Maximizing Energy Efficiency with Evaporative Cooling
IMPORTANCE OF HUMIDIFICATION
Properly controlled humidification enhances occupant health and comfort, improves manufacturing processes, and helps preserve building materials and furnishings. In short, any building housing people or things will benefit from proper humidification, and the cost to add humidification is easily offset by gains in processes, productivity, life of materials, and occupant satisfaction.
Maintain a consistent RH level to keep the moisture content of hygroscopic materials in equilibrium (EMC) with their surrounding environments.
Improve Indoor Air Quality
Bacteria and viruses thrive in dry air. This is why that scratchy sore throat you wake with when staying in a too-dry room lasts for days. Studies have shown that when room relative humidity (RH) drops below 40 percent, absenteeism increases due to respiratory illness. Proper humidification can reduce absenteeism as much as 18 percent. Humidified spaces feel warmer and are more comfortable for occupants, especially in cold climates where heating systems run frequently.
Of course, controlling RH is important. Keeping RH levels within a range of 40 to 60 percent not only decreases bacteria and viruses in the air, but hinders the development of fungi, mites, chemical interactions, and ozone production. The result is reduced occurrences of allergic rhinitis, respiratory infections, and asthma among building occupants. To ensure that RH levels do not rise above 60 percent, responsive humidification system control is essential.
Preserve Materials and Furnishings
Many building materials, finishes, and furnishings are hygroscopic — they absorb, retain, and release moisture. Low RH levels cause expensive damage to building interiors because as hygroscopic materials dry, they shrink. This can create gaps in wallpaper seams, floor boards, and furniture joints, and also can damage historic and artistic artifacts. Fluctuating RH levels also cause damage. Maintain a consistent RH level to keep the moisture content of hygroscopic materials in equilibrium (EMC) with their surrounding environments.
Improve Manufacturing Processes
Relative humidity levels affect manufacturing production rates, and product size, weight, strength, appearance, and quality. If you’ve ever known your laser printer to jam on a humid summer day, then you can understand how changes in texture, strength, or weight can affect the high-speed processing of hygroscopic materials.
Static electricity can negatively affect processes. Static electricity can cause high concentrations of oxygen and other gases to ignite. These gases are prevalent in hospitals and laboratories. Dust particles adhere to objects when charged by static electricity. This can be a critical problem with semiconductor, pharmaceutical, and other electronic processing, where one misplaced dust particle can ruin a chip, a batch, or an assembled component. Maintaining RH levels within a range of 30 to 60 percent will significantly reduce problems associated with static electricity.
Improve Comfort for Building Occupants
Also hygroscopic in nature, the human body gives up its moisture to dry air. As our body’s moisture migrates (evaporates) to areas of low RH, we become cooled, just as when we perspire. Raising the RH level in a room slows the evaporation rate and will make the room feel warmer. This allows dropping the dry-bulb temperature without a loss in comfort, offsetting humidification energy costs.
RTS® Humidifier RX Series
The RTS humidifier is a compact, elegant, cabinet-style unit compatible with all water types (tap, softened, deionized, reverse osmosis) and numerous dispersion options. Installation is a snap, just attach the frame to a supporting structure and connect electrical and water services.
The RTS has 21 basic models, with capacities up to 324 lbs/hr (147 kg/h).
- Removable front covers with quarter-turn latches allow easy one-sided access to the tank and electrical connections
- Large clean-out and heater plate allows for easy access when cleaning the tank.
- DriSteem’s smart drain technology adjusts drain intervals automatically based on water quality. Draining removes precipitated minerals from the tank.
- Matching Space Distribution Units disperse steam with no visible vapor trail (SDU-I-RX), making the RTS humidifier ideal for use in finished spaces.
- Industry-leading functionality of Vapor-logic® controller with an intuitive touchscreen interface.
- Start-up wizard for simplified setup; scan QR codes to access product manuals
- Color-coded alerts to reduce down-time and technical calls
- Contextual Help link on every screen
Steam Humidifiers
GTS Humidifier LX Series
Steam humidifiers are designed to add moisture to indoor air. They can use electricity, natural gas, propane, or even pressurized steam as an energy source. DriSteem offers a full range of steam humidification systems: GTS® (gas-to-steam) humidifiers that are the industry’s best-selling gas-fired humidifier, electric steam humidifiers offering endless flexibility anywhere electricity is available, and STS® (steam-to-steam) humidifiers that create chemical-free humidification steam using boiler steam as the energy source.
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