How To Dry Humid Air?

2023 Author: Douglas Hoggarth | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-05-24 11:23

We have already told our readers about such climatic technology as a humidifier. This review will be devoted to no less interesting climatic equipment - an air dryer.

Dehumidifiers, household models are called desiccants by experts - they are a kind of humidifiers on the contrary. That is, humidifiers humidify the air in the room, and dehumidifiers, respectively, dehumidify. Talking about humidifiers, we argued that in residential premises, as a rule, the humidity level is below normal, which causes not only discomfort, but also leads to the appearance of certain diseases.

Air dehumidifiers, unlike humidifiers, are designed to reduce the level of humidity in the room; accordingly, these devices should not be installed in rooms with already dry air.

Where are air dryers used? The answer suggests itself - in rooms with high humidity levels. But to be more precise, dehumidifiers are designed for installation in rooms where high humidity has a harmful effect directly on the room, as well as the equipment and devices installed in it. Moisture is always present in the atmospheric air. With high humidity in rooms, moisture tends to condense on the surfaces of walls, ceilings, furniture, etc., which leads to the appearance of damp spots and the formation of mold, and as a result, damp furniture, clothing, etc.

Dehumidifiers are used in showers, wardrobes, museums, archives and swimming pool rooms. They are irreplaceable where high humidity is an "inevitable evil" - in saunas, laundries and other premises of a similar type. Dehumidifiers are recommended for use in basements, kitchens, garages and sports halls, as well as for a number of finishing works (wallpapering, painting walls, etc.).

The principle of operation of air dryers is based on moisture condensation when air comes into contact with a cold surface. In fact, an air dehumidifier is a monoblock air conditioner: the fan supplies air from the room to the evaporator (radiator with a reduced temperature), while the air is cooled, moisture from the air condenses and flows into the sump, then the dried air is fed to the condenser (radiator with increased temperature), where is heated and supplied to the room.

Most modern air dryers work on this principle. In fact, any window air conditioner can be used as a household dehumidifier by installing it inside the room to be dried and providing condensate drainage. The obvious plus is low cost, the disadvantage is increased noise and low productivity (dehumidification rate).

The main characteristic of a dehumidifier is performance, which determines how much water per unit of time the dehumidifier can remove at a certain temperature and humidity. Productivity is measured in "liters per day" and is for household and semi-industrial models from 12 to 300 l / day. For industrial dryers, capacity is measured in thousands of liters / day. The technical characteristics of dehumidifiers sometimes indicate the area of the water mirror for which it is designed. This parameter is used when selecting a dehumidifier for a pool and allows you to roughly select a dehumidifier of the required performance without complicated calculations.

The built-in hygrostat allows the dehumidifier to automatically maintain the set humidity. The performance of air dryers is measured in liters per day and ranges from 12 to 300 liters per day for household and semi-industrial models.

What types of air dryers are there today?

Dehumidifiers are divided into three types: domestic, semi-industrial and industrial. Household dehumidifiers are designed for installation in offices and apartments; semi-industrial and industrial types are used in industrial buildings, swimming pools, saunas and warehouses.

The main advantage of household models is their compactness and mobility. The dehumidifiers are easy to install (do not require special skills) and guarantee that the specified level of relative humidity is maintained. The type of dehumidifier varies (from simple household models ("bedside tables on wheels") to large metal structures covered with special anti-corrosion enamel.

Household models are usually equipped with a humidity regulator and an air filter. The devices have an additional drain hose 2 meters long.

General characteristics of household models:

automatic removal of frost guarantees the normal functioning of the device in a cold room;

freely rotating wheels make the device mobile;

indicator light for filling the tank, when filled, the device automatically turns off.

Household dehumidifiers are produced by the following companies: Mitsubishi Electric (Japan), Honeywell (USA), Vestfrost, etc. Industrial dehumidifiers are characterized by high performance. There are two types of industrial dehumidifiers: refrigeration and adsorption, the first is installed in systems operating at temperatures above 0 ° C, the second is used when the temperature even drops to -40 ° C - outdoor systems.

In modern compressed air systems, the use of dryers is a priority, getting rid of water significantly extends the durability of all air-powered devices (and in some cases, water makes the systems more difficult to operate.)

During the compression of the air, the heat transfer is so high that the escaping hot air, due to the temperature difference, partially passes into water. In order to eliminate this technologically unnecessary phenomenon, warm air after leaving the compressor reservoir, but before the filtering system, is cooled to a temperature below the dew point, i.e., +3 ° C. This process takes place in a device called dehumidifiers or coolers, which, after cooling the air, separate the water from it and release it from the system.

What does the market offer?

One of the most well-known manufacturers of industrial air dryers is Dantherm (Denmark), which is the world leader in the production of such equipment.

Dantherm dryers are characterized by extreme ease of installation and operation, reliability, and pleasant design. Low power dehumidifiers of the CD and CDP series are in greatest demand, presented in a wide range of models with a capacity from 12 to 290 l / day. The main objects of application are apartments, summer cottages, bathrooms, saunas, baths, dryers for clothes and clothes, vegetable stores, swimming pools, basements, warehouses and museums. On the basis of dehumidifiers of the CD series, various technological processes are organized, such as drying wood, grain, eliminating the consequences of emergency leaks, drying fur skins, etc.

Household dehumidifier Mitsubishi Electric MJ-E16PXB

The principle of operation: the dehumidifier draws in air from the room, cools it by passing it through a cooling heat exchanger, where moisture condensation occurs, and the resulting condensate flows into a container.

