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7th Lecture - Humidifiers and Its Types

Humidifiers add moisture to air by increasing water vapor density. There are several types: spray, evaporative, and electrically heated. Spray humidifiers use nozzles to discharge water droplets into air. Evaporative humidifiers pass air over a wet media to evaporate water. Electrically heated humidifiers use electric heating elements to evaporate water. Humidifiers are sized based on space volume, construction, air changes per hour, and desired humidity level.

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Haseeb Raza
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327 views21 pages

7th Lecture - Humidifiers and Its Types

Humidifiers add moisture to air by increasing water vapor density. There are several types: spray, evaporative, and electrically heated. Spray humidifiers use nozzles to discharge water droplets into air. Evaporative humidifiers pass air over a wet media to evaporate water. Electrically heated humidifiers use electric heating elements to evaporate water. Humidifiers are sized based on space volume, construction, air changes per hour, and desired humidity level.

Uploaded by

Haseeb Raza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Humidifiers and its types

7th Lecture
by
Muhammad Shahbaz Gulzar

Humidifiers
Humidifiers, by definition, are devices for
adding moisture to the air.
Thus, to humidify is to increase the density of
water vapor within a given space or room.

Devices that function to remove moisture


from the air are termed dehumidifiers.

Types of Humidifiers

Spray-type air washers


Pan evaporative humidifiers
Electrically operated humidifiers
Air-operated humidifiers

Atomizing / air washer type humidifiers


Discharges tiny water droplets into the air

Evaporative humidifiers use a wet media


Air is passed over the media and the water evaporates

Electrically heated humidifiers


Water evaporated by electric heating elements

Air-Washer Method
An air washer essentially consists of a row of spray nozzles
inside a chamber or casing. A tank at the bottom of the
chamber provides for collection of water as it falls through the
air and comes into intimate contact with the wet surface of
the chamber baffles.

The water is generally circulated by means of a pump, the


warm water being passed over refrigerating coils or blocks of
ice to cool it before being passed to the spray chamber. The
water lost in evaporation is usually replaced automatically by
the use of a float arrangement, which admits water from the
main as required. In many locations, the water is sufficiently
cool to use as it is drawn from the source.
In other places, the water is not cool enough and must be
cooled by means of ice or with a refrigerating machine.

The principal functions of the air washer are to cool


the air passed through the spray chamber and to
control humidity.

The spray pipes are mounted vertically. In some


instances, the spray pipes are horizontal so that the
sprays are directed downward.
As some of the finer water particles tend to be carried
along with the air current, a series of curved plates or
baffles is generally used, which forces the cooled and
humidified air to change the direction of flow, throwing
out or eliminating the water particles in the process.

Pan Humidifiers
The main part is a tank of water heated by low
pressure steam or forced hot water where a water
temperature of 200F or higher is maintained.
The evaporative-type humidifier is fully automatic,
the water level being controlled by means of a
float control. In operation, when the relative
humidity drops below the humidity-control setting,
the humidifier fan blows air over the surface of the
heated water in the tank. The air picks up
moisture.
The air is blown to the space to be humidified.
When the humidity control is satisfied, the
humidifier fan stops.

Electrically Operated Humidifiers


Dry-steam electrically operated humidifiers operate by means
of a solenoid valve, which is energized by a humidistat.
When the relative humidity drops slightly below the desired
level set by the humidistat a solenoid valve actuated by the
humidistat, admits steam from the separating chamber to the
re-evaporating chamber.
Steam passes from this chamber through the muffler directly
to the atmosphere. The fan (which is energized when the
solenoid valve opens) assists in dispersing the steam into the
area to be humidified.

When the relative humidity reaches the desired level, the


humidistat closes the solenoid valve and stops the fan.

The steam humidifier discharges ready-made water vapor.


This water vapor does not require any additional heat as it
mixes with the air and increases relative humidity.
Steam is pure water vapor existing at 212F (100C). This
high temperature creates a perception that steam, when
discharged into the air, will actually increase air
temperature. This is a common misconception.

In truth, as the humidifier discharges steam into the air, a


steam/air mixture is established. In this mixture steam
temperature will rapidly decrease to essentially the air
temperature.
The steam supply itself acts as a cleaning agent to keep
system components free of mineral deposits that can clog
many forms of water spray and evaporative pan systems.

Armstrong dry-steam humidifier for direct discharge of steam into the atmosphere of
the area to be humidified.

Strainer

Air-Operated Humidifiers
Air-operated humidifying units operate in the same manner
as electrical units, except that they utilize a pneumatic
hygrostat as a humidity controller and an air operator to
open or close the steam valve.
A decrease in relative humidity increases the air pressure
under a spring-loaded diaphragm to open the steam valve
wider. An increase in relative humidity reduces the pressure
under the diaphragm and allows the valve to restrict the
steam flow.

Any condensate formed in the supply line is knocked down


to the humidifier drain by a baffle inside the inlet of the
humidifier-separating chamber.

Armstrong dry-steam humidifier with steam-jacket distribution

Any droplets of condensation picked up by the


stream as it flows through the humidifier cap when
the steam valve opens will be thrown to the
bottom of the re-evaporating chamber.
Pressure in this chamber is essentially atmospheric.
Since it is surrounded by steam at supply pressure
and temperature, any water is re-evaporated to
provide dry steam at the outlet.
A clamp-on temperature switch is attached to the
condensate drain line to prevent the electric or
pneumatic operator from opening the steam valve
until the humidifier is up to steam temperature.

Operation of Armstrong dry-steam humidifier for area humidification

Sizing humidifiers
1.
2.
3.
4.

The number of cubic feet of space to be humidified.


The construction of the building. This includes quality
The amount of air change per hour and the approximate
The level of relative humidity desired.

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