Previous in Forum: Impact Load, En 19 Shaft, Through Hardened, Case Hardened   Next in Forum: Is This A Code Violation
Close
Close
Close
11 comments
Rate Comments: Nested
Participant

Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2

Condensation Issue

06/19/2011 5:09 AM

Hi,

There is a 60 cm gap between a water fall (8m width) and a double glass panes (8 m width). The height of both of them is 5.3 m.

The room facing the double glass panes is air conditioned with 2 FCU's and the area behind the water fall is an indoor swimming pool which is also has its own HVAC system

I think there will be a problem of condensation on the double glass from inside the gap.

How to avoid this problem, shall I supply this gap with fresh air? please advice.

Thanks

Register to Reply
Pathfinder Tags: Condensation problem
Interested in this topic? By joining CR4 you can "subscribe" to
this discussion and receive notification when new comments are added.

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Guru
Popular Science - Weaponology - New Member United Kingdom - Member - New Member

Join Date: May 2007
Location: Harlow England
Posts: 16512
Good Answers: 670
#1

Re: Condensation issue

06/19/2011 5:51 AM

If the double glass panes are sealed and have dessicant strip inside there should be no problem, the proximity of the swimingpool/waterfall or anything else is irrelevant.
If they are not sealed, then you will doubtless have a problem, forced air, may keep down the condensation, but it will probably end up as a dirt trap.
Del

__________________
health warning: These posts may contain traces of nut.
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
2
Guru
Engineering Fields - Mechanical Engineering - New Member India - Member - New Member

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: City of destiny, INDIA
Posts: 775
Good Answers: 67
#2

Re: Condensation Issue

06/19/2011 7:38 AM

Supplying fresh air is not a solution because it contains moisture. In fact it may aggravate your problem if air is with high RH. As suggested at #2 seal it and put desiccants. Additional suggestion is to fill dry air or nitrogen and seal it. You can also provide heating elements as well for corrective measures.

Register to Reply Good Answer (Score 2)
Guru

Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Chicago
Posts: 3990
Good Answers: 144
#3

Re: Condensation Issue

06/19/2011 11:21 PM

..I would start by blowing in some air.... stale air..

my turtle tank has about the same dimensions and issues.. When I blow some air into it.. the foggy drippy glass clearly dries up..

__________________
High Tolerance is Beautiful
Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Oman
Posts: 612
Good Answers: 14
#4

Re: Condensation Issue

06/20/2011 12:18 AM

Whenever there is a difference of temperature and pressure of water vapor across a structure, conditions may develop that lead to a condensation of moisture. In addition to the structural modification on the doors/windows operation and maintenance of a.c system is also important to minimize the condensation problem on the glasses of the windows. To minimize the condensation on the glasses of the window please instruct the operating team of ac system to maintain a room dew point lower than the lowest expected surface temperature in the room .If need velocity of air can be increased to decrease the surface resistance to bring the surface temperature of the window closer to the room dry- bulb temperature

Register to Reply
Guru
Hobbies - DIY Welding - New Member

Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 1601
Good Answers: 58
#5

Re: Condensation Issue

06/20/2011 6:18 AM

Because OP states that he has the option of supplying the gap with fresh air, one can be assume that the gap between the two plates is not sealed. In that case, I recommend you seal the gap and proceed as in answer #1, or feed warm dry air between the gap from the bottom. This will act as a defroster. Your objective will be to keep the internal surface temperature of both pieces of glass above the dew point of the adjacent gas.

Register to Reply
Guru
Hobbies - Fishing - Old Salt Hobbies - CNC - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Rosedale, Maryland USA
Posts: 5197
Good Answers: 266
#6

Re: Condensation Issue

06/20/2011 8:03 AM

A water fall 60cm from the glass and your worried about condensation. I would think that you would have continuous spray from the falls on the glass. This will leave behind deposits that will continuously need to be cleaned off. Even if the double panes are sealed you may have a problem. What is the seal material? The butyl rubber that the normally use as sealant for house windows does not hold up well to continuous moisture. If the seal fails you will have these deposits between the glass.

