High pressure humidification for AHU

Cumulus high pressure humidifiers are the most energy efficient on the market. High pressure humidifiers are ideal for a large humidification capacity. The system requires little maintenance, is flexible, and easy to scale up as several air handling units can be connected to one central high pressure humidification unit.

How the System Works

A high pressure humidifier consists of 4 main components: the central water treatment and pump unit, the humidification rack with the lances, the droplet eliminator in the AHU, and the control unit. When the humidity is too low, the building management system sends a signal to the humidifier specifying the required capacity; if no BMS is available, the system can work on a stand-alone basis. The high pressure pump starts up and once the water has sufficient pressure (80 – 100 Bar), the humidification lances are activated. The number of lances activated will depend on the capacity required. The high pressure atomises the water very effectively, creating tiny droplets inside the airflow of the AHU. These droplets quickly evaporate and are absorbed by the air increasing the humidity (and lowering the temperature). Any un-evaporated water droplets will be collected in the droplet eliminator.

Accurate Control

Cumulus high pressure humidifiers are equipped with a very accurate control system. This control system regulates the output capacity of the unit in 15 steps (of approx 7%) while maintaining the pressure to atomise efficiently. This precise control means that large changes in temperature and humidity are prevented. Further, as the unit will only atomise the amount of water necessary, energy and water consumption are kept to a minimum. This exact level of control makes the system ideal for clean rooms and museums.

Download PDF:
High pressure humidification

Low Energy Consumption

Cumulus high pressure humidifiers atomise and evaporate cold water. The energy required to evaporate the water droplets is extracted from the air. This results in the air in the AHU cooling down and is known as adiabatic cooling. If this cooling is not required the air will then need additional heating, and the energy will be replaced by a highly efficient heating system. Overall the system is much more efficient than that of power plant supplying electrical energy to an electric humidifier. The energy savings can mount up to 75% as compared to that of an electric humidifier, resulting in a payback within 1 – 2 years.

Legionella Safe

All Cumulus high pressure systems comply with VDI 6022 and are certified accordingly by the TÜV Nord. We strongly recommend the use of a reversed osmosis filtration system to remove minerals and the lethal Legionella bacteria from the water supply. Mineral deposits can cause both dust and corrosion in the air handling unit whilst bacteria pose health risks and can even cause death. The reverse osmosis system is seamlessly integrated in our products. This integration prevents the need to coordinate different suppliers, and the design of the RO is optimised for humidification. Our integrated WaterFresh control system further protects against the Legionella bacteria.