WAREHOUSE HUMIDITY CONTROLLER

Humidity Control - Regulation of the degree of saturation (relative humidity) or quantity

(absolute humidity) of water vapor in a mixture of air and water vapor. Humidity is commonly
mistaken as a quality of air.

When the mixture of air and water vapor is heated at constant pressure, not in the presence of
water or ice, the ratio of vapor pressure to saturation pressure decreases; that is, the relative
humidity falls, but absolute humidity remains the same. If the warm mixture is brought in
contact with water in an insulated system, adiabatic humidification takes place; the warm gases
and the bulk of the water are cooled as heat is transferred to that portion of the water which
evaporates, until the water vapor reaches its saturation pressure corresponding to the resultant
water-air-vapor mixture temperature. Relative humidity is then 100% and absolute humidity
has increased. Heating of the mixture and use of the heated mixture to evaporate water is
typical of many industrial drying processes, as well as such common domestic applications as
hair drying.

Importance of humidity controller

-It is essential that the relative humidity be maintained above a certain level

-it is dangerous to allow the relative humidity to fall below about 50%

The Process in Humidity Controler

The recirculating air blower runs at all time, distributing air evenly to all parts of the storage
area when the water solenoid valve opens, it allows water to reach the series of drip emitters
the recirculating air blower sucks air out through the roof of the warehouse and forces it past
the drip emitters. The moving air absorbs some of this dripping water, and the wetted air is
then distributed via ductwork to various locations throughout the warehouse the signal to turn
on the water originates in the wet bulb-dry bulb sampling chamber a continuous stream of air
from the storage area is sucked into the sampling chamber by a small sampling blower the
sampled air passes over both temperature bulbs

The Temperature Detector

• the nickel RTDs have a resistance of 20 kilo-ohms at 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

• the dry bulb RTD is placed in a wheatstone bridge in the R4 position

• the wet bulb RTD is placed in the R3 position

• the resistance of the RTDs are labeled Rdry and Rwet

• the left side of the wheatstone bridge divides the 10-V dc supply evenly, since R1 equals
R2

• the right side will not divide the supply voltage evenly because Rwet will be less than
Rdry due to its lower temperature

• therefore the bridge will be unbalanced, with the bridge output voltage furnishing the
input signal to op amp 1

• this input voltage is identified as bridge voltage

• Op amp 2 is a voltage comparer

• it compares the value of Vout to +8.0 V

• the 8-V reference is supplied by the 7-kilo-ohms/8-kilo-ohms voltage divider

• if Vout is less than +8.0 V, the output of the voltage comparer is -13 V

• if VoutBout is greater than +8.0 V, the output of the voltage comparer is +13 V

• therefore Vout2 switches from -13 V dc to +13 V dc when Vout reaches +8.0 V

• When this happens, transistor Q1 switches ON and energizes relay R

• this relay closes a contract in the 115 ac circuit, which energizes the water solenoid
valve
• this adds moisture to the recirculating air, thereby driving the relative humidity back up
above 50%

• The desired relative humidity can can be changed easily, just by changing the value
value of value of the 8-kilo-ohms resistor in the voltage divider which feeds op amp 2

Relationship between the relative humidity and input voltage

• as the relative humidity goes down, the temperature difference between the bulbs
becomes greater

• as the temperature difference becomes greater, the difference between Rwet and Rdry
also increases, throwing the bridge further out of balance

• therefore, a decrease in relative humidity causes an increase in bridge voltage