You might try air curtains to keep spray to minimum on the falls side. On the inside the air curtain movement of air should keep condensation from happening

__________________
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty, pristine body but rather to come sliding in sideways, all used up and exclaiming, "Wow, what a ride!"
Register to Reply
Participant

Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 2
#8
In reply to #6

Re: Condensation Issue

06/21/2011 1:26 AM

Thanks for all the replies,

OZZB, as i understand from your answer that if there is no spray of water to the glass, then there is no possibility of condensation. The glass to be used is a laminated type.

The area of concern is the one between the glass and the water fall not that between the layers of glass

Thanks again for all of you

Register to Reply
Guru

Join Date: May 2010
Location: in optimism
Posts: 4050
Good Answers: 130
#10
In reply to #8

Re: Condensation Issue

06/21/2011 6:00 AM

In that it's 'spray', not condensation. Try RainX or some similar water repelling product.

Adding a 'wetting agent' in the fountain water is also an option. This will cause the droplets to join and flow off as a film - which you can see through.

__________________
There is no sin except stupidity. (Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet (1854 - 1900))
Register to Reply
Guru
Hobbies - Fishing - Old Salt Hobbies - CNC - New Member United States - US - Statue of Liberty - New Member

Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Rosedale, Maryland USA
Posts: 5197
Good Answers: 266
#11
In reply to #8

Re: Condensation Issue

06/21/2011 7:22 AM

No My comment was that with a water fall that close to the glass, spray would be a bigger issue then condensation.

First what is the temperature difference between the two spaces? Both you have said are air conditioned? The lamination in the glass is an additional thermal barrier though it is I believe being used as sound suppression. The glass is it double pane sealed Insulated glass unit? Is it Argon filled? What is the dead space between the glass? What is the spacer material that keeps the two panes of glass separated? Spacer material is the biggest cause of thermal conduction across the glass. Aluminum has high level of thermal conduction. What is the frame material the glass is to be put in? As it also can cause conduction from the inner space to the outer.

All that being question has bearing on whether it will condense water.

Now an air curtain placed to force air down the face of the glass should stop any condensation to form on it. Will also reduce the amount of spray that would come off the water falls and land on it. Air motion across the surface of the glass will increase evaporation of any water no matter how it formed. Helping to keep it dry.

__________________
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving in a pretty, pristine body but rather to come sliding in sideways, all used up and exclaiming, "Wow, what a ride!"
Register to Reply Score 1 for Good Answer
Power-User

Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Tulsa, OK
Posts: 184
Good Answers: 2
#7

Re: Condensation Issue

06/20/2011 9:58 AM

If money is not an issue, then I would suggest you replace the air space with nitrogen, after drying it out well and the sealing the double glass sections.

If money is an issue then maybe recirculate dry warm air through the ar space between the glasses.

Register to Reply
Associate

Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 29
Good Answers: 1
#9

Re: Condensation Issue

06/21/2011 5:22 AM

The glasses will always receive droplets from water fall. Condensation will be avoided if supply of chilled air is directed away from glass & towards room space; also keep return air path away from glass if possible atleast by 30cms

Register to Reply Score 1 for Off Topic
Register to Reply 11 comments

Good Answers:

These comments received enough positive votes to make them "good answers".

"Almost" Good Answers:

Check out these comments that don't yet have enough votes to be "official" good answers and, if you agree with them, vote them!
Copy to Clipboard

Users who posted comments:

34point5 (1); Geon Melek Zahir Ahsan (1); JE in Chicago (1); mrswamy (1); ozzb (2); pritam (1); The dreamer (1); user-deleted-1105 (1); vargaalex (1); welderman (1)

Previous in Forum: Impact Load, En 19 Shaft, Through Hardened, Case Hardened   Next in Forum: Is This A Code Violation

Advertisement