Everything You Need to Know About Humidification

EVERTHING

YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

Everything You Need to
Know About Humidification

If you live in a warmer region of the world or if you
have experienced hot, sweltering summers, you’re
probably familiar with muggy days when your skin
feels sticky or heated and the air is so thick that it
makes it difficult to breathe.

Have you ever wondered why this happens? The main
culprit is humidity. Humidity is the dampness of air in
our environment.

Despite its unpleasantness, it does have some
benefits. If you’ve ever wanted to alter the dry air in
your home or office into more damp air, you can
humidify the air around you with the help of
humidification – let’s see how!

What is Humidity?

The presence of water vapor in the air around us is called humidity.
Water vapor is the gaseous state of water, which is formed due to high
temperatures that prevent water molecules from condensation.

Have you ever wondered why hotter places are more humid compared
to colder regions? The answer is temperature. Hotter areas tend to be
more humid because the heat causes the water in the air to evaporate
faster, creating more water vapor in the environment.

When humidity levels are high, it can feel hard to breathe and the air
around you may feel heavy. Alternatively, when humidity levels are low,
the air around you is typically drier and your skin may feel dry or itchy.

Humidity may sound like an unfavorable phenomenon that can create an
uncomfortable living environment. So, do we need it? Well, to put it
simply, humidity is due to water evaporation, and if water did not
evaporate there would be no clouds, and no clouds mean no rain.

Measuring Humidity

Absolute Humidity Relative Humidity

Absolute humidity is the simplest The measure of water vapor
way to measure humidity. It is the saturation compared to the
total mass of water vapor in a maximum saturation is called
given volume of air, regardless of relative humidity. Relative
the air temperature. Scientifically, humidity compares the air
this is the most accurate way of temperature with the dew point,
measuring humidity levels. and how close the air
temperature is to the dew point.
Dew Point If the air temperature reaches
the dew point, the relative
The dew point is the temperature of humidity is at 100%. The closer to
the air that causes water to the 100% dew point, the more
condense and evaporate at the humid it feels.
same rate. If the air temperature
falls below the dew point,
condensation happens. If air
temperature gets above the dew
point, evaporation takes place.
The dew point is used to measure
relative humidity.

Life Without Humidity

You may be wondering, can we survive in zero percent
humidity? First, let us look at what 0% humidity means – air
completely devoid of water vapor – the thought of this scenario
sounds intriguing, but in reality, it’s not possible.

You cannot see humidity, but it is always around us. There is no
place on earth with zero percent humidity.

The key factors of Antarctica’s weather show the lowest relative
humidity at the south pole can be as low as 0.03%. The moisture
is frozen out of the air as frost due to extremely cold weather.

The lowest humidity ever recorded in an urban area was a
relative humidity of 0.36% recorded in Safi-Abad Dezful, Iran, on
the afternoon of June 20, 2017.

Life Without Humidity

You might still be wondering what would happen in 0%
humidity. Since it’s not naturally possible, suppose we somehow
managed to get 0% humidity in a closed room and placed a
person inside it. In this situation, the air does not have water
vapor so the dry air will try to extract water from your body
through sweating. This would lead to excessive sweating and
you’ll be dehydrated in a few hours.

If you’re breathing in these conditions, the air will extract
moisture from your windpipe with every breath, leading to a
strong urge to drink water. The dryness in the space can also
cause your nose to bleed.

To avoid all these unfavorable circumstances, humidification
can help to increase the moisture level of the air around us for a
more comfortable environment.

What is Humidification?

Have you ever experienced static shocks when you touch a home appliance or a
vehicle and wondered why that happens?

On very dry days, your skin may feel dry or itchy and you’re forced to keep a lip
balm in your pocket because your lips get chapped without it. Your eyes may
start itching, your nose or throat gets scratchy, and even paper, books, or
magazines might feel brittle.

