HUMIDIFICATION

Kenneth M. Soriano, EIT, AMIChemE

 HUMIDIFICATION
• Humidification is the unit operation involving
the evaporation of a pure liquid for the
purpose of increasing the vapor content of a
fixed (or non-condensable) gas.
• The liquid phase, most often water, is a single
component phase and the gas phase consists
of a non-condensable gas, usually air, in which
some vapor from the liquid phase is present.
 HUMIDIFICATION
• For the air-water system, moisture is
transferred to the air in contact with the water
and this mass transfer of moisture in the bulk
phase of the air stream occurs by diffusion
due to the humidity difference between the
interface and the gas phase.
• The evaporation of a portion of the pure liquid
results in the cooling of the liquid since
sensible heat is converted to latent heat which
is then carried by the gas stream.
 HUMIDIFICATION
• This fact is utilized in cooling tower operation
wherein enormous amount of process water
in industries has to be cooled for re-use.
 PHASE RULE
• In terms of phase rule, it is obvious that for a
system involving two phases and two
components, the degree of freedom is two.
 GAS AND VAPOR
The terms “gas” and “vapor” are often used
interchangeably, but there is a technical
difference between them.

A vapor is a gaseous species below its critical

temperature, and a gas is a species above its
critical temperature at a pressure low enough
for the species to be more like a vapor than a
liquid.
 GAS AND VAPOR
You can condense a vapor by compressing it
isothermally, but while you can make a gas
denser and denser by compressing it
isothermally you will never achieve a separation
into two phases. Substances at temperatures
above Tc and pressures above Pc are referred to
as supercritical fluids.
PT DIAGRAM OF WATER
SUPERCRITICAL FLUID
 HUMIDIFICATION
For the air-water system, the moisture is transferred to the
air in contact with the water.

“vapor” - means the gaseous form of the component that is

also present in the liquid
- Component A (water vapor)
“vapor –free gas” – fixed or non-condensable gas
- Component B (dry air)
Assumptions:
1. A total pressure of 1 atm
2. The mixture of gas and vapor follow the ideal gas laws
HUMIDIFICATION

H2 L2
Ty2 Tx2
2

H1 L1
Ty1 Tx1

ω = lbs or kg of dry gas / hr

q = ωvH = volumetric flow rate
 HUMIDIFICATION OPERATIONS
I. Humidification
A) Transfer of material from L to G
B) Transfer of heat from G to L
II. Dehumidification = A/C in the Philippines = Gas Abs
A) Transfer of material from G to L
B) Transfer of heat from G to L
III. Water Cooling
A) Transfer of material from L to G
B) Transfer of heat from L to G
MOLAL HUMIDITY
 ABSOLUTE HUMIDITY
Absolute Humidity (H) Mass of water (or solvent)
vapor carried by unit mass of dry air (or other carrier
gas). It is also known as the mixing ratio, mass ratio, or
dry-basis humidity. Preferred units are lb/lb or kg/kg,
but g/kg and gr/lb are often used, as are ppmw and
ppbw (parts per million/billion by weight); ppmw =
106H, ppbw = 109H
 VAPOR PRESSURE
• Is a measure of volatility: the higher the vapor
pressure at a given temperature, the greater
the volatility of the species at that
temperature

• For Water: ChE HB: Table 13-4, page 13-14

 SATURATION HUMIDITY
• This refers to the maximum amount of vapor
that a gas can contain which is in equilibrium
with the liquid at a given temperature. The
partial pressure of the vapor is in effect equal
to the vapor pressure.
 RELATIVE HUMIDITY
• This refers to the ratio of the partial pressure
to the vapor pressure at a specified
temperature of the gas vapor mixture.
 PERCENTAGE SATURATION OR
PERCENTAGE HUMIDITY
• NOTE: Hs @ the Gas Temperature
 HUMID VOLUME
• This is the volume occupied by one pound or
kg of dry gas plus whatever vapor it contains
at a given pressure and temperature.
 HUMID VOLUME
• When P = 1 atm
 HUMID HEAT
• This is the heat needed to raise the
temperature of one pound of dry gas and the
vapor that it contains by 1⁰F.

