Condair launches MC Series evaporative humidifier

Photo courtesy Condair.

Ottawa-based Condair’s MC Series in-duct evaporative humidifier and cooler can reportedly supply up to 360 kg (793 lb) per hour of humidity and approximately 245 kW of adiabatic (i.e. involving no heat transfer) cooling to an air handling unit (AHU) for less than 0.15 kW of electrical energy.

The Condair MC comprises an evaporative module, a hydraulic unit that sits inside the AHU and a control panel located outside. The evaporative module is a wall of corrugated glass fibre media cassettes, with stainless steel frames, through which air flows. The hydraulic unit pumps water to the top of the evaporative module to wet the glass fibre media—which is non-particle-releasing and impregnated with antimicrobial additives for hygienic operation—and humidify the air flowing through them.

Evaporative humidifiers can help raise an indoor humidity level during the winter and then offer adiabatic cooling during the summer. The main advantage over other in-duct spray humidifiers is they can operate efficiently on mains water, without needing a reverse osmosis (RO) filtered water supply.

The benefit over in-duct electrical steam humidifiers, meanwhile, is a reduction in energy cost. The energy required to evaporate the water can be taken from the airstream, if excess heat is available, or from cheaper gas-fired preheating.

“This sustainable cooling technology presents great potential to reduce the carbon footprint of our built environment,” says technical product manager Karly Treleaven. “We are seeing more and more AHU manufacturers incorporating direct and indirect evaporative cooling strategies into their designs.”