Activated alumina is an absorbent material commonly used to dry compressed air and other gases, as well as purify them such as natural gas or gasoline.
Not like other desiccants, it is designed to withstand high temperatures – perfect for industrial environments and even helping prevent corrosion on gas pipelines.
High Crush Strength
Activated alumina is an extremely strong desiccant material with great abrasion resistance and crush strength that ensures consistent air dryer performance. This material allows faster tower load time and lower pressure drop to help lower energy consumption and operating costs, as well as resist liquid water slugging that could otherwise lead to filter plugging issues.
Moisture control is vital in many industrial settings, from maintaining medical equipment’s optimal functionality and product protection against humidity damage, to controlling moisture in compressed air systems where too much humidity could cause corrosion or cause permanent equipment damage.
Drying air involves passing compressed air through a desiccant material such as activated alumina – one of the most popular options – which absorbs and retains moisture in the form of pores and expansive surface area, making it perfect for absorbing humidity in the air and leaving behind much drier conditions than before entering the vessel.
Air dryers with activated alumina desiccant are invaluable tools in numerous applications due to their ability to absorb and retain moisture, including protecting pipelines from corrosion in petrochemical processing, preventing moisture-related issues in pharmaceutical manufacturing, keeping electronics components dry during shipping and storage, etc. Molecular sieves may only work when faced with low relative humidity conditions; activated alumina can handle higher relative humidity situations more reliably.
Low Dust Content
Activated alumina has low dust generation rates, helping maintain a cleaner environment. Therefore, this material is ideal for applications where dust must be reduced as much as possible.
Material made from this substance is tough and resistant to most contaminants found in compressed air systems, particularly alkaline elements such as ammonia, amines and other high-basicity organics. Furthermore, its porous design absorbs moisture molecules quickly making it ideal for heat-regenerated dryers; however it cannot defend against air compressor oil vapors since these long-chain hydrocarbons block its porosity method.
Activated alumina has the added advantage of withstanding very high temperatures, making it perfect for air drying applications. Furthermore, its non-regenerative qualities make it suitable for industrial dryers as it can still be used even after it becomes saturated with moisture.
Activated alumina desiccant is available in several sizes, with 1/8″ (2-5 mm) bead sizes typically used in regenerative dryers. Reusing activated alumina desiccant can save energy costs by lowering power requirements and helping prevent blockages; additionally it improves efficiency while prolonging compressor equipment lifespan.
Reusable
Moisture control is an integral component of many industrial and medical equipment applications and medical devices – and compressed air systems are no exception. If moisture levels exceed optimal conditions, corrosion can develop, product quality declines, and system failure may ensue. Utilizing moisture-absorbent desiccants such as activated alumina can help mitigate against this issue while prolonging equipment’s life by extracting excess moisture from the air.
Activated alumina has a higher moisture-loading capacity than other forms of desiccant, like silica gel, making it more cost-effective in pressurized air dryers due to reduced replacement frequency, which reduces overall operating costs.
Alumina desiccant offers greater tolerance for high temperatures than other desiccants like silica gel. As such, it makes an excellent choice for industrial applications that demand adsorption in different environmental conditions.
When using an activated alumina dryer, it’s essential to follow proper handling procedures. This includes donning personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety goggles or face shield, chemical-resistant gloves, dust mask or respirator and containment of any spillage to limit spread of dust particles. Facility managers should take measures to further lower contamination risks by making sure sufficient PPE is available and any depleted alumina is promptly replenished.
Environmentally Friendly
Moisture control is of critical importance in numerous settings, such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, compressed air systems and food processing. Moisture and humidity can have devastating consequences in these industries by leading to corrosion, lower product quality or even equipment failure. Activated alumina is used for this purpose by extracting moisture and humidity from the air as well as absorbing harmful gases or volatile organic compounds from it – making it a popular solution for improving indoor air quality.
An activated alumina dryer’s alumina desiccant captures moisture through both physical and chemical adsorption. Alumina beads feature an intricate network of pores that provide ample surface area for water absorption, while being resistant to long-chain hydrocarbons commonly found in compressor oil vapors.
Alumina is much cheaper than molecular sieve, an alternative desiccant. Molecular sieve has adjustable pores that can be tuned via ion exchange to separate molecules according to size; activated alumina has an affinity for water which makes it superior for compressed air drying applications with dew points of as low as -40degF. Furthermore, regeneration temperatures for activated alumina tend to be lower than silica gel which saves money and energy during air drying operations and eliminates electricity usage – an eco-friendly option when purifying air!