• For Air-Water System

 ENTHALPY OF THE GAS MIXTURE
• This refers to the total enthalpy content of the
1 lb of dry gas and vapor it contains by 1⁰F.
 ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE

• This refers to the steady state temperature

attained by a gas-vapor mixture when saturated
with vapor by spraying under adiabatic
conditions. An enthalpy Balance around the spray
chamber gives

• The above is known as the eq. of the Adiabatic

Humidification Line or Adiabatic Saturation Line.
 WET BULB TEMPERATURE
This refers to the steady state temperature by a
small mass of liquid immersed in a large body of
gas. Application of mass and heat transfer
equation around this small mass of liquid yield

Equation of Psychrometric Line

 WET BULB TEMPERATURE
• For air-water system:

• This is known as the Lewis Relation. Since 0.26 is very

near to the value of Cs

• For Air-water system: (only)

a. Tw = Ts
b. AHL = Psychrometric Line
 DEW POINT
• This is the steady state temperature attained
when a vapor-gas mixture becomes saturated
when cooled at constant humidity, that is PA =
PA0
Humidity Chart
Video: Reading Psychrometric Chart
 EXAMPLE
Given: Tdb = 150 deg F, Twb = 90 deg F
Req’d:
1. H
2. Hs
3. % RH
4. HA
5. Cs
 EXAMPLE
Given: Tdb = 150 deg F, Twb = 90 deg F
Req’d:
6. vH
7. i
8. Ts
9. Tw
10. Tdew pt.
 SENSIBLE COOLING
During this process, the moisture content of air
remains constant but its temperature decreases
as it flows over a cooling coil. For moisture
content to remain constant the surface of the
cooling coil should be dry and its surface
temperature should be greater than the dew
point temperature of air. If the cooling coil is
100% effective, then the exit temperature of air
will be equal to the coil temperature. However
in practice, the exit air temperature will be
higher than the cooling coil temperature.
SENSIBLE COOLING
 SENSIBLE COOLING
HEAT BALANCE:

ENTHALPY BALANCE:
 SENSIBLE HEATING
During this process, the moisture content of air
remains constant and its temperature increases
as it flows over a heating coil.
SENSIBLE HEATING
 SENSIBLE HEATING
HEAT BALANCE:

ENTHALPY BALANCE:
ADIABATIC HUMIDIFICATION

H2 L2
Ty2 Tx2
2
ε
H HS

Heat
Ty Tx
1

H1 L1
Ty1 Tx1 =Tx2
ω
q = ωvH
 ADIABATIC HUMIDIFICATION
Conditions:
1) Tx1 = Tx2 = Tx = constant
2) Tw1 = Tw2 = Tx = Tw = Tconst = Ts
3) H2 > H1
4) Ty1 > Ty2
ADIABATIC HUMIDIFICATION
 ADIABATIC HUMIDIFICATION
1) MASS BALANCE:

2) ENTHALPY BALANCE:
 ADIABATIC HUMIDIFICATION
3) MASS TRANSFER EQN:

4) HEAT TRANSFER EQN:

DEHUMIDIFICATION = A/C

H2 L2
Ty2 Tx2
2
ε
H HTx

Heat
Ty Tx
1

H1 L1
Ty1 Tx1 ; Tx1 > Tx2
ω
q = ωvH
DEHUMIDIFICATION = A/C
 DEHUMIDIFICATION = A/C
1) MASS BALANCE:

2) ENTHALPY BALANCE:
 DEHUMIDIFICATION = A/C
3) OPERATING LINE: heat gained by liquid = heat
given by gas vapor mixture
 DEHUMIDIFICATION = A/C
4) MASS TRANSFER EQN:

5) HEAT TRANSFER EQN:

 WATER COOLING
HOT WATER

H2 L2
Ty2 Tx2
2
H2 > H1 H ε HS
Ty2 > Ty1
Heat
Ty Tx
1
COLDWATER

H1 L1
Ty1 Tx1 < Tx2
ω
q = ωvH
 WATER COOLING
1) MASS BALANCE:

2) HEAT BALANCE EQN:

