What is a desiccator used for?

Desiccators are sealable enclosures containing desiccants used for preserving moisture-sensitive items such as cobalt chloride paper for another use. A common use for desiccators is to protect chemicals which are hygroscopic or which react with water from humidity.

Are desiccants effective?

For example, at 32°F (0°C), the air can hold up to 4.84 g/m3 of water vapor; at 104°F (40°C) the air can hold up to 50.7 g/m3 of water vapor (Table 1). An effective desiccant will adsorb the water vapor in the air, lowering the relative humidity to the point where water cannot condense.

How long does it take desiccant to work?

In room ambient conditions (22°C and 35%) the sachet has a quick initial adsorption and once it exceeds half of its adsorption capacity, the adsorption process gets slower. The point when it slows down is reached in approximately 15 days, which it is still very short.

What is a desiccant chamber?

A desiccator or desiccant container is a chamber that removes water from chemicals or items. You can use the silica packets or another desiccant to keep special items dry or to keep water from hydrating chemicals. All you need is a hygroscopic (water-absorbing) chemical and a way to seal your container.

How many desiccants are needed to protect a jar?

A unit is the amount of desiccant which will adsorb at least 3 grams of moisture vapor at 20% relative humidity, and at least 6 grams of moisture vapor at 40% relative humidity at 25°C. If the container you need to protect is 950cc or less in volume, a gram-size desiccant requirement chart is available here.

How are silica gel desiccants used in food storage?

Silica Gel Desiccants for Food Storage FDA approved food grade silica desiccant packets for long-term food storage and to avoid clumping. ​​​​​​Food Grade Silica Gel Desiccant Packets for Food Storage

How many grams of desiccant are in a bag?

“Desiccant is sold in unit size bags according to Mil-D-3464E. A unit is the amount of desiccant which will adsorb at least 3 grams of moisture vapor at 20% relative humidity, and at least 6 grams of moisture vapor at 40% relative humidity at 25°C.

How much water vapor does one ounce of desiccant absorb?

Please note that a unit of desiccant refers to its drying capacity, not its volume. A unit (approximately one ounce) is the amount of desiccant that will absorb at least three grams of water vapor at 20% relative humidity and at least six grams of water vapor at 40% relative humidity at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C).