DESSICA provided a solution for its client in the north of France.
The customer is a company operating in the pharmaceutical industry.
The customer wanted to install an air dehumidifier for drying small bottles.
-> Customer requirements: How to remove 60kg of water in a humid atmosphere in less than an hour?
Economic challenges: How to reduce humidity in the pharmaceutical industry?
- Controlling the humidity and temperature in the production centre
- Drying bottles quickly without damaging them
Technical challenges:
- In room N°1: Lower the temperature to 20°C and the humidity below 30% RH (input data: 30°C and 70% RH)
- In room N°2: Remove 60kg of water from the environment at 45°C in a given time (less than an hour) after the high-temperature washing process
- To provide a global dehumidification solution that meets these two operating assumptions
The solution provided by DESSiCA meets two distinct customer requirements.
- Room No. 1 is a steriliser with an ambient temperature of 30°C and 70% RH. The solution proposed by DESSiCA was to lower both the temperature and the humidity to 20°C and below 30% RH.
- For the second 10.7m3 room, in which several tanks filled with glass bottles are stored, the constraint imposed by the client was to dry 60kg of water in 1 hour after a high temperature wash (100°C).
The conditions before starting the dehumidification in the atmosphere were 45°C and 50% RH humidity. The specificity of the installation is that it offers the customer the possibility to choose the room to be treated according to the production and indoor conditions.
During the pre-sales study and during installation, DESSiCA technicians had to be particularly careful about the air speed during blowing, so as not to damage or break the very sensitive glass bottles.
-> DESSiCA’s solutions : How to reduce moisture in less than an hour after a high-temperature wash?
- Supply of an air dehumidification system (DS type) using a silica gel desiccant wheel regenerated by a steam heater for an air flow rate of 5,200m3/h
- The silica gel desiccant wheel ensures a very high dehumidification performance.
- The DS unit is made up of additional modules for pre-dehumidification (humid air) and post-cooling (dry air).
- The dryer operates with recirculated air on the steriliser.
- To increase the energy efficiency of the wheel and the performance, the DS dryer is offered here with an internal heat recovery system. A small part of the regeneration air passes through a specific area of the desiccant wheel: the heat is recovered and the wheel is cooled faster allowing better moisture adsorption.
Air dehumidification system type DS with silicagel desiccant wheel installed in northern France in the pharmaceutical industry
Operating principle of the dehumidification system:
The silicagel type DS desiccant wheel air dehumidification system are modular air treatment units controlling humidity, temperature and dust. These solutions are designed to be particularly suitable for users in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic and health industries.
The units are manufactured in self-supporting panels made of pre-painted galvanised steel (or stainless steel) double skinned with 50mm of high-density mineral wool.
Installation
- The dryer was installed in the technical room above the production centre.
- Commissioning was carried out by DESSiCA technicians.
Maintenance
- Technical solution with low maintenance requirements apart from changing air filters 1 to 2 times a year
- Desiccant wheel life: 80% minimum yield after 10 years (subject to proper use)
Key benefits and return on Investment (ROI) for the customer
- The installation provided by DESSiCA and its mode of operation fully met Customer’s expectations.
- The installation of the system allowed the customer to speed up the process, increase productivity, and control the drying time.
- After this first installation, the customer renewed his trust for an installation on another site.
For more information: +33 (0)4 74 08 44 44 or contact@dessica.fr
