Tag: <span>cooling food</span>

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Elephants are the largest land mammal and can be found in both Asia and Africa. African elephants live in areas that are south of the Sahara Desert while Asian elephants are found in India and other countries in Southeast Asia. Elephants are interesting animals because of the way they travel together and care for their young. They’re also interesting to many people living in Asia and Africa because of their size and the way they can contribute to the economy. Learning about elephants can be fun for people of any age, so starting off with the basic facts is the best way to start learning about these huge creatures.

Environment & Nutrition

The natural environment of the elephant depends on the type of elephant. African forest elephants typically roam the forests while African savannah elephants roam open African plains. The Asian elephant also lives in forests. Elephants need a large range of land to roam so that they can find enough food and water to survive. They often follow elephant trails to get from one area to another to look for more food. Elephants eat bark, grasses, twigs, and leaves and they drop seeds in their dung, making them act as gardeners as they go about their travels.

Elephant Adaptations

The elephant has several adaptations that help it survive in its natural habitat. To stay comfortable in the heat, an elephant can flap its ears and create a cooling effect. The large molars in the elephant’s mouth are used for chewing and grinding very fibrous plant materials. An elephant’s trunk has many uses including picking up food, drinking water, and communicating with other elephants. Elephants also have very low-pitched sounds that allow them to communicate with each other.

Elephants & the Ecosystem

Elephants are a very important part of the ecosystems they inhabit. By dropping seeds with their dung, they are helping to create new plant life. Their large bodies can also knock down small trees and other obstacles so that smaller animals can get through to find food. If there is some kind of water drought, elephants will dig to find water deep beneath the ground surface.

Elephant Family Life

Elephants are very family-centered animals. They travel together under the supervision of a female called a matriarch. The matriarch of a herd has knowledge of food and water sources and is responsible for helping her sisters, cousins, and other family members to stay safe and healthy. When it’s time to reproduce, the female elephants mate with bull elephants after a period of courtship. The female stays pregnant for 22 months while her baby elephant grows and develops inside of her. During labor, the pregnant elephant is given help by another female elephant. Once a baby elephant is born, it may drink its mother’s milk for up to four years and will be cared for by everyone in its herd.

Elephants & Society

Elephants have had a number of key places in society. Asian elephants have been used as work animals for many years and often haul heavy loads from one place to another. They have been also used as a method of transportation in Asian and African countries. Some elephants are taken out of Asia and Africa to travel with the circus and provide entertainment. Still others are used for their tusks so that ivory products can be made. Other members of society have revered elephants and worked to protect them from harm.

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Source by Michael Tasner

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One look at our home and it is obvious that we have a passion for greening the world. Green spaces can be city parks and boulevards, but also include community gardening plots, shade producing plantings near buildings and green roofs. One can even grow vines that will flower, produce food and shade sun-drenched zones like large windows, decks and patios, walkways and entrances. And let’s not to forget to mention the water gardens, vegetable gardens and green roofs as well.

When we bought our first home, a fixer upper, we turned that abused ex-rental to a little green cottage oasis filled with trees, shrubs, flowers and food-producing gardens. It was featured in a small local magazine and also the local paper at the time. That was 11 years ago. We have since done the same to our property here too, totally changing this home and property to the point that it is no longer recognizable to people who rented here a dozen years ago. It was a thrill to have our certified wildlife habitat, bee-friendly property featured in the I Love Creston magazine a few years ago.

If you do a search online, you’ll find we are so passionate about this that we’ve written countless articles, hosted many dozens of radio broadcasts on the subject, have been invited to do interviews sharing our advice and more. And through all of this, hoping that we have inspired others to green up their spaces too.

Plants do more for us than feed us and cool our homes. Perennial shrubs, plants and trees help mitigate climate change by absorbing pollutants like carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides – releasing clean oxygen into the air. They will also filter dust from busy roads and reduce soil erosion on farmlands. They reduce UV-B rays (which causes skin cancer) and keep our vehicles from being too hot in the summer. They protect the soil by preventing water erosion and compaction, reducing flooding and actually creating soil via their life cycles.

They will also help cool the air by releasing water vapor through their leaves, protecting plantings around them from dehydration. Plantings can muffle noise, reduce heating and cooling costs for our homes, and enhance the neighborhood. They attract pollinators and provide habitat for numerous kinds of wild critters from insects to birds.

