Psychrometric Charts

A psychrometric chart for a given location can tell you information about
temperature (wet bulb and dry bulb) and humidity (relative and absolute).
While they may seem overwhelming at first, by learning how the variables
interact, you can begin to use the psychrometric chart to interpret occupant
comfort and effective passive design strategies for your location.
Psychrometric charts show
temperature vs. humidity, and can
be used to express human thermal
comfort, design strategies, and
energy requirements for those
strategies.

What is a Psychrometric Chart ?

A psychrometric chart is a graphical representation of the psychrometric processes of air.
Psychrometric processes include physical and thermodynamic properties such as dry bulb
temperature, wet bulb temperature, humidity, enthalpy, and air density.
A psychrometric chart can be used in two different ways. The first is done by plotting multiple
data points, that represent the air conditions at a specific time, on the chart. Then, overlaying an
area that identifies the comfort zone. The comfort zone is defined as the range within
occupants are satisfied with the surrounding thermal conditions. After plotting the air conditions
and overlaying the comfort zone, it becomes possible to see how passive design strategies can
extend the comfort zone.

Example of how plotted data on a psychrometric chart can be studied, and related to passive
design. In this chart, the dark blue boxes represent the comfort zone, and the other colors
represent design strategies that have been enabled to study how they can potentially expand
the comfort zone. This psychrometric chart was generated usingClimate Consultant.

The chart is also often used by mechanical engineers to dynamically plot points that represent the
exterior air conditions and understand the process the air must go through to reach comfortable
conditions for the occupants inside a building. When using the psychrometric chart for this
purpose the data points move around the chart.

Psychrometric charts show temperature vs. humidity, and can be used to express human
thermal comfort, design strategies, and energy requirements for those strategies.

Anatomy of the Psychrometric Chart

Temperature
Every psychrometric chart includes vertical lines that represent the dry bulb temperatures. Air
temperature increases from left to right.

Dry bulb temperature lines on a psychrometric chart

Every psychrometric chart also includes wet bulb temperatures. These lines are indicated at
diagonals, and like dry bulb temperatures they increase from left to right.

Wet bulb temperature lines on a psychrometric chart

Relative Humidity
Another feature indicated on every psychrometric chart is relative humidity lines. These lines are
curved, and begin at 100% along the top of the chart, and decrease moving downward. It is fairly
common for these lines to be indicated in intervals of ten.

Relative humidity lines on a psychrometric chart

Data Points
Psychrometric charts indicate data points for each location they are representing. The style of the
data points can vary depending upon the computer application that was used to generate the
psychrometric chart, or if the chart was generated by hand. Each data point represents a
collection of air qualities at a snap shot in time. It can be hourly, daily, monthly, or even seasonal
data. The density of data points on the chart is used to decipher average conditions. At times it
can be useful to view summer and winter data points independently. But viewing them together
allows you to consider all passive design strategies in an integrated manner.

Based on the data points in this example, we can conclude average conditions are between
30 C and 35 C.

Comfort Zone
The comfort zone is typically indicated by shading a portion of the psychrometric chart. This
shaded area is highly variable per climate and project. The comfort zone is either populated by a
software system, or manually by a designer, based upon the activity to take place in the building
and the level of anticipated clothing to be worn by the occupants.

In this example, we know temperatures greater than 30 C will be considered too hot, and
less than 20C will be considered too cold.

Other items that can be found on some, but not all psychrometric charts, are as follows.
Horizontal lines that provide dew point temperature readings along the right hand side of the
chart. This is useful for knowing at what temperature water will begin to condensate. Which can
transpire to mold and insulation with decreased thermal performance if not accurately accounted
for in the design of a building.
Horizontal lines that provide humidity ratio/moisture content measurements along the right hand
side of the chart. This information aids with understanding the density of the air, which relates to
buoyancy and air quality issues.
Along the upper left hand side of the chart at times will be diagonal ticks/lines placed at a similar
angle and direction as the wet bulb temperature lines. These are enthalpy measurements that are
useful for understanding heat energy needed, or existing in the air.
The video below provides a good overview of the psychrometric chart. It features the Ecotect
Weather Tool.

Interpreting the Psychrometric Chart

Since psychrometric charts can provide you with a rapid overview of air conditions as they relate
to occupant comfort, some steadfast judgments can be made. For example, is your climate hot
and humid, or dry and arid? How are your occupants going to feel most of the timetoo hot, too
cold, or comfortable?
Some common examples of these broad conclusions are depicted below.

Temperature (orange = too hot, blue = too cold)

Humidity (blue = too humid, yellow = too dry

Design Strategies and the Psychrometric Chart

After understanding how your climate reads on a psychrometric chart, you can use it to
understand what sustainable design strategies can be best used to improve occupant comfort.
When data points fall to the right of the comfort zone, you will want to reduce the air
temperature. An example strategy to achieve this would be to increase air flow with natural
ventilation.
When data points fall to the left of the comfort zone, you will want to increase the air
temperature. A common strategy to do this passively is to incorporate solar heat gains with
high thermal mass materials.
When relative humidity is too low it can be increased with evaporative cooling. And when it is
too high it can be decreased with the use of desiccants.
An example of how this sort of analysis could be done is demonstrated below. Climate
Consultant was used to generate all the charts.

Beginning psychrometric chart, with comfort zones depicted for summer and winter clothing
levels. The chart also indicates that only 9.5% of occupants will be comfortable with no
design strategies.

Natural ventilation is applied to reduce air temperatures, and occupant comfort moves up to
10%.

Opportunities for passive solar gain are combined with high mass materials, in order to raise
air temperatures. As a result, occupant comfort moves up to 29.1%.

Humidification is combined with passive heating, and occupant comfort reaches 98.9%.