Separation Processes-ICHE-343

Lecture : Humidification

Dr. Nouman Ahmad

School of Chemical & Materials Engineering (SCME)
National University of Science and Technology
 Humidification & Dehumidification
Humidification:
An operation, increasing the amount of vapour
present in the gas stream is known as
humidification.

Dehumidification:

An operation, reducing the amount of vapour

present in the gas stream is known as
dehumidification.
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How can we increase the vapour content
By passing a gas stream over a liquid which then
evaporates in to the gas stream increasing the
vapour content of the gas.
The transfer into the main stream takes place by
diffusion and at the interface a simultaneous heat
and mass transfer occurs.

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How can we decrease the vapour content
In the reverse operation, that is dehumidification,
partial condensation must be effected and the
condensed vapour removed
Applications of humidification and
dehumidification
The drying of wet solids is an example of a
humidification operation, the reduction of the
moisture content of the solids is the main objective,
and the humidification of the air stream is a
secondary effect.
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 Applications contd.

Air conditioning and drying gas

We might need to remove the moisture from the wet

chlorine so that it can be used in the relevant
operation without creating corrosion
The gases used in the manufacturing of sulphuric
acid must be dehumidified before entering the
converters
The most wide spread application of
humidification and dehumidification is air-water
system
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 Humidification Terms

Humidity: H
Mass of vapour associated with unit mass of dry gas
Humidity of a saturated gas: Ho
humidity of the gas when it is saturated with vapour
at a given temperature
Percentage Humidity:
The ratio of humidity to the to the saturated humidity
100(H/ Ho)

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 Humidification Terms
Humid Heat (s):
heat required to raise unit mass of dry gas and its
associated vapour through unit temperature
difference at constant pressure
s= Ca+HCw

Ca= specific heat capacity of air

Cw= specific heat capacity of air
H= humidity

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 Humidification Terms
Humid Volume:
Volume occupied by unit mass of dry gas and its
associated vapor .
Dew Point:
temperature at which the gas is saturated with
vapour. As a gas is cooled, the dew point is the
temperature at which condensation will first occur
Percentage Relative humidity:
the ratio of partial pressure of the vapor to the partial
pressure of vapour in saturated gas
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relationship between the partial pressure of
the vapour and the humidity of a gas
In a unit volume of gas:
!! "!
Mass of vapour =
#$

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relationship between the partial pressure of
the vapour and the humidity of a gas

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relationship between the partial pressure of
the vapour and the humidity of a gas

For air-water system

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Percentage Humidity and percentage relative
humidity

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Example 13.1

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Example 13.2

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 Wet Bulb Temperature

Ø When a stream of unsaturated gas is passed over the surface of a liquid, the
humidity of the gas is increased due to evaporation of the liquid. The
temperature of the liquid falls below that of the gas and heat is transferred
from the gas to the liquid.
Ø At equilibrium the rate of heat transfer from the gas just balances that
required to vaporize the liquid and the liquid is said to be at the wet-bulb
temperature.
Ø The rate at which this temperature is reached depends on the initial
temperatures and the rate of flow of gas past the liquid surface.

Ø The rate of transfer of heat from the gas to the liquid can be written as:

where Q is the heat flow, h the coefficient of heat transfer, A the area for
transfer, and θ and θW are the temperatures of the gas and liquid phases.20
 Wet Bulb Temperature

• The liquid evaporating into the gas is transferred by diffusion

from the interface to the gas stream as a result of a
concentration difference (C0 — c), where C0 is the concentration
of the vapour at the surface (mass per unit volume) and c is the
concentration in the gas stream. The rate of evaporation is then
given by:

• where hD is the coefficient of mass transfer.

 Wet Bulb Temperature
• The partial pressures of the vapour, Pw and PW0, may be
expressed in terms of the corresponding humidities Ⱨ and Ⱨw
• If Pw and PW0 are small compared with P, (P — Pw) and (P —
PW0) may be replaced by a mean partial pressure of the gas PA
and:

where δA is the density of the gas at the partial pressure

PA
 Wet Bulb Temperature

v The heat transfer required to maintain this rate of evaporation

is:

v where λ is the latent heat of vaporisation of the liquid.