Did you know that communities with a lot of trees and green spaces actually have less crime? Children are less obese in these areas too, because they are playing and participating in community group events outdoors. Plants also provide us with food on an annual basis, especially trees and perennials that produce fruit and nut harvests annually. Gardens can help create stronger neighborhoods, as we are more likely to connect and share abundant harvests.

Gift-giving for birthdays, anniversaries, special holidays really affect a limited budget. By sharing pre-made meals, natural products, flower bouquets or preserves (jams/jelly/syrup/wine/dried herbs) made from the garden, one can greatly reduce or even eliminate the costs incurred from gift-giving.

Here, we have noticed over and over again, people walking by in pairs, in family groups, by themselves – stopping to enjoy the experience of witnessing a busy bee, a floppy butterfly dancing on leaves, a happy bird twittering… the leaves turning and swaying in the breeze… the restful shade giving people and their dogs a respite from summer heat. Children squeal with joy at the sights and the elderly love to stop and chatter, sharing memories and telling us of other amazing gardens they’ve seen during their walks. Neighbors stop when passing by and reach out to comment or ask questions.

There are many benefits to even the smallest green space – a balcony garden, a front step potted area, a terraced wall garden… they all contribute to making the world a better place. Gardeners, though, benefit the most from their protected homes, reduced energy costs, improved land value and full freezers and cupboards every year from the foods they produce. Herbs, for instance, can be very expensive and can be stored frozen or dehydrated for over a year. Just a few pots on the front step can yield all the herbs you can use; if they are very happy, you’ll have some to share as well.

For those of you wanting to learn how to do utilize your garden’s harvests, or want to take advantage of deals during peak harvest time via local farmers – check out our new cookbook! – From One Small Garden – Over 300 Delicious, Nutritious Recipes is now available at Amazon!

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Source by Lillian Brummet

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A jerky gun is a great easy to use tool that simplifies creating beef jerky. Using one of these tools can save you time and hassle. They eliminate lot of clean up because when you’re done you just simply drop the gun in the water to soak. While beef jerky can be made by hand we want to show you why it will save time. I mean it’s simple enough to roll out your own meat dehydrate it on trays and serve right? This begs the question, do you need a beef jerky gun?

Most people are scared of using tools like this. However, keep in mind how simple using something like this really is. First, you mix up your meat mixture into a large bowl and add herbs, spices and anything else. Most jerky kits come with a ready to use mixture so it makes making the actual jerky much easier. Then you load the mixture into the jerky gun and then pull the trigger and it instantly pumps out the jerky into the desired strip length.

After you’ve made the jerky then you just put it into the food dehydrator to be dehydrated. After the jerky becomes tender and dehydrated you can then pull it from the dehydrator and lay it on a cooling tray, wax paper or baking sheet. Clean up the jerky gun and store away. Now you have fresh home made jerky that you can snack on. At this point you can add pepper or any other type of additional spice to it and go from there. The nice neat strips the jerky will come out in make it easy to serve to guests, family or friends.

In closing I don’t think a jerky gun is a priority but it can be a good addition to your kitchen. Since they are so easy to use my question for you is “why not own one?” You are not just limited to beef either you can make lamb, turkey, pork and any other type of jerky meat you can think of. So, this may be the one thing your kitchen has been missing.

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Source by Michael S. Brown

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Nowadays we have access to everything. In fact, we can eat almost anything at any time, but does this mean we are eating better? Let´s look at some facts. In the United States:

– Nearly 38% of adults are obese (1)

– 9,3% of the population has diabetes (2)

– About 29% of adults have high blood pressure (3)

– The No. 1 cause of death for both men and women is heart disease (4)

– 1 in every 20 deaths is caused by stroke (5)

This data reflects not only the way people eat, of course, but also other factors such as lifestyle. However, food plays a very important role. Besides being part of our daily life, we need to eat in order to survive.

If we want to eat healthier options, going to the supermarket can be quite a challenging experience. Why? Because everything that is not good for us seems to be more appealing either by the way it looks or how the package looks (this is marketing at its best). As the saying goes, “don´t judge a book by its cover.” So what can you do?

