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Ideally, the room's environment, be it in the household or industrial areas, should be a place of comfort. Particularly, the air that circulates this environment and which we also breathe in is an extension of this comfort as nobody will be comfortable in a room that is filled with an unwanted smell and unhealthy microorganisms. To this end, the need to ensure a purified air in the room abounds. One device that is best suited for this purification is the dehumidifier.
How does a dehumidifier work?
We can liken a dehumidifier to a vacuum cleaner, but this time, it cleans the air. It is an electrical device that regulates the humidity level of the air in the room or environment where it is installed. To get this done, it removes the excess moisture that is in the air, creating an atmosphere that is humid-free, and inhabitable to microorganisms like mold.
Types of Dehumidifiers
Dehumidifiers are of two main types and can be used for household or industrial purposes. They are the desiccant dehumidifier and the refrigerant dehumidifier.
- Desiccant dehumidifier: Inside of a desiccant dehumidifier are: a desiccant (chemical compound), a condenser, a large rotating drum (desiccant rotor), one or more blowers, and a heater.
- Refrigerant Dehumidifier: This type of dehumidifier works in the same way as the Refrigerator.
How does the desiccant dehumidifier work?
The desiccant rotor contains two distinct zones - a "recharge zone" which makes up about 25 percent of the rotor and a “process zone” which makes up roughly 75 percent of the rotor.
The humid air entering the dehumidifier is drawn through the process zone. Moisture is then adsorbed by the desiccant here and exits. In other words, the humid air enters the dehumidifier, passes through the process zone, and then exits the dehumidifier.
At the recharge zone is the heater. It heats the humid air that is being drawn into the dehumidifier and also passed through the desiccant rotor.
The desiccant releases moisture as a result of the warm air that has been heated by the heater, then this released moisture from the desiccant is transmitted to the air.
The condenser on the dehumidifier's front receives the warm humid air leaving the recharge zone. At room temperature, the warm humid air condenses. Then the condensate falls into a condensate collection bucket.
How does the refrigerant dehumidifier work？
When you ask how do dehumidifiers work, the working process of this type of dehumidifier is fairly simple. The fan of the refrigerant dehumidifier is propelled by the compressor which then draws in the humid air. This air then passes through a cold evaporator coil which condenses the air's moisture. You can then collect the dripping liquid and dispose of it. Some people make use of this liquid for other industrial purposes.
Functions of each of the components
- One or more blower: This is the component that draws the room’s air into the dehumidifier and also blows out the processed air. Depending on the manufacturer, there can be one big blower in a unit or several small blowers in a unit.
- Desiccant: The desiccant is the most important component of this type of dehumidifier. It is a hydrophilic chemical material like silica gel that absorbs moisture. When heated, this desiccant also releases the absorbed moisture. The ability to absorb and also release the absorbed moisture is very important to the proper functioning of the desiccant dehumidifier, as such, the desiccant must always be present and in good condition.
- Condenser: This component is made of plastic. Its function is simply to condense the warm and moist air that goes into the dehumidifier.
- The Heater: This is an inbuilt device whose purpose is simply to reheat the adsorbed air.
- The Large Rotating Drum or desiccant rotor: This component makes up the bulk of the mass of this dehumidifier type. It is made up of layers of corrugated and flat sheets arranged alternately and then infused with the desiccant. The sheets are arranged in such a way that air flows perpendicular to them. Meanwhile, its primary function is to remove moisture from the incoming air.
Choosing the Right Dehumidifier for a Big Building
Be it a refrigerant dehumidifier or a desiccant dehumidifier, both types carry out the same function - to remove humidity from the air in a room.
However, several factors can affect your decision when choosing the right type of dehumidifier. These factors include:
Reason for the dehumidifier: Though it is already known that the main purpose of a dehumidifier is to remove moisture from the room, there are also some other advantages that this can result in. One of them is the removal of dust, and indoor allergens. As the air gets purified, these also go with it. Apart from that, too much moisture in the room can result in damages to the furniture and different surfaces. So having a dehumidifier for the aforementioned reasons is also ideal.
The temperature of the room: A damp room can cause frost to build up inside the dehumidifier and this is detrimental to its working process. Thankfully, many modern dehumidifiers come equipped with sensors that automatically detect the accumulation of frost. Upon detection, the dehumidifier automatically shuts down and allows the frost to melt away before it resumes the process.
Elimination of the Collected water: For both types of dehumidifiers, water drops out as the bye product. Mostly, this water drips out through a hole in the unit and may add to the moisture of the room if it drips back into the room, thereby defeating the purpose of using the device. To curb this, it is ideal to channel the dripping water out of the room via a pipe.
Size of the space: You have to choose the right dehumidifier for the right room size as the effect of the dehumidifier may not be felt if you do otherwise. Also, it is better to make use of the desiccant dehumidifier for sizeable rooms because it is particularly built for large rooms and also it has a lesser tendency to accumulate frost.
Conclusion
Dehumidifiers purify the air by removing excess moisture. In addition, this also removes microorganisms that can be harmful to health. The two types of dehumidifiers can be used for different enclosures, however, use this guide to streamline your choices. This article answers every question regarding how does a dehumidifier work.
