Sizing Considerations

Psychrometric Considerations However, short-cut methods for making Sizing for Booster Humidifier
in Ducted Systems these calculations or for checking psychro- Assume that a primary humidifier provides
metric calculations are described below. air that will have 40% RH at 70°F, but you
In practice you may find that areas need
want to maintain 60% RH in a laboratory
humidification but cannot be satisfactorily
humidified through the central air handling Sizing for Primary Humidification supplied with 900 CFM of the air at 40%
In sizing duct humidifiers for air handling at 70°F. Refer to Table 27-3 and read 1.38
system. These are often areas having
systems, you should know: under 60% and opposite 70°F—40%.
high sensible heat loads that must be
CFM of air. 9 x 1.38 = 12.42 lbs. The humidifier must
balanced with low duct air temperatures to
Design outdoor air temperature and be able to provide this capacity at steam
maintain design temperature conditions in
relative humidity. supply pressure.
the area. Typical examples are data
processing rooms or hospital operating Required indoor temperature and relative
rooms where duct air temperatures may humidity. Special Conditions
be held as low as 50°F to maintain a Humidifier steam supply pressure. When relative humidities must be figured
design condition of 75°F in the room. for temperature conditions other than
These low duct air temperatures prevent The formula for load calculation is: those given in Tables 27-1 through 27-3,
adding enough moisture to the air to meet Table 27-5 will prove helpful.
design RH requirements in the room— Humidification Load = CFM (R2 - R1) 60
in lbs/hr 7,000
say, 55% RH. New Condition—55% RH at 77°F.
Makeup Air—35% RH at 70°F.
Using these conditions as an example, Where: From Table E-23:
duct air at 50°F and 90% RH holds slightly CFM = air flow of unhumidified air at
Grains per cu ft
less than 3.7 grains of moisture per cubic moisture condition R1
New Condition 5.54
foot. At 75°F the same 3.7 grains of R2 = moisture content of required
Less Grains per cu ft,
moisture yield a relative humidity of 39%. indoor condition air in gr/ft3
Makeup Air 2.82
To achieve design conditions of 55% RH R1 = moisture content of air to be
Grains to be added 2.72
at 75°F, the air must contain 5.2 grains of humidified (from outdoor condi-
Assume 800 CFM
moisture per cubic foot—1.5 grains more tion) in gr/ft3
800 x 2.72 x 60
than it psychrometrically can hold at duct 7,000 = gr/lb conversion = 18.65 lbs/hr
7,000
air temperature. 60 = min/hr conversion
NOTE: .857 lb of steam per hour will add
For such applications, booster humid- EXAMPLE, assume:
1 grain to 100 CFM. Use of this factor simplifies
ification must be accomplished in the air 6,800 CFM of outdoor air.
the above equation to: 8 x 2.72 x .857 = 18.65.
of the area after it has reached its final Design outdoor air temperature 0°F.
temperature. Evaporative pan humidifiers Steam pressure 10 psig.
Where Table 27-5 is used for outdoor air
may be used for this purpose, although we Required 40% RH at 70°F.
makeup, assume 75% RH for the outdoor
would recommend using combined steam Air controls used.
air at 0° to -20°F.
humidifier-fan units which can be installed
either within the humidified space or From Table 27-1, for 70°F final temperature,
remote ducted to the space. For hospital read 2.456 under 40% and opposite 0°F. Room to Duct Comparisons
This is pounds of vapor per hour for 100 CFM. When high humidity is needed in a room
applications, steam humidifier-fan units
Then 68 x 2.456 = 167.01 or, call it 167 lbs per (70°F-60% RH) and the duct temperature
should include an integral high efficiency
hour required for design conditions. is lower than the room temperature (50°F),
(95%) filter to satisfy code requirements.
the duct high-limit humidistat often acts
A single humidifier can provide this capacity as the controlling stat. Duct high-limit
Determining Humidification although sequence control for two humidifiers humidistats should be set between 70%
might be needed to avoid duct condensation
Loads for Air Handling Systems on very light loads. Length of distribution
and 90% RH. We do not recommend
Most engineers prefer to determine setting the high-limit stat any higher than
manifold is governed by width of duct where 90% RH. Table 27-4 shows the maximum
humidification requirements psychro- the humidifier is to be located.
metrically on the basis of design condi- room humidity that can be achieved for the
tions and humidification requirements. given duct conditions.

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Computer Software Can You respond to the questions—often with For a free copy of Armstrong Software
Simplify Humidifier Selection a single keystroke—and the Software Program 2, contact Armstrong or your
Program 2 can: Armstrong Representative.
Armstrong offers a free software program
which can eliminate the need for time-
■ Calculate humidification load.
consuming pencil-and-paper calculations.
■ Determine correct humidifier
The Armstrong Software Program 2 runs
model number.
on IBM PC or compatible MS-DOS
■ Determine correct orifice size.
computers. Once the user-friendly soft-
■ Indicate psychrometric properties
ware is loaded into your computer, the
of air.
program displays on your monitor a series
■ Calculate equivalent room humidity
of easy-to-understand questions about
from known duct conditions.
your humidification application.
■ Print the complete humidification
application specification.

