HOW DO ULTRA SONIC HUMIDIFIERS WORK

HOW DO

ULTRA SONIC

HUMIDIFIERS

WORK?

A Detailed Guide: How Do
Ultrasonic Humidifiers Work?

Humidifiers can be a great companion in dry
environments and can protect you from several skin
and health issues.

There are different types of humidifiers ranging from
industrial large-scale humidifiers to portable
humidifiers, each following its own humidification
process to serve the same purpose.

Arguably the most advanced one of all these
humidifiers is the ultrasonic humidifier, which uses
high-frequency waves to produce a mist that is
dispersed into the surrounding air. Let’s take a closer
look at how ultrasonic humidifiers work.

What is Humidity?

The main purpose of humidifiers is to add humidity to an
environment. Before getting to know about how ultrasonic
humidifiers work, let’s first explore what humidity is.

The presence of moisture in our surrounding air is called humidity.
With the idea of humidity, a question comes to mind – how does
moisture exist in the air? The answer is water vapor.

Water vapor is the gaseous state of water that is formed when the
temperature of water molecules is increased preventing them
from retaining their liquid state due to condensation.

Suppose the weather forecast for your hometown shows that it’s
27°C (80.6°F) outside, which, in theory, would be a pleasant day.
However, imagine that for some reason it doesn’t feel pleasant
because when you step outside and it feels really hot and sticky,
making it difficult to breathe.

What is Humidity?

Why does it happen? The answer is humidity. A temperature
forecast only shows you the dry-bulb temperature. This
temperature only takes into consideration the temperature of
the air, without including any moisture or radiation that may
be present as well.

Some weather apps have additional features like “real feel” or
“feels like”, which account for other factors like humidity.

This example demonstrates how important humidity is in our
environment. A lack of humidity can make the air so dry that
it starts to irritate your skin and damage your health, whereas
excess humidity can quickly create a hot and sticky situation
and promote bacterial or mold growth.

Humidification & Now that we know the importance of humidity, let’s
Dehumidification look at the difference between when air is very dry
air with low humidity and when air is very damp with
extremely high humidity.

To keep the humidity levels balanced there are two
processes known as humidification and
dehumidification that allow us to have some control
over the humidity level of our surrounding air.

The term humidification means a process of adding
moisture to the air in the form of water vapor,
whereas dehumidification is the opposite and works
to reduce dampness in the air.

Before learning about different types of humidifiers
that are available, we need to understand their
processes. Humidifiers work in two ways, with
cooling and heating methods.

Humidification with Cooling

Humidification with cooling is a process in which the
dry-bulb temperature of the environment is reduced
while humidity is increased.

In this process, air passes through a stream of water
that has a temperature lower than the dry-bulb
temperature of the surrounding air, which makes the
air cooler. The air is then released as the water
evaporates and is absorbed into the surrounding air,
increasing humidity levels. So this process both cools
and dampens the air.

Cooling humidification can be achieved with desert or
evaporative humidifiers which have a water pump that
spreads the water around the box and a fan that blows
air outside the box. The water circulation inside the box
cools down the air and evaporates the water.

Humidification with Heating

The humidification with heating process works in
the opposite way to the cooling humidification
method. The goal of heated humidification is to
increase the room temperature along with the
moisture levels and humidity.

The working principle is the same as the cooling
humidification. Still, the difference is that the water
that the air passes through is warmer than the dry
air temperature of the surrounding environment.
During this process, water is evaporated into the
air, forming moisture. Since the temperature of this
moist air is higher than the dry air temperature,
humidity levels are increased.

Humidification with Heating

A simple DIY way to achieve heated humidification
is to put a pot full of water on the stove and let it
boil. This will create steam, which will disperse
water vapor into the air. Due to the warm
temperature of this vapor, the surrounding air will
start to get warmer as well as the vapor mixes with
the air.

Other homemade alternatives to humidifiers can
include keeping an aquarium or flower vase in your
home, as the water in these containers acts as
natural humidifiers through evaporation.
You can also find house plants that can increase
moisture through their foliage during plant
transpiration.

Dehumidification with Cooling

If you are living in one of the hotter regions of the
world, you most likely have experienced days when
the humidity levels are high and the air feels sticky
and uncomfortable.

On these humid days, you probably want to reduce
the humidity around you, and this can be done with
dehumidification. If you go with dehumidification
with the cooling process, it would make it even
better by controlling both the temperature and the
humidity.

