These days, there are many useful household appliances that make life more comfortable. This includes a humidifier. It works on one of three principles: the use of ultrasound, hot evaporation and natural evaporation without heating. Each principle has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Content
- Device of ultrasonic models
- Hot steam appliances
- Cold Evaporating Humidifiers
Device of ultrasonic models
Ultrasound humidifiers are the latest of all types. Therefore, most of them are technical innovations and ideas both in the control system and in working elements. These devices are high-performance, have several sensors for protection and control of operation.
The main working element is a thin membrane that is irradiated with ultrasonic waves and performs high-frequency and low-amplitude oscillations. The ultrasonic humidifier works as follows:
- the water poured into the tank flows through the filter onto the membrane;
- high-frequency vibration of the membrane shakes up the smallest droplets of liquid and transforms it into a dispersed state;
- a built-in fan blows water vapor through a special spray into the room.
When the humidifier is in operation, a whitish mist is blown out of the spray nozzle - this is fine water dust formed by the membrane under the action of ultrasound. This steam is completely safe for human health, it is generated without heating, and its temperature is the same as indoors.
The advantages of almost all models using ultrasound are high performance, quiet operation (only the sound of a small built-in fan), a wide range of design options, convenient control and setting of operating parameters thanks to built-in sensors and electronic management.
But there are also disadvantages: the high cost of the device and repair, the need to use water prepared and purified from salts, and the formation of a whitish coating on furniture.
Hot steam appliances
Their similarity to an electric kettle is that they also heat water. Otherwise, the principle of operation of air humidifiers that use water heating is significantly different:
- not all water is heated, but only a small part of it;
- two electrodes are used to heat the liquid and generate steam, the electrical circuit between which is closed through water;
- an electric fan is provided to saturate the air with water vapor.
If the water in the tank runs out, then there is no physical way to close the circuit between the electrodes. This is how the safety system is structurally implemented - the device will not turn on, will not burn out and will not melt due to overheating in the absence of liquid in the tank. The advantages of such humidifiers - high productivity, the ability to do inhalations (in most models), a fairly large selection of design options and rapid air saturation with water vapor. But there are also several disadvantages:
- high power consumption;
- the appearance of scale on the internal parts;
- high noise level.
Cold Evaporating Humidifiers
They are also called “traditional humidifiers”. Devices of this type appeared first and still enjoy a certain popularity, as they are reliable and economical in operation. Their action is based on the properties of liquid evaporation under normal conditions and the self-regulation of this process.
According to the laws of thermodynamics, air at a certain temperature has a specific limit of vapor saturation. If they become more than the limit, then liquid is released in the form of dew.
Air from the room is drawn by a built-in fan and passed through special elements (cassettes, discs, cartridges), which are moistened with water from the reservoir. At the same time, it is cleansed and moisturized. The higher the humidity in the room, the less water evaporates, and vice versa.
The popularity of cold evaporating humidifiers lies in their simplicity of design, quiet operation, low energy consumption, and reliable operation. At the same time, there is no need to specially purify the water used, the devices do not create a white coating on the furniture, the design of many models provides for the possibility of aromatherapy.
Some models provide intensive air purification, they are also called "cold air washers". The usual mechanical control, although it does not provide fine tuning of the operating parameters, is reliable. The main disadvantage of traditional humidifiers - low productivity.