The wet-bulb temperature θW depends only on the temperature

and the humidity of the gas.
For the air water system, the ratio (h/hDpA) is about 1,0 kJ/kg K
and varies from 1.5 to 2,0 kJ/kg K for organic liquids.
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 Determination of the wet-bulb
temperature
• The wet-bulb temperature is normally determined as the
temperature attained by the bulb of a thermometer which is
covered with a piece of material which is maintained
saturated with the liquid.
• The gas should be passed over the surface of the wet bulb at a
high enough velocity (>5 m/s)
(a) Gas stream not to be affected appreciably by the evaporation
of liquid
(b) for the heat transfer by convection to be large compared
with that by radiation and conduction from the surroundings
(c) the ratio of the coefficients of heat and mass transfer to have
reached a constant value.
Example 13.3
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 Psychrometric Chart or Temperature Humidity Chart

v A convenient diagram showing the properties of mixture

of gas and a condensable vapor is the humidity chart
v Many forms of such charts have been proposed
v Temperature as abscissas & Humidities as ordinates
v Adiabatic cooling lines
v Humid heat, Saturated volume, Specific volume of dry
air and Humid volume

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v The usefulness of the humidity chart as a source of data
on a definite air-water mixture can be shown by fig. 13.4
v For a given stream of under-saturated air is known to
have a temperature and a percentage humidity
 HUMIDITY DATA FOR THE AIR-WATER SYSTEM

• To facilitate calculations, various properties of the

air-water system are plotted on a psychrometric or
humidity chart.
• Such a chart is based on either the temperature or
the enthalpy of the gas.
• The temperature-humidity chart is the more
commonly used though the enthalpy-humidity chart
is particularly useful for determining the effect of
mixing two gases or of mixing a gas and a liquid.
Figure 13.4. Humidity-temperature chart
Specific Volume and Saturated volume
Problem
 Determination of Humidity

• The most important methods for determining humidity are as

follows:
1. Chemical methods.

A known volume of the gas is passed over a suitable absorbent,

the increase in mass of which is measured. The efficiency of the
process can be checked by arranging a number of vessels
containing absorbent in series.
The method is very accurate but is laborious. Satisfactory
absorbents for water vapour are phosphorus pentoxide dispersed
in pumice, and concentrated sulphuric acid.

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 Determination of the wet-bulb
temperature
• The wet-bulb temperature is normally determined as the
temperature attained by the bulb of a thermometer which is
covered with a piece of material which is maintained
saturated with the liquid.
• The gas should be passed over the surface of the wet bulb at a
high enough velocity (>5 m/s)
(a) Gas stream not to be affected appreciably by the evaporation
of liquid
(b) for the heat transfer by convection to be large compared
with that by radiation and conduction from the surroundings
(c) the ratio of the coefficients of heat and mass transfer to have
reached a constant value.
 Determination of the dew point
• Dew Point Meters determine the temperature
at which condensation begins to form at a
given barometric pressure, correlating to the
amount of water vapor present in a gas.
Although dew point measurement is most
commonly referenced in the context of
weather reporting, it is also an important
factor in many industrial processes. Excess
moisture can be harmful to product quality
and performance, and to the materials as well
 Hair hygrometer
• The length of a hair or fibre is influenced by
the humidity of the surrounding atmosphere.
Many forms of apparatus for automatic
recording of humidity depend on this
property. The method has the disadvantage
that the apparatus needs frequent calibration
because the zero tends to shift. This difficulty
is most serious when the instrument is used
over a wide range of humidities.
 Methods of increasing humidity
§ Live steam may be added directly in the
required quantity. It has been shown that this
produces only a slight increase in the
temperature, but the method is not generally
favoured because any impurities that are
present in the steam may be added at the same
time.
§ Water may be sprayed into the gas at such a
rate that, on complete vaporisation, it gives the
required humidity. In this case, the temperature
of the gas will fall as the latent heat of
vaporisation must be supplied from the
sensible heat of the gas and liquid.
• The gas may be mixed with a stream of gas of
higher humidity. This method is frequently
used in laboratory work when the humidity of
a gas supplied to an apparatus is controlled by
varying the proportions in which two gas
streams are mixed.
• The gas may be brought into contact with
water in such a way that only part of the liquid
is evaporated.
 Cooling towers

A cooling tower is a heat rejection device

which extracts waste heat to
the atmosphere through the cooling of a
water stream to a lower temperature

