Humidity

measurements
under pressure
Joni Partanen, Product Engineer
Vaisala in numbers

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 The speaker
Joni Partanen, Product Engineer

Joni Partanen is a Product Engineer at Vaisala focusing on humidity and

dew point measurement instruments. He has over 16 years of
experience in process industry measurement technology and
instrumentation. Joni holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree in
Automation Technology.

3 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Topics
Typical questions:
Does pressure affect humidity? When should I take dynamic pressure variation into
account? Do I need to compensate the humidity values with pressure data?

Content:
▪ What is pressure, how is it measured and how is it related on humidity?
▪ Application examples
▪ Under pressure: Vacuum drying
▪ Over pressure: Moisture in Compressed air
▪ Varying atmospheric pressure: Combustion engine test benches, other
processes

4 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Definition of Pressure
p= F
A
▪ Pressure
– Force per area caused by collisions of ambient gas molecules
– Independent of the masses of the gas molecules and the composition of the ambient gas

▪ Gas composition
– Can be expressed as partial pressures of the different gas components
– Dalton’s law: "the total pressure of a gas is the sum the partial pressures of the gas
components"
– e.g. air pressure is the sum of the partial pressures of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, argon,
CO2, etc.

5 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Definition of Pressure

Differential Pressure

Gauge Pressure
Absolute
Pressure
Differential Pressure

Atmospheric / Barometric Pressure

(Ambient Pressure)

Absolute Vacuum

6 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Barometric Pressure
▪ Barometric (= atmospheric) pressure on a surface:
▪ Defined as the force per unit area exerted against
a surface by the weight of the air above that surface
p= F
▪ It equals to the weight of the vertical column of air A
(with equal surface area) above the surface
▪ The pressure at point "X" increases as the weight of the air above it
increases and vice versa
▪ In terms of air molecules, if the number of air molecules above a
surface increases, there are more molecules to exert a force on that
surface and consequently, the pressure increases

7 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Altitude and pressure
Altitude Pressure
▪ Pressure lowers quickly
Stratosphere
with increasing altitude
▪ on the top of Mount
Tropopause Everest the pressure is
about 300...350 hPa
▪ At the sea surface level
▪ 1 Pa pressure difference
Upper clouds
Troposphere corresponds appr. 8 cm
altitude difference
(or by 'a rule of thumb'
1 Pa  10 cm)

Highest buildings

8 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Pressure Units

▪ The official unit of pressure is the pascal (Pa = N/m2) and its Torricelli’s
mercury barometer
multiples according to the International System of Units (SI)
▪ Other units in use worldwide: Torricelli void
(Vacuum)
▪ bar = 105 Pa
▪ mbar = 100 Pa = hPa
▪ mmHg = 133.32 Pa = Torr Mercury (Hg)
▪ mmH2O = 9.807 Pa
▪ atm = 101325 Pa = 760 torr 760 mm
Atmospheric
▪ psi * = 6895 Pa = lb/in2
pressure
▪ inHg = 3386.4 Pa 101.325 hPa
▪ inH2O = 249.08 Pa
* psia/psig

9 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Structure of the Vaisala
BAROCAP® Sensor

Accuracy: ±0.1 hPa = ±10 pa = ±1m in altitude = ±0.075 mmHg

Long-term stability/year = ±0.1 hPa
10 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 Dalton's law of partial pressures
Dry air
• Partial pressure of water
=1.28 kPa
• Temperature
= 25 °C (77 °F)
• Relative humidity
= 40 %rh

= + + + +

Wet air
11 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 Humidity as a partial pressure

▪ Relative humidity =

𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟 (𝑃𝑤 )

∗ 100
𝑆𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑢𝑟𝑒 (𝑃𝑤𝑠 )

▪ Depends on temperature:
▪ Less temperature → More relative
humidity
▪ More temperature → Less relative
humidity

12 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Vaisala HUMICAP®
Working principle
• Capacitive measuring principle
𝐴
𝐶 = 𝜀𝑟 𝜀0
𝑑
• Relative permitivity (𝜀𝑟 ) changes
as the moisture changes
• Upper electrode is porous material
• Thin-film polymer absorbs H2O-
molecules until equilibrium is reached
• Alternating electrical field applied
between two electrodes.