1. Choose Local

If you are looking for fresh fruits and vegetables, then buy local products. By doing this you will be also helping the farmers in your area as well as the environment! Besides this, instead of going to the freezer section to find meat or fish, try to go more often to the fish market or to the butcher shop.

2. Choose Organic

Do you really want to pay for food that was grown using chemical fertilizers and pesticides or for GMO food? Or would you rather pay for quality? This is what happens when you choose organic: it is an investment in your health and well-being. Organic produce might not be so appealing because of its size and shape, but after you taste it you will not want anything else!

3. Choose Seasonal

Nature is so wise. It gives us what our body needs according to the season. For example, have you ever noticed that there is always more fruit available during summer time? Fruit hydrates us and has also a cooling effect on our body, perfect for that time of the year!

4. Choose Whole

Whole grains are slow-absorption carbohydrates and nutritionally more complete (6). Most people, however, eat refined carbohydrates. But did you know that white flour acidifies the body, taking away minerals (7)? Furthermore, food with a high glycemic value (e.g., refined flour products and also sugar), can act as opium does in our brains, which is why for some people it can be addictive, according to research conducted by Dr. Kathleen DesMaisons, specialist in nutrition and addiction (8).

5. Choose without Sugar

When I use the term “sugar” I mean sucrose that enters very quickly in the bloodstream, disturbing the sugar levels in the blood. In the long term, refined sugar increases fatigue and steals from the body minerals and B complex vitamins (7). But, of course, everybody loves eating a sweet thing! Fruit can be one of the best options available, but if you are looking for a sugar substitute you have, for example, honey and coconut sugar.

6. Choose Unprocessed

I know packaged food offers convenience, but next time you buy it please read the label. Do you understand the ingredients or are they too hard to spell? Rule of thumb: if you can´t spell them, then put the package back on the supermarket shelf. Besides this, keep in mind that the less ingredients a product has, the better.

7. Choose Diversity

Eating a bit of everything is probably the best option if you want to have a balanced diet. However, it is important to take into account certain factors such as the season we are in, as I have written above, and our personal characteristics like age, sex, lifestyle and what our organism reacts to certain foods, so listen to your body!

Next time you go to the supermarket think about the options available. You have the power to decide the best for you, so choose wisely.

(1) Flegal K.M., Kruszon-Moran D., Carroll M.D., et al. Trends in obesity among adults in the United States, 2005 to 2014. JAMA, 315(21): 284-2291, 2016 (accessed October 2016).

(2) American Diabetes Association. Statistics about Diabetes. In American Diabetes Association, 2016 (accessed October 2016).

(3) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. High Blood Pressure Facts. In Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015 (accessed October 2016).

(4) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart Disease Facts. In Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015 (accessed October 2016).

(5) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Stroke Facts. In Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015 (accessed October 2016).

(6) Varatojo, Francisco. Foods also Cure. Lisboa: A Esfera dos Livros, 2015.

(7) Pope, Alexandra. The Wild Genie: The healing power of menstruation. Bedfordshire: Authors OnLine, 2001, ed. 2014.

(8) Northrup, Christiane. Women’s Bodies, Women’s Wisdom: Creating physical and emotional health and healing. Rio de Mouro: Círculo de Leitores, 1994, ed. 2009, transl.

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Source by Natacha Moitinho

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The Mayo Clinic, representing more than 3,300 physicians, scientists and researchers, says that it isn’t clear why only some people get asthma. According to their research the cause of asthma is genetic and environmental. This means it is passed on through families and triggered by environmental exposure. Of course, there are cases that are purely hereditary and cases that are purely environmental. For example, a chronic smoker can get asthma even if they have no genetic disposition. For average people, the main concern is to eliminate the environmental causes of asthma, especially for young children who may develop the disease from exposure. There is actually 3 things you can do to greatly reduce the environmental exposure to irritants that cause asthma.

The first thing is eliminating toxins. The big ones are pet dander, Volatile Organic Compounds, such as smoke, and dust. The grand majority of dust is circulated through the home by the central heating and cooling air duct systems. This is where duct cleaning or proper window treatment and caulking goes a long way. This is a simple step that gets big results. Removing those pounds of dust is very effective and it is important to keep dust from coming in.

