HUMIDIFICATION / DEHUMIDIFICATION

PROCESSES
PSYCHROMETRY
Psychrometry is concerned with
determination of the properties of gas-vapor
mixtures.
Most common: AIR-WATER VAPOR system
For other systems, principles involved in
determining psychrometric properties are the
same as with air-water vapor system, except
for psychrometric ratio.
Review of TERMINOLOGY
28.97
18.02
p P
p
H
_
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
The humidity or absolute humidity (H) of an
air-water vapor mixture is defined as the kg
water vapor contained in 1 kg of dry air.
P total pressure; p partial pressure of water vapor
The saturation humidity (H
S
) is
28.97
18.02
p P
p
H
S
_
S
S
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
P total pressure; p
S
vapor pressure of water vapor
The percentage humidity (H
P
) is
100
p P
p P
p
p
H
H
H
S
S S
P

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
|
.
|

\
|
=
The percentage relative humidity (RH) is
100
p
p
RH
S

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
The dew point (T
d
) of an air-water mixture is
the temperature at which a given mixture of
air and water vapor would be saturated.
The humid heat (c
s
) of an air-water vapor
mixture is the amount of heat in J (or kJ)
required to raise the temperature of 1 kg of
dry air plus the water vapor present by 1 K
or 1
o
C.
air dry kJ/kg 1.88H 1.005 c
s
+ =
air dry btu/lb 0.45H 0.24 c
m s
+ =
The humid volume (v
H
) of an air-water vapor
mixture is the total volume in m
3
of 1kg of
dry air plus the vapor it contains at 101.325
kPa absolute pressure and the given gas
temperature.
d.a. /kg m H
18.02
1
28.97
1
TK
273
22.41
v
3
H
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
d.a. /lb ft H
18.02
1
28.97
1
R T
492
359
v
m
3 o
H
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
The enthalpy (h) of an air-water vapor
mixture is the total enthalpy of 1 kg of air
plus its water vapor in J/kg or kJ/kg dry air.
If T
o
is the datum temperature chosen for
both components then:
kJ/kg H C) T 1.88H)(T (1.005 H ) T (T c h
0
o
0
_
0 0
_
s
+ + = + =
m 0
o
0
_
0 0
_
s
btu/lb H F) T 0.45H)(T (0.24 H ) T (T c h + + = + =
If T
0
= 0
o
C = 32
o
F
kJ/kg 2501.4H 0) C 1.88H)(T (1.005 h
_ o
0
+ + =
m
_ o
0
Btu/lb 1075.4H 32) F 0.45H)(T (0.24 h + + =
ADIABATIC SATURATION TEMPERATURE, T
S

Outlet gas
H
S
, T
S

Inlet gas
H, T
Makeup H
2
O
T
S

The adiabatic saturation temperature is the steady-
state equilibrium attained when a large amount of
water is contacted by the entering gas.
If the entering gas at T has H < H
S
, then T
S
< T.
If equilibrium is attained, the leaving air is
saturated at T
S
with H = H
S
.
Adiabatic water vapor
saturator
T
S

WET BULB TEMPERATURE, T
w

The wet-bulb temperature is the steady-state non-
equilibrium temperature reached when a small amount
of water is contacted under adiabatic conditions by a
continuous stream of gas.
The wet-bulb temperature is often used to determine
the humidity of an air-water vapor mixture.
)A T (T h H)A (H k' Q
w
_
C
_
w w
= =
( )
w
C
_
w
_
w
_

/k' h
T T
H H
=
12.1b Perrys
k = k
G
M
B
P
where:
( )
g s
C
s
C
1.6k c
h
k' c
h
PR = =
PSYCHROMETRIC RATIO (PR): ratio of heat-transfer
coefficient to the product of mass-transfer coefficient and
humid heat.

