HUMIDISTAT

Humidity is the presence of water in

air.
The amount of water vapor in air can
affect human comfort as well as many
manufacturing processes in industries.

Humidistats ensure a room maintains

a comfortable temperature and helps
prevent mildew from forming.
Certain rooms in a home are more
sensitive to humidity and are more
prone to the development of mildew.

HUMIDISTAT
-An

electronic device analogous to a

thermostat, but which responds to
relative humidity, not temperature.

-An

instrument used for measuring and

controlling humidity.

-Sometimes called a hygrostat.

Common Uses:
Humidistat are used in a
number of devices including
dehumidifiers, humidifiers, and
microwave ovens.

Refrigerator, greenhouse, or
climate controlled warehouse.

For

Heating, Ventilating and Air

Conditioning (HVAC) of buildings.

In some crawl spaces, the humidistat

is often used to control the

ventilation fans so as to maintain
humidity at certain levels.

History:
1450

the German Bishop Nicolas of Cusa,

concluded that the atmospheric humidity could
be measured.
Over the following centuries many materials
and methods were used with more or less
efficiency :
1600 cat intestine extension by Santorio
Santorio
1660 Paper strips extension by Folli Francisco
1665 Hygroscopic salts, bending of a beard of
wild oat by Hookes

 1738 Human hair extension by Horace Benedic

de Saussure.This laid the foundation for a

comparative and reproducible measure of

relative humidity.
1882 - Richard Company in Paris developed a
humidity recorder that uses the bending of
an ox horn strip.
1900 - The first device controlling humidity
in air conditioning was invented by Warren
Johnson in the U.S

 In

1952, the first efficient electromechanical

humidistat using hair as a measurement was
invented by Honeywell, USA.

In

1965, the same company replaced hairs

with a nylon ribbon

Example of a Humidistat:

Digital Humidistat

BASIC PARTS OF A HUMIDISTAT:

A humidistat is composed of 10 main components

1. Frame

6. Micro-switch

2. Hygroscopic ribbon

7. Calibration screw

3. Lever mechanism

8.Differential adjustment screw

4. Adjustment shaft

9. Electrical terminals

5. Plunger

10.Wall mounting box (optional)

MECHANISM
In fact, theworking principle of a
humidistatis very simple. If there are any
variations in the relative moisture, an
electrical resistance will be caused between
the conductor sets that are mounted on the
sensing element.
The
quantity
of
theelectrical
resistancecan be precisely predicted by the
alternate metal conductors according to the
relative humidity.

And the relay amplifier will measure the

resistance so that it can turn the humidifier
on if the electrical resistance shows the
humidity doesnt reach the optimal level, or
turn off the humidifier if the ideal level is
achieved.
The sensing element in a humidistat is
usually a band of moisture-sensitive nylon.
The nylon expands and contracts with
changes in the relative humidity of the air.