-+ -
• H2O molecules increase the
capasitance between the electrodes
+
13 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
Vacuum drying
 Equilibrium Moisture Content
Moisture in a material
and temperature

(EMC%)
Relative humidity %rh

1 %rh

15 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Moisture in a material
and vacuum
Total pressure: 1 %rh
1013 hPa

Total pressure: 0.1 %rh

100 hPa

16 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Material moisture and
▪ Hygroscopic material seeks
dependence on temperature moisture balance of its
and pressure environment → Equilibrium
Moisture Content (EMC%)

Moisten
▪ EMC% is tightly related to
Pressure relative humidity
▪ Higher temperature →
less %rh → less EMC%
Cooling Heating
▪ Lower pressure →
Moisten Drying less %rh → less EMC%
Vacuum

Drying

17 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Pressure HMP3 General purpose
Humidity and temperature probe
HMP7 Humidity and temperature
probe for high humidities

Generic humidity application

Demanding humidity application

50 bara (725 psia)

Generic sensor head: Pressure tight sensor

• Designed for atmospheric head:
pressures. • Vapor and pressure proof
• Not designed for pressure construction
applications • Mimimum pressure: full
• 0.5 bar (7 psi) variation is vacuum
acceptable • Maximum pressure
depends on sensor
7 bara (100 psia) Compressed air
construction, from 10 bar
1 bara (14.5 psia) up to 100 bar
0 bara (0 psia) Ambient level

18 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

Compressed air
 DM70 Handheld dewpoint meter DMT143 Dew Point transmitter

Compressed air
Generic humidity application
Demanding humidity application

50 bara (725 psia) 100 %RH

50 %RH

Quality requirement:
ISO8573-1:2010 CLASS 2:
Vapor pressure Dew Point temperature ≤ -40°C
7 bara (100 psia) Compressed air 10 %RH
1 bara (14.5 psia)
Low humidity application
0 bara (0 psia) Ambient level 0 %RH • DRYCAP-application
20 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 Process connections in pressurized processes
Measuring at process pressure Measuring at ambient pressure
+ True specified dewpoint + Line pressure fluctuation has no effect
+ No sampling system needed + Easy to install and remove the instrument
+ Small Effect of pressure fluctuation + Sensor is protected against humidity peaks
− System shutdown needed for making changes − Dewpoint not in the user specified pressure
in process connections − Sampling system needed
▪ Solution: Quick connector
− Installation place is critical

21 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Transmitter B
Pressure and

Dew Point
Td/f reading:
dew point temperature -59 °C (-74 °F)

Flow: 1 l/m
Transmitter A
Dew Point

Td/f reading: Needle

valve
-40 °C (-40 °F)

Pressure line:
10 barg (145 psi)
22 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 Poll: Why is there a difference in readings?

▪ One of the instruments is out of specifications

▪ There is something wrong with the needle valve/flow
▪ Both instruments are measuring correctly

23 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Transmitter B
Ambient Dew Point!
Pressure and

Dew Point
Td/f reading:
dew point temperature -59 °C (-74 °F)

Flow: 1 l/m

Pressure Dew Point!

Transmitter A
Dew Point

Td/f reading: Needle

valve
-40 °C (-40 °F)

Pressure line:
10 barg (145 psi)
24 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 Transmitter B
Ambient Dew Point!
Pressure and

Dew Point
Td/f reading:
dew point temperature -59 °C (-74 °F)

Pressure Dew Point!

Td/f reading:
-40 °C (-40 °F) Flow: 1 l/m
DMT143
Transmitter A
Dew Point

Needle
valve

±2 °C Td
±3 °C Td

Pressure line:
10 barg (145 psi)
25 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
Humidity
measurement in
varying
pressures
 The physical effect of
pressure change
▪ When total pressure changes, also partial
pressures change
▪ The ratio of gases doesn’t change
▪ Absolute humidity (massH2O/volumeair)
doesn’t change
▪ Mixing ratio doesn’t change (massH2O/massair)
▪ Vapor saturation pressure doesn’t change
▪ Relative humidity and dew point temperature
changes with pressure

▪ How does the humidity instrument see this

change?

27 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 When should pressure be considered when measuring
humidity? Indigo500

Ambient condition Pressure

compensation
= 1013 hPa
HMP7 Humidity and
p: 1013.25 hPa Temperature Probe Reading:
T: 20 °C T: 20 °C
rh: 30 %rh rh: 30 %rh
Td: 2.8 °C Td: 2.8 °C
a: 5.5 g/m3 a: 5.5 g/m3
x: 4.6 g/kg x: 4.6 g/kg

28 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Poll: If we change the pressure, but not the
compensation, which of the parameters can we
measure reliably?
▪ Temperature?
▪ Relative humidity (rh)?
▪ Dew Point Temperature (Td)?
▪ Absolute humidity (a)?
▪ Mixing ratio (x)?

