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Idea for a low power dehumidifier


harrybsmith

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Hello all,

I've had a bit of an idea for a low powered dehumidifier and I'd appreciate your thoughts.

It would work by having a low power computer fan blow ambient air over a series of coils of microbore copper pipe, that is fed with canal/ river/sea water from outside. So long as the water is cooler than ambient (if it isn't then I'd say you've got bigger issues) then condensation should form on the coiled tubes and fall into a receptacle below. 

Small 5w  pumps can be had off eBay for not very much, and should mean that the whole thing consumes not a fat lot of electricity.

Before I start tinkering, is there anything blindingly obvious that I've missed?

Thanks

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Why bother?

Why not just use something that is already on the market and proven to work?

These use no power for example and do work, collecting a surprising amount of moisture for their size. 

http://www.wilko.com/insulation/unibond-aero-360-moisture-absorber-450g/invt/0286745

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I have a couple of those onboard, and I'd concur with you in that they do work, as a consequence I don't have too many issues with condensation.

As for the "why bother" point, it can be said about a lot of things, but its human nature to make stuff and try to improve existing designs to make our lives easier.

And anyway, I'll enjoy the project

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1 hour ago, harrybsmith said:

Hello all,

I've had a bit of an idea for a low powered dehumidifier and I'd appreciate your thoughts.

It would work by having a low power computer fan blow ambient air over a series of coils of microbore copper pipe, that is fed with canal/ river/sea water from outside. So long as the water is cooler than ambient (if it isn't then I'd say you've got bigger issues) then condensation should form on the coiled tubes and fall into a receptacle below. 

Small 5w  pumps can be had off eBay for not very much, and should mean that the whole thing consumes not a fat lot of electricity.

Before I start tinkering, is there anything blindingly obvious that I've missed?

Thanks

Good call ,try and mount it high so that the Water can Drain Over board.

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7 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Could you have an unpumped version that has water scoop powered by the boat's movement through the water? For those boats that do move? With a micro-scoop for Naughty Cal?

I like that a lot, however a quick back of the envelope calculation seems to reveal that you'd need to be going 383mph to get a constant flow through a 10mm tube at window height (planning to run the inlet and outlet through the window, saves hull hole drilling). Maybe requires further thought...

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1 minute ago, harrybsmith said:

I like that a lot, however a quick back of the envelope calculation seems to reveal that you'd need to be going 383mph to get a constant flow through a 10mm tube at window height (planning to run the inlet and outlet through the window, saves hull hole drilling). Maybe requires further thought...

oh well, just for Naughty Cal then...

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54 minutes ago, harrybsmith said:

I like that a lot, however a quick back of the envelope calculation seems to reveal that you'd need to be going 383mph to get a constant flow through a 10mm tube at window height (planning to run the inlet and outlet through the window, saves hull hole drilling). Maybe requires further thought...

Couple it with an Eco Fan, coupled to an Eco Pump, powered by the cool tubes...

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11 hours ago, harrybsmith said:

I have a couple of those onboard, and I'd concur with you in that they do work, as a consequence I don't have too many issues with condensation.

As for the "why bother" point, it can be said about a lot of things, but its human nature to make stuff and try to improve existing designs to make our lives easier.

And anyway, I'll enjoy the project

Again then. If you don't currently have a condensation problem. Why bother?

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