This all happens because of a lack of humidity in the air. Humidity may create
uncomfortable circumstances for warmer regions but, at the same time,
humidity is quite important to those living in the colder areas.

A lack of humidity is not ideal in a similar way that excess humidity is not ideal.
Balanced humidity is necessary to create the most comfortable environment.
With the advancement of technology, there is a solution for dry environments,
which allows us to make our surroundings a little damper.

The artificial regulation of air humidity levels is called humidification. The
addition of water or moisture to the air can be done with the help of
humidifiers.

Psychrometry

Psychrometry is an important part of the study of humidity. It is a study of
properties that include mixtures of air and water vapors.

There are two key aspects of psychrometry: dry-bulb temperature (DBT) and
wet-bulb temperature (WBT).

Let’s say that the temperature today is 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees
Fahrenheit). You may think that sounds a bit chilly, and consider a jersey or
jacket before you go outside.

If, however, someone tells you that the wet-bulb temperature is 10 degrees
Celsius, there’s not much you can do with that information.
By itself, it could mean that the day is going to be chilly and you need a jersey,
but it could also mean that today is going to be a scorcher, and you’re going to
need sunscreen and plenty of water.

The word “bulb” in both wet-bulb and dry-bulb temperatures refers to the bulb
on a mercury thermometer. The bulb acts as a reservoir storing the mercury,
which expands and contracts as it heats up or cools down to indicate
temperature.

Psychrometry

Dry-bulb Temperature (DBT)

Dry-bulb temperature is a temperature of the
air that is measured using a normal
thermometer exposed freely to the air,
shielding it from moisture and radiation.

The DBT should not be changed during
humidification. It can be used to determine the
quantity and the type of humidification
required.

Psychrometry

Wet-bulb Temperature (WBT)

Wet-bulb temperature is measured by wrapping the
thermometer bulb in a water-soaked cloth (also known as a
wick) and passing a large amount of air through that or spinning
it around a lot so that you get a different temperature.
Wet-bulb temperatures are usually lower than dry-bulb
temperatures. You’ve probably experienced this concept
whenever you’ve taken a shower. Before you step into a
shower, you’re likely not feeling particularly cold, but once
you’ve taken your shower and stepped out, you suddenly feel
cooler.

The reason you feel cold following a shower is that the water
that’s on your skin is an energy thief. It requires energy for
water to evaporate and go into the air and that energy is known
as vaporization.

Water is an energy thief that takes energy to evaporate from
your skin and it leaves your skin feeling cold. It’s the same
phenomenon that takes place when measuring wet bulb
temperature.

Types of There are two types of humidification: the cooling
Humidifications humidification process and the heated
humidification process.

Cooling
Humidification

The cooling and humidification process is one of the most
adapted processes used in air conditioning for cooling.
In this process, moisture is added to the air which then passes
over a stream or spray of water with a lower temperature than
the dry-bulb temperature of the surrounding air.

The particles of water present in the stream are evaporated by
giving up the heat to the stream. The evaporated water is then
absorbed by the surrounding air, which makes a damper
environment, increasing the humidity.

During this process, the absorbed moisture is cooler than the
dry-bulb temperature of the air so it reduces the overall
temperature of the air.

The most widely used and prominent application of cooling
and humidification is the desert cooler, also known as an
evaporative cooler. It serves as both a cooling and a
humidification system.

Cooling
Humidification

A desert cooler is a simple machine with a very basic operation. It is a
box of different sizes with a small tank-like base for storing water. The
electric components of this cooler include a water pump and a fan.
With the help of a water pump, the water is circulated and sprayed on
the walls of the cooler, the fan then blows out the cool air dampening
and cooling the surroundings simultaneously.

It is a very budget-friendly cooling device, with a low operational cost
compared to air conditioners. Keep in mind that it is useful in hot and
dry climate areas only, not in hot and humid ones, as it increases the
humidity in the air.

