Seasonal Blog: Enter the autumn

– by Peter Koelewijn, 5 November 2018

Europe may have experienced one of its hottest summers in many years but eventually the summer will pass. Fall starts and with the advent of the autumn season, comes trademark elements such as mist.

The origins of mist

A misty landscape makes for a beautiful sight, but how does it arise? Why does it disappear during daytime and how come there is almost no mist in summertime?

Mist is a phenomena that only occurs in specific conditions. There are two catalysers: humidity and temperature.

A certain amount of air can contain a certain amount of water damp. How much depends on its temperature. The warmer the air, the more water damp it can contain. This is why hot areas are far more humid than cold ones – and more energetic.

Changing of seasons

After a long warm period – such as the summertime – the air is heated up and has a high relative humidity. As the seasons change, the nights become longer and the air becomes ever cooler until it reaches a certain point.

This point is called the dew point. It is the moment when the air is saturated and cannot contain the amount of water moisture, which then starts condensing into mist – tiny droplets of water hanging in the air.

Condensation on your windscreen

The phenomena of mist occurs inside as well as outside. Take for example the inside of a wheelhouse. Here the HVAC system is running well to give a solid 21°C with 50% RH. As the outside temperature drops, the windows become colder until the dew point is reached – which at the above-mentioned conditions will be around 10°C.

Water starts to form condensation on the windows, making a good view impossible. To avoid this one has to make sure the windows stay at a temperature above dew point, which is easy to do with our demisting system. Warm air will be softly blowing on the windscreen, making the bridge a comfortable place to stay.

We cannot stop the seasons from passing, but we can give you a firm solution for all the challenges that seasonal changes bring.

Peter Koelewijn | Sales Manager

Peter Koelewijn has been working at Heinen & Hopman since 2001. Starting out as a mechanic, he gained valuable field experience mounting ducts and pipes for various shipbuilding projects. Five years later he switched to engineering, where he worked his way up from draughtsman, to engineer to site manager, leading teams of HVAC mechanics at one of the largest shipyards in Germany. The last couple of years he has been working as sales manager, combining knowledge from the field and the office to find the best solutions for our customers.