Moist air properties: The wet-bulb temperature is a practical indicator of the moisture content (humidity) of air.

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: Agree

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Wet-bulb temperature (WBT) reflects the adiabatic saturation process and is widely used in HVAC, meteorology, and cooling tower design to infer humidity levels and evaporative cooling potential.



Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Air at near-atmospheric pressure.
  • Psychrometric relationships hold (Dalton’s law approximation).
  • WBT measured with adequate air velocity over a wetted wick.


Concept / Approach:
WBT depends on both dry-bulb temperature and moisture content. For a fixed DBT, higher humidity yields a higher WBT (closer to DBT). Conversely, drier air produces more evaporative cooling at the wick, lowering the WBT. Thus, WBT is a practical indicator of air moisture content.



Step-by-Step Solution:

At low humidity: strong evaporation from the wetted wick removes more latent heat ⇒ WBT much lower than DBT.As humidity increases: evaporation decreases ⇒ WBT rises toward DBT.At saturation (100% RH): no evaporation ⇒ WBT = DBT.Hence, observing WBT trends reveals moisture content qualitatively and, with charts, quantitatively.


Verification / Alternative check:
Using a psychrometric chart or equations, plot points with constant DBT and increasing humidity ratio; WBT values increase monotonically.



Why Other Options Are Wrong:

  • “Disagree” is incorrect because WBT is standard for indicating humidity.
  • “Only true at 0% RH” and “Only true at 100% RH” misunderstand the continuous relationship; WBT indicates humidity across the full range.


Common Pitfalls:
Equating WBT directly with humidity ratio; WBT is an indicator that must be interpreted with DBT or charts for exact values.



Final Answer:
Agree

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion