Moist Air - Specific Volume
Specific volume of moist air is defined as the total volume of humid air per mass unit of dry air
When discussing specific volume of moist air its necessary to differentiate between
- specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air, or
- specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air and water vapor
Specific Volume of Moist Air per Mass Unit of Dry Air
Specific volume is defined as the total volume of dry air and water vapor mixture per kg of dry air (SI-units). The specific volume can be expressed as
vda = V / ma (1)
where
vda = specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air (m3/kg)
V = total volume of moist air (m3)
ma = mass of dry air (kg)
When dry air and water vapor with the same temperature occupies the same volume the equation for an ideal gas can be applied.
pa V = ma Ra T (2)
where
pa = partial pressure of dry air (Pa)
Ra = 286.9 - the individual gas constant dry air (J/kg.K)
T = temperature of the moist air (K)
Combining (1) and (2):
vda = Ra T / pa (3)
The partial pressure of the air can be expressed as
pa = p - pw (3b)
where
p = pressure in the moist air (Pa)
pw = partial pressure water vapor (Pa)
Combining (3) and (2):
vda = Ra T / (p - pw) (3c)
The ideal gas law can also be applied to the water vapor as
pw V = mw Rw T (4)
where
pw = partial pressure of water vapor (Pa)
Rw = individual gas constant water vapor ( 461.4 J/kg.K)
T = temperature of the moist air (K)
The mass of the water vapor can be calculated by using the humidity ratio and the mass of air as
mw = x ma (5)
where
x = mw / ma = specific humidity or humidity ratio (kgh2o/kgdry_air)
mw = mass of water vapor (kg)
ma = mass of dry air (kg)
Combining (4) and (5):
pw V = x ma Rw T (6)
Combining (6) with (1):
vda = x Rw T / pw (7)
Transforming (7):
pw = x Rw T / vda (8)
Combining (8) with (3c):
vda = Ra T / (p - (x Rw T / vda)) (9)
(9) can be transformed to express the specific volume of moist air per unit mass of dry air as
vda = (1 + x Rw / Ra) Ra T / p (10)
Specific Volume of Moist Air per unit Mass of Dry Air and Water Vapor
Specific volume is defined as the total volume of dry air and water vapor mixture per kg of dry air and water vapor (SI-units). The specific volume can be expressed as:
v = V / ma + mw (11)
where
v = specific volume of moist air per mass unit of dry air and water vapor (m3/kg)
Combining with (5):
v = V / ma (1 + x) (12)
Combining with (1):
v = vda / (1 + x) (13)
and the specific volume of moist air per unit mass of dry air and water vapor (moist air) can be expressed as
v = (Ra T / p) [(1 + x Rw / Ra)/ (1 + x)] (14)
(14) can used to express the inverse of the specific volume - the density - of moist air as
ρ = 1 / v
= (p / Ra T) (1 + x) / (1 + x Rw / Ra) (15)
Related Topics
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Air Psychrometrics
Moist and humid air - psychrometric charts, Mollier diagrams, air-condition temperatures and absolute and relative humidity and moisture content.
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