Heat Transfer & Applied Thermodynamics Laboratory Project:

DEHUMIDIIE!
HARINTHIREN KRISHNAN (ME076270)
Department of Mechanical En"ineerin"#
Uni$ersiti Tena"a %asional# Malaysia
Abstract
A dehumidifier is a household appliane !ha!
redues !he le"el of humidi!# in air$ usuall# for
heal!h reasons$ as humid air an ause mold and
milde% !o &ro% inside homes$ %hih has "arious
heal!h ris's( )er# hi&h humidi!# le"els are also
unpleasan! for human *ein&s$ ausin& unsi&h!l#
ondensa!ion and an ma'e i! hard !o dr#
laundr#( A desian! dehumidifier is a de"ie
!ha! emplo#s a desian! ma!erial !o produe a
dehumidifia!ion effe!( As !he# are more
effe!i"e for lo%+!empera!ure and lo% (rela!i"e)
humidi!# le"els$ !he# are &enerall# used for !hese
ondi!ions ins!ead of mehanial,refri&era!i"e
dehumidifiers + or are used in !andem %i!h !hem(
&ey 'ords
Rela!i"e Air Humidi!# +rela!ion *e!%een
!he peren!a&e of %a!er "apor on!ained
in !he air a! !he momen! onerned and
!he ma-imum possi*le peren!a&e of !he
%a!er "apor$ *ased on e.ual
!empera!ures(
/a!er )apor 0ondensa!ion +The
ma-imum possi*le peren!a&e of %a!er
"apor !ha! an *e a*sor*ed *eomes
hi&her %hile !he air is hea!ed$ *u! !he
o*!ained peren!a&e of %a!er "apor
remains unhan&ed$ and onse.uen!l#
!he rela!i"e air humidi!# is redued(
1esia!in& a&en!
() Introd*ction
No ma!!er ho% %ell doors and %indo%s are
insula!ed$ %e!ness and humidi!# pene!ra!e e"en
!hrou&h !hi' onre!e %alls( The %a!er
.uan!i!ies re.uired for *indin& re&ardin& !he
produ!ion of onre!e$ mor!ar$ plas!er$ e!( need
in some ases 2 or 2 mon!hs !o diffuse( And
e"en !he humidi!# !ha! pene!ra!es in!o !he
*ri'%or' af!er floods and inunda!ions is
released "er# slo%l#( This is also !he ase
re&ardin& humidi!# on!ained in s!o'ed
ma!erials( The humidi!# !ha! emana!es from par!s
of *uildin&s or ma!erials (%a!er "apor) is
a*sor*ed *# !he am*ien! air( 0onse.uen!l# !he
humidi!# on!en! of !he air inreases %hih
resul!s in orrosion and in !he forma!ion of
milde%$ dea#$ fla'ed off pain! oa!s and o!her
undesired dama&e aused *# humidi!#( The
follo%in& dia&ram sho%s in an e-emplar# %a#
!he orrosion speed of me!al a! differen! air
humidi!# ra!es(
As #ou an see !he orrosion speed is
insi&nifian! a! a rela!i"e air humidi!# of less
!han 30 4 and a! a humidi!# ra!e of less !han 50
4 i! an e"en *e ne&le!ed( /hen !he rela!i"e
humidi!# e-eeds 60 4 orrosion speed
inreases onsidera*l#( This limi! re&ardin&
dama&es aused *# humidi!# is also applia*le !o
man# o!her ma!erials$ suh as po%der#
su*s!anes$ pa'in& ma!erials$ %ood$ and
ele!roni appara!uses(
+) ,ody of Paper
+)() Material Dryin"
There are !%o differen! %a#s of dr#in& !he
*uildin&s6
2( 7# hea!in& and e-han&in& !he air6
The am*ien! air is hea!ed !o a*sor* humidi!# and
!o *e arried off !o !he ou!side( Ho%e"er$ !he
!o!al &enera!ed ener&# is los! %i!h !he arried off
humid air(
2( 7# dehumidif#in&6
The humid air in !he losed room is on!inuousl#
dehumidified aordin& !o !he ondensa!ion
priniple(
829
1ehumidifia!ion has a deisi"e ad"an!a&e
re&ardin& ener&# onsump!ion( :irs! is !he
ener&# is e-lusi"el# needed for !he e-is!in&
