Facts at your fingertips: Humidity control

Some of the essential factors to be kept in mind while performing humidity control are presented. Preventing moisture regain is essential because nearly all materials have some affinity for moisture based on surface characteristics and the amount of surface exposed to humid air. Preventing condensation is also essential because cold surfaces of pipes. vessels, valves and heat exchangers condense moisture unless the air around them is dried. Drying heat-sensitive products is necessary, as if the product is susceptible to damage by heat, drying time can be reduced by using dehumidified air, which reduces the vapor pressure of air above the wet surface. A common method for dehumidification is the use of air conditioning. Desiccant dehumidifiers can produce dewpoints below 0°F, a fivefold reduction in the air moisture beyond what can be achieved with a standard grade air conditioning system.