Abstract
The present study introduces a humidity control apparatus which can hygienically and automatically maintain the appropriate humidity level of indoor air without either a water supply or drainage system. In humidification, the desiccant takes up water vapor from the outdoor air in the adsorption process, and release it indoors by desorption. Therefore, no water supply is required to humidify. An apparatus having no water supply is more hygienic, because it does not propagate bacteria and does not scatter the calcium and magnesium salts found in the water. In dehumidification, water vapor is removed from the indoor air by the desiccant and is released outdoors by desorption, eliminating the need for a drainage system. The absence of a drainage system also eliminates problems such as water leakage and installation. The performance of a system based on this new method was compared with that of conventional products, whereby the modes of dehumidification, humidification and humidification with ventilation were evaluated. In addition, the new system was tested to reveal the time-dependent charaeteristics of the concentration of indoor odor and the dust collection efficiency.
