What is the definition of sensible heat ratio?

The sensible heat ratio is defined as the ratio of sensible heat to total heat. Sensible heat refers to the heat added or removed from a substance that results in a change in temperature without changing its phase. Total heat encompasses both sensible and latent heat, with latent heat being the heat absorbed or released during a phase change (like water to steam) at constant temperature.

Understanding this ratio is crucial in HVAC applications because it helps quantify the proportion of heat energy that contributes to temperature changes (sensible) compared to the overall heat energy involved in a process, which includes phase changes (latent). A higher sensible heat ratio indicates that more of the heat energy is being used to change the temperature, while a lower ratio suggests that a significant portion of the heat is involved in phase changes. This concept is essential for efficiently managing heating, cooling, and dehumidification processes in climate control systems.