Estimate water evaporation rate and surface-level loss from area, air speed, temperature, humidity, or humidity ratios in metric and US units.

Choose weather inputs or humidity ratios. Weather mode uses an ideal-gas humidity model and a Magnus approximation; blank absolute pressure uses 101.325 kPa.

Rough empirical screening estimate for an exposed, maintained liquid-water surface. Not for boiling, ice, salts, splashing or occupied pools, or heat/ventilation design. Surface temperature is held constant; no heat-supply or cooling balance is solved.

Optional settings

A blank uses 101.325 kPa regardless of selected display unit.

Evaporation Rate Formula

The following empirical Sprenger-style correlation gives a rough screening estimate for evaporation from an exposed, maintained liquid-water surface. It is not a universal evaporation law, a boiling or ice model, or a substitute for a validated heat/ventilation design. The weather-input implementation supports liquid-water surface temperatures from 0 to 50 °C and air temperatures from −40 to 50 °C, with relative humidity referenced to liquid water; these bounds constrain the saturation-pressure approximation, not the accuracy of the evaporation correlation.

gh = (25 + 19 × v) × (A) × (Xs - X)
  • Where gh is the evaporation rate (kg/h)
  • v is the velocity of air above the surface (m/s)
  • A is the water surface area (m^2)
  • Xs is the maximum humidity ratio of saturated air (at the same temperature as the water surface)
  • X is the current humidity ratio of the air

To calculate the evaporation rate, multiply 19 by the velocity of the air, add 25 to the result, multiply by the surface area, then multiply by the surface-saturated humidity ratio minus the ambient humidity ratio, both in kg water vapor per kg dry air. Equal ratios give zero modeled net evaporation; a negative difference indicates condensation conditions outside this evaporation-only calculation.

Evaporation Rate Definition

An evaporation rate is the mass of water transferred to air per unit time. Daily volume and surface-level loss here assume constant conditions and water density of 1 kg/L; they are approximate. The surface temperature is held at the entered value, so this model does not calculate evaporative cooling or heat availability.

Evaporation Rate Example

How to calculate an evaporation rate?

  1. First, determine the velocity of air.

    Measure the speed of the air above the surface of the water.

  2. Next, determine the surface area.

    Calculate the total water surface area exposed to air.

  3. Next, determine the maximum humidity ratio.

    Calculate the maximum humidity ratio of saturated air at the same temperature as the surface of the water.

  4. Next, determine the current humidity ratio.

    Calculate the current humidity ratio of the air.

  5. Finally, calculate the rate of evaporation.

    Calculate the water evaporation rate using the equation above.

FAQ

What is an evaporation rate?

An evaporation rate is a speed at which water is evaporated from the surface of a body of water.