hygrothermiques

Hygrothermics, also named hygrothermics, is the study of the interactions between humidity and temperature and their combined effects on physical processes, materials, and living systems. The term combines hygro- (humidity) and therm- (temperature) with -ics, indicating a field of study. It encompasses the measurement, modeling, and control of coupled moisture and heat phenomena.

In natural and environmental contexts, hygrothermics describes how moisture and temperature influence climate, soil moisture dynamics, microbial activity, plant physiology, and insect behavior. In built environments, it refers to coupled heat and moisture transfer in buildings, performance of building envelopes, indoor air quality, and energy efficiency.

In materials science, hygrothermics studies how humidity and temperature jointly affect diffusion of water in polymers and wood, with consequences for dimensional changes, aging, and durability.

Applications include climate control in greenhouses and spaces requiring precise humidity and temperature, storage and shipping of perishable goods, and the design of insulation and moisture barriers. In biology, hygrothermics informs understanding of species’ habitat preferences and developmental rates under varying environmental conditions.

Methods commonly involve sensors for relative humidity and temperature, along with mathematical models of coupled heat and moisture transfer, often using finite element methods for complex geometries. While the term is used variably across disciplines, it generally denotes the integrated study of how humidity and heat interact to shape processes and properties.

See also hygrostat, hygrometry, thermodynamics, heat and moisture transfer.