Unit Operation Lesson 1

Engineering Technical College / Basrh
Chemical and Petrochemical Techniques Engineering Department
Chapter Two
Humidification and Cooling Towers
2-1 Basic concepts

Humidification is the process of constituting the water-vapor content in a gas.
The reverse of the operation is called dehumidification. Both are important for
many industrial operations such as air conditioning, gas cooling, controlled
drying of wet solids etc. When a gas is brought in contact with a pure liquid in
which it is essentially insoluble, interphase mass and heat transfer takes place.
Four major applications of humidification operations are as follows:

a) Humidification of gases for controlled drying of wet solids
b) Dehumidification and cooling of gas in air conditioning
c) Gas cooling with the help of water
d) Cooling of liquid (e.g. water) before reuse.
2-2 Terminologies and Definitions

Three most important quantities, namely, ‘temperature’, ‘humidity’ and ‘enthalpy’, are
essential terminologies in dealing humidification.
1) Dry-bulb temperature: It is true temperature of air measured (or, any
noncondensable and condensable mixture) by a thermometer whose bulb is dry.
2) Wet-bulb temperature: It is the steady-state temperature attained by a small amount
of evaporating water in a manner such that the sensible heat transferred from the air to
the liquid is equal to the latent heat required for evaporation.
Mrs. Jamela S. Aziz Unit Operation Process 4th Stage 1

3) Relative humidity: It is the ratio of partial pressure of water vapor (PA) in air at a
given temperature to the vapor pressure of water ( PAᴏ ) at the same temperature
𝑃𝐴
% 𝑟𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑦 = × 100 … … . (2: 1)
𝑃𝐴°
“Relative humidity does not ‘explicitly’ give the moisture content of a gas, but gives
the ‘degree of saturation’ of the gas at a given temperature.
4) Absolute humidity (simply humidity): It is the direct measurement of moisture
content in a gas. The mass of water vapor per unit mass of dry gas is called absolute
humidity, Y/.
𝑃𝐴 18.02
𝑌\ = [ ] … … (2: 2)
𝑃 − 𝑃𝐴 28.79
5) Percent humidity or percent saturation: It is the relation between absolute humidity

to that of saturation humidity at the same temperature and pressure.
𝑌\
%𝐻𝑢𝑚𝑖𝑑𝑖𝑡𝑦 = \
× 100 … … (2: 3)
𝑌𝑆
\
where, 𝑌 \ is absolute humidity of sample of air and 𝑌𝑆 is humidity at same
temperature and pressure if saturated with water vapor.
\ 𝑃𝐴𝑉 18.02
𝑌𝑆 =[ ] … … (2: 4)
𝑃 − 𝑃𝑉𝑉 28.79
And vapor pressure of water can be calculated by Antoine Equation.
3984.923
ln 𝑃𝐴𝑉 = 11.96481 − … … (2: 5)
𝑇 − 39.97
Where, pressure is in bar and temperature is in K.
6) Dew point: Dew point is a temperature at which a vapor-gas mixture must be cooled
(at constant humidity) to become saturated. The dew point of a saturated gas equals the gas
temperature. If a vapor-gas mixture is gradually cooled at a constant pressure, the
temperature at which it just becomes saturated is also called its dew point.
7) Humid volume: The humid volume, ⱱH, is defined as the volume of unit mass of dry
air with accompanying water vapor at a given temperature and pressure.
1 1 𝑇𝐺 + 273
𝑣𝐻 = [ + ] × 22.4 × [ ] … … (2: 6)
28.79 18.02 273
By m3/Kg dry air. Assuming ideal gas behavior. TG is gas temperature in ºC.
8) Humid heat: The humid heat, CH, is the heat energy required to raise the temperature
of unit mass of dry air with the accompanying water vapor by one (1) degree
𝐶𝐻 = 1.005 + 1.88 𝑌 \ 𝐾𝐽/(𝐾𝑔 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟). 𝐾 … . (2: 7)
First part of right hand side is heat capacity of dry air in kJ/kg.K and second part is heat
capacity of water vapor in kJ/kg.K.
9) Enthalpy: The enthalpy of a vapor-gas mixture is the sum of the relative enthalpies of
gas and vapor content.
𝐻 \ = 𝐶𝐻 (𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇° ) + 𝑌 \ 𝜆ᴏ = (1.005 + 1.88𝑌 \ )(𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇ᴏ ) + 2500𝑌 \ … … (2: 8)
where λ0 is latent heat of vaporization of water, 2500 kJ/Kg.
2-3 Adiabatic Saturation Temperature:
Figure 1:1.. Schematic representation of adiabatic saturation of air.
The schematic of the adiabatic saturation of air by water is shown in Figure 1.1. The air
stream attains thermal equilibrium with water at temperature Tas and also gets saturated with
water vapor at that temperature before it leaves. A small quantity of water at the temperature
Tas is fed to the humidification chamber continuously in order to compensate for the
vaporization loss of water. The chamber operates adiabatically, wall is well-insulated. The
temperature Tas attained by air (same as water) is called “adiabatic saturation temperature”
Tas.
\
Enthalpy of inlet air, 𝐻𝑖 = 𝐶𝐻 (𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇° ) + 𝜆𝑆 𝑌 \ … … (2: 9)

\ \ \
Enthalpy of exit air, 𝐻° = 𝐶𝐻 (𝑇𝑎𝑠 − 𝑇𝑎𝑠 ) + 𝜆𝑆 𝑌𝑆 = 𝜆𝑆 𝑌𝑆 … … (2: 10)
\ \
At steady state, 𝐻𝑖 = 𝐻° … … (2: 11)
\
Hence; 𝐶𝐻 (𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇° ) + 𝜆𝑆 𝑌 \ = 𝜆𝑆 𝑌𝑆 … … (2: 12)
𝜆𝑆 \
(𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇° ) = (𝑌 − 𝑌 \ ) … … (2: 13)
𝐶𝐻 𝑆

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Engineering Technical College / Basrh

Chemical and Petrochemical Techniques Engineering Department

Humidification and Cooling Towers

2-1 Basic concepts

Four major applications of humidification operations are as follows:

2-2 Terminologies and Definitions

Mrs. Jamela S. Aziz Unit Operation Process 4th Stage 1

5) Percent humidity or percent saturation: It is the relation between absolute humidity

𝐶𝐻 = 1.005 + 1.88 𝑌 \ 𝐾𝐽/(𝐾𝑔 𝑑𝑟𝑦 𝑎𝑖𝑟). 𝐾 … . (2: 7)

𝐻 \ = 𝐶𝐻 (𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇° ) + 𝑌 \ 𝜆ᴏ = (1.005 + 1.88𝑌 \ )(𝑇𝐺 − 𝑇ᴏ ) + 2500𝑌 \ … … (2: 8)

where λ0 is latent heat of vaporization of water, 2500 kJ/Kg.

2-3 Adiabatic Saturation Temperature:

Figure 1:1.. Schematic representation of adiabatic saturation of air.

Mrs. Jamela S. Aziz Unit Operation Process 4th Stage 3

Mrs. Jamela S. Aziz Unit Operation Process 4th Stage 4

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