Humidification -

Dehumidification
Operation
Chemical Process Equipment Design
CE3204
Chemical Engineering
Universitas Pertamina
2019
 Main Topics Objective
• Basic principles and applications • To explain and convert various terms
• Terms and Definitions of humidity
• Psychrometric Chart • To use Psychrometric chart for
humidification-dehumidification
• Design calculation related calculations.

References:
• Chapter 23 - McCabe, Smith, & Harriott, "Unit Operations of Chemical Engineering." 7th Ed., McGraw-
Hill. 2005
• Chapter 8 – Felder & Rousseau, “Elementary Principles of Chemical Process.” 3rd Ed. John Wiley &
Sons. 2005
• Chapter 18 - Seader, Henley and Roper, “Separation Process Principles,” 3rd Edition, John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., 2011
WHAT IS Absolute Humidity (ha) or
moisture content:

HUMIDITY? 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑣𝑎𝑝𝑜𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑖𝑟

(for water and air system) 𝑚𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟
Humidity &
Vapor-
Liquid Carrier Gas (eg. Air)
at temperature T
Equilibria
Liquid Vapor
(eg. Water vapor)

Pure Liquid
(eg. Water)
Basic Principles

Humidification Dehumidification
Process of
increasing moisture
or water vapor
VS Removal of
moisture or water
content from the air
content of the air

• Transfer of material between a pure liquid and a gas

phase which in contact with each other.
• Both mass and energy transfer occured simultaneously
→ concentration and temperature change.
Applications
Health and Comfort

FUN FACTS:
Applications
Storing Hygroscopic or
Moisture Sensitive Materials
Applications
Food Manufacturing and
Storage
Applications Safety – Preventing static discharge
Applications
Terms of Humidity
Saturation Humidity (hs)
From Raoult’s & Dalton’s law:
𝑀𝐻2𝑂 𝑃𝐻2𝑂
ℎ𝑎 =
𝑀𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟 1 − 𝑃𝐻2𝑂
Saturation occurs when partial
pressure of the vapor is equal
to liquid vapor pressure at gas
temperature. Thus saturation
humidity:
𝑀𝐻2𝑂 𝑃∗ 𝐻2𝑂
ℎ𝑠 =
𝑀𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟 1 − 𝑃∗ 𝐻2𝑂
𝑃: partial pressure (in atm)
𝑃′: liquid vapor pressure
𝑀: molecular mass
Relative Humidity (hr)
Ratio of vapor partial
pressure to liquid vapor
pressure in equilibrium at gas
temperature; in percentage :
Percentage Humidity (hA)
Ratio of actual humidity to
saturation humidity; in
percentage:
ℎ𝑎
ℎ𝐴 = 100𝑥
ℎ𝑠
Humid Volume
Volume occupied by humid
air per mass of dry air:
vH in m3/gram and T in Kelvin
vH in ft3/lb and T in Rankine
Enthalpy of Saturated
Air / Total Enthalpy
Enthalphy of dry air plus the
water vapor it contains at
saturation.
Example 1
Humid air at 30oC has relative humidity of 30%. Determine:
a) Saturation humidity
b) Absolute humidity
c) Percentage humidity
d) humid volume
Assume M dry air = 28 kg/kmol
Antoine equation
Terms of Temperature related to humidity measurements

Dry Bulb Wet Bulb Evaporation of water in the wick causes

Temperature Temperature a drop in bulb temperature.

Temperature as measured by
thermometer, thermocouple,
or other conventional
instruments.

Dew Point Temperature at which humid air become

Temperature saturated if it is cooled at constant pressure.
PSYCHROMETRIC / HUMIDITY CHART
Information:
• Dry bulb, wet bulb/
saturation temperature
• Absolute humidity (moisture
content)
• Humid volume
• Relative humidity
• Enthalpy at saturation
PSYCHROMETRIC / HUMIDITY CHART
Example 2
Exercise
Exercise