HUMIDITY CONTROL
Healthy buildings: Are your offices ready?
The newly released CIBSE Covid-19 Ventilation guidance document suggests that relative humidity should be kept above 40% wherever possible. Colin Outram, sales manager for HumiTech examines the requirements of this ‘new normal’.
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n these changing times, it is paramount that preventative measures are in place to safeguard employees and personnel in all environments. Wellness considerations should be taken into account when allowing larger groups to reoccupy buildings, as fresh air quality in an offi ce environment aids staff productivity, reduces overall stress and creates an ideal workplace ambiance. These factors are very important in the ability for companies/employees to return to work.
The humidifi er and its associated equipment is all too often regarded as an ‘extra component’ that is not always deemed essential. Yet, experience tells us that this is far from true. Humidity has been proven to be an extremely important factor in creating the ideal offi ce working environment. Large offi ce buildings generally have AHU ventilation systems that have the ability to accept humidifi cation systems. Small offi ces usually have stand-alone humidifi ers. There are many humidity solutions that will combat a dry atmosphere, and there are plenty of humidifi cation products on the market. However, choosing the right humidifi er for the right
34 September 2020
application requires specialist expert knowledge gained from years of experience in product selection, technical ability and overall general application experience.
With the introduction of many new humidifi cation products on the market, it is essential that each humidifi er is researched thoroughly so that the most appropriate system can be selected for each individual site. Adiabatic and isothermal humidifi cation systems both require meticulous pre-selection, design and planning to avoid future costly operational problems.
All installation design factors should be considered at this stage. This involves the calculation of the humidifi cation electrical power loads and supplies, facilities for control wiring, water quality and supply availability, steam injection/distribution access, nozzle positioning, location of drainage points, calculation of compressed air loads and supplies, accessibility and very importantly health and safety issues. One of the humidifi cation installations favoured by our clients is the direct replacement of an old, mal-functioning humidifi er with a modern, advanced version with the same
moisture output. Upgrades are also available if required. This can create considerable savings in labour costs, however, with changing humidifi er designs and technologies, this may not always be the most feasible solution. Retro-fi t installations require additional considerations. Although essential services can be available and in some cases local to the proposed humidifi er siting, the reasons for the absence of a humidifi er in the original specifi cation should also be established.
An incorrectly installed humidifi cation system can cause unnecessary, avoidable problems. When a humidifi er is installed incorrectly, it will operate ineffi ciently causing excessive power consumption and increased maintenance costs. The humidifi er output may be unnecessarily restricted and in some cases the humidifi er may pose a future potential health hazard. Installing a humidifi er in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines will result in the following benefi ts: Long and short term cost eff ectiveness Effi cient long-term operation Energy savings Reduced installation labour time.
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