Dehumidification for Industrial Coating Applications By: Jay Kranker Munters MCS Reasons for Using Dehumidification • Construction/Coating Schedules • New VOC Regulations • Paint Specifications • Adverse Weather Conditions Features & Benefits of Dehumidification • Controls Humidity in Workspace • Monolithic Coat: Ends Daily Blast and Coat Cycle • Easier Inspections • Creates Suitable Environment for Trades • Eliminates Weather Delays • Adds residual heat and helps to ventilate tanks. History of Desiccant Dehumidification • Developed for commercial use for the U.S. Navy, which needed to keep the cargo holds of ships dry, during WWII. • Honeycombe rotors designed in the 1950’s by U.S. Navy Commander Oliver Colvin and Carl Munters. Basic Psychrometrics • The measurement of the heat and water vapor properties of air. • Commonly used variables are temperature, relative humidity, and dewpoint temperature. • You can figure out the dewpoint if you know at least two of the psychrometric variables. Basic Psychrometrics • Relative Humidity: A measure of the water in a given air sample, relative to its ability to hold moisture at that temperature. • Warm air holds more moisture than cold air. • 100% RH = Dewpoint (Saturation) • Dewpoint: Water vapor will condense on surfaces when the dry bulb temperature falls below the dew point, or saturation, temperature. Basic Psychrometrics •Wet Bulb: Temperature at which water evaporates when air is blown over a wet surface (measured with a sling psychrometer). • Dry Bulb Temperature: can be measured with a regular thermometer. • Absolute Humidity: A measure of the specific moisture in the air, related in grains per pound of air. Linric Company Desiccant System Engineering, Engineering Software Development Linric Company, Software Division Headquarters: 44 Green Meadow Lane, Bedford, NH 03110 USA TEL: 603 472-5640 FAX: 603 472-4823 Psychrometric Chart Barometric Pressure 29.921 Inches Hg This chart was constructed using Linric Company’s psychrometric chart program based on ASHRAE formulas. Copyright © 1998 Linric Company PSYCHROMETRIC CHART -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120 130 140 150 160 Enthalpy - Btu per Pound of Dry Air 5 1 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 0 1 5 2 0 2 5 1 2 3 . 5 0 3 5 % RH 4 90 0 80% RH 4 1 3 5 . Dry Bulb Temperature0 °F 70% RH 5 0 60% RH 5 5 6 50% RH 0 1 3 . 5 6 5 10 9 7 40% RH 5 5° 0 1 7 F 0 5 We 8 0 8 0 9 5 0 t 1 30 B 4 % RH ul . 0 b T e m p e r a 1 4 t ur . 2 5 0% RH e 280 1 260 5 . 0 240 1 5 1 . 5 6 . 220 0 f t ³ / l b 200 ) 10 d b % r l R y / r H a g i r 180 ir ( y A 160 Dr of 140 d un Po 120 er p 100 e tur ois 80 M of 60 ns rai 40 o G ati 20 y R dit mi Hu L.A. Weather Data Weather Data December May Normal Daily Low 47.9° F 56.3 ° F Temperature Relative Humidity 68% 83% (AM) Dewpoint 37.6 ° F 51.21° F Temperature Absolute Humidity 33 gr./lb. 55 gr./lb. Desiccant DH Basics • Desiccant dehumidifiers use a desiccant or “sorption” material to attract and hold moisture from the air. (Ex: Lithium Chloride & Silica Gel). • The desiccant material can be reactivated or regenerated using thermal means, i.e.. gas burners or electric heater coils. How Desiccant Dehumidifiers Work REACTIVATION REACTIVATION AIR DISCHARGE AIR INLET (WARM, WET) DEHUMIDIFIED PROCESS AIR AIR DISCHARGE AIR INLET (WARM , DRY) DRIVE MOTOR THE DESICCANT WHEEL ROTATES AT A FIXED SPEED TO TRANSFER THE MASS OF MOISTURE FROM THE SUPPLY AIR TO THE REACTIVATION AIR Refrigerant Dehumidification • Cooling of air to below its dewpoint. • Most effective at high temperatures and high humidity (i.e.. Houston, TX). • Ambient air is circulated over a system of refrigeration coils, where condensation occurs. The moisture is collected & removed. • Air exits at a reduced temperature, reduced dewpoint and reduced absolute humidity. • Sometimes used in conjunction with desiccant dehumidifiers, to post-cool the air stream and further lower the dewpoint. Refrigerant Dehumidification • Relatively low power requirements versus desiccant dehumidification. • Does not work at low temperatures, somewhere between 40° and 65° F. • At moderate and low temperatures, needs more air flow than desiccant for the same level of protection. Heat vs. Dehumidification • Does not decrease the moisture content, but it does increase the ability of the air to hold moisture. • Heating decreases RH, but it does not change the dewpoint. • It is difficult to maintain a proper dewpoint spread with heaters only. • High temperatures may damage coatings & are uncomfortable to work in. Data Needed for DH Planning • Tank Size (Diameter & Height). • Location of Tank. • Proximity of Tank to Equipment. • Space Available (Footprint). • Weather Data. • Coating/Project Specifications. • What agency has fire jurisdiction? Where is Dehumidification Used? Tank Coating (Interiors) Power Plants Water Treatment Plants Manufacturing Plants Equipment Coating Buildings & Concrete Slabs Dehumidification in a Storage Tank Drying for Blasting & Coating Semiconductor Plant Drying for Epoxy Coating & Fireproofing Concrete Drying Remove Excess Moisture from Concrete Water Treatment Plant Remove Excess Moisture from Concrete How much does it cost? • Rental: a 4,500 cfm dehumidifier rents for about $3,600 a month. • Leasing: a 5,500 cfm dehumidifier will cost about $1,400 a month. • Purchasing: A 5,500 cfm dehumidifier, in an insulated cabinet, with both gas and electric reactivation will cost about $48,000.00, plus tax and shipping. How much DH do I need? 9,000 cfm DH – 2 million gal. tank 7,250 cfm DH – 1.5 million gal. tank 4,500 cfm DH – 1 million gal. tank 2,250 cfm DH – ½ million gal. tank 1,125 cfm DH – ¼ million gal. tank 600/775 cfm DH – 150,000 gal. tank Specifications • Air Changes Per Hour (at least 2 for most tanks). • Dewpoint Spread should be at least 17° F. • Schedule of Operation (ideally 24 hours). • Equipment: Desiccant dehumidifiers must use Silica Gel. Refrigerant DH is not usually acceptable, nor can heaters replace DH. • Internal Relative Humidity less than 50%. • If heaters are used, they should be electric, indirect fired or steam coil models only. • Cannot re-circulate air from the space or from filtration equipment back through the dehumidifier. References • The Dehumidification Handbook, Second Edition Lew Harriman, Cargocaire Engineering (1990) • SSPC Procedure Handbook, #00-09 Surface Preparation & Painting of Tanks and Closed Areas Dr. Bernard R. Appleman & Others (2000) Available for purchase at www.sspc.org Web Links • Global Center for Desiccant Technology: http://www.me.msstate.edu/GCDT/ • Linric Company: Psychrometrics http://www.linric.com • Psychrometric Calculator (FREE): http://www.engx.com/Psychrometry/psychrometry.html • Government Weather Data Downloads (FREE): http://ftp.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/ccd-data/ • Current Weather Data: http://www.accuweather.com/.