room "olume( The mehanial hea! released
durin& !he dehumidifia!ion proess inreases
!he room !empera!ure sli&h!l#( /hen used
orre!l# !he air dehumidifier onsumes onl#
appro-( 23 4 of !he ener&# !o *e supplied
aordin& !o !he ;hea!in& and "en!ila!ion<
priniple( 7uildin& ma!erials,*uildin&s an
a*sor* onsidera*le
.uan!i!ies of %a!er= e(&( *ri's >0+2>0 l,m?$
hea"# onre!e 250+2>0 l,m?$ alareous
sands!one 2@0+270 l,m?( Humid ma!erials suh as
*ri'%or' dr# in !he follo%in& %a#s6
The on!ained humidi!#
flo%s from !he inside of
!he ma!erial !o i!s
surfae
E"apora!ion !a'es plae
on !he surfae
Is e.ual !o !he %a!er "apor is a*sor*ed
*# !he am*ien! air(
The air enrihed %i!h %a!er "apor is
on!inuousl# irula!in& !hrou&h !he air
dehumidifier( I! is dehumidified and
lea"es !he appara!us in a sli&h!l# hea!ed
up s!a!e !o a*sor* a&ain %a!er "apor(
7# !his !he humidi!# on!ained in !he
ma!erial is on!inuousl# redued= !he
ma!erial *eomes dr#(
The &enera!ed ondensa!e is olle!ed in !he
appara!us and arried a%a#(
The air urren! is ooled off on i!s %a#
!hrou&h,"ia !he e"apora!or un!il i!s !empera!ure
falls *elo% !he de% poin!( The %a!er "apour
ondenses$ i! is olle!ed in a ondensa!e !rap
and arried a%a#(
+)+) Desiccant type deh*midifiers
Aar&e sale air dehumidif#in& s#s!ems *ased on
a desia!in& a&en! are assoia!ed %i!h !%o main
pro*lems( Bne pro*lem is !ha! !he dried air
ou!pu! is %armer !han !he mois! air inpu!( This
resul! is aused *# !he hea!in& of !he air from
la!en! hea! of e"apora!ion as !he mois!ure is
remo"ed !here from and also$ !o a lesser de&ree
*# !he hea!in& of !he air *# !ransfer of hea! from
!he &enerall# %armer desian!( A seond
pro*lem is !ha! re&enera!ion of !he desian!
re.uires onsidera*le ener&#( 1ehumidif#in&
s#s!ems *ased on li.uid desian!s dehumidif#
air *# passin& !he air !hrou&h a !an' filled %i!h
desian!( The mois! air en!ers !he !an' "ia a
mois! air inle! and dried air e-i!s !he !an' "ia a
dried air ou!le!( In one !#pe of desian! s#s!em a
sho%er of desian! from a reser"oir is spra#ed
in!o !he !an' and$ as !he desian! drople!s
desend !hrou&h !he mois! air$ !he# a*sor* %a!er
from i!( The desian! is !hen re!urned !o !he
reser"oir for reuse( This auses an inrease in !he
%a!er on!en! of !he desian!( /a!er sa!ura!ed
desian! aumula!es in !he reser"oir and is
pumped !here from !o a re&enera!or uni! %here i!
is hea!ed !o dri"e off i!s a*sor*ed %a!er as "apor(
Re&enera!ed desian!$ %hih hea!s up in !his
proess$ is pumped *a' in!o !he reser"oir$ for
reuse( Sine !he %a!er a*sorp!ion proess leads
!o hea!in& of !he air and !he re&enera!ion proess
hea!s !he desian!$ su*s!an!ial hea!in& of !he air
!a'es plae durin& !he %a!er a*sorp!ion proess(
An e-ample of a de"ie usin& a irula!in&
h#&rosopi li.uid suh as a Ai0l desian! used
in a pa!en! *oiler( In !his pa!en! a *oiler is
pro"ided %i!h finned !u*es for !he flo% of !he
hea!ed desian!( This pa!en! also disloses pre+
hea!in& !he sa!ura!ed desian! *efore i! en!ers
!he *oiler for final re&enera!ion *# dire! !ransfer
of hea! !here!o from desian! lea"in& !he !an'((
In &eneral$ re&enera!ion of !he li.uid desian!