Dehumidification with Cooling

This is the most widely used principle for
dehumidification, and the split or window air conditioners
found in homes work through this process.

In dehumidification with the cooling process, air passes
through a cooling coil which is set at temperatures lower
than the dry-bulb temperature. This helps to reduce heat
along with humidity. As the temperature of air coming out
of the system gets lower than the dew point temperature,
it can condense the water molecules and turn them from
vapor to dew.

Dehumidification with Heating

Alternatively, you can heat an environment while
reducing the moisture with the help of hygroscopic
chemicals. Hygroscopic chemicals can absorb moisture
while releasing heat.

During this process, high pressured air is passed
through a large vessel enclosed with hygroscopic
chemicals. When this air meets the chemicals, the heat
is emitted and the moisture is absorbed.

Heated dehumidification is mostly practiced in
chemical plants, where the excess moisture can be
problematic if it builds up inside the valves and forms
dew which can lead to corrosion if not controlled.

Humidifiers Devices that can help us regulate the level of
humidity in our surroundings are called humidifiers
and dehumidifiers.

The primary focus of a humidifier is to increase the
moisture content in the air, which is preferred in dry
environments since a lack of humidity can cause skin
irritation and even health issues.

A dehumidifier, on the other hand, is a device that
helps to lower the humidity by removing moisture
from the surrounding air. The air conditioners in our
homes are dehumidifiers that help to take the edge
off moisture from the air along with cooling
temperatures at the same time.

Construction of The ultrasonic humidifier is possibly the most technologically
Ultrasonic advanced kind of humidifier available on the market.
Humidifiers
Before learning the details of its operation, we should look at
what is inside an ultrasonic humidifier.

Construction of An ultrasonic humidifier consists of the following
Ultrasonic components:
Humidifiers
Water reservoir
Demineralization cartridge
Air circulation fan
Piezoelectric transducer
Diaphragm
Nebulizer chamber

Construction of Ultrasonic Humidifiers

If you open the ultrasonic humidifier the first thing you will
see is a small water tank to store the water for the creation
of mist. It is recommended to use distilled water since there
is a high risk of bacterial contamination due to minerals
found in tap water.

At the bottom of the water tank, you will find a small
demineralization cartridge. Water contains a few common
minerals like calcium, magnesium, sodium, and fluoride and
the job of this cartridge is to filter out the mineral contents.

The air circulation fan is also found at the bottom of the
humidifier and its job is to circulate the mist created by the
piezoelectric transducer’s diaphragm, which is fixed at the
bottom of the nebulizer chamber.

How do Ultrasonic Humidifiers Work?

Ultrasonic humidifiers work by moving water through high-frequency vibrations to
create water vapor. Let’s see how it works in more detail.

Step-by-Step Process
1.First, the water from the water reservoir moves down through the
demineralization cartridge. This cartridge filters out the dust and water minerals.
The important thing to note here is that not every ultrasonic humidifier has this
cartridge, so be sure to check if the one you’re purchasing has it or not.
2.The filtered water then flows through a pipe toward the piezoelectric
transducer’s diaphragm. Apiezoelectric transducer is a device that utilizes
electricity and converts it into high-frequency vibrations.
3.The frequencies are then followed by the diaphragm vibrating against the water.
The diaphragmis a slightly flexible surface that moves in correspondence with
the signals received from the transducer.
4.These vibrations force the water molecules to break into small droplets and the
circulation fan then pushes these mist droplets to dissipate in the air passing
through the nebulizer chamber.

Working Principle The ultrasonic vibration of the diaphragm against the water forces
water molecules to break into water droplets and form a water mist.
The type of droplets and mist may vary depending on the different
ultrasonic frequencies.

From experimentation, it is known that a minimum of 2 MHz is
required for water mist formation, whereas higher frequencies can
create microscopic water droplets for a finer mist.

How do Ultrasonic Humidifiers Work?

An ultrasonic humidifier follows the principles of ultrasonic atomization
to create moisture. Ultrasonic atomization is a process that is based on
two different effects:

1.Cavitation bubble implosion: When the speed of vibrations from
the piezoelectric transducer increases to an extent where water
particles can no longer cling to the part, it leads to the formation of
air bubbles due to the compression of water droplets.

