BE-serie Nafion® Bevochtiger

Passive gas humidification via Nafion™ moisture exchange

BE series Nafion® humidifiers (moisture exchangers) use the unique Nafion™ membrane technology to passively humidify or dehumidify gas streams to a natural equilibrium with the environment or a connected moisture source.
The system works without purge gas, heating or active control, making the BE series highly suitable for compact OEM systems, laboratories and simple calibration setups.

How does a BE Nafion® humidifier work?

The BE series works on the basis of selective water permeation through an ionic polymer (Nafion™):

1. The gas stream passes through a braided Nafion™ tube
2. On the outside there is ambient air or a humid environment
3. Water molecules migrate through the membrane until moisture equilibrium is reached
4. Other gas components are fully retained

First-order kinetic moisture exchange

Moisture exchange follows a first-order kinetic reaction:

• The rate depends on the difference in water activity
• Moisture equilibrium is reached very quickly (typically within milliseconds)
• This produces stable, reproducible humidification without condensation

The BE humidifier automatically corrects the moisture content to the ambient level, without the need for control or sensors.

Key features

1. Passive humidification without energy consumption
2. No purge gas or extra utilities needed
3. No condensation or droplet formation
4. Continuous self-regenerating operation
5. Compact, light and low-maintenance
6. Chemically resistant Nafion™ membrane
7. Easy inline integration

Specifications

Performance: RH versus calibration gas flow

Figures 1 and 2 show the resulting outlet relative humidity (RH) at different gas flows for two controlled environments:

• one at 20 °C with a dew point of 15 °C (a standard temperate climate), and
• one at 35 °C with a dew point of 27 °C (a typical hot and humid tropical climate).

Figure 3 shows the outlet RH as a function of the inlet RH at a constant flow of 1 L/min, for different active lengths.