re.uires i!s hea!in& %i!h !he onomi!an!
e-pendi!ure of ener&#
+)-) The Deh*midifier Mechanism
1esian! ma!erials ha"e a hi&h affini!# for %a!er
"apor( T#piall# !heir mois!ure on!en! is a
fun!ion of !he rela!i"e humidi!# of !he
surroundin& air( E-posed !o lo% rela!i"e
humidi!ies desian! ma!erials ome !o
e.uili*rium a! lo% mois!ure on!en!s and
e-posure !o hi&h rela!i"e humidi!ies resul!s in
e.uili*rium a! hi&h mois!ure on!en!s( The
829
8C9
859
proess in"ol"es e-posin& !he desian! ma!erial
!o a hi&h rela!i"e humidi!# air s!ream$ allo%in& i!
!o a!!ra! and re!ain some of !he %a!er "apor and
!hen e-posin& !he same desian!s !o a lo%er
rela!i"e humidi!# air s!ream %hih has !he effe!
of dra%in& !he re!ained mois!ure from !he
desian!( The firs! air s!ream is !he air !ha! is
*ein& dehumidified %hile !he seond air s!ream
is used onl# !o re&enera!e !he desian! ma!erial
so !ha! i! is read# !o *e&in ano!her #le( The
firs! air s!reamDs %a!er "apor on!en! is redued
%hile !he seond air s!reamDs %a!er "apor on!en!
is inreased( T#piall# !he lo% rela!i"e humidi!#
air s!ream is air !a'en from an# a"aila*le soure
and hea!ed !o redue i!s rela!i"e humidi!#( Hene
desian! dehumidifiers onsume hea! ener&# !o
produe a dehumidif#in& effe!( In &eneral a
desian! dehumidifier omprises four maEor
omponen!s(
+)-) The Deh*midifier Desi"ns
I( The omponen! !ha! holds !he desian! of
%hih !here are se"eral !#pes$ a fan !o
mo"e !he air !o *e dehumidified (proess
air) !hrou&h !he desian! holder$ a fan !o
mo"e !he lo% humidi!# air for dr#in& !he
desian! !hrou&h !he desian! holder and
a hea!er !o hea! !he air !ha! %ill *e used !o
dr# !he desian! (re&enera!ion air)( The
omponen! !ha! holds !he desian!
ma!erial an ha"e se"eral forms( In one
desi&n$ a #linder some!imes alled a
F!o%erF$ holds !he desian! ma!erial( The
proess air is dra%n !hrou&h !he #linder
for a period of !ime addin& mois!ure !o !he
desian! !hen re&enera!ion air is dra%n
!hrou&h !he #linder %hih remo"es
mois!ure from !he desian!( This proess
is #li$ due !o loadin& of !he desian!
%i!h !ime$ and produes air a! "aria*le
mois!ure on!en!( Some desian!
dehumidifia!ion uni!s of !his desi&n
u!iliGe mul!iple #linders !o help offse! !he
#li na!ure of !he desi&n(
II( Ano!her desi&n u!iliGes a Fdesian!
