Thanks to new technologies, adiabatic humidification has come of age -so it's time to take a fresh look at this tried and tested technology
The benefits of adiabatic humidification have been accepted for many years, but in the past there has been some concern over the hygiene of some systems and their potential for spreading micro-organisms, dust and allergens.
This was certainly a valid concern with older systems such as 'washers' and old-style mat-based evaporative systems. Minimising risk by adding biocides to water is expensive, and other forms of treatment have proved to offer mixed success.
So it makes more sense to design the hygiene management into the units themselves, ensuring that all risks are eliminated and maintenance requirements are not too onerous. This was the reasoning behind the design of the Condair Dual 2.
When it comes to building in hygiene, the obvious place to start is with the water, and using fully demineralised water will ensure a high standard of hygiene right from the start. However, other mechanisms - such as silver ionisation (see below) - also need to be included to maintain those high hygiene levels. At the same time, demineralised water has a higher cost than mains water, so the Condair Dual 2 also minimises total water consumption.
Water vaporisation also needs to be highly efficient so that no water aerosol droplets are allowed to accumulate in the system and create potentially hazardous pools of water.
The Condair Dual 2 addresses this requirement by using molecular, low pressure (4-6 bar) nozzles with ceramic orifices, arranged on a mesh grid. This creates an homogenous spray mist that immediately starts to evaporate in the air flow. Unlike classic nozzle systems, which require a long absorption distance and a droplet separator, this arrangement functions very efficiently with a short absorption distance, which increases efficiency and reduces water consumption.
To further increase the efficiency of the evaporation, the air flow then passes over highly porous, adjacently-arranged 50mm thick ceramic plates located 80cm downstream. Any remaining spray mist is deposited on the plates, and then evaporated by the energy of the passing air. Not only does this arrangement make maximum use of the water and raise efficiency levels to over 90%, it also enables a rapid drying effect when spraying is switched off - a further safeguard against hygiene hazards.
As an extra precaution, the system automatically drains humidifying water out of the lines every 12 hours, during a system shutdown - with additional system purging every time the system is reactivated.
As noted earlier, any such system also requires supplementary measures against micro-organisms and one of the most effective methods has proved to be silver ionisation. Silver ions have been used for purifying drinking water for many years and are also used widely in the textile industry. When the ions come into contact with micro-organisms they enter the cells, block key metabolic processes and kill them.
In the Condair Dual 2, silver ions are added to the humidification water by electrolysis, at a rate that is proportional to the flow rate of the water. Via the aerosols, the silver then accumulates on the ceramic plates, creating an additional layer of protection within the system.
It is by combining all of these measures that the Condair Dual 2 can be brought safely and confidently into just about any situation - even the most vulnerable. At a hospital in Zurich, for example, engineers tested the Condair Dual 2 adiabatic humidifier and found bacteria levels well below the 100 bacteria/m3 specified for humidified supply air. As a result, they are now using these units for humidifying operating theatres.
The Condair Dual 2 has also been certified by the SGS Fresenius Institute, verifying that the humidifier will remain hygienic in operation for many years, assuming it is correctly maintained.
Contact us on our free phone number 0800 801 819 or get directly in touch with our Humidification Director on the email address given below,
This was certainly a valid concern with older systems such as 'washers' and old-style mat-based evaporative systems. Minimising risk by adding biocides to water is expensive, and other forms of treatment have proved to offer mixed success.
So it makes more sense to design the hygiene management into the units themselves, ensuring that all risks are eliminated and maintenance requirements are not too onerous. This was the reasoning behind the design of the Condair Dual 2.
When it comes to building in hygiene, the obvious place to start is with the water, and using fully demineralised water will ensure a high standard of hygiene right from the start. However, other mechanisms - such as silver ionisation (see below) - also need to be included to maintain those high hygiene levels. At the same time, demineralised water has a higher cost than mains water, so the Condair Dual 2 also minimises total water consumption.
Water vaporisation also needs to be highly efficient so that no water aerosol droplets are allowed to accumulate in the system and create potentially hazardous pools of water.
The Condair Dual 2 addresses this requirement by using molecular, low pressure (4-6 bar) nozzles with ceramic orifices, arranged on a mesh grid. This creates an homogenous spray mist that immediately starts to evaporate in the air flow. Unlike classic nozzle systems, which require a long absorption distance and a droplet separator, this arrangement functions very efficiently with a short absorption distance, which increases efficiency and reduces water consumption.
To further increase the efficiency of the evaporation, the air flow then passes over highly porous, adjacently-arranged 50mm thick ceramic plates located 80cm downstream. Any remaining spray mist is deposited on the plates, and then evaporated by the energy of the passing air. Not only does this arrangement make maximum use of the water and raise efficiency levels to over 90%, it also enables a rapid drying effect when spraying is switched off - a further safeguard against hygiene hazards.
As an extra precaution, the system automatically drains humidifying water out of the lines every 12 hours, during a system shutdown - with additional system purging every time the system is reactivated.
As noted earlier, any such system also requires supplementary measures against micro-organisms and one of the most effective methods has proved to be silver ionisation. Silver ions have been used for purifying drinking water for many years and are also used widely in the textile industry. When the ions come into contact with micro-organisms they enter the cells, block key metabolic processes and kill them.
In the Condair Dual 2, silver ions are added to the humidification water by electrolysis, at a rate that is proportional to the flow rate of the water. Via the aerosols, the silver then accumulates on the ceramic plates, creating an additional layer of protection within the system.
It is by combining all of these measures that the Condair Dual 2 can be brought safely and confidently into just about any situation - even the most vulnerable. At a hospital in Zurich, for example, engineers tested the Condair Dual 2 adiabatic humidifier and found bacteria levels well below the 100 bacteria/m3 specified for humidified supply air. As a result, they are now using these units for humidifying operating theatres.
The Condair Dual 2 has also been certified by the SGS Fresenius Institute, verifying that the humidifier will remain hygienic in operation for many years, assuming it is correctly maintained.
Contact us on our free phone number 0800 801 819 or get directly in touch with our Humidification Director on the email address given below,
Lindsey Henderson
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