humidification

humidification [yü‚mid·i·fə′kā·shən]

(engineering)

The process of increasing the water vapor content of a gas.

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Humidification

The process of increasing the water-vapor content (humidity) of a gas. This process and its reverse operation, dehumidification, are important steps in air conditioning for human comfort and in many industrial operations. See Air conditioning, Dehumidifier

Air (or other gas) can be humidified by direct injection of water vapor (steam) or, more commonly, by the evaporation of liquid water in contact with the airstream. When evaporation occurs, heat is required to provide the latent heat of vaporization. If no external source of heat is provided, either the water or the air, or both, will be cooled. The cooling of water by this process is the basis of operation for industrial cooling towers, whereas evaporative air coolers often used in hot, dry climates depend upon the air-cooling effect. In both these types of apparatus, humidification of the air occurs, although it is not the prime objective of the operation. In units designed primarily for humidification, the incoming air is usually heated to provide the latent heat of evaporation and to permit the air to leave the unit at controlled levels of both temperature and humidity. See Cooling tower