2.Capillary wave theory: After the cavitation, Rayleigh waves are
created with the help of a vibrating transducer’s surface. This forces
the water droplets to break and dissipate into the surrounding air.

These two phenomena require a minimal amount of energy and can
produce a stable mist for long durations. This makes ultrasonic
humidifiers stand out among the other types of humidifiers.

Ultrasonic Versus To identify if ultrasonic humidifiers are better than other
Other Humidifiers types of humidifiers, we need to compare and analyze
some of their factors and working principles.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers VS. Evaporators

In the workings of both of these humidifiers, their
difference lies in how the water vapor is produced. In an
evaporator humidifier, water is boiled, turning the water
molecules into a gaseous form. This is a type of warm
mist humidifier.

An ultrasonic humidifier, on the other hand, uses
piezoelectric ceramic discs and lacks a heating element.
The current is supplied through a power source via the
nickel electrodes.

The ceramic disc oscillates in the presence of ultrasonic
frequency, or ultrasounds, which generates a fine mist
through cavitation in the water. As the mist is released
into the environment, it generates humidity. This is a type
of cold mist humidifier.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers Versus Impeller Humidifiers

Now that we know how an ultrasonic humidifier works,
we can compare it to an impeller humidifier. An impeller
humidifier cannot dampen your dry home better than an
ultrasonic humidifier because an impeller humidifier is
much slower due to its use of a spinning impeller.

The impeller has fins attached that carry the water to the
reservoir through a screen which eventually breaks up the
water molecules into tiny droplets. These droplets swing
up in the air and as a result, the humidity increases.

However, an impeller humidifier is one of the least
preferred types of humidifier because it doesn’t produce
as much moisture as other types, and it tends to be quite
noisy.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers Versus Steam Vaporizers

Steam vaporizers are similar to evaporators in that they
release moisture slowly using a heating element. These
are widely used in the healthcare sector as nebulizers and
can cater to those with flu or cold symptoms. The warmth
in the moisture of steam vaporizers can help relieve a
stuffy nose or a sore throat.

However, the output from a vaporizer is less than an
ultrasonic humidifier. Vaporizers are primarily for small-
scale use, which makes them compact but less impactful.

Ultrasonic Humidifiers Versus Central Humidifiers

In terms of complexity, central humidifiers outshine
ultrasonic humidifiers. They are primarily used in large
spaces and can better accommodate a much greater area
than an ultrasonic humidifier.

However, an ultrasonic humidifier is more energy-efficient
and quieter than a central humidifier.

They do have some things in common though. They both
have a water supply through a water reservoir, and they
both have features inside to help kill harmful bacteria (UV
light, etc). Filters are incorporated into all humidifiers to
trap sediments and residues that might be harmful.
All humidifiers require care and cleanliness to extend the
product life.

Benefits of Using an ultrasonic humidifier can give you a few
Ultrasonic benefits over other humidifiers: safety, cheaper
Humidifiers operation, and less noise.

Safety

Ultrasonic humidifiers are the safest kind of humidifier
because they do not use any hot water like other
evaporative models, avoiding the risks of spillage and
burns.

Ultrasonic humidifiers are often preferred for bedrooms
to create a safe space for everyone, especially kids and
pets.

Less Noise

Since there are not many mechanical processes involved
in ultrasonic humidifiers, they are extremely quiet
machines.

Cheaper Operation

Buying an ultrasonic humidifier might be slightly more expensive than
other humidifiers, but it is a one-time investment that will keep you
comfortable in the long run because the cost of operation for these
humidifiers is much lower than the others.

Ultrasonic humidifiers also use the least amount of energy to operate
compared to other humidifiers because they do not require heating the
water or running a fan to produce water vapor.

The ultrasonic humidifier’s piezoelectric transducer helps with the
creation of moisture and it consumes a small amount of energy
compared to other mechanical humidifiers.

Along with the low energy requirement, ultrasonic humidifiers do not
require any sort of filter to be cleaned or replaced regularly. A
demineralization cartridge does the cleaning job for this humidifier.

Final Words An ultrasonic humidifier can be a great addition to your home if you’re looking to create a
favorable environment. Without consuming much energy, these humidifiers help you to
overcome dry air by releasing moisture and increasing the humidity without making much
noise. The next time you shop for humidifiers you can now easily determine what type of
humidifier you need, and how it works.

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