Table 27-1. 70°F Primary Humidification Pounds of vapor required per Table 27-4. Maximum Room RH for Given Duct Conditions
hour per 100 CFM to secure desired RH at 70°F (outside air 75% saturated) Duct
Duct Room RH @ Temperature °F
Relative
Relative Humidity Desired Temperature Humidity
Outdoor °F (RH) 68° 70° 72° 75°

emp. 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70% 90% 47% 44% 41% 37%
50 85% 44% 41% 39% 35%
*30 1.165 1.510 1.855 2.200 2.545 2.891 3.236 3.581 80% 42% 39% 36% 33%
20 1.618 1.963 2.308 2.653 2.998 3.344 3.689 4.034 90% 57% 53% 49% 44%
55 85% 53% 50% 46% 42%
10 1.918 2.263 2.608 2.953 3.298 3.644 3.989 4.334 80% 50% 47% 44% 39%
0 2.111 2.456 2.801 3.146 3.591 3.837 4.182 4.527 90% 68% 63% 59% 53%
-10 2.233 2.578 2.923 3.268 3.613 3.959 4.304 4.649 60 85% 64% 60% 56% 50%
80% 60% 56% 52% 47%
-20 2.309 2.654 2.999 3.344 3.689 4.035 4.380 4.725

Table 27-2. 75°F Primary Humidification Pounds of vapor required per Table 27-5. Grains of Water Vapor per cu ft of Air at Various
hour per 100 CFM to secure desired RH at 75°F (outside air 75% saturated) Temperatures and Relative Humidities
Relative Humidity Desired Grains Grains per cu ft at
Air Relative Humidity Specified
Outdoor cu ft
Temp.
Saturated 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 75%
emp. 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70%
80 11.04 3.86 4.42 4.97 5.52 6.07 6.62 7.18 8.28
*30 1.584 1.989 2.394 2.799 3.204 3.609 4.014 4.419 79 10.71 3.75 4.28 4.82 5.36 5.89 6.43 6.96 8.03
20 2.034 2.439 2.844 3.249 3.654 4.059 4.464 4.869 78 10.38 3.63 4.15 4.67 5.19 5.71 6.23 6.75 7.79
77 10.06 3.52 4.03 4.53 5.03 5.54 6.04 6.55 7.55
10 2.334 2.739 3.144 3.549 3.954 4.359 4.764 5.169 76 9.749 3.41 3.90 4.39 4.87 5.36 5.85 6.34 7.31
0 2.529 2.934 3.339 3.744 4.149 4.554 4.959 5.364 75 9.448 3.31 3.78 4.25 4.72 5.20 5.67 6.14 7.09
-10 2.652 3.057 3.462 3.867 4.272 4.677 5.082 5.487 74 9.153 3.20 3.66 4.12 4.58 5.03 5.49 5.95 6.86
73 8.867 3.10 3.55 3.99 4.43 4.88 5.32 5.76 6.65
-20 2.727 3.132 3.537 3.942 4.347 4.752 5.157 5.562 72 8.568 3.01 3.44 3.86 4.29 4.72 5.15 5.58 6.44
* When outdoor design temperatures exceed 30°F, use Table 27-5 entering 71 8.319 2.91 3.33 3.74 4.16 4.58 4.99 5.41 6.24
the table with both outdoor design temperature and outdoor design RH. 70 8.055 2.82 3.22 3.62 4.03 4.43 4.83 5.24 6.04
65 6.845 2.40 2.74 3.08 3.42 3.76 4.11 4.45 5.13
Table 27-3. Booster Humidification Pounds of vapor per hour per
100 CFM to secure desired relative humidity with no change in air temperature 60 5.795 2.03 2.32 2.61 2.90 3.19 3.48 3.77 4.35
55 4.889 1.71 1.96 2.20 2.44 2.69 2.93 3.18 3.67
Initial Condition Relative Humidity Desired 50 4.106 1.44 1.64 1.85 2.05 2.26 2.46 2.67 3.08
40 2.863 1.00 1.15 1.29 1.43 1.57 1.72 1.86 2.15
30 1.946 .58 .68 .78 .97 1.07 1.17 1.26 1.46
Temp. RH 40% 45% 50% 55% 60% 65% 70%
20 1.242 .43 .50 .56 .62 .68 .75 .81 .93
10 .776 .27 .31 .35 .39 .43 .47 .50 .58
70 35% .345 .690 1.03 1.38 1.72 2.07 2.42
0 .475 .17 .19 .21 .24 .26 .29 .31 .36
70 40% –– .345 .69 1.03 1.38 1.72 2.07 -10 .285 .10 .1 .13 .14 .16 .17 .19 .21
72 35% .368 .728 1.10 1.46 1.83 2.20 2.57 -20 .166 .06 1.07 .07 .08 .09 .10 .11 .12
72 40% –– .368 .73 1.10 1.46 1.83 2.20 Steam required to add 1 gr per cu ft to 100 CFM: 6,000
= .857 lb/hr
75 35% .405 .810 1.22 1.62 2.03 2.43 2.84 100 x 60 = 6,000 cu ft per hour or 6,000 grains per hour. 7,000
75 40% –– .405 .81 1.22 1.62 2.03 2.43