%heelF( Here a %heel of iner! ma!erial
%i!h small air passa&es parallel %i!h !he
dire!ion of air flo% on!ains !he
desian!( ()isualiGe a roll of orru&a!ed
ard*oard @ !o 26 inhes deep) The %heel
e-posed a !remendous amoun! of surfae
area oa!ed %i!h desian! for !he air !o
on!a!( The %heel is ro!a!ed "er# slo%l#
!#piall# *e!%een @ and 20 rpm %hile !he
proess and re&enera!ion air s!reams pass
!hrou&h !he %heel( /i!h !his desi&n !he
proess is non+#li as !he ro!a!in& %heel
is al%a#s presen!in& freshl# re&enera!ed
desian! !o !he air proess air s!ream( A
onsis!an! mois!ure on!en! of !he proess
air is ahie"ed( A 'e# fa!or !o !he suess
of !his desi&n lies in !he sealin& *e!%een
!he !%o air s!reams(
III( A !hird desi&n uses a li.uid s#s!em( A
desian! suh as li!hium hloride (Ai0l)
%hih has a !remendousl# hi&h affini!# for
%a!er is a!uall# mi-ed %i!h %a!er in a
"er# hi&h onen!ra!ion( This solu!ion is
spra#ed in!o !he proess air and remo"es
addi!ional %a!er from !he air reduin& !he
Ai0l onen!ra!ion *efore *ein& olle!ed
in a sump( A pipin& and pump s#s!em
mo"es !he solu!ion from !he sump !o !he
re&enera!ion hea!er %hih hea!s !he
solu!ion forin& i! !o release some of !he
%a!er *efore *ein& re!urned !o !he spra#
head(s)( A 'e# !o suessful opera!ion of
!his !#pe of s#s!em is main!ainin& !he
proper desian! onen!ra!ion( If !he
onen!ra!ion *eomes !oo hi&h !he
solu!ion ma# solidif#( If i! is !oo lo% !he
dehumidifia!ion apai!# %ill *e
diminished( 1ue !o !he orrosi"e na!ure of
!he Ai0l+%a!er solu!ion par!s arr#in& !he
solu!ion mus! *e made of orrosion
resis!an! ma!erial suh as s!ainless s!eel(
Ai.uid desian! are !#piall# used in
lar&e indus!rial applia!ions(

-) .oncl*sion
The ma-imum possi*le peren!a&e of %a!er
"apour !ha! an *e a*sor*ed *eomes hi&her
%hile !he air is hea!ed$ *u! !he o*!ained
peren!a&e of %a!er "apour remains unhan&ed$
839
and onse.uen!l# !he rela!i"e air humidi!# is
redued( Ho%e"er$ %hen !he air is ooled !he
ma-imum possi*le peren!a&e of %a!er "apour
!ha! an *e a*sor*ed is on!inuousl# redued$
%hereas !he %a!er "apour .uan!i!# on!ained in
!he air remains unhan&ed$ and onse.uen!l# !he
rela!i"e air humidi!# rises( /hen !he air is fur!her
ooled off !he a*sorp!ion apai!# re&ardin& !he
ma-imum possi*le %a!er "apour .uan!i!# is
on!inuousl# redued un!il i! is e.ual !o !he
o*!ained peren!a&e of %a!er "apour( This is !he
de% poin! !empera!ure( If !he air is ooled do%n
*elo% !he de% poin!$ !he o*!ained peren!a&e of
%a!er "apour %ill *e hi&her !han !he ma-imum
possi*le %a!er "apour .uan!i!#.Thus ha"in& a
dehumifier does reall# help in 'eepin& !he
surroundin& in a perfe! ondi!ion(
!EE!E%.E/
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+Me!hod for re&ula!in& !he lima!e in a room
h!!p6,,%%%(pa!en!s!orm(us,pa!en!s,662>03
C+desrip!ion(h!ml
+ 1ehumidifier %i!h desian! ma!erial
+ :i&ure 829$ 8C9
h!!p6,,en(%i'ipedia(or&,%i'i,1ehum
idifier
+:i&ure 829$ 859$ 839
h!!p6,,%%%(rem'o(*e,do%nload,arhi",7e
dienun&sanlei!un&en,En!feuh!un&,H7,Al
!,AMTC0+30IH7+M02(pdf
+Tehnial desrip!ion on dehumidifier
h!!p6,,%%%(%ipo(in!,p!d*,en,%o(EspJ
%oK20062C3272LIAK/B20062C3272L
1ISMAANK1ES0
,oo0s
- Inropera$ :ran' M( 1e%i!! 1a"id M($
:undamen!als of Hea! and Mass Transfer$
Oohn /ile# L Sons$ Ne% Nor'$ 2>>6(
- Hea! Transfer L Applied
Thermod#namis Aa* Manual$ PNITEN
:i&ure 829 Hraph of !ime of orrosion "s
rela!i"e humidi!#
:i&ure 829 1r#in& of ma!erial
:i&ure 8C9 Henera!ed ondensa!e is
olle!ed in !he appara!us and
arried a%a#(
:i&ure 859 )apour ondense s#s!em
:i&ure 839 Shema!i displa# of a
dehumifierQs fun!ion