Sling psychrometer
A sling psychrometer holds a wet-bulb thermometer and a dry-bulb thermometer. A dry-bulb thermometer is an ordinary thermometer, whilst a wet-bulb thermometer is a thermometer that has its bulb wrapped in cloth and moistened with distilled water.
When a sling psychrometer is swung round in the air, moisture will evaporate from the wet-bulb thermometer, reducing its temperature depending on the humidity of the air it is exposed to. The higher the humidity, the lower the rate of evaporation and so the higher the temperature recorded. Wet-bulb temperatures are the same as dry-bulb temperatures at a relative humidity of 100%, but otherwise will be lower than dry-bulb temperatures due to the cooling effect of evaporation (described as wet-bulb depression).
The two thermometers should give steady-state readings after a few minutes.
A sling psychrometer can be used to determine the physical and thermal properties of moist air by using standard tables and charts. Typically it is used to determine relative humidity. Some sling psychrometers include mechanisms to allow relative humidity to be read directly without needing to refer to tables.
Psychometric charts are complex graphs that represent the dry-bulb temperature, wet-bulb temperature, relative humidity, specific volume, dew point temperature, humidity ratio and enthalpy of moist air at known atmospheric pressure. The state of moist air can be determined from any two of these properties (such as wet-bulb temperature and dry-bulb temperature which can be read on a sling psychrometer) from which all other properties can then be determined.
[edit] Find out more
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
The types, causes and measurement of damp in buildings.
The new NEC4 contract creates a true procurement alliance arrangement for all stakeholders.
Andrew Strauss talks about performance and team building at the 2018 BSRIA Briefing.
Last chance to become our new editor
Applications have to be in by the end of the week.
Smart building in the smart city
Reflections on the 5th Annual Global Congress of Knowledge Economy, held in Qingdao, China.
An artist finds ruined and decaying buildings a source of inspiration for his work. Book review.
When is there a right to light, and what happens if it is obstructed?
Infrastructure nationalisation
What would the nationalisation of economic infrastructure mean for GB?
A new guide to improving value by reducing design error.
We've reached 80,000 page views a day and 10,000 registered users. Why not join them?
A masterplan is a framework within which a location is encouraged to develop or change. Read our introductory article.