Humidity, or the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere, is an essential factor in maintaining good indoor air quality. In general terms, regulations establish an ideal range of relative humidity between 40% and 60%, with some tolerances depending on the characteristics of the building or outdoor conditions.
For example, a prolonged excess of humidity (>70%) generates an unhealthy environment, with condensation and the appearance of fungi and bad odours, or damage to wood and paintwork. On the other hand, low humidity levels (<30%) can cause dry eyes, dehydrated skin and throat irritation, among other consequences.
Beyond climate and geographical location, the following are the main causes of humidity anomalies:
–Capillarity: this is the phenomenon whereby moisture rises from the ground, through the foundations, to the interior of the dwelling.
–Leakage: occurs when water penetrates inside the building through pipes, cracks, defects in the waterproofing, etc.
–Condensation: occurs when the ambient air, with high humidity, comes into contact with cold surfaces, on which water droplets form.
Of the three causes, condensation is the one that is directly related to the leisure and tourism projects developed by Amusement Logic, whether they are swimming pools or indoor water parks. Therefore, in densely occupied public spaces, human respiration generates high levels of humidity, and even more so in places of high activity, such as sports centres. In heated indoor pools, warm water evaporates, increasing air humidity and causing condensation.
To ensure the comfort and well-being of users and visitors in areas with a tendency to high humidity levels such as these, it is necessary to provide dehumidification solutions, namely:
–Thermodynamic dehumidifier: this device uses the compression of the refrigerant gas to cool the air and condense the humidity; subsequently, this air is heated and returned to the environment without as much humidity load.
–Desiccant dehumidifier: this is a device that uses a desiccant material to absorb moisture from the environment and then returns the air with less moisture.
-Ventilation with sensitive recovery: this is the simplest solution, as the indoor/outdoor air exchange through the recuperator dehumidifies and recovers energy. However, it is only suitable for cold exteriors with low relative humidity.
By Juan Carlos Soria, Senior MEP Engineer at Amusement Logic Architecture Dept.
