Steam humidifier problem??
Steam humidifier problem??
(OP)
I have a new air handling unit, steam humidifer just commissioned and up and running. The primary side of the humidifier is hot water at about 140degC. There is a problem with the sparge pipes (pipes with holes that deliver the steam into the AHU). They are spitting out condensate as well as steam.
The sparge pipes are sloped back towards the humidifier which is about 3m below the AHU. The slope is not the problem. There is no consensate drain in the installation. It was not reckomended. There is a pressure equelizing line between the humidifier vessel and the AHU chamber. The manufacturer says the condensate should drain back into the humidifier via the supply/sparge pipes and the pressure equelizing line between the AHU humidifier chamber and the humidifier vessel should be sufficient to allow this. The equelising line is about 1/2 coper pipe.
It looks like the steam head is driving the condensate out and not allowing it to travel back to the humidifier.
Any suggestions what I should do??
The sparge pipes are sloped back towards the humidifier which is about 3m below the AHU. The slope is not the problem. There is no consensate drain in the installation. It was not reckomended. There is a pressure equelizing line between the humidifier vessel and the AHU chamber. The manufacturer says the condensate should drain back into the humidifier via the supply/sparge pipes and the pressure equelizing line between the AHU humidifier chamber and the humidifier vessel should be sufficient to allow this. The equelising line is about 1/2 coper pipe.
It looks like the steam head is driving the condensate out and not allowing it to travel back to the humidifier.
Any suggestions what I should do??





RE: Steam humidifier problem??
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
Is there a high limit humidistat downstream that would prevent the humidifier from saturating the air in the AHU? The high limit humidistat should be set at 85%RH.
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
You might for the time being also try turning the steam flow rate down to reduce the steam injection flow rate.
Also as Lilliput says, have you installed a limiting sensor/controller.
Friar Tuck of Sherwood
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
Because the unit is so wide some of the sparge pipes have about 3m of copper pipe in the air stream before the sparge pipe is actually connected. Up to now this was not insulated so I think the air stream was causing the steam to condensate excessively and the normal draining technique of the humidifer was not good enough. We have insulated the pieps, but now the weather is mild and humid so there is no need for humidification. Will keep you posted.
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
Try to shorten the steam pipe length (install the humidifier closer to AHU).
regards,
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
RE: Steam humidifier problem??
RE: Steam humidifier problem??