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Re: A success story

Posted by Cue Miller on December 19, 2001 at 15:18:32:

In Reply to: Re: A success story posted by Like Warm Humidity on December 19, 2001 at 14:32:45:

Just to clarify the effects of cold and heat on humidity and humidifiers:

Cool air is capable of holding less water vapor, is dryer, and has lower humidity. Warm air is capable of holding more water vapor and has higher humidity. This is why it is generally dry in the winter and more humid in summer.

Rainout is caused when warm, humid air heated by the humidifier hits the cool walls of the hose in a cool room. This causes condensation -- the water vapor in the humid air turns into liquid water droplets which collect on the walls of the hose.

Warming the room or the hose, or insulating the hose so the cool room air cannot cool it, will lessen condensation. When the walls of the hose get as warm as the air, condensation is virtually eliminated. However, the air inside the hose can still be highly humid. A heating pad around the hose, or a warm room, will not "dry out" the humidity inside the hose. In fact, the higher the heat and the warmer the air, the more humidity the air in the hose can carry.

On putting hot water into a humidifier:

Putting very hot tap water in a F&P chamber does not damage the chamber. I guess I wouldn't put boiling water in it for fear of melting the plastic (I don't know the melting point). And you should be careful you don't literally burn the inside of your nose if you use very hot water. Remember, however, the hotter the water the more rainout you may have if the hose walls are cooler than the water vapor.

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