The second thing is looking out for is sulfates and preservatives, such as those found in shrimp, dried fruit, processed potatoes, beer and wine. In a healthy adult, with a mature liver, these foods are fine, but in growing children, for some reason, they are linked to asthma attacks. Most of those foods don’t look like anything a kid would eat, but food manufacturing companies have a nasty habit of sneaking in preservatives, such as mono sodium glutamate (MSG), under new and improved names such as glutamate acid and so on. The big red flag in the food preservation industry is the amount of salt. Table salt doesn’t really represent a threat, but the salt in food is usually linked with long chain organic preservatives such as sulfates that is shown to lead to more frequent asthma attacks. The moral of the story is: if you are buying groceries and you notice a high amount of sodium, sulfates are also likely present in that food.

The last and most important thing to avoid for asthma is cold or polluted air. Weird how very frigid air can provoke asthma, but a repeated strain on the respiratory system in the form of cold air does this. Then there is the obvious mainly considered reason: pollution! In terms of pollution, we have the most control by using electronic air filters for our indoor air and regularly changing air filters like in our cars. Those three things will give you deep, fresh breathing!

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Source by Dean Lanoue

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The heat exchanger is one of the integral parts of processing through UHT and HTST. Due to the wide use of pasteurization, especially the HTST process, when it comes to food and beverages, it’s important to know how each step of the process adds to the value of what is being pasteurized. There are different parts and layers when it comes to a system.

Before anything else, it’s important to understand what pasteurization is and how important it is as a part of food consumption.

Pasteurization of Food

When you think of pasteurization, you think of a method that’s used to preserve something to ensure that it has a prolonged shelf life. Although that’s one of the many benefits included when food is pasteurized, it’s not the only thing that food manufacturers and storers focus on. Pasteurization also ensures that you’re destroying pathogenic organisms before packing food.

Pathogenic organisms such as viruses, bacteria, molds, and yeats need to be reduced in order to ensure the longevity of what’s going to be packed. When you reduce the amount of these organisms, you’re also reducing the risk of shipping out contaminated food to consumers which could, in turn, poison them.

What’s the use of a plate heat exchanger?

A plate heat exchanger or any heat exchanger, in general, is used for a wide variety of tasks concerning industrial processes. From air conditioning components to being integral parts of cooling and heating system, they’ve become must-haves in order to efficiently control the temperature of most machinery.

Heat exchangers can be designed in a manner that lets the user reach a specific temperature and maintain it without damaging any of the other parts of a device. This means that it’s incredibly useful for usage with a multitude of what would be generic devices such as fans, belts, coolants, tubes, linings and condensers.

What is the HTST pasteurization method?

HTST, which stands for High Temperature/Short Time, is a pasteurization method that is utilized by many manufacturers today. It’s widely used by food companies to ensure the longevity of the food and beverages that they produce. It utilizes a heat exchange unit that is able to transfer the thermal energy from the foodstuff and maintain the temperature.

As long as the temperature is maintained at a designated high level, most pathogenic organisms which could be classified as harmful contents when consumed are reduced greatly. This process is incredibly efficient and has proven to save costs on energy and is one of the best ways to guarantee that the environmental concerns are minimal.

What is the UHT pasteurization method?

The Ultra-High Temperature method of pasteurization is used by companies that want a faster process that can still ensure a longer shelf life for food products. The main difference between HTST and UHT is you’d have to ensure that you package all of the foodstuff contents into sterile containers. This also means that you have to maintain a sterile environment

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Source by Jack Wilson

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Growth in population and rising income level of the middle class has resulted in an unprecedented demand for food, consumer goods, and many more things. Consequently, industries are nowadays using the latest available technologies to meet the evolving needs. For the same, industrial heating and air-conditioning has become a matter of paramount importance. Industries have a dependence on the generation and efficient use of heat since time immemorial, but the recent surge in demand and technological advances have pushed them to go for industrial heating and air-conditioning services from the companies that provide the same in a competent manner.

Industries Demanding a Heating System

A large number of industries today have such kind of system to have heat efficiency and less heat wastage. Some of them are the following ones:

Chemical – For many processes in this type of industry, steam is used, which needs to be regulated via an efficient heating system. As this steam is generated in boilers, heating systems are a prime requisite not only for maintaining a precise temperature as per the manufacturing requirements but also for the reduction of any loss of energy during the steam generation process.