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 Cooling Tower’s Operating principle
• The principle of operation of cooling towers is
very similar to that of the evaporative type of
condensers, in which the warm water gets cooled
by means of evaporation.
• Water evaporates as a result of the hot water
droplet coming in contact with the air (which is
being pumped out by means of a fan). This
evaporating water also absorbs the latent heat
from the water surrounding it. By losing latent
heat, the water is cooled.
 Advantages
• Dependable source for removal of low grade
heats
• Comparatively inexpensive
• Low maintance cost
 Types of Cooling Towers
According to the method adopted to circulate
the air
• Natural Draft
• Mechanical Draft
 Natural draft cooling tower
• The air is circulated inside the cooling
tower by natural convection. The
natural draft cooling towers are
further classified as:
1. Natural draft cooling towers spray
type
2. Natural draft cooling towers splash
deck type
Natural Draft
Thermo power stations
Nuclear Power station
Usage
Working principle

Water is sucked out using

Centrifugal pumps
usually
Working principle

Cold
water
supplied
to the
power
station
 SPRAY TYPE
• The entire system is housed inside a box-
shaped structure which also accommodates
spray headers, spray nozzles, and louvers.
• The louvers (usually made of steel) are placed
on the sides to enhance natural circulation of
air inside the cooling tower.
• Usually these types of cooling towers are
located outside the building, so that the air
can pass freely through the tower
Spray Type
 SPLASH DECK TYPE
• This type of cooling tower is very similar to
that of the spray type.
• Instead of a spray header, a water box is
used. The water box has small holes at the
bottom.
• It also contains decking inside the tower. The
hot water from the condenser enters into
the water box and splashes via holes in the
water box on the decking.
• The main objective of the decking is to
increase the surface area of contact of air
with the warm water. This type of cooling
tower is 20-30% more effective than the
spray type
 Natural Draft Cooling Towers
vUse very large concrete chimneys to introduce
air through the media
v Used for water circulation rates above 45,000
cum/h (Normally for power plants, where
condenser water requirements are high)
Mechanical Draft Cooling Towers
Mechanical Draft Cooling Towers
 Advantages of mechanical draft cooling
towers over natural draft cooling towers
• For the same capacity used, the
mechanical draft cooling towers are much
smaller than the natural draft cooling
towers. This is because of the increase in
cooling capacity due to increase in volume
of the air being forced out by fan.
• Capacity control is possible in mechanical
draft cooling tower. By controlling the
speed of the fan, the volume of air can be
controlled, which in turn controls the
capacity.
• The natural draft cooling towers can be
located only in open space. As they do
not depend upon the atmospheric air,
the mechanical draft cooling towers
shall be located even inside the
building.
 Disadvantage
• More power is required to run the
system,
• Increased running cost due to increase
in maintenance of the fans, motors and
its associated controls,
 Mechanical Draft Cooling Towers
vCounter flow induced draft
vCross flow induced draft
vCounter flow forced draft
 Counter Flow Induced Draft
v Hot water enters at the top, while
the air is introduced at the bottom
and exits at the top
v Here both forced and induced draft
fans are used
Counter Flow Induced Draft
 Cross Flow Induced Draft
vHot water enters at the top and passes over
the fill
v Air is introduced at the side, either on one
side (single flow tower) OR opposite sides
(double flow tower)
Cross Flow Induced Draft
Cross Flow Induced Draft
Comparison between Counter Flow VS
Cross Flow Cooling Tower
Cross
The air flows horizontally
and the water falling
downwards meets the air
at different temperatures.
Therefore the heat
transfer is not always
optimized
Comparison between Counter Flow VS
Cross Flow Cooling Tower
Counter
The tower area required
is comparatively much
smaller. The air water
con-
tact is more due to the
efficiency and
arrangement of the fill
pack. The plenum
chamber area for hot air
in this tower is smaller.
Area
Comparison between Counter Flow VS
Cross Flow Cooling Tower
Counter Air flow
Since the air-water
contact time is higher, the
quantity of air required is
lesser

