Desiccant Testing

In-house Desiccant Testing

In desiccant drying systems, adsorbent performance declines over time due to continuous cycling, wear, and contamination. At SORB-TECH, we offer in-house desiccant testing to evaluate the condition of your material and help maintain peak system performance.

Why Test Your Desiccant?

Desiccants gradually lose effectiveness, resulting in poorer dew points and reduced efficiency. Common causes include:

• Moisture Cycling – Repeated adsorption and desorption reduce adsorption capacity.
• Mechanical Wear – Caused by bed fluidization, compressor pulsation, and the fracturing of saturated beads.
• Contamination – Oil vapors, particulates, and impurities can block pores, permanently lowering adsorption efficiency.

What We Test

We test Activated Alumina and Molecular Sieves in accordance with ASTM D2769:

• Static Water Adsorption – Measures moisture uptake in a controlled humidity environment to compare current activity with fresh material.
• Crush Strength Test – Determines the force needed to break beads. Weakened beads lead to dusting and media breakdown.
• Abrasion Resistance Test – Follows ASTM D4892, simulating handling and quantifying dust generation—an indicator of aging media that can cause pressure drops or filter clogging.
• Visual & Integrity Checks – Inspection for discoloration, deformation, or fouling that may indicate thermal damage or contamination.

Why It Matters

Routine desiccant testing helps you:

• Know when replacement is needed
• Maintain stable dew point and drying efficiency
• Prevent filter clogging and protect downstream systems
• Reduce energy use and pressure drop
• Minimize unscheduled maintenance and costs

Test Before It Fails

Get clear, practical results with every analysis—because early detection prevents costly breakdowns.