Waste Treatment – Here, there is a use of hot water in order to eliminate the trace of any microorganisms, as they cannot survive at extremely high temperatures. Moreover, controlled combustion is essential for the treatment of solid waste in such an industry.

Food Processing – For ensuring the safety of food, a heating system is a part of this type of industry. It is used for pasteurization, heating of large ovens, food sanitation, sterilization, and many other purposes.

Biodiesel – Circulation heaters are always an integral part of the biodiesel production process. Be it the transesterification process to speed up the reaction or other vital processes, the industrial heating system found a wide application here.

Paper – It consumes a lot of energy and efficient heating systems are hence an absolute requirement to ensure less energy waste.

Industries Demanding an Air-Conditioning System

Air-conditioning has found a common application in households and offices all over the world, but for some industries, it is an absolute necessity for safe production as well as storage of the manufactured goods. Some of the listing includes the following:

• Hospitality
• Pharmaceutical
• Agri-food

The future of the industrial heating and air-conditioning is bright, as extreme weather challenges have further increased the demand for such systems in numerous industries on a global basis.

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Source by Frank Shan

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A refrigerated truck is often the reason a business survives or fails because of the expenses related to them. Today’s economic challenges have brought forth some unique solutions for several businesses. Ideal for practically any industry that makes use of a cooling system, portable refrigerated trailers have been used by supermarkets, caterers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, fast food chains and a large number of other small and large businesses, as well as a variety of individuals for personal home use.

Save on Space

Unlike large, loud and smelly diesel truck refrigeration units, this innovative refrigerated truck alternative is available in a variety of units and a number of sizes to fit into small spaces not suitable for industry sized trucks. The 8 to 16 foot units are perfect for small businesses without a lot of room for a large standard size 48 foot truck. These units can fit practically anywhere and perfect on gravel, pavement, even grass. They will fit much more easily into a tight space than a large industry sized refrigerated truck will, and there is no danger in placing it on a slope. While large industry sized trucks should not be parked on a slope because of the risk of injury, portable refrigerated trailers can easily rest on practically any surface. They can be positioned inside or outside.

Save on Cost

In comparison with big industrial trucks, these units are extremely cost effective in today’s sliding economy. Many smaller businesses find they don’t really need the space an industry sized 48 foot refrigerated truck provides. However, even if you don’t use that space, you are still paying for it. With the rising cost of diesel fuel, why not opt for a portable refrigerated trailer that doesn’t require diesel fuel to begin with? Simply pull the unit up to your business or home and plug it in to a 110 volt power supply. With this refrigerated truck alternative, you will save a multitude of money on diesel fuel delivery and running costs.

Eliminate Odor

Gone are the days of truck trailers that reek of smelly fuel. Refrigerated trucks require diesel fuel for the cooling unit to keep running properly. Most of these convenient refrigerated truck alternatives run on a 110 volt system, requiring as little as 15 amps of power. In addition, some portable refrigerated trailers are available with a generator backup and thermostatically controlled environment.

Enjoy Convenience

Portable refrigerated trailer units can easily be positioned for convenient ground-level entry. Forget the hassle of dangerous and costly ramps. These refrigerated trailer units can be conveniently placed at any level suitable for your business or personal needs. The last decade has proven that smart businesses are going to the small reefer trailer over the refrigerated truck.

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Source by Tom McBride

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Menthol is a minty product, which is available in white crystals form that’s extracted synthetically from peppermint essential oil. It contains 70% of menthol, which make it so, beneficial for your health. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, which make it highly demanded in various pharmaceuticals and cosmetic industries. It is also known for its sweet aroma, minty flavor, and cooling effects. It is originally known as Japanese mint. It has so many health benefits and uses in various applications. Some of its different uses, which you never heard before, are as follows.

Food Production: Don’t be surprised, from the ancient times; it is used as a flavor enhancer in food production. It not only enhances the taste of your mouth, but also gives your mouth a cooling sensation. This is widely used to make candies.

Beverages: Yes, you can also use this menthol crystal to add flavor in your beverages. This is widely used in various cold drinks, wines, and many other sweet drinks or other beverages.