Cross
Since the air-water
contact time is lesser,
more air is required to
effect heat transfer
Comparison between Counter Flow VS
Cross Flow Cooling Tower
Counter Cross
Maintenance for counter Maintenance for cross
flow towers is much flow towers is time
easier than cross flow consuming and usually
towers. The simplicity of requires more skilled
structure and comfortable technicians on the job as
sizing allow for quick and the movement of
exhaustive maintenance material is more difficult
 Counter Flow Forced Draft
• Air blown through tower by centrifugal fan at air
inlet
• Advantages: suited for high air resistance
• Disadvantages: recirculation due to high air-entry
and low air-exit velocities
Counter Flow Forced Draft
Counter Flow Forced Draft
 Essential Parts of Cooling Tower
vFrame and casing
v Fill
v Cold water basin
v Drift eliminators
v Air inlet
v Louvers
v Nozzles and Fans
1-Frame and
casing:
Most towers
have structural
frames that
support the
exterior
enclosures
(casings),
motors, fans,
Nozzles:

These provide the water

sprays to wet the fill.
Uniform water
distribution at the top of
the fill is essential to
achieve proper wetting of
the entire fill surface.
Nozzles can either be
fixed in place and have
either round or square
spray patterns or can be
part of a rotating
assembly as found in
some circular cross-
section towers.
 Fans

FAN:

The fan is directly

driven, axial flow
type fans are
specially designed
to ensure
AEROFOIL Section
throughout the
blade length, this
 Drift eliminators:
These capture water droplets
entrapped in the air stream that
otherwise would be lost to the
atmosphere.
Louvers:
Generally, cross-flow towers
have inlet louvers. The purpose
of louvers is to equalize air flow
into the fill and retain the water
within the tower. Many counter
flow tower designs do not
require louvers.
Cold water basin:
The cold water basin, located at or
near the bottom of the tower,
receives the cooled water that
flows down through the tower and
fill. The basin usually has a sump or
low point for the cold water
discharge connection. In many
tower designs, the cold water basin
 Material of Construction
v Wood--- frame, casing, louvers, fill, and cold
water basin (or concrete)
v Galvanised steel, various grades of stainless
steel, glass fibre and concrete, aluminium and
various types of plastics for some
components
v Large towers are made of concrete
v Plastics are widely used for fills, including
PVC, polypropylene and other polymers
v Plastics also find wide use in nozzle materials
Performance of Cooling Tower

Cooling towers are rated in terms of approach

and range,
where the approach is the difference in
temperature between the cooled-water
temperature and the entering-air wet bulb - twb
- temperature
The range is the temperature difference
 Performance of Cooling Tower
v Range = (water in – water out temperature)

v Approach = (water out – WBT)

v Effectiveness = Range/(Range + Approach)

v Cooling capacity: Heat rejected in kcal/h =

m.Cp.ΔT
 Factors Affecting Performance of
Cooling towers
vCapacity utilization or Amount of water
circulated
vRange
•Determined by the process it is serving
•Determined by heat load

v Wet Bulb temperature: design range is

specified at certain WBT

v The closer the approach to the WBT, the

more expensive the cooling tower due
to increased size
v Wet Bulb Temperature: WBT of air
entering the cooling tower
determines operating temperature
levels throughout the plant, process
or system

v Approach & Flow:

vApproach is dependent on WBT of air
entering the cooling tower
v Water circulation rate is directly
proportional to the heat load
 Range, Flow, Heat Load
vRange is a direct function of the quantity
of water circulated and the heat load
v Increasing the range as a result of added
heat requires an increase in tower size
v If the hot water temp is constant and the
range is specified with a lower cold water
temp, then the tower size required for
such applications would increase
considerably.
Energy Saving Opportunities
v Replace splash bars with self
extinguishing PVC cellular film fill
v Install new nozzles to obtain a more
uniform water pattern
vInstalling FRP blades in place of metallic
blades
vIncorporation of thermostatic controls
for fan operation
vEvaluate the efficiency of CT pumps on a
periodic basis
 Approach And Wet Bulb
Temperature
vDesign WBT is determined by the
geographical location.
vHigher WBT, smaller the tower
required to give a specified approach
to the wet bulb at a constant range
and flow rate
 Fill Media Effects
vFunction: Heat exchange between air
and water is influenced by surface
area of heat exchange, time of heat
exchange and turbulence in water
effecting thoroughness of intermixing
 Cooling Water Treatment
v For controlling suspended solids, algae
growth, etc.
v For large Cooling towers (especially power
plants), water treatment is the key area for
energy conservation

v Drift Loss: Should be less than 0.02% of the

circulation rate
v With technological development,
incorporation of efficient designs of drift
eliminators enables to specify to as low as
0.003 to 0.001%