The cooling and humidification process is also implemented on a
larger scale in industries like textile, where maintaining a certain
temperature and humidity level is required for smooth operations. In
these cases, a large blower is used to circulate the air passing through
sprays of water.

During the cooling and humidification process, an increase in wet-
bulb and dew point temperatures, along with the amount of moisture
in the air, results in increased humidity, and the dry-bulb temperature
of the air is decreased.

Heated
Humidification

In the heating and humidification process, the dry-bulb temperature
of the air also increases along with the increase in its wet-bulb and
dew point temperatures. The idea of this process is to create a
warmer environment with an increase in air moisture.

This process works the same as the cooling and humidification
process but the only difference is that in the heating and humification
process, the stream or spray of water from which the air has to pass
is kept at temperatures higher than the dry-bulb temperature of the
surrounding air.

The moisture particles are then evaporated into the air. Since the
temperature of moisture is greater than the dry-bulb temperature of
the air, it contributes to the increase in the overall temperature of the
air.

A homemade alternative of heating and humidification has been
practiced since early ages where a pot full of water was kept on a
burning stove that created steam, releasing the water vapors into the
air which helped in heating and dampening the air.

Importance of
Humidification

Dry air craves water vapor, so it will seek and extract
moisture from any source it can, including humans. It can
also draw moisture from the hygroscopic materials within
its reach.

Hygroscopic materials include items like wood, paper, food,
or leather, which can absorb water vapor from the air if
exposed to it.

This is nature’s way of humidification, and it sounds pretty
simple and harmless, right? Well, it’s not entirely harmless.
It can be a dangerous kind of humidification costing human
comfort, material deterioration, and production issues.

Importance of
Humidification

In dry atmospheric conditions, static electricity can accumulate
which will create problematic situations for production
machinery and office electronics. That might not be a big issue
for things like paper or plastic, but it can be extremely
dangerous in an explosive atmosphere.

In today’s world, there are plenty of electronics around us, and
each one needs a certain level of humidity to operate
smoothly. The most important part of electronics these days is
the integrated circuit (IC), which is prone to meltdown due to
voltage spikes.

A major reason for voltage spikes is an electrostatic discharge
which is most likely to occur due to a lack of humidity in the
air.

All these situations demonstrate the importance of air that has
balanced humidity, which can be obtained through different
humidification processes, depending on the situation.

DIY Humidification We have discussed how boiling water on a stove
can contribute to the heated humidification
process, and below we have even more DIY
humidification ideas too.

DIY HUMIDIFICATION

Water in Front of a Fan Bowl of Water

The concept is similar to the desert or The simplest way of adding minimal
evaporative cooler. Placing a bowl of humidification to your room is to put a
water in front of a fan can produce a bowl of water in your room. Although it
cool breeze that adds moisture to the may evaporate at a very slow rate, it can
air around it. still contribute to humidification.

Fish Tank This idea may be a good idea in
situations where you are planning to
The concept of a fish tank for leave your house for long durations, in
humidification is the same as leaving a which case it would help to protect your
bowl of water out somewhere in your pets or electronics.
home. The standing water from your
fish tank or aquarium can be a great If you want a larger-scale alternative to
contributor to humidity in your house. water bowl humidification, you could fill
your bath with water and stop it from
draining, leaving the water to evaporate
slowly on its own.
Another possibility would be to leave the
bathroom door open while you shower
so that the moisture from the shower can
humidify the air around your house.

DIY HUMIDIFICATION

Drying Your Clothes House Plants

Back in the days when dryers were not House plants can be good and easy
as popular as they are now, people contributors to indoor humidity because
used to dry their clothes by hanging they release water into the air through
them on clotheslines in their backyards their foliage during plant transpiration.
or terraces.
All plants have different levels of
Nowadays, you can easily obtain a humidification, but NASA recommends
foldable drying stand to dry off your the spider plant as one of the best air
clothes by simply hanging them on a purifying plants for the home. They are
stand somewhere inside your house. easy to grow and can be a good
The wet clothes can naturally increase contributor to humidity inside a house
the humidity inside the house. with minimal effort on your part.

