HUMIDITY CONTROL
The dry facts M
Ranald Stewart
aintaining precise control over environmental conditions, including humidity, is more than simply a matter of convenience in many industries. For example, humidity plays a critical role in ensuring product safety, effi cacy, and longevity. Humidity control is vital in many sectors, but the
margin for error is minimal in industries such as pharmaceuticals, healthcare, food, and electronics. In pharmaceutical cold rooms, for instance, medicines, vaccines, and biologics are stored at precise temperatures and humidity levels to ensure they remain eff ective and safe for use. Poor humidity can lead to deterioration, contamination, or even complete failure of these products, endangering public health. Similarly, maintaining optimal humidity in food
storage is crucial to preserving freshness, preventing spoilage, and ensuring product quality. In data centres and electronic manufacturing, even minor fl uctuations in humidity can result in equipment malfunction or product defects. Humidity control in such high-stakes environments
presents several signifi cant challenges. These include the need for: ■ Precise environmental control: Humidity must be kept within tightly defi ned parameters. In phar- maceutical cold rooms, for example, the relative humidity (RH) needs to be controlled within specif- ic ranges to prevent degradation of stored goods. Too much humidity can cause condensation, leading to mould, bacterial growth, or chemical degradation. Too little humidity can lead to desiccation or altered physical properties, such as the crystallisation of active ingredients in vaccines.
■ Operational certainty: Humidity control systems must operate with high reliability and consisten- cy. In sectors like pharmaceuticals, unexpected fl uctuations in environmental conditions can result in product spoilage, stock losses, and the need for costly recalls. A downtime in equipment is unac- ceptable, as it can jeopardise the entire operation.
26 March 2025 •
www.acr-news.com
There are many challenges involved in creating eff ective humidity control, including the need for operational certainty, meeting stringent standards, and adhering to sustainability goals. Ranald Stewart, regional sales manager at Klima-Therm, explores these challenges and examines how they are being addressed by emerging solutions.
Ensuring operational certainty means systems must be fault-tolerant and highly responsive to any slight variation in environmental conditions. As an example, when people access the cold room, they bring in moisture and at cold temperatures, this fl uctuation in relative humidity can be signifi cant.
■ Meeting exacting standards: Industries like pharmaceuticals are governed by stringent regula- tions and standards such as Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Good Distribution Practices (GDP).
These guidelines require precise monitoring and documentation of environmental conditions, including temperature and humidity, during storage and transportation of drugs and vaccines. Humidity control systems, therefore, must provide accurate, verifi able data on RH levels at all times, which is often scrutinised during audits.
■ Sustainability targets: There is increasing pres- sure across industries to reduce carbon footprints and meet sustainability targets. Traditional humid- ity control methods, such as refrigerant-based air conditioning systems, can be energy-intensive and contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. As regulations around sustainability tighten and organisations face mounting pressure from consumers and stakeholders, there is a growing demand for energy-effi cient, environmentally friendly alternatives. For example, some companies, including mine, can use heat pumps and dehumidifi ers, where the regeneration heater can run from hot water rather than electric heaters.
■ Ensuring consistency over time: Over time, environmental conditions can change due to equipment ageing, system wear, and fl uctuations in external weather conditions. Therefore, main- taining long-term consistency is critical. Systems must be designed to function reliably in the short term and be durable and adaptable to long-term environmental changes. As such, with our regeneration outlet ducts, we always install a
condensate drain to ensure the system works even in adverse conditions. The need for precise humidity control and the
increasing complexity of environmental demands have led to the development of advanced solutions in humidity control, including intelligent humidity control systems, humidity and temperature integration, energy-effi cient and sustainable solutions, advanced monitoring and compliance tools, and Customisation and scalability. ■ Intelligent humidity control systems: Modern humidity control systems use sensors and data analytics to monitor and adjust environmental conditions in real time. Many intelligent systems automatically adjust the humidity level based on the specifi c requirements of each application. These systems provide continuous feedback, en- suring deviations are corrected immediately, thus ensuring operational certainty. Moreover, these systems can be programmed to optimise the energy use of the entire climate control system, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining precise conditions.
■ Humidity and temperature integration: In criti- cal environments like pharmaceutical cold rooms, managing temperature and humidity is key to pre- serving the quality and safety of stored products. Advanced systems integrate temperature and humidity control, enabling precise coordination between these factors.
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