The source of this airstream may come from gas, steam, or electric. The dry air leaves the wheel and is carried to the point of use by fans or blowers. While that is happening, part of the wheel is rotating through a second, smaller airstream with the reactivation air, which has been heated. This hot air heats the wheel and drives water vapor out of the desiccant. As each section of the wheel rotates out of the reactivation air, its desiccant is dried and can once again remove moisture from the process air.
Drier air means warmer air.
Conversely, when air is dehumidified, the heat needed to evaporate the water originally is liberated, raising the temperature of the airstream. Desiccant dehumidification systems, available in a range of capacities and configurations, can be used for localized control or for an entire production processing area, said Speltz. Fog prevention and the recovery time required after sanitation can be critical, since inspectors prohibit production from resuming until the area is dry. Figure 1 shows a sample sanitation washdown application. To maximize airflow through the production area, the return and supplies are located at opposite ends of the room.