Flowers in a Vase English Ivy is also a good contributor to
air moisture, and it is also very good at
If you like keeping flowers inside your reducing carbon monoxide in the air.
home, the water in that flower vase
serves the same purpose as keeping a
bowl of water inside the home.

The Opposite of
Humidification -
Dehumidification

Now that you’re well versed in the importance of humidity,
how about the situations when there is excessive humidity? Is
that more comfortable for humans? Not really. Often in
situations where there is too much humidity, we try to lower
the humidity levels.

In extremely humid conditions, the environment can be so
uncomfortable that it makes it difficult to breathe and
everything feels sticky.

But is there any way to get rid of humidity in such situations?
Yes! Technology has advanced a lot over years and there are
now processes and machines to help remove moisture from
the air and lower humidity levels, just like there are ways to
add it when needed.

To reduce moisture in the air, we use the opposite of
humidification, which is dehumidification.

Cooling Dehumidification

This is the most widely used dehumidification process and it is
usually available in domestic scale air conditioning solutions
like split or window air conditioners.

The basic principle of this process is that air blows through a
cooling coil which is set at the desired temperature, typically
lower than the dry-bulb temperature of the surrounding air.
The cooling process continues until it reaches the dew point
temperature. At this point, the water vapor in the air is
condensed and forms dew particles that reduce humidity
levels.

During the cooling and dehumidification process, the dry-bulb,
wet-bulb, and dew point temperatures are all reduced creating
a cooler environment due to the reduction of moisture in the
air.

Heated Dehumidification

If you want to reduce the moisture from the air while also heating a
space, you can try a heated dehumidification process.

In this process, the air is passed over hygroscopic chemicals like alumina
and molecular sieves, and heat is added while moisture is removed. More
specifically, these hygroscopic elements are enclosed in a large vessel,
and then highly pressured air is passed through these vessels. When the
air comes into contact with these chemicals, the heat is emitted and the
moisture from the air is absorbed.

The heating and dehumidification process focuses on the reduction of
dew point temperatures. In chemical plants, for example, there are
several automatic valves operated by compressed air at high pressure. If
the dew point temperature of the air is high, it creates an opportunity for
the formation of dew inside the valves that can lead to corrosion and
faults in their operations. The air needs to have low dew point
temperatures to provide smooth operations.

During this process, the dry-bulb temperature of the air is increased
which warms up the surrounding air while decreasing dew point and wet-
bulb temperatures are observed.

Humidifiers Since science has advanced over the years, research has shown how
important humidity can be to humans, and new ways to regulate
humidity were discovered, including humidifiers.
A humidifier is a device that releases moisture into the air to increase
humidity in our environment.

Humidifiers These are some of the different types of humidifiers currently
available:

Central humidifiers
Evaporators
Impeller humidifiers
Steam vaporizers
Ultrasonic humidifiers

Types of Humidifiers

The type of humidifier you choose depends on your
preference, usage, and budget.

Humidifiers come in different sizes. Some can be large
enough to add moisture to the entire house, and they
usually have wheels to enhance their portability.

Other humidifiers are smaller in size making them
easier to move from room to room. These smaller
units can be kept by your desk or on the side table by
your bed. The smaller humidifiers are typically battery-
operated, ensuring portability and even allowing you
to take them along while traveling if needed.

Central Humidifiers

You might be aware of the central air conditioning
systems, and how they are integrated and fixed into
the house, sending cool air through air ducts all over
the house.

Most central humidifiers have the same working
principle. They are integrated directly into your home’s
heating or air conditioning units. It is the best choice if
you want to add moisture to the entire house. These
are the most expensive humidifiers.

Central humidifiers are usually integrated into HVAC
(Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems.
HVAC is a large-scale system that is used in enclosed
spaces ranging from submarines to family homes.