Pharmaceuticals: It has antibacterial property, which helps to fight with various health diseases. Therefore, these menthol crystals widely used in various pharmaceutical industries. This is a proven solution to get relief from a headache, stomachache, nausea, sinus, headache, common fever, cold & cough, asthma and many other diseases.

Cosmetic: Due to its sweet aroma, this is widely used in cosmetic industries. It helps to enhance the smell of your favorite perfume and used in various beauty products such as shampoos, conditioners, lip balms, creams, and lotions and so on that helps to enhance your skin.

Oral hygiene: These menthol crystals also help to eliminate the bad breath and give your mouth a cooling sensation; therefore, it is widely used in manufacturing toothpaste, mouthwash or many other oral hygiene products.

Aromatherapies: These are also used in aromatherapies because of its cooling effect or sweet odor. It is really helpful to give relief from stress, anxiety, depression or many other problems. This is the only reason why aromatherapies can do what they do.

There are so many other ways to use this mint product, which has countless benefits. So, what are you waiting for? You should buy this outstanding mint product now from reputed Menthol Crystal Manufacturers at a wallet-friendly price. One thing to keep in mind is that don’t use it on sensitive areas of the skin, otherwise, it may be harmful. It is a very good product if you use it with complete guidance.

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Source by Synderela Thomas

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The role that dehumidifiers play in business and industry today is changing. Once limited to specialized applications where process requirements dictate removal of moisture from the ambient air, dehumidifiers are making their way into a wide range of commercial and institutional HVAC applications. In addition to the historically identified benefits of reducing equipment and material corrosion, preventing condensation on cool surfaces and checking the growth of microscopic organisms, building engineers, architects and maintenance managers are discovering that the systems are well suited for use in a wide range of applications.

Dehumidification applications

One of the more common commercial and institutional applications for dehumidifiers is in computer rooms and areas with high-tech electronic equipment, which are sensitive to atmospheric moisture. In the highly air-conditioned atmosphere where much of the equipment operates, relative humidity readings frequently exceed 75 percent. At these levels, atmospheric moisture promotes corrosion of metal contacts and components within the equipment, leading to deterioration of the system operation.

Paper feeding high-speed printers absorb moisture, resulting in frequent paper jams. Dehumidifier systems help provide precise humidity control, keeping the moisture content of the air low enough to prevent these problems, but high enough so that static electricity does not become a problem.

Another institutional application where dehumidifiers have been widely used is for health care facilities, particularly those with operating rooms and intensive care units. They have strict requirements that govern the quality of applied air. The air supplied typically is 100 percent outside air and must be controlled within a fairly narrow temperature and humidity band. In many cases, dehumidification systems are necessary to meet those requirements.

Another commercial application that has made wide use of dehumidification systems is the grocery market industry. Grocery stores present unique humidity control problems for the HVAC system engineer. High humidity levels lead to frost formation on the cooling coils of frozen food cases, as well as on the products being displayed. Frost on the cooling coils increases cooling energy requirements. Frost on the product decreases customer satisfaction and increases labor requirements. Dehumidification systems, by reducing the relative humidity from the 60 percent to 65 percent range to 50 percent or less range, greatly reduce the rate at which frost forms.

The use of dehumidification systems in commercial and institutional facilities, however, is not limited to these specialized applications. The relative humidity of the air supplied to an area is an important component of the space’s overall indoor air quality. Building managers are finding that dehumidification systems can help many other facilities improve their indoor air quality while reducing energy requirements.

System advances

There are two primary ways to remove moisture from a building’s air supply: cool the air below its dew point to condense the water vapor, or pass the air over a material that readily absorbs water.

Systems that cool the air below its dew point use mechanical refrigeration. Air is passed over a cooling coil, causing a portion of the moisture in the air to condense on the coils’ surface and drop out of the air flow.

The relative humidity of the air leaving the coil is nearly 100 percent, so before it can be introduced into the conditioned space, it must be mixed with warmer air or reheated. Varying the temperature of the cooling coils controls the amount of moisture left in the supply air and the resultant humidity.

Although mechanical refrigeration dehumidification systems were popular in the past, their high energy costs have forced building operators to look for other options. The option that has been most widely accepted for use in commercial, institutional and industrial facilities is the desiccant system.

