Humidification

Def:
In the processing of materials it is often necessary either to
increase the amount of vapor present in a gas stream, an
operation known as humidification; or to reduce the vapor
present, a process referred to as dehumidification.
In humidification, the vapor content is increased by passing
the gas over a liquid which then evaporates into the gas
stream.
This transfer into the main stream takes place by diffusion,
and at the interface simultaneous heat and mass transfer
take place.
Humidification
The most widespread application of humidification and
dehumidification involves the air-water system.
Examples of Humidification:

 Drying of wet solids

 Air Conditioning
 Breathing Process
 Cooling Towers, etc.
Cooling Tower Application
Utilize hot condenser water in a plant, it is normally
cooled by contact with an air stream.

The equipment usually takes the form of a tower in which

the hot water is run in at the top and allowed to flow
downwards over a packing against a countercurrent flow of
air which enters at the bottom of the cooling tower.

Design of such towers forms an important part in this

section.
Typical Cooling Tower
Typical Cooling Towers
Definitions
Humidity: mass of vapor associated with unit
mass of dry gas.

Humidity of saturated Gas : humidity of the

gas when it is saturated with vapor at a given
temperature.

Percentage humidity:
It is the ratio of actual humidity to the saturation
humidity at the gas temperature.
Definition
Definition
Humid Heat (s): heat required to raise unit mass of dry
gas and its associated vapor through unit temperature
difference at constant pressure.
Definitions
Humid volume : volume occupied by unit mass of dry
gas and its associated vapor.

Saturated Volume at Humidity = Saturated Humidity

Dew point: Temperature at which the gas is saturated

with vapor. As a gas is cooled, the dew point is the
temperature at which condensation will first occur
Amount of water in humid air

The amount of water in humid air can be

expressed in several ways;
• Relative humidity, Y
• Water content, xw
• Dew point
• Dry, and wet bulb temperature
 Dew point
Cooling Air
When air is cooled, relative humidity
increases as shown to the right.
Cooling air that is 90oF/20% RH causes the

 
relative humidity to increase until it reaches
100%; the temperature known as the dew
point (43.6oF in this example).  At the dew
point, moisture begins to condense out of Aircool.gif

the air and is transformed from vapor to

                                   
liquid.
Most everyone has witnessed bathroom
mirrors 'fogging' during a hot shower or
iced-drink glasses 'sweating' on the outside. 
The cool surfaces are simply condensing
moisture out of humid air.
This aspect of psychrometrics is very
important when it comes to analyzing indoor
conditions as temperatures and humidity
levels within our environments are very
dynamic.
Relative Humidity
The amount of moisture in air can be
expressed in a number of ways but the most
common reference is relative humidity.  This
value, expressed as a percentage, represents
the amount of moisture in the air relative to
the amount of moisture air could hold at that
temperature.
Therefore, the relative humidity at a given temperature will range from
0% (dry air) to 100% (fully saturated air).  (When you exceed 100%,
moisture starts falling out of the air and it rains.)
Relative Humidity
In other words, air at 70
degrees Fahrenheit (70oF)
and 50% relative humidity
(50% RH) is holding half of
what it could hold when
completely saturated
(100% RH) as shown on the
right.
PERCENT SATURATION
100 Y . Ma/Mb
Percent saturation = = 100 Y/Ys
Ys . Ma/Mb

Y = mole ratio of condensable to non-condensable

component
Ys = mole ratio present at saturation
Ma, Mb= Molecular weight.
The Humidity Chart
 Definitions

Dry-bulb temperature is the commonly measured temperature from a

thermometer. It is called "dry-bulb" since the sensing tip of the thermometer is
dry (see "wet bulb temperature" for comparison).

Dry-bulb temperature is located on the horizontal, or x-axis, of the psychrometric

chart and lines of constant temperature are represented by vertical chart lines.
Since this temperature is so commonly used, it can be assumed that temperatures
are dry-bulb temperatures unless otherwise designated.
 Definitions
Wet-bulb temperature is determined when air is circulated past a wetted sensor tip.
It represents the temperature at which water evaporates and brings the air to
saturation. Inherent in this definition is an assumption that no heat is lost or
gained by the air. This is different from dew point temperature where a decrease in
temperature, or heat loss, decreases the moisture holding capacity of the air, and
hence, water condenses. Determination of wet-bulb temperature on this
psychrometric chart, follows lines of constant enthalpy but values are read off the
upper, curved, saturation temperature boundary.
Enthalpy is the heat energy content of moist air. It is expressed in Btu per pound of
dry air and represents the heat energy due to temperature and moisture in the air.
Enthalpy is useful in air heating and cooling applications. The enthalpy scale is
located above the saturation, upper boundary of the chart. Lines of constant
enthalpy run diagonally downward from left to right across the chart. Lines of
constant enthalpy and constant wet-bulb are the same on this chart but values are
read off separate scales. More accurate psychrometric charts use slightly different
lines for wet-bulb temperature and enthalpy.
 Definitions
Specific volume indicates the space occupied by air. It is the increase of density and
is expressed as a volume per unit weight (density is weight per unit volume). Warm air is
less dense than cool air which causes warmed air to rise. This phenomena is known as
thermal buoyancy.

By similar reasoning, warmer air has greater specific volume and is hence lighter than cool
air. On the psychrometric chart, lines of constant specific volume are almost vertical lines
with scale values written below the dry-bulb temperature scale and above the upper
boundary's saturation temperature scale. On this chart, values range from 12.5 to 15.0 cubic
feet/ pound of dry air. Greater specific volume is associated with warmer temperatures
(dry-bulb).