Page:Journal of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Volume 33.pdf/652

Rh wall of the tube, is in itself negligible; however, as any one who has studied the subject of heat transmission will recognize, the surface resistances are appreciable. On the outside, there is the resistance of the surface exposed to the water vapor at low tension, and, on the inside, the more considerable resistance of the liquid surface. There is therefore every reason to believe that the interior ether is at a slightly lower temperature than the exterior dew point. This conclusion conforms with conditions demonstrated by other observers in tests upon the temperature of the exterior of radiating or connecting surfaces. The extreme accuracy of the results obtained by the dew-point method at high temperatures and low humidities would, therefore, seem greatly in question.

21Evaporative or Psychrometric Method. The evaporative or psychrometric method has not heretofore, to the writer's knowledge, been definitely accepted as an absolute means of moisture determination, but as will be demonstrated, is independent of and preferable to all other methods in scope and accuracy. It is of special interest in relation to the art of air conditioning, because the same fundamental phenomena are involved and subject to the same theory. It is of service not only in the art of air conditioning, but also a departure in the science of meteorology. It provides a method, remarkable for simplicity and accuracy, for the determination of the specific heat of air, which present methods have failed to establish, within an unquestioned accuracy of 2 per cent.

22This method of moisture determination depends upon the cooling effect produced by the evaporation of moisture in a partially saturated atmosphere. This is usually measured by covering the bulb of an ordinary mercurial thermometer with a cloth or wick saturated with water and comparing its temperature with that of a thermometer unaffected by evaporation. The covered bulb is termed the wet-bulb thermometer, and the difference between the wet and dry-bulb readings is termed the wet-bulb depression. The temperature of the wet bulb is affected in a measure by radiation from surrounding objects. It is therefore very susceptible to air currents which serve to increase the evaporation and therefore decrease the percentage of error due to radiation. On this account, the earlier and more convenient form of hygrometer using a stationary wet bulb is very unreliable, considerable correction being necessary for radiation. The sling psychrometer advocated by the United States Weather Bureau overcomes this error to a great extent by increasing the ventilation and consequent rate of evaporation to such a degree that the