Moisture control is vital to ensure industrial processes run efficiently, medical equipment works correctly, and compressed air systems operate optimally; however, excessive moisture can have detrimental consequences.
Activated alumina acts as a desiccant, drawing moisture out of the air to enhance performance and decrease energy costs.
High Crush Strength
Selecting an effective replacement desiccant for your air dryer requires careful consideration of its activation level, pore size, chemical composition and properties – particularly its activation level, crush strength and dust content – before designing to your application’s specific requirements. Interra Global’s aSORBTM activated alumina is a moisture-absorbing material with outstanding crush strength and low dust content; perfect for industrial environments. Available in various bead sizes to produce dry compressed air or gases for various pressure swing applications (both heat regenerative and PSA).
Air drying is essential in compressed gas systems to avoid dangerous leaks that could corrode equipment, particularly with gases like propane which must reach a specific dew point before transport. There are numerous methods of air drying such as adsorption, condensation and heat transfer that may be utilized depending on energy costs, volume requirements and application specifications.
Air dryers use the adsorption process by channeling air through a bed of desiccant, typically alumina. Alumina’s porous structure with micro tunnels offers an expansive surface to absorb moisture molecules; once its capacity has been reached, alumina can be regenerated either through heating up or draining off.
Low Dust Content
Alumina desiccants boast an exceptionally low dust content, making them suitable for use in air dryer systems without clogging or damaging equipment. This ensures continuous operation without costly rebuild or repair efforts interrupting operations.
Activated alumina stands out from other desiccants with its special properties, including its large surface area and multiple pores that absorb molecules of various sizes – making this material perfect for selectively filtering impurities from various substances.
Alumina can effectively remove water from compressed air and other gas streams to prevent moisture build-up and corrosion in pneumatic tools and equipment, as well as playing an essential role in dehydrating natural gas, eliminating moisture that otherwise leads to significant pipeline corrosion.
Activated alumina has the unique capability of absorbing various contaminants, making it an excellent material for dehydrating process gases such as hydrogen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide. Furthermore, it can be used for drying various chemicals like alcohols and mercaptans. Furthermore, activated alumina comes in sizes to meet various applications’ requirements such as 1/8″ (2-5 millimeter) and 1/4″ (5-10 millimeter). Both sizes boast high crush strength with uniform, smooth spherical forms to minimize pressure drop during tower load while increasing service life.
High Regeneration Capacity
Activated alumina has an excellent surface area-to-volume ratio, making it an effective moisture absorber. When used in air dryers, activated alumina can help mitigate problems caused by moisture such as corrosion, mold growth, degradation and oxidation by absorbing any molecules which contribute to these problems.
But in humid environments, its ability to absorb moisture may degrade significantly, necessitating regular regeneration and replacement – activated alumina is no exception; its hydrothermal degradation rate increases exponentially with humidity while heating above 500degF causes it to crystallize into less adsorptive forms of zeolite crystallization.
Recent tests conducted by our team demonstrated that ultrasound treatment significantly improved the regeneration rate of activated alumina for regeneration purposes. An optical electron microscope was employed to observe changes in surface morphology of activated alumina particles prior to and following ultrasonic pretreatment, with results presented via contour maps. As depicted in Figure 13, fresh activated alumina surfaces were rough and had many cavities, while those generated via ultrasound showed smooth surfaces. Ultrasonic treatment also significantly increased the surface area of activated alumina after regeneration, leading to greater moisture adsorption capacity after regeneration. Ultrasound can greatly enhance this regeneration process and we highly suggest including it in your air dryers for maximum performance and safety.
Versatility
Activated alumina is an exceptional material with numerous uses. As one of the main moisture extraction agents, activated alumina plays an integral part in numerous processes that extract it from air, gas and liquid streams – from protecting potato chip integrity to safeguarding medical equipment to dehydrating petrochemicals – activated alumina serves as a crucial barrier against moisture intrusion.
Moisture damage to metals and corrosion of non-metal materials are serious threats, making the removal of moisture essential to maintaining operational purity in manufacturing facilities. Air drying plays an integral part in many industrial applications; activated alumina desiccants are widely utilized.
These materials contain an intricate network of pores designed to trap water molecules. As compressed air passes over an adsorbent, water molecules adhere to beads lining its pores, making it possible to dry and reuse abrasive substances. Most adsorbents can be regenerated using heat-reacted dryers in order to remove moisture from their surface and restore capacity; activated alumina is an economical choice that’s easily available and affordable.
As a safety measure, workers handling activated alumina should utilize personal protective equipment, including protective eyewear, chemical-resistant gloves and a dust mask or respirator to reduce irritation and respiratory issues. Furthermore, children and animals should remain away from activated alumina to prevent ingestion which could result in vomiting and serious medical conditions.