toward lower DBT and lower humidity ratio, embodying “cooling and dehumidification.”


Step-by-Step Reasoning:

1) Lower coil surface temperature below entering air dew-point.2) Air cools sensibly until reaching saturation at the surface.3) Further cooling causes condensation → humidity ratio decreases.4) Leaving air is cooler and drier, improving thermal comfort.


Verification / Alternative check:
Psychrometric calculations using coil bypass factor show simultaneous reductions in DBT and humidity ratio when coil ADP is below entering air dew-point.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Humidification adds moisture, not removes it.
  • Dehumidification alone omits the required cooling step.
  • Heating and humidification is a winter process.
  • Adiabatic saturation (evaporative cooling) increases humidity rather than removing it.


Common Pitfalls:
Mistaking evaporative coolers for dehumidifiers; evaporative devices raise humidity and are unsuitable for humid climates without desiccant stages.


Final Answer:
cooling and dehumidification

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