CONTI NOUS HUMI DI FI CATI ON PROCESSES

latent heat of vaporisation given off cools water

water can be cooled only to wet bulb temperature
only small amount of water is lost
evaporation of warm water when in contact with unsaturated air
Water-cooling tower packed tower
Water-cooling tower
Water-cooling tower packed tower
air flows upward
warm water cascades down
Natural draft water cooler or forced draft water cooler
adiabatic
warm water flows counter-currently to an air stream
water can be discharged to the river or recirculated and reused
Natural draft water cooler
Natural draft water cooler
CONTI NOUS HUMI DI FI CATI ON
PROCESSES
Water vapour is transferred from the vapour state to the liquid state
Transfer of water from the liquid phase into a gaseous mixture of
air & water vapour
Humidification
Dehumidification
water
Air &water vapour
Humidity Chart
Properties of air-water vapour mixtures at 1 atm abs pressure
Humidity vs dry bulb temperature
H
u
m
i
d
i
t
y

0.0085
0.0115
Dew point =10
o
C, humidity = ?
Wet bulb temp. =20
o
C, dry bulb temp. = 30
o
C,humidity = ?
Humidity chart
Figure 9.3-2 Humidity Chart
where:
L= water flowrate (kg/s.m
2
)

T
L
= water temperature (
o
C)

G = dry air flowrate (kg/s.m
2
)
H = humidity of air (kg water/kg dry air)
H
y
= entahlpy of air-vapour mixture(J/kg dry air)
k
G
a = gas-phase volumetric coefficient (kmol/s.m
3
.Pa)
P = atmospheric pressure (Pa)
M
B
= molecular weight of air
Theory and calculations for water-cooling towers
z= height of tower (m)
G
M
B
k
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
G
M
B
K
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Using film mass-transfer coefficient Using overall mass transfer coefficient
Procedure:
2. Determine H
y1
from H
y1
= (1.005 + 1.88H
1
)10
3
(T
G1
-0) + 2.501 x 10
6
H
1
3. Calculate H
y2
from G(H
y2
-H
y1
) = Lc
L
(T
L2
-T
L1
) where c
L
= 4.187 x 10
3
J/kg.K

4. Plot the equilibrium line (table 10.5-1) on the H
y
vs T
L
graph
5. Draw the operating-line with the point (T
L1
,H
y1
) and (T
L2
,H
y2
) on the graph
Design of water-cooling tower using
film mass-transfer coefficient
1. Determine H
1
from the humidity chart given T
G1
& T
w
7. Obtain several values of H
yi
with the corresponding H
y
. Tabulate values
of H
yi
, H
y
, (H
yi
-H
y
) and 1/(H
yi
-H
y
)
6. Plot several lines with slope = - where h
L
a = liquid-phase
volumetric heat transfer coefficient
h
L
a
M
B
k
G
aP

9. Calculate z from
G
M
B
k
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
8. Plot 1/(H
yi
-H
y
) vs H
y
from H
y1
to H
y2
. Area under the curve =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Design of water-cooling tower using film mass-transfer coefficient
Procedure:
2. Determine H
y1
from H
y1
= (1.005 + 1.88H
1
)10
3
(T
G1
-0) + 2.501 x 10
6
H
1
3. Calculate H
y2
from G(H
y2
-H
y1
) = Lc
L
(T
L2
-T
L1
) where c
L
= 4.187 x 10
3
J/kg.K

4. Plot the equilibrium line (table 10.5-1) on the H
y
vs T
L
graph
5. Draw the operating-line with the point (T
L1
,H
y1
) and (T
L2
,H
y2
) on the graph
Design of water-cooling tower using
overall mass-transfer coefficient
1. Determine H
1
from the humidity chart given T
G1
& T
w
7. Obtain several values of H
y
* with the corresponding H
y
. Tabulate values
of H
y
*, H
y
, (H
y
*-H
y
) and 1/(H
y
*-H
y
)
6. Plot several vertical lines
9. Calculate z from
G
M
B
K
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
8. Plot 1/(H
y
*-H
y
) vs H
y
from H
y1
to H
y2
. Area under the curve =
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Design of water-cooling tower using overall mass-transfer
coefficient
Example 10.5-1:Tower Design Using Film Coefficient
z
T
L1
= 29.4
o
C
G=1.356 kg dry air/s.m
2

