Salt Water in Humidifier

GaCRT · Post by **GaCRT** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:47 pm

I had a patient ask me about putting salt in the water in the humidifier to make the air more like the ocean air. He has a friend who does this and swears by it..claims it makes it easier to breathe. I was just wondering if any one else has tried this or even heard of it. I can't really find anything on it and since I don't use a CPAP personally I can't really test this theory. Theory being that the air near the ocean is easier to breathe so salt in the humidifier makes the air passing through more like ocean air. Any comments or feedback would be appreciated. Thanks

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:00 pm

I may be opening myself up to gunfire here, so I'll go ahead and post a target:

The humidifier works by heating the water so that it can evaporate. The salt will remain in the water tank. The reason that the air near the ocean smells salty is because there are atomized ocean water particles in the air. If you were to agitate the humidifier (like the wind and waves do to the ocean), I would guess that some salt water would travel through your hose.

I'm interested if anyone has a different understanding of the physics here, because maybe I'm all wet!

Take care,
Cathy

wkosturko · Post by **wkosturko** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:05 pm

your my hero!

Jefe · Post by **Jefe** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:06 pm

Well, from my understanding, salts & minerals are left in the tank when the water evaporates. That's what creates the scale if you use tap water.

I think it would be far worse if you used salt water. You might get some atomized, but mostly the slat would concentrate until it fell out of solution, and crystallized in the tank.

jennmary · Post by **jennmary** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:06 pm

Part of the reason for distilling water is to take the salt out. This will ruin the humidifier tank I am sure. Plus salt is very drying. So I would think that the inside of your nose would feel pretty raw and painfull if it actually worked. The whole point of the humidifier is to moisturize, I would think that salt would only defeat that purpose.

HeatherN · Post by **HeatherN** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:06 pm

I have to agree with Cathy that salt would remain in the tank. I keep aquarium fish and even when the water evaporates the salt stays behind. I can't help but wonder if this would cause damage to the machine over time.Very intresting thought though.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:18 pm

I'm with tangents, it would seem it would eventually become Davey Jones Locker once the water all evaporates. But that might not be all bad, last Davey Jones I visited had a great underground bar off the end of the swimming pool of the Outrigger in Hawaii. But I hear that is gone now

It may seem like you are sleeping next to the ocean using salt water, you may even add some white noise maker in the background with waves crashing sounds, maybe add some Hula dancers and bikini's you'll be all set.

but the Ocean theme is dead, I'm going for that desert look:

wkosturko · Post by **wkosturko** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:28 pm

wow what a PRICKLY situation!!!

roster · Post by **roster** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:35 pm

[quote="GaCRT"]I had a patient ask me about putting salt in the water in the humidifier to make the air more like the ocean air. .......

momadams · Post by **momadams** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:10 pm

"Dimethylsulfide. That "smells like the ocean" smell of fresh salt air is a gas that comes from phytoplankton, the tiny plants that are the base of the ocean's food chain."
http://www.boston.com/globe/search/stor ... 081098.htm

I'm puttin' phytoplankton in my humidifier. Miss that ocean...

Shari

TXKajun · Post by **TXKajun** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:24 pm

Finally a question I can answer scientifically!! (Well, at least, kinda sorta)

There is a phenomenon called "vapor pressure"....that's how many molecules of a substance go into the air of a closed chamber at a certain temperature. For instance, the vapor pressure of pure water (like distilled water) at 30 degrees C is 31.82 mm Mercury (Hg). If you add 50 grams of Sodium Chloride.....salt....NaCl....then the vapor pressure is reduced to 27.68 mm Hg. So, if you go adding salt to your water in your humidifier, not only will the salt NOT evaporate and give you the "ocean smell", but it will reduce the efficiency of your humidifier by a little over 13%!! Wowzers! Ain't science great!! LOL

Also, as the water evaporates (albeit at a slower rate), the concentration of salt inside the humidifier will increase until, if not changed regularly, the salt starts precipitating out....that is, the water gets saturated and can't hold the salt anymore, so the salt falls out. In our humidifiers, it will not just fall out, but will end up coating the inside of the humidifier.....scale...and it is rather hard to get out.

Soooooo, end result (in highly scientific terms), you're gonna end up with a gunked up humidifier that ain't gonna smell like the ocean. K??

Kajun

christinequilts · Post by **christinequilts** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 2:52 pm

Wonder how often they have to replace their HH container with salt water? Hope it's an inexpensive one. Also, how much salt would remain in the air that reaches them, if any? Doesn't the salt get left behind?...at least that's my understanding of the physics of how they make distilled water, but it has been a few years since my last science class

Missy · Post by **Missy** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:09 pm

OK, I'm gonna ask this. How in the world would someone have the title of CRT and ask this question in the first place? LOL

oceanpearl · Post by **oceanpearl** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 3:14 pm

Anyone ever wonder why the "Great Salt Lake" is salty. Runoff from the mountains, the water eventually evaporates and leaves behind all the minerals. Over a few millions of years "Great Salt Lake".

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 8:04 pm

Finally! Snoredog posts a picture of himself and his brothers! Yippee!

Humidifier

Additional Comments: Pressure 16 cm H2O at altitude 6550ft

Salt Water in Humidifier

Salt Water in Humidifier

Re: Salt Water in Humidifier