DESICCANT SILICA GEL
Silica Gel is a desiccant with large moisture absorption. Using Silica Gel allows protection of the products during transport and storage thanks to its high porosity which absorbs excess moisture in the packaging, ensuring product quality.
What is Silica Gel – Basic properties
Desiccant Silica Gel is silicon dioxide in a translucent granular form. It has a high porosity allowing it to absorb excess moisture in confined spaces.
Depending on the conditions of relative humidity and temperature to which silica gel is exposed, is more or less able to absorb moisture. Thus, at high temperatures the absorption capacity decreases.
Silica Gel packets are desiccant bags widely used to protect products from damage by moisture, during transport and during storage thereof. With the introduction of silica gel within the packaging prevents possible degradation or deterioration of those likely to have changes in the presence of ambient moisture products.
Silica sachets are definitely an ideal place to ensure the quality of goods during shipping or stockpiles in warehouses, can guarantee the condition of the product upon arrival at destination or after their stay in stock product.
Because it is a non-toxic and non-corrosive product, Desiccant Silica Gel is used for many applications in several sectors.
Use
Silica packets can be used in any application that needs an absorption of humidity, both in packaging and closed spaces. The common feature is that the areas in which the gel used must be confined, as otherwise absorb ambient moisture with consequent saturation product.
The desiccant is currently used in the following industries:
- Food industry (can be in direct contact with food through a special fabric bag)
- Pharmaceutical industry
- Textile, leather, fur, etc.
- Technology sector
- Chemical industry
- Medical equipments
- Optical instruments (photographic material)
- Technical equipments
- Flower drying silica gel
- Horticulture (dried plants, flowers and seeds)
- Pets
Silica gel is widely used for export, transport or storage of food or pharmaceutical products, as there is the possibility of placing the Silica Gel in direct contact with food or active ingredients using bags that meet the requirements of FDA (with bags Tyvek) type.
Find more information about applications in our blog post: Why silica gel.
Specifications
Absorption capacity silica gel: 23 ± 2% of its own weight at an ambient temperature of 23 ° C and relative humidity of 40%.
Desiccant material: amorphous silica dioxide. Desiccant silica gel can be used with a substance that changes color, can recognize when the bag can no longer absorb moisture and, therefore, must be replaced (orange = active / green = exhausted).
Principal chemical and physical characteristics of the desiccant silica gel:
Desiccant packs. Supplies
Silica gel is supplied in desiccant bags and bags micros (both single, in chains or panels), capsules or bulk.
It is also possible to place a humidity indicator spot in each of the desiccant bag to check the saturation of the product inside the bag. The stain is green when the silica gel is active and brown when the desiccant is saturated.
The MICRO dessicant packs format can also be supplied in rolls or chains, depending on customer needs.
Another option is to supply the silica gel ready to be in direct contact with food or pharmaceutical ingredients, in compliance with FDA regulations. In this case the desiccant silica gel is bagged in Tyvek grade material (bag calling Class B).
3.- SILICA CAPSULES: A presentation format and product supply low weight, useful for small spaces. Silica gel capsules are available in different sizes and weights, according to the following table:
Silica gel in capsules allows placement in plastic containers such as bottles or cans, allowing save space without losing absorbent capacity. One face of the capsule is moisture absorbent tissue product while the rest is polypropylene.
4.- BULK: Another way to supply silica gel, both white and silica gel orange. The white product indicates no moisture absorption, whereas the orange product changes color when saturated with moisture. It comes in boxes of 25 kg of the product, with the following granulometry:
- Bulk Orange 2-5 mm: Change from orange (active) to green (saturated)
- Orange bulk 1.5 to 2 mm: Change color orange (active) to transparent (saturated)
- Bulk White 2-4 mm: No color change
You can consult us the suitable format for your needs here.
You can view other type of drying agent, molecular sieve in our Absorbers section.