The temperature at which water vapour in a gas begins to condense as the gas is cooled at a specified pressure.
Also called: dew-point temperature; air dew point; pressure dew point; atmospheric dew point.
Why can condensation appear around a cooling circuit?
Dew point describes the temperature at which moisture in the gas begins to condense under the stated conditions. A surface exposed to air at a temperature below that air’s dew point presents a condensation risk. The relevant comparison is the local air and exposed surface, not merely the chiller’s displayed coolant setting.
For example, a 10 °C surface exposed to local air with a 12 °C dew point is below the condensation threshold. These illustrative values describe that local comparison; changing gas pressure or environmental conditions changes the assessment.
Not without the pressure basis and measurement context. Gas pressure affects dew point, so a dryer’s pressure-dew-point specification is not interchangeable with atmospheric dew point or room-air conditions beside a cooling plate.
Report measurement location, gas pressure and any conversion to atmospheric conditions. Condensation around a cooling station depends on the local air and exposed surfaces, rather than a compressed-air dryer’s specification.