3) OPERATING LINE:
 HEIGHT OF COOLING TOWER
• Merkel’s Equation
 PROBLEM 1
This is the temperature at which a vapor-gas
mixture becomes saturated when cooled at
constant humidity
A. Wet bulb temperature
B. Dew point temperature
C. Saturation temperature
D. Dry-bulb temperature
 PROBLEM 2
This is the temperature of a vapor-gas mixture
as ordinarily determined by immersion of a
thermometer in the mixture.
A. wet-bulb temperature
B. Dew point temperature
C. Saturation temperature
D. Dry-bulb temperature
 PROBLEM 3
If the partial pressure of the vapor in a gas-vapor
mixture is, for any reason, less than the
equilibrium vapor pressure of the liquid at the
same time temperature, the mixture is
A. saturated
B. Unsaturated
C. Supersaturated
d. Subcooled
 PROBLEM 4
This is a steady-state temperature reached by a
small amount of liquid evaporating into a large
amount of unsaturated vapor-gas mixture.
A. wet-bulb temperature
B. Dew point temperature
C. Saturation temperature
D. Dry-bulb temperature
 PROBLEM 5
For air-water vapor system, the Lewis relation,
hy/kyCs, takes a value of
A. less than unity
B. greater than unity
C. essentially equal to unity
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 6
In order for the gas to be dehumidified, as in the
water vapor-air mixture, the humidity of the gas
must be
A. greater than the gas-liquid interface
B. equal with the gas-liquid interface
C. less than the gas-liquid interface
D. saturated
 PROBLEM 7
In dehumidification, where the Lewis Number is
equal to one, the operating line on the gas-
enthalpy-liquid temperature graph
A. Is below the equilibrium curve
B. Coincides with the equilibrium curve
C. Is above the equilibrium curve
D. Intersects the equilibrium
 PROBLEM 8
The process which illustrates the principle of
adiabatic humidification is
A. cooling tower
B. Spray Chamber
C. Packed tower
D. Heated dryer
 PROBLEM 9
Fogging is a result of a condition whereby the
gas becomes
A. saturated with vapor
B. unsaturated with vapor
C. supersaturated with vapor
D. heated dryer
 PROBLEM 10
Air conditioning involves
A. stripping
B. Humidification
C. Dehumidification
D. Evaporative Cooling
 PROBLEM 11
Air at 150˚F and 20% RH is supplied at 1200 cfm
into a refrigerated chamber. Water condenses at
55˚F and cool air leaves at 60˚F and 90% RH.
What is the capacity of the ref in tons of ref?
A) 10
B) 15
C) 18
D) 22
 PROBLEM 12
A sling psychrometer is whirled on a fast spin when
measuring the wet bulb temperature of ambient
temperature
A. Since centrifugal force helps in stabilizing the
mercury level in the thermometer
B. To remove excess water in the cloth wrapped
around the mercury bulb
C. To minimize the effect of radiation on the
temperature reading
D. To minimize the effect of convection on the
temperature reading
 PROBLEM 13
In an air-water contact equipment, the individual
gas-phase mass transfer coefficient is equal to the
over-all mass transfer coefficient since
A. The mass transfer resistance in the liquid-phase
is small
B. The mass transfer resistance in the gas-phase is
small
C. There is no concentration gradient in the gas-
phase
D. There is no concentration gradient in the liquid-
phase
 PROBLEM 14
The enthalpy transfer equation based on Merkel’s
procedure of determining the volume of a cooling
tower is a convenient way of
A. Eliminating the complications introduced by the
effect of sensible and latent heats
B. Eliminating the determination of interfacial
temperature and humidity
C. Eliminating the complications of a non-adiabatic
dehumidification of air
D. Eliminating the effect of the resistance to heat
transfer in the liquid phase
 PROBLEM 15
In adiabatic humidification, it is possible to maintain
the temperature of water constant since
A. According to phase-rule, the degree of freedom
is 3
B. The system can be well insulated from the
surroundings
C. The temperature of the air can also be
maintained constant
D. The increase in the humidity of the air is very
small
 PROBLEM 16
Besides measuring the dry bulb and wet bulb
temperatures in determining the humidity of air,
another method may be used. This is by
A. Measuring the specific heat of the air
B. Measuring the enthalpy of the air
C. Measuring the dew point of the air
D. Measuring the specific volume of the air
 PROBLEM 17
In terms of heat transfer, the use of cooling tower is
said to be more efficient and more economical
compared to an ordinary heat exchanger since
A. large volume of air is available and free
B. Temperature profiles of air and water across
each other
C. Large amount of water can be process
D. A cooling tower is much smaller and cheaper
than a heat exchanger
 PROBLEM 18
For an air flow rate of 5000 lb/hr and a water
flow rate of 7500 lb/hr, the temperature of the
cold water is 80˚F using air with temperature of
90˚F dry bulb and 70˚F wet bulb. The estimates
inlet temperature of water for these condition is
A. 84˚F C. 88˚F
B. 98˚F D. none of these
 PROBLEM 19
Given forced-draft cooling tower with the
following operating data: hot water temperature
= 110˚F, cooling range = 18˚F, wt bulb temp. =