|
.
|

\
|
=
0.56
S
0.56
C
Pr
Sc
c
0.294Sc
k'
h
for air-water vapor
for other gases and
liquids
If PR = 1 (e.g., for air-water vapor system):
For air-water vapor mixtures, PR is approximately
0.96 1.005.
W S
T T =
( ) number Lewis Le
Pr
Sc
=
For air-water vapor system:
Pr Sc ~
1.005 c
k'
h
S
C
= =
and
Psychrometric
Chart (1 atm)
Figure 12-3
Perrys
Fig. 12-36 p. 12-28
(Psychrometric Chart, SI)
HUMIDIFICATION / DEHUMIDIFICATION
PROCESSES
Application of Simultaneous Heat
and Mass Transfer in the Design of
WATER-COOLING TOWERS
Cooling Towers
Cooling Towers
CLOSED-LOOP COOLING TOWER SYSTEM
Cooling towers represent a relatively inexpensive and dependable
means of removing low-grade heat from cooling water.
Hot water from heat exchangers is sent to the cooling tower.
The make-up water source is used to replenish water lost to
evaporation.
The water exits the cooling tower and is sent back to the exchangers
or to other units for further cooling.
TYPES OF MECHANICAL DRAFT TOWER
Mechanical Draft Counterflow Tower Mechanical Draft Crossflow Tower
COOLING TOWER THEORY
Heat is transferred from water drops to the surrounding
air by the transfer of sensible heat and latent heat.
Water drop with interfacial film
Cooling Tower Theory
Temperature and concentration profiles in upper part of
cooling tower:
interface
Sensible heat in
liquid
T
L

T
i

T
G

Liquid water
air
H
i

H
G

Water vapor
Latent heat in gas
Sensible heat in gas
Cooling Tower Process Heat Balance
where:
KaV/L = tower characteristic
K = mass transfer coefficient (lb water/h ft
2
)
a = contact area/tower volume
V = active cooling volume/plan area
L = water rate (lb/h ft
2
)
T
1
= hot water temperature (
0
F or
0
C)
T
2
= cold water temperature (
0
F or
0
C)
T = bulk water temperature (
0
F or
0
C)
h
a
= enthalpy of air-water vapor mixture at bulk water temperature
(J/kg dry air or Btu/lb dry air)
h
w
= enthalpy of air-water vapor mixture at wet bulb temperature
(J/kg dry air or Btu/lb dry air)
This movement of heat can be modeled with a relation known
as the Merkel Equation:
}

=
T1
T2
a w
h h
dT
L
KaV
12-8 Perrys
The tower characteristic value can be calculated by solving Equation
12-8 with the Chebyshev numerical method:





A quicker but less accurate method is by the use of a nomograph (Figure
12-13 Perrys CHE HB)
Important three key points in cooling tower
design
A change in wet-bulb temperature (due to
atmospheric conditions) will not change the tower
characteristic (Ka V/L)
A change in the cooling range will not change Ka V/L.
Only a change in L/G ratio will change Ka V/L.
Graphical Representation of Tower Characteristics
The following represents
a key to the figure:
C' = Entering air enthalpy
at wet-bulb temperature,
Twb

BC = Initial enthalpy
driving force

CD = Air operating line
with slope L/G
DEF = Projecting the exiting air point onto the water operating
line and then onto the temperature axis shows the outlet air
wet-bulb temperature
Cooling Tower Design Considerations
The required tower size is a function of
Cooling range
Approach to wet-bulb temperature
Mass flow rate of water
Wet-bulb temperature
Air velocity through tower cell
Tower height
Figure 12-14 Perrys ChE HB
Utilizes the cold water temperature, wet bulb
temperature, and hot water temperature to find the
water concentration in gal/min ft
2
.
The tower area can then be calculated by dividing the
water circulated by the water concentration.
General rules are usually used to determine tower height
depending on the necessary time of contact:
Approach to
wet bulb (
o
F)
Cooling range
(
o
F)
Tower height
(ft)
15 20 25 - 35 15 - 20
10 15 25 - 35 25 - 30
5 - 10 25 - 35 35 - 40
Other design considerations to
consider
Fan horsepower
Pump horsepower
Make-up water source
Fogging abatement
Drift eliminators
WATER MAKEUP (or Makeup Water)
Water losses include :
Evaporation
0.00085*water flowrate(T
1
T
2
)
Drift (water entrained in discharge vapor)
Drift losses are estimated to be between 0.1 and 0.2 %
of water supply.
Blowdown (water released to discard solids)
Evaporation loss / (cycles 1)
cycles refers to the ratio of solids in the circulating water to
the solids in the make-up water
Total losses = Drift losses + Evaporation losses + Blowdown losses
CONTINUOUS COUNTERCURRENT
ADIABATIC WATER-COOLING TOWER
G
1