Distinctive characteristics: mobile dehumidifier with built-in hygrostat, has a high productivity (up to 16 l / day), swinging air distribution dampers, with a wide air distribution angle.

Operating conditions: 3-32C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: up to 16 liters (at 80% r.h.)

Container, l: 5

Dimensions, H * W * D (mm): 569 * 360 * 281

Additional option: fine filter

Price: $ 630

Dantherm CDP 35 wall-mounted air dryer for swimming pools

Principle of operation: the fan first blows humid air into the evaporator of the installation, where it is cooled below the dew point with the release of excess moisture. The condensate accumulates in the drain pan and then is discharged to the drainage system. The heat energy recovered from the moist air in the evaporator is returned to the cold, dry air after it passes through the condenser.

Operating conditions: 10-36C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: 30C / 80% r.h. - 50;

28C / 60% r.h. - 29; 20C / 60% r.h. - sixteen.

Air consumption, m3 / hour: 250

Noise level, dB: 47

Weight, kg: 45

Stationary wall-mounted air dryer Dantherm CDP 45 for swimming pools

Operating conditions: 10-36C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: 30C / 80% r.h. - 69; 28C / 60% r.h. - 42; 20C / 60% r.h. - 24.

Air consumption, m3 / hour: 500

Noise level, dB: 49

Weight, kg: 60

Price: $ 3200

Dantherm CDP 65 stationary wall-mounted air dryer for swimming pools

Operating conditions: 10-36C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: 30C / 80% r.h. - 100; 28C / 60% r.h. - 60; 20C / 60% r.h. - 34.

Air consumption, m3 / hour: 750

Noise level, dB: 51

Weight, kg: 80

Price: $ 4230

Wall-mounted CDP 45T air dryer for swimming pools, designed for installation in a separate room adjacent to the pool room

Distinctive characteristics: air intake and distribution are carried out through aluminum grilles connected to the dehumidifier by short air ducts passing through the wall. This type of dehumidifier installation is ideal when installation inside the pool is not possible for some reason. There is a built-in hygrostat (factory setting 60% RH), low noise level, automatic control.

Operating conditions: 10-36C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: 30C / 80% r.h. - 69; 28C / 60% r.h. - 42; 20C / 60% r.h. - 24.

Air consumption, m3 / hour: 500

Noise level, dB: 49

Weight, kg: 60

Dimensions (HxLxW), mm: 680x1200x290

Price: $ 3450

Wall mounted dehumidifier CDP 165 for swimming pools up to 150 sq.m.

Distinctive characteristics: the unit operates in recirculation mode with the possibility of fresh air supply. Due to the low noise level, the dehumidifier can be installed both in the pool room and in a separate ventilation chamber. Air intake and distribution are carried out through the inlet and outlet ducts and grilles. If additional heating of room air is required, the dehumidifier can be equipped with a hot water heater, which is installed in the outlet duct and controlled by a thermostat. The dehumidifier is also available as an option with a water-cooled condenser. This design is cost-effective in cases where there is no need for heating the air, so the excess thermal energy generated during the drying process is used to heat the pool water. There is a built-in hygrostat,automatic control.

Operating conditions: 10-38C / 40-100% rel. ow.

Productivity, l / day: 30C / 80% r.h. - 228; 28C / 60% r.h. - 162; 20C / 60% r.h. - 104.

Air consumption, m3 / hour: 3600

Noise level, dB: 63

Weight, kg: 190

Dimensions (HxLxW), mm: 975x1400x1010

Accessories: water-cooled condenser, hot water heater, external thermostat to control the heater operation, external hygrostat, wall brackets, anti-vibration mountings.

Price: $ 8700

Household dehumidifier Honeywell HD-14E

Principle of operation: the dehumidifier sucks in air from the room, cools it by passing it through a cooling heat exchanger, where moisture condensation occurs, and the resulting condensate flows into a container.

Distinctive features: mobile dehumidifier with built-in hygrostat, has high performance.

Productivity, l / day: up to 14 liters

Minimum humidity,%: 30

Container, l: 6

Room area, m2: 25

Power: 228W

Price: $ 580

Dehumidifier Vestfrost DH 3212

Ambient humidity 30-80% ambient temperature 5-35C

The volume of the tank is 5 liters with the possibility of a fixed connection.

Productivity at 32C, 80% relative humidity - 12 liters / day; at 27 C, 80% relative humidity - 10 liters / day; at 20 C, 80%.

Weight without packaging - 23 kg.

Power 260 W

Voltage 220 Volts

Refrigerant R134A.

Two fan speeds and an air filter that collects dust. For ease of movement, it is equipped with rollers and handles, automatic shutdown when filling the tank.

Master dehumidifiers are high quality mobile units that are designed for use in a variety of situations where moisture and condensation must be removed reliably and effectively.

Applications: drying buildings, materials or repairing flood damage

Features: reliable mobile air dryers; extremely easy to operate: you just need to plug them into an outlet; equipped with a protective device in case of insufficient voltage; designed for long-term use; equipped with a standard air filter; a standard connection for a humidity regulator is installed.

As you can see from the review of models on the Russian market, an air dryer is a rather expensive thing. For this reason, choosing a specific model must be extremely careful. So, for example, a household dehumidifier will be indispensable in the fight for dry air, for example, in the basement, but it will be completely ineffective in the laundry, despite the fact that it costs almost a thousand dollars.

Text: Vitaly Lvova