T
G1
=29.4
o
C
T
w
= 23.9
o
C

L = 1.356 kg water/s.m
2

T
L2
=43.3
o
C

Given: k
G
a = 1.207 x 10
-7
kgmol/s.m
3
.Pa & h
L
a/k
G
aM
B
P = 4.187x10
4
J/kg.K
1. Determine H
1
from the humidity chart given T
G1
& T
w
H
u
m
i
d
i
t
y

0.0165

At T
G1
=29.4
o
C & T
w
= 23.9
o
C, H
1
= ?

2. Determine H
y1
from H
y1
= (1.005 + 1.88H
1
)10
3
(T
G1
-0) + 2.501 x 10
6
H
1
H
y1
= (1.005 + 1.88[0.0165])10
3
(29.4-0) + 2.501 x 10
6
(0.0165) = 7.17 x 10
3
J/kg

Example 10.5-1:
3. Calculate H
y2
from G(H
y2
-H
y1
) = Lc
L
(T
L2
-T
L1
) where c
L
= 4.187 x 10
3
J/kg.K

z
T
L1
= 29.4
o
C
G=1.356 kg dry air/s.m
2

Hy
1
=7.17 x 10
3
J/kg dry air

L = 1.356 kg water/s.m
2

T
L2
=43.3
o
C

Example 10.5-1:
1.356 (H
y2
-7.17 x 10
3
) = 1.356 (4.187 x 10
3
)(43.3-29.4)
H
y2
= 129.9 x 10
3
J/kg dry air
4. Plot the equilibrium line (table 10.5-1) on the H
y
vs T
L
graph
5. Draw the operating-line with the point (T
L1
,H
y1
) and (T
L2
,H
y2
) on the graph
Example 10.5-1:
T
L1
= 29.4
o
C
Hy
1
=7.17 x 10
3
J/kg dry air

L = 1.356 kg water/s.m
2

T
L2
=43.3
o
C

G=1.356 kg dry air/s.m
2

Hy
2
=129.9 x 10
3
J/kg dry air

6. Plot several lines with slope = - =-4.187 x 10
4
J/kg.K
h
L
a
M
B
k
G
aP

Example 10.5-1:
Taking a point ,for example, H
y2
= 129.9 x 10
3
J/kg dry air & T
L2
= 43.3
o
C
slope = -4.187 x 10
4
J/kg.K = = =
H
y

T
L
H
y2
-H
y

T
L2
-T
L
129.9 x 10
3
-H
y

43.3-T
L
Lets T
L
= 42
o
C, -4.187 x 10
4
= =
129.9 x 10
3
-H
y

43.3-42

129.9 x 10
3
-H
y

1.3

H
y
= 184.3 x 10
3
J/kg dry air
184.3
Example 10.5-1:
7. Obtain several values of H
yi
with the corresponding H
y
. Tabulate values
of H
yi
, H
y
, (H
yi
-H
y
) and 1/(H
yi
-H
y
)
71.7
94.4
83.5
108.4
94.9
124.4
106.5
141.8
162.1
129.9
184.7
H
yi
H
y
H
yi
-H
y
1/(H
yi
-H
y
)
94.4 x 10
3
108.4 x 10
3
124.4 x 10
3
141.8 x 10
3
162.1 x 10
3
184.7 x 10
3
71.7 x 10
3

83.5 x 10
3
94.9 x 10
3
106.5 x 10
3
118.4 x 10
3
129.9 x 10
3
22.7 x 10
3

24.9 x 10
3
29.5 x 10
3
35.3 x 10
3
43.7 x 10
3
54.8 x 10
3
4.41 x 10
-5

4.02 x 10
-5
3.39 x 10
-5
2.83 x 10
-5
2.29 x 10
-5
1.82 x 10
-5
8. Plot 1/(H
yi
-H
y
) vs H
y
from H
y1
to H
y2
. Area under the curve =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Example 10.5-1:
H
y

1
/
(
H
y
i
-
H
y
)