G
2
T
G2
H
2

H
y2

L
2
,
T
L2

L
1

Overall heat balance:
G(H
y2
H
y1
) = Lc
L
(T
L2
T
L1
) 10.5-2
Differential balance, neglecting sensible
heat terms (<< latent heat)
Lc
L
dT
L
= GdH
y
= h
L
adz(T
L
T
i
) 10.5-4
z
See the rest of the derivation in equations
10.5-5 through 10.5-14.
Equation label reference: Geankoplis 4ed
H
y
enthalpy of air (i.e. air-water vapor mixture)
EVALUATION OF TOWER HEIGHT:
} }
= =
y2
y1
H
H y
_
yi
y
G B
Z
0
H H
dH
aP k M
G
Z dz
10.5-13
y
_
*
y
y
Hy2
Hy1
G B
Z
0
H H
dH
aP K M
G
Z dz

= =
10.5-15
Minimum value of air flow
H
y2
H
y1
T
L2
T
L1
Slope = Lc
L
/G
Slope = Lc
L
/G
min

Problem 1
Air is to be cooled and dehumidified by counter-current
contact with water in a packed tower. The tower is to be
designed for the following conditions:
dry-bulb temp. of inlet air 82
o
F
wet-bulb temp. of inlet air 76.5
o
F
flow rate of inlet air 1,500 lb d.a./h
inlet water temp. 50
o
F
outlet water temp. 65
o
F
A. For entering air, find: H, RH, T
d
, h.
B. What is the maximum water rate which may be used to
meet design requirements, assuming a very tall tower?
C. Calculate the NTU required for a tower that meets design
specifications when 1,000 lb/h of water is used and if the
liquid phase resistance to heat transfer is negligible.
Problem 2
1000 cfm of air (A) at 95
o
F dry-bulb / 74
o
F wet-bulb is mixed
with 2,000 cfm of air (B) at 65
o
F dry bulb / 54
o
F wet-bulb.
Determine for the mixed stream.
A. T
B. T
W

C. Cfm of mixed stream
PROBLEM 3
You have been requested to redesign a water-cooling
tower that has a blower with a capacity of 8.30 x 10
6

ft
3
/h of moist air (80
o
F dry bulb and 65
o
F wet bulb
temperature). The exit air leaves at 95
o
F and 90
o
F
wet bulb. How much water can be cooled in pounds
per hour if the water to be cooled is not recycled,
enters the tower at 120
o
F, and leaves at 90
o
F?
PROBLEM 4
A cooling tower that uses a cold-water spray provides a method of
cooling and dehumidifying a school. During the day, the average
number of students in the school is 100 and the average heat-
generation rate per person is 800 Btu/hr. Suppose that the ambient
conditions outside the school in the summer are expected to be
100
o
F and 95% RH. You run this air through the cooler-dehumidifier
and then mix the saturated exit air with re-circulated air from the
exhaust of the school building. You need to supply the mixed air to
the building at 70
o
F and 60% RH and keep the re-circulated air leaving
the building at not more than 72
o
F. Leakage occurs from the building
of the 72
o
F air also. Calculate:
A. The volumetric flowrate of air recirculation per hour in ft
3
/hr at 70
o
F
and 60% RH.
B. The volume of fresh air required at entering conditions.
C. The heat transferred in the cooler-dehumidifier from the inlet air
per hour.