In today's pursuit of indoor comfort, humidification technology has become an essential part of modern living. Wet membrane 

humidification technology stands out among various humidification methods due to its unique natural evaporation principle. 

This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the technology from three perspectives: its technical principles, comparison 

with traditional humidification methods, and its advantages in energy efficiency and health benefits.

I. Fundamental Working Principle of Wet Membrane Humidification Technology

Also known as evaporative humidification technology, wet membrane humidification simulates nature's water evaporation process. 

Its core component is a “wet membrane” composed of porous, moisture-absorbing material, typically featuring a large specific 

surface area and excellent water distribution properties.

The operational process comprises four steps:

1. Water Distribution: Water is uniformly delivered to the top of the wet membrane via a pump or gravity.

   Under gravitational force, it permeates downward, forming a uniformly moist surface.

2. Air Contact: Dry air is drawn through the moist membrane by a fan, achieving thorough contact with the water.

3. Heat Exchange and Evaporation: The air's heat is absorbed by the water, causing some water molecules to convert

   to vapor and enter the airflow. This process simultaneously lowers air temperature, achieving a mild cooling effect.

4. Moist Air Output: Humidified air is delivered indoors while filtering out dust and particulates.

Throughout this process, water molecules transition from liquid to vapor solely through natural evaporation—without forced 

phase changes or mechanical disruption. Consequently, energy consumption is minimal, and no fine mist is produced.

II. Comparison with Traditional Humidification Methods

Wet-membrane humidification technology differs fundamentally from traditional methods like ultrasonic humidification 

and steam humidification in both principle and effect.

1. Comparison with Ultrasonic Humidification Technology

Ultrasonic humidification uses high-frequency vibrations to break water into micron-sized droplets, directly spraying them 

into the air. While this method humidifies rapidly, it presents the following issues:

• Potential atomization of minerals and microorganisms in water, leading to “white powder” contamination or bacterial spread

• Deposition of droplets on surfaces causing localized dampness or mold growth

• Relatively high energy consumption

In contrast, wet membrane humidification introduces only pure water molecules into the air, avoiding these issues.

2. Comparison with Steam Humidification Technology

Steam humidification involves boiling water to generate steam, which is then introduced into the air. While effective for sterilization, 

this method has significant drawbacks:

• Extremely high energy consumption (water vaporization requires substantial heat)

• Potential for localized indoor temperature increases

• Higher safety risks (involves high-temperature equipment and steam)

Wet-membrane humidification requires no latent heat of phase change, consuming only 5%-10% of steam-based energy while 

eliminating high-temperature hazards.

III. Energy Efficiency and Health Advantages

1. Significant Energy Savings

The energy-saving characteristics of wet-membrane humidification manifest in multiple dimensions:

• Direct Energy Savings: Requires only minimal electrical power to drive the water pump and fan, eliminating the need for

  high-power inputs required for heating or high-frequency vibration. Actual operating power is typically around one-tenth

  of traditional methods.

• Indirect Energy Savings: The evaporation process absorbs heat from the air, producing a cooling effect of 1-3°C in summer,

  reducing air conditioning load; in winter, when used with heating systems, it alleviates dryness without significantly increasing

  energy consumption.

• Water Resource Efficiency: Water circulates within the wet membrane, with only the evaporated portion consumed, minimizing

  water waste.

2. Outstanding Health Benefits

• Zero Particle Emissions: Only water molecules enter the air, preventing the inhalation of waterborne impurities or bacteria

  into the respiratory system.

• Natural Air Purification: As air passes through the wet membrane, dust, pollen, and other particles are captured by the moist

  surface, acting as a natural air filter.

• Maintains Comfortable Humidity Range: Natural evaporation self-regulates—faster evaporation occurs in drier air, while

  evaporation slows automatically as humidity nears saturation. This helps maintain humidity within the 40%-60% range optimal

  for human comfort, preventing over-humidification.

• Inhibits Microbial Growth: Humidifier membranes often incorporate antimicrobial agents, and their operating environment is

  unsuitable for significant microbial proliferation (unlike the water tank environment in ultrasonic humidifiers).

IV. Application Prospects and Limitations

With its energy-efficient and health-promoting characteristics, wet-membrane humidification technology holds broad application 

prospects in settings demanding high air quality standards—including homes, offices, data centers, hospitals, and museums. Its 

market acceptance continues to grow, particularly amid rising energy costs and heightened health awareness.

Of course, this technology also has certain limitations: humidification speed is relatively slow, making it unsuitable for scenarios 

requiring rapid humidity increases; the humidification membrane requires regular maintenance and replacement; and in extremely 

dry environments, humidification efficiency may decrease.

Conclusion

By mimicking natural evaporation, wet membrane humidification strikes a clever balance between energy efficiency and health. 

It prioritizes gentle, natural improvement of indoor environments over rapid or intense humidification, embodying the wisdom of 

modern environmental control technology that “draws inspiration from nature.” With advancements in materials science and 

aerodynamics, this technology's efficiency and applicability will further enhance, providing increasingly optimized solutions for 

creating healthy, comfortable indoor environments.