A dehumidifier is generally a household appliance which reduces the level of humidity in the air, usually for health or comfort

reasons, or to eliminate dank smells. Humid air can cause mold and mildew to grow inside homes, both of which pose numerous health risks. Very humid climates or air make some people extremely uncomfortable, causing excessive sweating that can't evaporate in the already-moisture-saturated air. It can also cause condensation that can disrupt sleeping, create a situation where the cold pipes in this area begin to drip (from the condensation), and can prevent laundry from drying thoroughly enough to prevent mustiness. Lower humidity is also preferred because it limits the population of most pests, including clothes moths, fleas, cockroaches, woodlice, and dust mites. Relative humidity in dwellings is preferably 30 to 50 percent.[1] By their operation, dehumidifiers produce an excess of water which has been removed from the conditioned air. This water, usually called condensate in its liquid form, must be collected and disposed of. Some designs, such as the ionic membrane dehumidifier, dispose of excess water in a vapor rather than liquid form. The energy efficiency of dehumidifiers can vary widely. Condensate water is relatively clean and is potable. Dehumidifiers are also used in industrial climatic chambers, to reduce relative humidity to levels conducive to processing of certain humidity-sensitive products.

Contents

1 Processes o 1.1 Thermal condensation 1.1.1 Mechanical/refrigerative 1.1.2 Air conditioners 1.1.3 Electronic 1.1.4 Makeshift dehumidifiers o 1.2 Adsorption/desiccant o 1.3 Ionic membrane dehumidifier 2 Condensate o 2.1 Disposal o 2.2 Potability 3 Ice buildup 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External links

Processes
Thermal condensation

These methods rely on drawing air across a thermocline. Since the saturation vapor pressure of water decreases with decreasing temperature, the water in the air condenses on the cold surface, separating the water from the air.

Mechanical/refrigerative

Mechanical/refrigerative dehumidifiers, the most common type, usually work by drawing moist air over a refrigerated coil with a small fan. The cold coil of the refrigeration device condenses the water, which is removed, and then the air is reheated by the hot coil. This process works most effectively with higher ambient temperatures with a high dew point temperature. In cold climates, the process is less effective. They are most effective at over 45 percent relative humidity; higher if the air is cold[citation needed].
Air conditioners

Air conditioners inherently act as dehumidifiers when they chill the air,[2] and thus there is also a need to handle the accumulated condensate. Newer high-efficiency window units use the condensed water to help cool the condensing coils (warm side) by evaporating the water into the outdoor air, while older units simply allowed the water to drip outside. Central air conditioning units typically need to be connected to a drain. This drain water (condensate water) needs to go outside and should not be put into the sewer system or a septic system of a house. This can allow smells or sewer gases to enter the house, and large central airconditioning systems will increase the water burden put on septic systems. The quantity of condensate water generated by central systems can be quite large over time. Condensate water should therefore be piped (directed) into the (external) rain downspout system of a house. If the height of the air-handler (which is the half of the central air conditioner unit that is inside the house), is above the ground level or in the attic of a house, such condensate lines (pipes or tubes) can often be routed outside into drain spouts or leaders/gutters via gravity. Air handlers located in the basement of a house require condensate pumps[3] to pump the water up to ground level and outside the house, or directed away from the foundation. A condensate pump is a small automatic pump that turns on when filled with (condensate) water and turns off when the water level becomes minimal. A conventional air conditioner is very similar to a mechanical/refrigerative dehumidifier. Air in a dehumidifier passes over a series of cooling coils (the evaporator) and then over a set of heating coils (the condenser). It then goes back into the room as drier air with its temperature elevated. The water which condenses on the evaporator in a dehumidifier is disposed of in the drain pan or drain hose. In an air conditioner, however, air passes over the cooling coils (the evaporator) and then directly into the room. Spent refrigerant then is pumped by the compressor through a tube to outside the space being cooled, to where the heating coils (the condenser) are located. The waste heat is transferred to the outside air, which passes over the condenser coils and remains outside. The water that condenses on the evaporator in an air conditioner is usually routed through a drain channel to the outside of the window, thus removing extracted water from the conditioned space.
Electronic

Electronic dehumidifiers use a Peltier heat pump to generate a cool surface for condensing the water vapor from the air. The design is simpler as there are no moving parts, and has the benefit of being very quiet compared to a dehumidifier with a mechanical compressor. However, because of its relatively poor Coefficient of Performance (energy efficiency), this design is mainly used for small dehumidifiers.

Makeshift dehumidifiers

Because they operate in the same basic way as mechanical/refrigerative dehumidifiers, window air conditioner units are sometimes used as makeshift dehumidifiers by sending their heat exhaust back into the room instead of outside the space. This can produce the same net result as using a dehumidifier, a room atmosphere that is much less humid but slightly warmer. This improvised arrangement may not be as energy efficient as a machine designed for the purpose, since most window air conditioners are designed to dispose of condensate water by re-evaporating it into the exhaust air stream, even if the air conditioner is modified to allow some of the condensed water to be drained away instead. In addition, most air conditioners are controlled by a thermostat which senses temperature, rather than the humidistat typically used to control a dehumidifier. While temperature and humidity in a closed space are related, it is difficult to control humidity by sensing only the temperature.
Adsorption/desiccant This section requires expansion. (August 2011)

Mobile Adsorption dehumidifier

This basic dehumidification process uses a special humidity-absorbing material called a desiccant, which is exposed to the air to be conditioned. The humidity-saturated material is then moved to a different location, where it is "recharged" to drive off the humidity, typically by heating it. The desiccant is usually mounted on a belt or other means of transporting it during a cycle of operation. Dehumidifiers which work according to the adsorption principle are especially suited for high humidity levels at low temperatures. They are often used in various sectors in industry because humidity levels below 35% can be achieved.
Ionic membrane dehumidifier

Ionic membranes are used in many industrial areas such as fuel cell technology, chemical engineering, and for water improvement. A specialized type of membrane can be used as an "ionic pump" to move humidity into or out of a sealed enclosure, operating at a molecular level without involving visible liquid water.

The solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) membrane is a low power, steady state dehumidifier for enclosed areas where maintenance is difficult. The electrolytic process delivers dehumidifying capacities up to 0.2 grams/day from a 0.2m (7 cu ft) space to 58 grams/day from an 8m (280 cu ft). SPE systems generally do not have high dehumidification capacities, but because the water vapor is removed through electrolysis, the process is maintenance free. The process also requires very little electrical energy to operate, using no moving parts, making the ionic membranes silent in operation and very reliable over long periods of time. SPE dehumidifiers are typically used to protect sensitive electrical components, medical equipment, museum specimens, or scientific apparatus from humid environments. The SPE consists of a proton-conductive solid polymer electrolyte and porous electrodes with a catalytic layer composed of noble metal particles.[4] When a voltage is applied to the porous electrode attached to the membrane, the moisture on the anode side (dehumidifying side) dissociates into hydrogen ions (H+) and oxygen: the hydrogen ions migrate through membrane to be discharged on the cathode (moisture discharging) side where they react with oxygen in the air, resulting in water molecules (gas), being discharged.[5]