The spray humidifiers used to preserve produce in supermarkets unexpectedly inspired a solution to dust problems in factory 

coal conveyance corridors. This modification, costing only a few hundred yuan, ultimately brought significant “green” benefits 

to the entire plant.

In recent years, as the global pursuit of carbon neutrality and sustainable development goals intensifies, energy conservation 

and emission reduction in industrial production have transcended mere cost control. They have become pivotal indicators for 

measuring corporate social responsibility and core competitiveness.

Against this backdrop, ultrasonic humidification technology—with its unique low-temperature operation and low-power 

consumption characteristics—is quietly emerging as an innovative pathway for modern industry to achieve energy conservation, 

emission reduction, and green production. This article explores how this technology provides practical solutions for sustainable 

industrial development by reducing production energy consumption, optimizing HVAC system loads, and enhancing overall 

environmental quality.

01 Technical Principles and Evolution: From Micro-Vibrations to Industrial Revolution

The core principle of ultrasonic humidification technology is rooted in the precise application of physics. It utilizes piezoelectric 

transducers to generate high-frequency mechanical vibrations, typically exceeding 1.7 MHz.

These high-frequency vibrations are transmitted to the water surface, breaking water molecules into ultra-fine droplets with 

diameters less than 10 micrometers. This atomization process requires minimal external thermal energy, enabling efficient 

humidification under low-temperature conditions.

While ultrasonic humidification is not a novel concept, its industrial applications are undergoing revolutionary transformation. 

Evolving from early simple household humidifiers, it now encompasses specialized equipment integrated into HVAC systems, 

data center cooling units, and diverse industrial environments.

Technological advancements have expanded its adaptability to broader environmental conditions, including the unique 

challenges of sub-zero environments.

02 Energy Efficiency Analysis: Significant Advantages Over Traditional Methods

Compared to conventional steam or electric heating humidification, ultrasonic humidification demonstrates outstanding energy 

savings. Data indicates ultrasonic humidifiers consume only about 10% of the power used by traditional steam humidifiers.

In specific industrial scenarios like controlled atmosphere cold storage, its energy consumption can be reduced to one-third that 

of electric heating humidifiers.

This remarkable energy efficiency stems from its unique operating mechanism: Traditional humidification methods require heating 

water to boiling to generate steam or using electric heating elements to warm air and enhance its moisture-holding capacity—

processes that consume substantial energy.

Ultrasonic technology, however, requires only minimal electrical power to drive piezoelectric transducers, producing high-frequency 

vibrations that directly atomize water into microscopic particles. This significantly improves energy conversion efficiency.

At industrial scale, this energy-saving advantage is amplified. For instance, a medium-sized manufacturing plant adopting ultrasonic 

humidification systems across all humidification needs could achieve annual energy savings ranging from tens of thousands to 

hundreds of thousands of kilowatt-hours. This translates directly into substantial economic benefits and carbon reduction outcomes.

03 Air Conditioning System Optimization: Dual Energy-Saving Effects

The contribution of ultrasonic humidification technology to industrial energy conservation extends beyond its own low power 

consumption to the optimization of the entire air conditioning system load. In traditional humidification processes—whether 

electric heating or steam humidification—additional heat is introduced into the air, increasing the cooling burden on the air 

conditioning system.

In contrast, ultrasonic humidification is an adiabatic process. The evaporation of atomized water absorbs heat from the surrounding 

environment, creating a slight cooling effect. This characteristic is particularly valuable in summer or in industrial environments 

with strict temperature control requirements, as it indirectly reduces the cooling load on the air conditioning system.

Research indicates that the application of ultrasonic humidification systems in air conditioning requires optimization of parameters 

such as air mass flow rate and water layer thickness to achieve optimal humidification results.

When these parameters are properly configured, the system not only precisely controls environmental humidity but also achieves 

secondary energy savings by reducing the operational intensity of the air conditioning system.