75˚F, water flow rate = 500 gal/min. The
estimated fan horsepower for this tower is
A. 2 hp C. 8 hp
B. 5 hp D. 10 hp
 PROBLEM 20
For dehumidification, when the top liquid flow
rate is fixed and the top conditions of water
temperature and air enthalpy are known, the
limiting flow rate is considered to be
A. Minimum air flow rate
B. Maximum air flow rate
C. Minimum water flow rate
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 21
The height to diameter ratio of a cooling tower
is much less compared to that of a gas absorber
because
A. The liquid flow rate is larger compared to a
gas absorber
B. The liquid flow rate is smaller
C. The gas flow rate is larger
D. The gas flow rate is smaller
 PROBLEM 22
For a cooling tower with a circulating water flow
of 5000 gpm, an inlet and outlet water
temperatures of 100˚F and 80˚F, respectively
and 0.5% drift loss, the estimated make-up
water is
A. 85 gpm
B. 25 gpm
C. 110 gpm
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 23
An air-carbon tetrachloride-vapor mixture at
100˚F dry bulb and 60˚F wet bulb is heated until
the temperature reaches 180˚F. The final
percentage relative humidity is about
A. 10%
B. 5%
C. 2%
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 24
The enthalpy entering and leaving a cooling
tower is 52.0 and 75 BTU/lb, respectively. If the
inlet and outlet water temperature are 120˚F
and 100˚F, respectively, the estimated overall
number of transfer units is approximately
A. 0.8 C. 2.2
B. 1.2 D. none of these
 PROBLEM 25
If the air flow rate is 1000 lb/hr, the maximum
water rate needed for the tower in Problem 24
is about
A. 1200 lb/hr
B. 6000 lb/hr
C. 3400 lb/hr
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 26
If the temperature of the air entering the tower
in Problem 24 is 100˚F, the exit temperature of
the air estimated to be (use Mickley’s graphical
method)
A. 110˚F
B. 115˚F
C. 105˚F
D. None of these
 PROBLEM 27
The temperature at which the moisture in
humid air exerts a partial pressure equal to its
vapor pressure is called the
A. Dry bulb temperature
B. ambient temperature
C. critical temperature
D. Dew point
 PROBLEM 28
An indication of the moisture content of
ambient air is its
A. Dry bulb temperature
B. Wet bulb temperature
C. Ambient pressure
D. Vapor pressure
 PROBLEM 29
The ratio between partial pressure of water
vapor in air and the vapor pressure of the water
at the air temperature multiplied by 100 is
A. Absolute humidity
B. Percentage absolute humidity
C. Percentage saturation humidity
D. Percentage relative humidity
 PROBLEM 30
The relative humidity of air at a given temperature
is the
A. Pounds of water vapor in one pound of dry air
B. The ratio between the actual temperature of the
air and its dew point
C. The ratio between the volume of the water
vapor in the air and the humid volume
D. The ratio of the partial pressure of the water
vapor and the vapor pressure of water
 PROBLEM 31
The dew point of air indicates
A. The actual temperature of the air
B. The temperature at which its volume per unit
weight of dry air is calculated
C. The temperature at which its enthalpy is
calculated
D. The temperature at which its water content
will start to condense
 PROBLEM 32
If the mass transfer coefficient, Kya = 230 lbs
water/hr-ft3-atm, then the MTC in lbs water/hr-
ft3-absolute humidity is
A. 142.8
B. 7.93
C. 370.6
D. 12.8
 PROBLEM 33
The relative humidity of unsaturated air-water
vapor mixture is always _____ compared to the
relative or percentage saturation.
A. Equal
B. Greater than
C. Less than
D. Can not be determined
 PROBLEM 34
In an air-water contact operation, when the
temperature and humidity of the air both
decrease the process is
A. Dehumidification
B. Adiabatic humidification
C. Non-adiabatic humidification
D. Water cooling
 PROBLEM 35
The enthalpy transfer equation as proposed by
Merkel is applicable to air-water system only
because the ratio hc, convective heat transfer
coefficient and the mass transfer coefficient,
kyMB is
A. Constant
B. Equal to humid heat
C. Equal to the enthalpy
D. Equal to unity
 PROBLEM 36
The tons of refrigeration needed to supply air in
a room 20 ft by 20 ft by 10 ft charged every 5
min at 70˚F dry bulb and 65˚F wet bulb by
cooling outside air at 120˚F db and 100˚F wb is
A. 20.2
B. 14.3
C. 50.8
D. 9.6
 PROBLEM 37
If 100 lb of dry air at 50˚F db and 50˚F wb is
mixed with 300 lb of dry air at 110˚F db and 80˚F
wb, the resulting mixture will have a dry bulb
temperature of
A. 80˚F
B. 85˚F
C. 90˚F
D. 95˚F
 PROBLEM 38
The wet bulb temperature of the resulting
mixture for the mixed air of Problem 37 is
A. 65˚F
B. 70˚F
C. 75˚F
D. 80˚F
 PROBLEM 39
For a dehumidifier, the slope of the line is 2.5 for
a liquid to gas ratio of 1.0. Air enters the
dehumidification at 80˚F db and 78˚F wb while
water leaves at 76˚F. Estimate the interfacial
temperature at a point where enthalpy of the air
is 30 BTU/lb.
A. 63.5˚F C. 70.2˚F
B. 58.2˚F D. 73.5˚F
 PROBLEM 40
For air-benzene vapor mixture at 1 atm, the dry
bulb temperature is 100˚F. The absolute
humidity at this condition is
A. 0.35
B. 0.26
C. 0.50
D. 0.62