Dehumidifiers tend to come in two forms, desiccant and condensing. Both works to lower humidity, but use two different methods to do so and operate most effectively in different environments.
A general rule of thumb is that refrigerant/condensing dehumidifiers are most effective at close to room temperature. They can operate at higher or lower temperatures, but require significantly increased energy consumption and maintenance to do so.
Desiccant dehumidifiers are also called absorption dehumidifiers. These units operate well no matter the temperature of their surroundings, but require some additional ductwork to be effective.
Desiccant dehumidifiers use a desiccant wheel to absorb moisture from the surrounding air. This processed air is then pumped into the controlled area. On the other side of the unit a ‘regeneration stream’ of air is drawn into the unit and heated, before being used to dry the now wet section of the absorption wheel. After removing the water left of the wheel the waste air is pumped out of the building and vented into the environment outside.
Our friends at Cotes have put together an excellent explainer video depicting the desiccant dehumidification process, which you can find below.
Of course, there are additional considerations when it comes to finding your perfect dehumidification solution, such as moisture load, energy consumption, evaporation distances and operational noise. For more information and help finding the ideal humidity control solution for your commercial and industrial needs, please contact us by calling 01372571200 or emailing info@humiditysolutions.co.uk.