Desiccant dehumidification systems consist of a slowly rotating disk, drum or wheel that is coated or filled with an absorbent. Air being drawn into the facility is passed across one portion of the wheel, where the desiccant absorbs moisture from the air.

As the desiccant structure slowly rotates, it passes through a second heated air stream. The moist air is then exhausted from the facility. By rotating continuously, the desiccant wheel always has a freshly regenerated area available for dehumidification.

Early generation systems used lithium chloride gas as the desiccant. One problem with these systems occurred when the reactivation heater failed to operate properly or the wheel failed to rotate. The lithium chloride continued to absorb water from the airstream, but without reactivation, the wheel became saturated with moisture. Once saturated, the lithium chloride separated from the wheel and was carried off by the airflow.

With a cost of several thousand dollars to replace the lithium chloride, maintenance managers soon modified the systems to include automatic alarms should the reactivation cycle be interrupted. Newer generation systems primarily use a silica gel as the desiccant. Silica gel does not lose its adhesion to the rotating wheel when saturated.

By following a preventive and scheduled maintenance program that includes inspection of key system components, building maintenance managers can help insure that they get the biggest possible benefit from dehumidification system operation.

Dessicant System Maintenance

The most important maintenance activity for desiccant dehumidification systems is regular inspection. Unfortunately for many system operators, the first indication of system trouble is rising humidity levels in the occupied space. This is particularly important for lithium chloride based systems, as the cost to replace the desiccant material can be as high as $9,000-11,000. Consider these maintenance points:

• Air filters. To protect the desiccant from accumulating dirt from the air flow across the wheel, air filters are installed on the intake side. To prevent reduced air flow from clogged filters, inspect filters periodically. Inspection frequency depends on the level of airborne materials present.

• Drive belts. Due to the low rotation speed of desiccant wheels, one or more drive belts transfer power from the motor to the wheel. Loose, damaged or misaligned belts can slow or stop the operation of the wheel, thus decreasing dehumidification system effectiveness. In the case of lithium chloride desiccant, improperly turning wheels can lead to the loss of the desiccant. Inspect the entire drive system weekly, checking the belts for signs of misalignment, wear and slippage.

• Regenerator. It’s one of the most critical components in the operation of a desiccant-based dehumidification system. Without the regenerator, there would be no way to remove moisture from the desiccant, and the system would no longer be able to remove moisture from the building. Inspect the operation of the regenerator on a weekly basis. Safety controls and system malfunction alarms should be manually tested at least once a month.

• Seals. The absorption and regeneration portions of the wheel are separated by a system of partitions and seals. Over time, the seals can wear, allowing air to flow between the two sections of the wheel. This mixing of air flows reduces the overall efficiency of the wheel. Under normal operating conditions, the seals can be expected to last approximately five years. They should be closely inspected at least once a month, however, for wear or damage.

• Dirt contamination of the drum. The efficiency of the desiccant largely depends on the amount of surface area that comes in contact with the air flow. Accumulated dirt on the desiccant can reduce the effective surface area available for moisture absorption, thus reducing the overall effectiveness of the dehumidification system.

• Although the air filter system is designed to remove dirt from the air flow, it isn’t 100 percent effective. Also, the process of absorption of water and desorption by regeneration deposits a significant quantity of dirt on the surface of the desiccant. The desiccant surface should be inspected closely at least once a month for dirt build-up. If a significant amount of dirt is found, the surface will have to be cleaned in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations.

• Desiccant. Although desiccant loss is more of a problem in lithium-chloride-based systems than in those that use a silica gel, the desiccant can become damaged. Inspect the desiccant at least once a month for signs of loss or damage. If the system is shut down for maintenance, inspect the desiccant before it is started up again.

• System alarms and controls. Most desiccant systems are equipped with alarms that monitor the operation of key elements of the system, such as wheel rotation and the regenerator. If the system uses a lithium chloride-based desiccant, those controls and alarms should be tested at least once a month. Systems that use a silica gel desiccant do not require as frequent testing, as the desiccant is not readily damaged by moisture saturations. The controls and alarms of these systems, however also should be tested on a regular basis.

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Source by Julian Arhire