Humidification in Hospitals

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Presented By

Eric G. Sherman, P.E., LEED AP, CxA

Jonathon Spreeman, District Sales Engineer

Luke VanCamp, Sales Engineer

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Agenda
Humidification of Hospitals
Healthcare Humidification Code
Hospital Dehumidification
Strategy
Comparison
Case Studies
Hospital Humidification
Strategy
Comparison
Questions..
Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers
 Healthcare Humidification Code
Eric Sherman

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Healthcare Humidification Code

AIA / FGI Guidelines for Healthcare Construction

NFPA
The Never Ending Debate

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 Hospital Dehumidification
Jonathon Spreeman

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Dehumidification Strategies

Common System Types

Traditional Cooling & Reheat
Split Dehumidification Unit
Dedicated OA Coil

Dedicated RA Coil

Series Desiccant Wheel

Heat Generated Desiccant

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 System Comparison
Space Cooling lvg coil Reheat CHW
% RH tons F tons F
Basic CV system 70% 26.6 55.3 0 45 F

Cool & reheat (1 coil) 60% 40.0 47.0 12.0 39 F

Cool & reheat (2 coils) 60% 40.0 12.0

Upstream coil 20.0 55.0 45 F
Downstream coil 20.0 47.0 39 F

Split dehumidification unit 60% 28.0 0

OA coil 24.0 42.5 34 F
RA coil 4.0 55.3 45 F

Trane CDQ 52% 29.3 50.3 0 45 F

Heat Regenerated Desiccant 52% 44.0 55.3 * 24.0 45 F

*High Temperature Preheat
Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers Based on 15,000 cfm
 System Comparison
Annual Over Annual
Oper $/hr Oper Cost
Annual Oper 20
@ design vs
hrs Cost years
Cool Reheat

Cool & reheat (1 coil) $5.07 3000 $15,250 $300K --

Cool & reheat (2 coils) $4.53 3000 $13,590 $272K -11%

Upstream coil
Downstream coil

Split dehumidification unit $3.07 3000 $9,210 $184K -39%

OA coil
RA coil

Trane CDQ $2.53 3000 $7,590 $152K -50%

Heat Regenerated Desiccant $6.00 3000 $18,000 $360K +18%

$0.058/kwh $0.78/therm
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 Application of Series Desiccant Wheel

75F 80F OA
63F DPT 60F DPT

MA' MA RA A Series Desiccant

wheel used to
WATER VAPOR

improve the
dehumidification
ability of a cold coil
CA SA

50F 55F
49F DPT 43F DPT

CONDENSATE TRANE CDQ WHEEL

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers
 Application Examples
Building Expansion (Existing Central Plant)
Good Samaritan Hospital Expansion
30,000 CFM Dedicated Surgery Unit
Existing 42 Degree Chilled Water
Leaving Unit: 60 Degree DB and 41 Degree DP

Building Expansion (Existing Central Plant)

Gothenburg Hospital Surgery Area
6,000 CFM Dedicated Surgery Unit
DX condensing unit
Leaving Unit: 57 Degree DB and 44 Degree DP

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 Hospital Humidification
Luke VanCamp

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Methods of Humidification

Direct Steam Injection

Evaporative Pan
Water Spray

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 Direct Steam Injection

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 Humidification Grid

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 Unfired Steam Generators

Series RB

Series RB-H Series RB-V

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 Steam-to-Steam Humidifier

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 Humidification Grid with Atmospheric
Steam Generator

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 Gas-Fired Humidifier

Will work on natural gas or

liquid propane gas
Includes models for both
indoor and outdoor service
Provides steam production
capacities up to 475 lbs/hr

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers

 Energy Savings

Electricity vs. Gas

$6,600
$7,000
Electricity @ $6,000
$0.08 / kW $5,000
$4,000 $2,500 Electricity
$3,000
Gas @ Gas
$2,000
$0.53 / Therm $1,000
$0
Operating Cost
Based on 150 Lbs/hr
Output

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 Electrode Type Humidifier

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 Water Dependencies

Conductivity
(200-400 (umho)
Hardness
(133-266 PPM)
Hardness
(7.7-15.5 Grains/Gallon)

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 Water Impurities

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 Resistive Heating Element Type

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 Adiabatic Humidifiers

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 %RH
100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30
Spring/Fall Economizer
50 SA
RA 50
1. O.A. Mixing
2. Fogging
3. Building Heat Gain
40
40 FOGGER MIXING
40 FOGGER
POINT MIXING
POINT
30
30

30
30
FOGGER 20
FOGGER
SAVINGS 20
20 SAVINGS
20
10
STEAM MIXING POINT 10
STEAM MIXING POINT
OA
OA
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 2
26 Dry Bulb F
 Nozzle

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 Thank you for your time!
Questions please?

Nebraska Society of Healthcare Engineers