How chambers lower humidity

Humidity test chambers typically employ one of three dehumidification techniques to achieve lower
humidity conditions. These methods may also be used in temperature-only applications, when risk of
condensation high, usually due to massive test loads and/or very fast temperature cycling rates.
Standard method: Refrigeration coil
Nearly every humidity chamber should have refrigeration or some cooling
method to ensure humidity control. Relative humidity varies with
temperature, so a stable temperature is required. The refrigeration in
most humidity chambers also have a separate dehumidification coil to
attract moisture. The moisture collects on the coil, where it condenses and drains out of the
chamber, thus dehumidifying the chamber. The coil is set to stay above freezing to avoid becoming
covered with ice.
De-humidification via refrigeration is standard on test chambers and can get relative humidity down
to 10% at higher temperatures. For situations where even lower humidity is needed, there are three
typical methods:
1. Nitrogen purge
Nitrogen gas is does not hold moisture, so it is naturally dry. By slowly
bleeding nitrogen gas into the chamber, moisture-laden air is pushed, or
purged, out of the chamber. Carbon dioxide is not a dry gas and isn't
suitable for this application. Nitrogen should not be used in chambers
where people may go inside.

2. Dry-air purge:
A dry-air purge system is more common than nitrogen. External
compressed air is fed into a desiccant dryer system before being used to
purge the chamber air.
(A desiccant is a substance that easily absorbs moisture, like the silica gel
crystal packets you find packaged with some products.)
The dry-air purge system doesn't need much maintenance. The system
uses two desiccant towers. One dries the compressed air while the other tower is vented to the
room to allow it to regenerate. You will often hear these systems pop a little compressed air while
switching between towers. The desiccant can be used for years before replacement desiccant is
needed.
3. Recirculating desiccant air dryer
Larger chambers are impractical to dry with nitrogen or compressed air. Instead, the chamber air is
circulated to a dessicant for drying, before being returned to the chamber. The desiccant is in the
form of a honeycomb wheel, where part of the wheel is being vented to the room to release
moisture. These systems typically heat the air to make it easier to capture moisture, and will also
have a cooler so the air will return at a controlled temperature that doesn't impact the chamber
operation.
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Chamber Resources | How chambers lower humidity | ESPEC North Am... http://www.espec.com/na/chamber_faq/answer/dehumidification
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