Water treatment plants
The challenge of the climate in drinking water treatment buildings is often the easy formation of condensation.
The purification process
Maintaining the right relative humidity (RH) level can be a challenge in waterworks. Especially considering that condensation can occur on the surface of the cold pipes and walls. This is because the temperature of the raw water is low during parts of the year.
In addition, the moisture level and temperature of ventilated air varies throughout the year. Optimal dehumidification requires a technology that is effective even at low temperatures and can be controlled by external sensors.
The moisture load from open water surfaces presents a particular challenge.
Challenges
Even if the air feels dry, there may be too much water in the air. Warm air can hold more moisture than cold. This means that condensation can still form on cold surfaces!
It is the temperature of the pipes that constitutes the dew point and this is what determines the relative humidity level that must be maintained in the space. In many cases, heat is maintained in the plants to reduce the relative humidity level. In the picture, a NEXT dehumidifier controlled by external sensors measuring the temperature of the cold surfaces in a water plant.
If you can avoid condensation, you avoid the cost of corrosion and mold management.
We also recommend keeping the heating of the premises low to avoid unnecessary costs.
The humidity level must therefore be regulated by means of dehumidifiers in order to establish a suitable relative humidity level.
The right relative humidity level
What is needed is a controlled relative humidity level below 60% (RH) to avoid corrosion and mold. This requires controlled relative humidity at the temperatures that can cause condensation on the cold surfaces – not in the rest of the air.
See the Mollier diagram where the condensation (saturation) curve is indicated as 100% RH at different temperatures.
We recommend having a dew point sensor connected to our dehumidifier. It then senses the temperature of the coldest surface in the room (pipes or walls) and controls the dehumidifier to remove as much water from the air as possible to prevent condensation.
It is possible to estimate the actual moisture load based on temperature, ventilation and air volume data, but sometimes it may be appropriate to carry out a test before final installation.
With Airwatergreen’s products, testing is possible because they are so easy to install!
Installation
When installing Airwatergreen dehumidifiers, there is no need to run long ventilation pipes. And our dehumidification technology is just as energy-efficient in cold as in hot conditions.
warm spaces.
Our FLEX can be easily mounted with a wall bracket to keep the floor free. The REX dehumidifier on wheels is thus mobile and can be relocated if the moisture load changes.
The easiest way to get rid of the water is with a hose to a floor drain or other outlet.
Profitability calculation
An Airwatergreen FLEX dehumidifier consumes on average less than 400W and a REX consumes on average less than 2250W. Moreover, our dehumidifiers only work when the moisture level exceeds the set level.
It provides a cost-effective solution to avoid damage that can occur due to corrosion and bacterial growth.
Product selection for water treatment plants
For installations in waterworks, all our product models can be relevant. REX is used in larger spaces and FLEX in smaller spaces and where the moisture load is lower. In very large facilities, our NEXT is a suitable choice.
We can assist with the measurement and assessment of moisture loads and provide suggestions on how to design a suitable installation.
Our FLEX dehumidifier has a capacity of 5 liters of water/day, which is more than enough for a small to medium-sized space.
REX has a capacity of 30 liters of water/day, which may be needed in larger halls with open water beds and in larger pipe galleries. NEXT240 can reduce 240 liters per day and NEXT480 can remove 480 liters per day.
Each installation in a waterworks is unique and should be adapted to the moisture load applicable there.
References
Airwatergreen has a number of installations in the field of drinking water.
In polymer rooms and filter halls but also pipe galleries. In some cases the dehumidifier works independently towards the set dew point and in other cases it is connected to the existing monitoring system.
The products are built to withstand the harsh environment with few moving parts and well thought out material choices and an IP63 rating.