29 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 When should pressure be considered when measuring
humidity? Indigo500

Pressurized Pressure
compensation
= 1013 hPa → 3030 hPa
HMP7 Humidity and
Ambient: p: 3030 hPa (3atm) Temperature Probe Reading:
p: 1013.25
hPa
T: 20 °C T: 20 °C
T: 20 °C rh: 90 %rh rh: 90 %rh
rh: 30 %rh
Td: 2.8 °C Td: 18.2 °C Td: 18.2 °C
a: 5.5 g/m3
x: 4.6 g/kg a: 16.5 g/m3 a: 16.5 g/m3
x: 4.6 g/kg x: 1.5 g/kg →4.6 g/kg

30 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Pressure compensation
The effect of non-ideality into
saturation vapor pressure
Volumetric and partial pressure related units
▪ Relative humidity, Dew point temperature,
absolute humidity, parts per million (ppmv)
▪ Only small effect →Non-ideality of the gas
▪ Accurate readings if pressure compensation is
set to ±1 bar within the actual pressure

Gas mass-based units

▪ Mixing ratio, Enthalpy
▪ Proportional error to the difference of the
compensation value
▪ Accurate reading requires accurate pressure
compensation value
31 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure
 High altitude and climate tests Indigo520 with barometric
pressure measurement module

Climate simulator

HMP7 Humidity and

Temperature Probe

Pressure measurement range:

500 ... 1100 hPa

Test
range

32 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Practical example
Dew Point
Transmitter C

Date A Td/f B Td/f C Td/f Pump

Pump
Day 1 -41 °C -51 °C -40 °C 100%
Dew Point Day 1 -41 °C -44 °C -40 °C 50%
Transmitter A
Day 30 -41 °C -56 °C -40 °C 100%

Process
Day 45 -41 °C -20 °C -14 °C 100%
Tank Dew Point
Day 45 -41 °C -38 °C -36 °C 20%
Transmitter B

Filter

33 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Poll: What is causing this problem

▪ Clogged filter in transmitter A. Reading is frozen

▪ There is a leak somewhere
▪ Pressure compensation is not correct
▪ Pump problem

34 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Process flow example
Dew Point
Transmitter C

Date A pressure B pressure C pressure Pump

Pump Td/f Td/f Td/f
Day 1 900 hPa 300 hPa 1013 hPa 100%
Dew Point -41 °C -51 °C -40 °C
Transmitter A Day 1 950 hPa 600 hPa 1013 hPa 50%
-41 °C -44 °C -40 °C
Day 30 930 hPa 150 hPa 1013 hPa 100%
Process
-41 °C -56 °C -40 °C
Tank Dew Point Day 45 950 hPa 500 hPa 1013 hPa 100%
Transmitter B -41 °C -20 °C -14 °C
Day 45 950 hPa 800 hPa 1013 hPa 20%
Filter leaking -41 °C -38 °C -36 °C

Filter

35 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Key takeaways

▪ Dew point temperature is easier to measure accurately in:

▪ Colder environment
▪ In higher pressure
▪ Measurement parameter: rh, Td, a
▪ Make sure you have set the pressure compensation within ±1 bar from the
actual pressure
▪ Mass based units: Mixing ratio
▪ Make sure that you have set the exact pressure compensation.

36 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Compact Dew Point and Pressure Measurement of Compressed Air
with Multi-Parameter Transmitter DPT146 BAROCAP®

Key Benefits
• Convenience with 3-in-1 measurement:
dew point, pressure & temperature
DRYCAP®
• Easy to integrate & install
• Tolerates high humidity and water spikes
• Accuracy and stability even in demanding
conditions

DRYCAP® Technology for Dry Conditions Features

For Compressed Air Applications
▪ Proven polymer technology with over 20- ▪ Dew point measurement range from -70 to
year track record ▪ Online monitoring of a compressed
+30 °C
▪ Chemical purge cleans the sensor on air system
▪ Dew point accuracy ±2 °C down to -60 °C
a daily basis ▪ Can be used with MI70 handheld
frost point
▪ Sensor is insensitive to gas flow rate indicator for spot-checking
▪ Pressure measurement range from 1 to 12
▪ Regulative measurements of
BAROCAP® Pressure Measuring Sensor bar(a)
medical gas
▪ Outputs: Analog output (mA/V), digital RS485
• Silicon-based capasitive sensor for (non-isolated) with Modbus option
absolute pressure measurement with ▪ Easy connection with external display/relay
over 25-year track record Learn More
▪ Compatible with Vaisala DM70 Hand-held for
• Low hysteresis, high long-term stability easy field maintenance www.vaisala.com/DPT146
• Tolerates harsh conditions ▪ Easy to integrate, miniature size, weight 190 g This document is subject to change without notice.

37 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure

 Indigo520 barometric pressure
measurement combined with Indigo
compatible probes

HMP7
Humidity and temperature probe
38 22-Sep-2021 Humidity & Pressure