While silica gel and alumina desiccants both have their own roles to play in protecting against moisture, activated clay stands out as an all-purpose desiccant that provides effective and cost-efficient protection for various applications, from industrial goods to personal items.
Filters are essential components of HVAC systems, controlling humidity levels and preventing mold growth. Filters also act as powerful absorbers of gases and vapors in industrial settings for safer working environments.
It’s a jack-of-all-trades
Activated alumina’s high porosity and pore structure makes it a superior desiccant choice, capable of rapidly absorbing moisture on an industrial scale while still performing effectively under high humidity conditions. Inoltre, its versatility and low cost make it suitable for numerous industries and environmental settings.
Activated alumina desiccants come in many different forms, including silica gel, zeolite and molecular sieves. Of these options, silica gel is by far the most popular, capable of absorbing up to 40% of its weight in water vapor. Zeolite and calcium chloride desiccants also exist as more generalized solutions that can absorb gases as well as liquids or vapors.
Desiccant bags are used by many to protect important documents like birth certificates, social security cards and business records from mildew and mold growth that could otherwise damage or destroy these documents over time. People also use desiccant bags to safeguard medications that could otherwise be affected by moisture and humidity levels in the air.
Bags used for moisture control can be found atop pallets or shipped in shipping containers to prevent rust and other moisture-related damage from occurring, and in warehouses to control moisture during storage and shipping. Companies often utilize indicator strips or LCD humidity and temperature sensors as ways of monitoring these products’ effectiveness.
It’s versatile
Moisture damage to products is a threat that cannot be taken lightly; corrosion and mold growth, in addition to making objects sticky or spongy are just a few consequences of too much humidity in an environment. Desiccants are vital tools in protecting products against moisture damage while keeping their condition pristine.
Desiccants come both manufactured and natural varieties. Bentonite clay-based activated clay desiccants such as activated clay are natural solutions which effectively absorb and retain moisture, while manufactured desiccants such as molecular sieve or silica gel are popular commercial/industrial options that contain built-in indicators which indicate when their maximum capacity has been reached (i.e. changing color when fully saturated).
Activated alumina is another manufactured desiccant used in the petrochemical industry to remove impurities and moisture from gases and liquids, and has low dew point capability that makes it suitable for corrosion prevention as well as optimising catalyst performance. Inoltre, this FDA approved non-toxic desiccant offers reliable protection of foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products against moisture damage.
Micro-Pak Distribution USA can help provide an economical, flexible, and effective moisture control solution: activated clay desiccant from Micro-Pak. Our desiccant units will help determine how much activated clay desiccant will be required based on volume and humidity conditions for your project.
It’s safe
Desiccants are essential tools in protecting products against moisture-related damage during storage and shipping. By lowering humidity levels in an environment, desiccants shield metal products from oxidation and corrosion while simultaneously decreasing corrosion risk for electronic devices and components extending their life expectancy and performance. Inoltre, desiccants help prevent mold growth in food packaging as well as maintain freshness for delicate fabrics such as leather.
Desiccants’ safety depends on how they’re used. Activated clay desiccant, composed entirely of natural materials, offers an environmentally-friendly and cost-efficient alternative to synthetic silica gel and activated alumina desiccants. Plus, FDA has approved it for use with food; plus it’s nontoxic and chemically inert so won’t alter any pharmaceutical active ingredients or any other chemicals it comes into contact with.
Keep in mind that certain desiccants require special handling procedures or regeneration processes for effective use. Blue indicating silica gel contains cobalt chloride which can be toxic to respiratory systems; users should carefully adhere to manufacturer recommendations and safety data sheets regarding handling these substances.
Activated clay desiccant differs from other moisture absorbers like zeolites and molecular sieves in that it doesn’t expire or degrade over time. When saturated with moisture, its shape won’t collapse; rather it simply changes color to indicate its need to be renewed.
It’s effective
Activated alumina’s porous structure gives it impressive moisture absorption properties, providing it with exceptional moisture absorbing abilities that protect products against corrosion, oxidation, and product degradation.
Activated alumina is created from 100% organic bentonite clay that comes directly from the earth. Once refined into granules, activated alumina becomes an effective desiccant that can absorb large quantities of moisture.
Activated alumina’s ability to absorb large quantities of moisture makes it an invaluable material in industrial settings. Alumina is frequently employed during drying and purification processes in manufacturing plants to remove moisture from gases and liquids; inoltre, commercial grade dehumidifiers as well as various household appliances often utilize activated alumina technology.
If it comes to protecting delicate goods from moisture damage, activated alumina and silica gel desiccants are both excellent options for dehumidifying. Alumina desiccants tend to be less sensitive to liquid hydrocarbons and corrosion inhibitors than many silica gels are.
Medical diagnostic products require being kept dry to provide accurate results and safety, and activated clay desiccant can help provide this environment during storage and packaging of these lifesaving medicines. Inoltre, its chemically inert and non-toxic nature make it safe to come into contact with food and FDA-approved use in packaging; also its environmental footprint is minimal as fully saturated moisture repurposed after saturation can be recycled to another project or reused after being fully saturated again for reuse.