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 Economizer Cycles Conditions
Fan coil air systems which mix return air Tables 28-1 and 28-3 below give the EXAMPLE
and outside air in varying amounts to percent of outside air required to main- Given conditions that 70°F return air
obtain a given final mixed air temperature tain desired mixed air temperature when temperature is mixed with outside air to
require special consideration in determin- out-side air temperature is as shown. produce 55°F constant mixed air temperature
ing maximum humidification loads. Table 28-1 is used when return air in duct. The design of the space being con-
(room air) temperature is at 70°F. Table ditioned is 70°F at 40% RH. Total volume
Systems of this type usually use a fixed 28-3 is for 75°F return air systems. of air through the fan system is 4,000 CFM.
minimum amount of outside air (approxi- Determine maximum humidification load.
mately 10%-30%) when outside air temp- Tables 28-2 and 28-4 can be used to
erature is at a maximum design (-10°F). determine maximum humidification load From Table 28-2 with 55°F mixed air
As the outside air temperature increases, at the given conditions of mixed air temperature and 40% RH space design, the
more outside air is mixed with return air temperature and required RH, assuming maximum humidification load is 8.4 pounds
to achieve a final mixed air temperature 50% RH OSA and 10% minimum OSA. per 1,000 CFM of total air volume. This
(55°F). Since humidification load is a maximum load occurs when the outside air
function of the amount of outside air NOTE: Consideration must be given to over- temperature is at 46°F. Multiplying 8.4 x 4
introduced (plus its moisture content) the saturating conditions in lower temperature results in total pounds per hour required in
maximum humidification requirement will systems. the 4,000 CFM system. Therefore maximum
occur at some outside air temperature humidification load becomes 33.6 pounds of
vapor per hour.
other than maximum design.

Table 28-1. With 70°F Return Air

Desired % Outside Air Required at Temperature Shown
Mixed Air
Temp. °F -10˚ 0˚ 5˚ 10˚ 15˚ 20˚ 25˚ 30˚ 35˚ 40˚ 45˚ 50˚ 55˚ 60˚ 65˚
50 25 29 31 33 36 40 45 50 57 67 80 100 –– –– ––
55 19 21 23 25 27 30 33 36 43 50 60 75 100 –– ––
60 12 14 15 17 18 20 22 25 29 33 40 50 67 100 ––
65 6 7 7 8 9 10 11 13 14 16 20 25 33 50 100
Table 28-2. With 70°F Return Air
Max. Humidification Load (given in lbs of vapor/hr/1,000 CFM of total air) Occurs at Outside Air Temp. Shown for Given Inside RH
Inside RH 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%
Mixed Air Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max.
Temp. ˚F Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load
50 30 6.7 39 8.6 46 11.2 50 14.5 50 18.0* 50 21.5*
55 30 5.0 39 6.5 46 8.4 54 11.1 55 14.6 55 18.1*
60 30 3.3 39 4.3 46 5.6 54 7.4 60 10.5 60 14.0
65 0 1.9 0 2.2 46 2.8 54 3.7 65 5.7 65 9.2
Table 28-3. With 75°F Return Air
Desired % Outside Air Required at Temperature Shown
Mixed Air
Temp. °F -10˚ 0˚ 5˚ 10˚ 15˚ 20˚ 25˚ 30˚ 35˚ 40˚ 45˚ 50˚ 55˚ 60˚ 65˚
50 30 33 36 38 42 45 50 56 62 71 83 100 –– –– ––
55 23 26 28 31 33 36 40 44 50 57 67 80 100 –– ––
60 18 20 21 23 25 27 30 33 37 43 50 60 75 100 ––
65 12 13 14 15 16 18 20 22 25 29 33 40 50 67 100
Table 28-4. With 75°F Return Air
Max. Humidification Load (given in lbs of vapor/hr/1,000 CFM of total air) Occurs at Outside Air Temp. Shown for Given Inside RH
Inside RH 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55%
Mixed Air Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max. Outside Max.
Temp. ˚F Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load Air ˚F Load
50 35 9.7 43 12.6 50 16.4* 50 20.5* 50 24.7* 50 28.8*
55 35 7.8 43 10.1 50 13.1 55 17.0* 55 21.2* 55 25.4*
60 35 5.8 43 7.6 50 9.8 59 13.0 60 17.1 60 21.3*
65 35 3.9 43 5.1 50 6.5 59 8.6 65 12.3 65 16.5*
* Humidification loads will exceed 90% RH in duct at temperature indicated. Booster humidification is recommended.

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