Silica Gel Desiccants at Pioneer Air Systems

Your Resource for Silica Gel Desiccants

Is your facility experiencing excess humidity and moisture? If so, more is at stake than inconvenient airflow. Over time, unabsorbed substances lead to costly compressed air system failure. Luckily, Pioneer Air Systems has the solution. Continue reading for everything you need to know about silica gel desiccants:

Pioneer: Your Source for Silica Gel Desiccants

At Pioneer Air Systems, our commitment to compressed air treatment projects sets us apart from our competitors. Thanks to our professional engineers and innovative solutions, more than 60,000 Pioneer systems are used worldwide. Our team of experts works with your business to provide the right silica gel desiccants for your system.

What Is Silica Gel?

Silica gel is made from silicon dioxide, a component found in natural sand, and contains small particles that absorb large amounts of water. This gel is amorphous and synthetically produced into hard granules. Because micropores have interlocking cavities, silica gel has a high surface area, making it an excellent desiccant option for increased capacity.

Silica is a solid drying agent supplied in clear, small rock crystals. Often seen as desiccant silica gel beads, this solution is packaged with commercial products to prevent system damage caused by excess humidity and moisture. Industrial silica gel is commonly used for products like clothing, food, and electronics.

What Are Desiccant Dryers?

Desiccant dryers are used for various industrial applications, mainly for removing water molecules from the surrounding air through absorbent desiccants. Desiccant dryers from Pioneer Air Systems are regenerative, with two cylinders connected by a valve system that contain desiccant material like silica gel. Air can pass through cylinders containing dry components when the first desiccant cylinder is saturated.

Advantages of Silica Gel Desiccants for Compressed Air Dryers

Silica gel reduces energy and maintenance costs for large-volume desiccant dryers because it’s non-corrosive, non-toxic, and odorless. Listed below are the main advantages of silica as a gel desiccant:

Convenient packaging and different sizes for various industrial uses
Inert and won’t corrode or disrupt ongoing processes
Nonflammable
Absorbs almost half of its weight
Reused by regenerating heating, warding off absorption

Silica gel has lower vapor pressure than the surrounding air, allowing water molecules to adhere to its surface. When pressure is equal, absorption is no longer possible. High humidity in the air equates to greater absorption of water, which can cause damage to silica gel that is moved or stored.

Looking to lower the relative humidity of your facility? Pioneer Air Systems offers effective silica gel beads for drying compressed air and natural gasses.

Types of Silica Gel at Pioneer Air Systems

The chemical composition of silica gel makes it an optimal solution when water vapor or other molecules need to be absorbed. Explained below are the three types of silica gel offered at Pioneer Air Systems

Non-Indicating White Silica Gel

Non-indicating white silica gel desiccants have a high purity level, vapor capacity, and drying efficiency. White industrial silica gel comes in various mesh sizes.

It’s named white silica gel because the material is non-reactive, meaning its color remains white even after humidity and moisture absorption. This gel enables large surface areas and is commonly used in medicines and electronics.

Orange-Indicating Silica Gel

Orange-indicating silica gel gets its color from methyl violet, a toxic and poisonous compound. This gel changes from orange to green upon reaching maximum absorption capacity. Once the gel becomes green, the source should be reactivated by heat and can be reused as soon as the orange shade returns.

Blue-Indicating Silica Gel

Blue-indicating silica gel contains cobalt chloride, which creates a distinctive blue color. This gel type is the leading option for high water affinity. Blue silica gel is a reactive source and will change to a pink color once maximum absorption capacity has been reached.

Color changing is a valuable instrument in identifying the right time to reactivate heat to draw out humidity and moisture. Once the source becomes blue, your system is ready. It’s important to note that blue-indicating silica gel shouldn’t be used in applications like medicine and food because cobalt chloride content is poisonous.

Industrial Silica Gel Applications

Industries across the board rely on silica gel desiccants for protection against humidity and moisture for complex compressed air drying systems. Listed below are common applications for gel desiccants:

Gas Electrospray

Silica gel is deployed as a refrigerant in the gas electrospray industry. Gel is an excellent absorbent alternative in adsorption systems. Silica can absorb impurities in material that must be separated or purified for this application.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing

Silica gel is necessary for most operations in pharmaceutical manufacturing. It’s an important agent in extending the shelf life of medicine in bottles. Gel is also composed of non-toxic material and absorbs moisture in bottles.

Media Industry

Camera gear across all media and entertainment industries requires regular maintenance. Moisture in a camera’s lens causes quick system failure. Silica gel removes moisture and prevents fog in the short term while prolonging the lifespan of the equipment.

Pioneer Air Systems: A Leading Provider of Silica Gel Desiccants

Since 1980, Pioneer Air Systems has provided the highest quality of compressed air and gas treatment products on the market. We’ve built our reputation as the go-to provider for custom, nonstandard equipment designs. Pioneer even offers a 10-year warranty to protect your investment. Contact the experts today for silica gel desiccant solutions.