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Optimizing Electric Humidifier Operation with an Air Side Economizer
Abstract
Air side economizer cycle is a control scheme that is
often used in WAC systems to reduce cooling
energy consumption by introducing variable
quantities of ambient air into a conditioned space to
satisfy the space cooling load (free cooling).
Humidifiers are used to maintain the pre-set
humidity levels in a conditioned space by
introducing steam or atomized water into the space.
An WAC system containing both electric
humidifier and air side economizer cycle can appear
to be energy efficient, but has the potential of being
inefficient due to lack of proper controls. The
economizer, which often operates independently of
the humidifier, introduces large quantities of cool
and dry ambient air into the space to reduce the
mechanical cooling energy, but because of the
environmental requirement of the space, the air has
to be humidified. The humidification energy could
offset the energy savings from the reduction in
mechanical cooling energy.
The solution for this potential problem is a control
scheme that makes the operation of the economizer
and electric humidifier interdependent. The control
scheme will use ambient conditions and space
environmental requirements to calculate the
appropriate amount of outside air that the
economizer should draw into the space. The control
scheme can be implemented through a Direct Digital
Control system.
Citation
Shami, U. F. (1996). Optimizing Electric Humidifier Operation with an Air Side Economizer. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu); Texas A&M University (http://www.tamu.edu). Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /6679.