In this article, Dave Mortimer MIHEEM, national sales manager, Vapac, at Eaton-Williams, examines the importance of getting humidification levels right in all areas of hospitals and other healthcare facilities to maximise patient, staff, and visitor comfort and safety, and minimise the risk of infection transmission and spread. His experience is that, too often, the importance of installing new humidification equipment is overlooked, or that existing such equipment is switched off where it needs to operate, or simply not replaced when it breaks down.
As seen from the psychrometric chart (Fig. 1), cool outdoor air introduced into buildings in the UK during winter months has its temperature raised to comfort levels, usually around 20˚C. However, as the temperature is raised, the relative humidity (RH) falls dramatically. For example, outdoor air at –5˚C and 100% RH has a moisture content of 0.0025 kg moisture per kg of dry air. When raised to 21˚C dry bulb, with no humidification control, the resultant RH is 18%, which is very dry.
In summer months, meanwhile, comfort air-conditioning will remove moisture from the air, which can again lead to a dry air condition. Medical research has shown that a number of health issues, experienced particularly during winter months, can be directly linked to this low relative humidity condition.
Viruses and relative humidity
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