04 Enhanced Environmental Quality: A Win-Win for Production and Ecology

Beyond direct energy savings, the improvement of industrial production environment quality through ultrasonic humidification 

technology is equally significant. Proper humidity control effectively suppresses dust dispersion and enhances the working environment.

In a real-world case at a Chinese chemical plant, technicians drew inspiration from supermarket produce misting systems. By installing 

ultrasonic atomization devices in coal conveyor galleries and continuously misting coal residue to maintain moisture, they significantly 

suppressed dust dispersion, resolving a long-standing environmental challenge that had hampered production.

This application not only improved working conditions but also reduced the operational load on air purification equipment, indirectly 

lowering energy consumption. Furthermore, appropriate humidity control is critical for certain production processes, such as in the 

textile, printing, and precision instrument manufacturing industries, where humidity stability directly impacts product quality and 

production efficiency.

Regarding air quality, studies indicate that ultrasonic diffusers using distilled water can maintain PM1, PM2.5, and PM10 levels within 

acceptable ranges for up to 4 hours.

However, the study also notes that these devices may increase nanoparticle concentrations, suggesting the need for rational 

configuration and application of this technology in industrial settings.

05 Challenges in Low-Temperature Environments: Technical Optimization and Breakthroughs

Despite the clear advantages of ultrasonic humidification technology, its application in low-temperature environments remains 

challenging. Research indicates that as ambient temperatures decrease, higher mist delivery temperatures are required to maintain 

stable humidification conditions, leading to a significant increase in energy consumption per unit of humidification output.

In sub-zero environments, one major issue in ultrasonic humidification is the low evaporation efficiency of large-diameter droplets, 

resulting in incomplete evaporation and frost formation within air ducts, which compromises humidifier performance stability.

To address this challenge, researchers designed a honeycomb baffle device to capture large-diameter droplets. Experimental results 

demonstrate that under identical ambient temperatures, this device significantly extends stable humidification operation time while 

reducing energy consumption per unit of humidification output.

Specifically:- At -2°C ambient temperature, humidifier energy consumption decreases by 2.44%; at -7°C, energy consumption 

decreased by 4.67%; and under the harsh condition of -15°C, the reduction reached 8.84%.

These technical optimizations enable ultrasonic humidification systems to adapt to a broader range of industrial environments, 

including specialized scenarios such as cold chain logistics and factories in frigid regions, expanding their application scope in 

industrial energy conservation.

06 Comprehensive Benefit Assessment: A Wise Choice for Green Production

Evaluated from a full lifecycle and comprehensive benefit perspective, ultrasonic humidification technology delivers value to industrial 

production far exceeding its direct energy-saving effects.

Compact equipment and flexible installation reduce space requirements and installation costs; intelligent control systems automatically 

adjust humidification levels based on ambient humidity, preventing energy waste from over-humidification; while low maintenance 

needs and extended service life lower lifecycle operational costs.

Take a specific ultrasonic humidifier model as an example: consuming only 60 watts of power, it delivers highly efficient humidification. 

This high energy efficiency provides a distinct advantage in continuous industrial operation environments.

Furthermore, technological advancements have enabled new-generation ultrasonic humidifiers to achieve relative humidity control 

accuracy as high as ±1%, meeting the stringent environmental parameter requirements of precision industrial production.

When a chemical plant employed common supermarket ultrasonic atomizers to resolve persistent dust issues, workers observed not 

only a refreshed workplace environment but also a quiet improvement in the facility's overall energy efficiency.

With breakthroughs in performance and energy optimization for extreme low-temperature applications, ultrasonic humidification is 

reshaping environmental control models across industrial production—from -15°C cold storage facilities to high-temperature, 

high-humidity workshops.

Looking ahead, as this technology expands into more industrial scenarios, the “ultrasonic green mist” will continue driving 

manufacturing toward greater efficiency and environmental sustainability, emerging as an indispensable force in industrial green 

transformation.