Central Humidifiers

HVAC systems have large air ducts spreading
throughout your house covering every corner. They
are connected to the main terminal, which is an
outdoor unit that blows the air through the ducts.

In your HVAC system, there is a thermostat to control
the temperature of the air flowing through it. If your
HVAC system is more advanced and has humidity
control, it will also feature a humidistat.

The humidistat controls the moisture level of air in
your home, maintaining the correct humidity levels
effectively.

Types of Central Humidifiers

Steam: This type of central humidifier operates
electrically, boiling water and creating steam. The
steam is then transferred through the air ducts
and spread throughout the home, increasing the
humidity. Steam humidifiers are the most efficient,
and expensive, type of central air humidifiers.

Drum-type: The drum-type humidifier has a
rotating sponge-like surface that absorbs water
from the tray at the bottom. The absorbed water
evaporates during the rotation releasing water
vapors in the air and increasing humidity.

Flow-through: This is the most commonly used
central air humidifier in which water flows through
an aluminum panel and then the air crosses
perpendicularly through the same panel
evaporating the water into the surrounding air and
increasing the moisture.

Evaporators Evaporators are humidifiers that turn water into a gaseous state releasing
moisture. A fan blows air through moistened filters expelling humidity into the air.

These are more affordable than the central humidifiers as they are smaller in scale
and designed to support one room at a time. Wheels attached to the bottom allow
for easy transport from room to room.

These humidifiers, however, do not have a humidistat to control the humidity
levels.

Impeller The basic operation of the impeller humidifier includes the rotation of disks at very
Humidifiers high speeds which fling water at a diffuser. The diffuser splits the water into
droplets that are then released into the air.

These humidifiers are noisier than the others with more risks of spreading bacteria
into the air if unclean water is used. Impeller humidifiers are smaller in size and are
only effective for single rooms. It’s important to note that overusing an impeller
humidifier can trigger breathing issues for asthmatic or allergic individuals.

Steam The basic operation of the impeller humidifier includes the rotation of disks at very
Vaporizers high speeds which fling water at a diffuser. The diffuser splits the water into
droplets that are then released into the air.

These humidifiers are noisier than the others with more risks of spreading bacteria
into the air if unclean water is used. Impeller humidifiers are smaller in size and are
only effective for single rooms. It’s important to note that overusing an impeller
humidifier can trigger breathing issues for asthmatic or allergic individuals.

Steam The basic operation of the impeller humidifier includes the rotation of disks at very
Vaporizers high speeds which fling water at a diffuser. The diffuser splits the water into
droplets that are then released into the air.

These humidifiers are noisier than the others with more risks of spreading bacteria
into the air if unclean water is used. Impeller humidifiers are smaller in size and are
only effective for single rooms. It’s important to note that overusing an impeller
humidifier can trigger breathing issues for asthmatic or allergic individuals.

Ultrasonic The most advanced option is the ultrasonic humidifier. These humidifiers use ultrasonic waves
Humidifiers that vibrate against the water with high frequency resulting in water droplets which are then
released into the room as a fine mist.

This is the safest kind of humidifier, as it does not involve any boiling water to create steam like
other humidifiers – the high-frequency waves are enough to break down the water into small
droplets.

Ultrasonic humidifiers do not include any mechanical whirring parts so that makes the operation
of humidification very quiet in this case. These humidifiers are also energy-saving since they
require very little electricity.

The Takeaway

In conclusion, humidity is a vital part of our everyday life,
despite how uncomfortable it may feel at times. Both a lack of
humidity and an excess of humidity can create unbearable
environments.

This is where humidification and dehumidification processes
come into play, to create a more suitable and comfortable living
condition depending on need.

Ranging from commercial scale to DIY and homemade
remedies of humidification, there are many ways to help
humidify or dehumidify a space to create a more comfortable
environment.

TO LEARN MORE, VISIT US AT HOME AND HAMPER:
https://homeandhamper.com/humidification/