våtbulbstemperatur

Våtbulbstemperatur is a meteorological term that refers to the lowest temperature to which air can be cooled by the evaporation of water into it at a constant pressure. It is measured using a thermometer whose bulb is covered with a wet cloth or wick. As water evaporates from the wick, it cools the thermometer bulb, and the temperature reading will drop until it reaches a point where the rate of evaporation equals the rate of heat transfer from the surrounding air. The wet-bulb temperature is always lower than or equal to the dry-bulb temperature, which is the ambient air temperature measured by a standard thermometer.

The difference between the dry-bulb temperature and the wet-bulb temperature is an indicator of the humidity in the air. When the air is very dry, evaporation occurs rapidly, leading to a significant drop in temperature and a large difference between the dry-bulb and wet-bulb readings. Conversely, in very humid air, evaporation is slow, and the wet-bulb temperature will be close to the dry-bulb temperature.

Våtbulbstemperatur is an important parameter in various fields, including meteorology, agriculture, and human comfort studies. It plays a role in predicting dew point, understanding heat stress in humans and animals, and designing cooling systems. For example, high wet-bulb temperatures can indicate conditions where evaporative cooling is less effective, making it harder for the body to regulate its temperature.