H
y2
H
y1

Area under the curve = = 1.82
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
9. Calculate z from
G
M
B
k
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Example 10.5-1:
1.356 kg kmol s m
2
Pa m

s m
2
29 kg 1.207x10
-7
kmol 1.013 x 10
5
Pa
z =
(1.82)
z
T
L1
= 29.4
o
C
G=1.356 kg dry air/s.m
2

T
G1
=29.4
o
C
T
w
= 23.9
o
C

L = 1.356 kg water/s.m
2

T
L2
=43.3
o
C

P = 1.013 x 10
5
Pa
Given: k
G
a = 1.207 x 10
-7
kgmol/s.m
3
.Pa & h
L
a/k
G
aM
B
P = 4.187x10
4
J/kg.K
= 6.98 m
Tower Design Using Overall Mass
Transfer Coefficient
Problem 10.5-2(b): It is planned to cool
water from 110
o
F to 85
o
F in a packed
countercurrent water cooling tower using
entering air at 85
o
F with a wet bulb
temperature of 75
o
F. The water flow is
2000lbm/h.ft
2
and the air flow is 1400
lbm/h.ft
2
. The overall mass transfer
coefficient is K
G
a=6.90 lbmol/h.ft
3
.atm.
Calculate the tower height needed.
Procedure:
2. From point M (T
L1
,H
y1
), draw a straight line to intercept the equilibrium
line at T
L2
, point N

4. Calculate G
min
from G
min
(H
y2 max
-H
y1
) = Lc
L
(T
L2
-T
L1
) where c
L
= 4.187 x 10
3

J/kg.K

3. Obtain the value of H
y2

max.
Minimum value of air flow, G
min
1. Plot the equilibrium line on the H
y
vs T
L
graph

5. G = 1.3-1.5G
min
H
y2max
Problem 10.5-2(a): It is planned to cool water
from 110
o
F to 85
o
F in a packed
countercurrent water cooling tower using
entering air at 85
o
F with a wet bulb
temperature of 75
o
F. The water flow is
2000lbm/h.ft
2
and the air flow is 1400
lbm/h.ft
2
. The overall mass transfer
coefficient is K
G
a=6.90 lbmol/h.ft
3
.atm.
Calculate the minimum air rate that can be
used.

where H
G
= height of a gas enthalpy transfer unit (m)
where H
OG
= height of an overall gas enthalpy transfer unit (m)
Design of water-cooling tower using
height of transfer unit
G
M
B
K
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
H
OG
=
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
G
M
B
k
G
aP

z =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
H
G
=
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
z = H
G
N
G
= H
OG
N
OG
where N
G
= number of transfer units =

N
OG
= number of overall transfer units =
dHy
H
yi
-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
dHy
H
y
*-H
y

H
y2
H
y1
Problem 10.5-1:A forced-draft countercurrent
water-cooling tower is to cool water from
43.3
o
C to 26.7
o
C. The air enters the bottom
of the tower at 23.9
o
C with a wet bulb
temperature of 21.1
o
C.The value of H
G
for the
flow conditions is H
G
=0.533 m. The heat
transfer resistance in the liquid phase will be
neglected; since h
L
is very large. Hence,
values of H
y
* should be used. Calculate the
tower height needed if 1.5 times the minimum
air rate is used.
Ans: z=1.70 m
Dehumidification tower
humidity & temperature of air reduced
Operating line lies below the equilibrium line
Humidification/ cooling tower
Dehumidification tower
Water is cooled & air humidified
Operating line lies above the equilibrium line





GROUP 1 (Report and presentation):
Question
1.Explain about the theory of humidification?
2.The applications of humidification process
3.How to design the water cooling tower?
4.Solve the given problem

Use power point for your presentation.
Group 1:
PROBLEM-Group 1
You are to design a cooling tower
A cooling tower receives warm water at 43
o
C at a
mass flow rate of 7000 kg/m
2
.hr. A cooling range
of 13
o
C is to be achieved by countercurrent
contact with air. The air enters at a rate of 4200
kg/m
2
.hr at a dry-bulb temperature of 31
o
C and a
humidity of 0.01520kg/kg dry air. Given that
M
B
K
G
aP = 2500 kg/h.m
3
, where K
G
a is the overall
mass-transfer coefficient.
Determine:
(i)The number of overall gas-phase transfer units
(NTU)
(ii)The height of packing needed (Z)