Pharmaceutical Humidity Control Case Study: Powder Packaging
Humidity within the pharmaceutical packaging area was regularly reaching 40–50% RH or higher, creating problems for the hygroscopic powdered compounds being handled.
PROJECT AT A GLANCE
Client: Australian pharmaceutical and supplements manufacturer
Application: Pharmaceutical powder packaging
Location: New South Wales, Australia
Challenge: High humidity causing hygroscopic powders to absorb moisture and become sticky
Impact: Packaging line stoppages, cleaning requirements and production delays
Solution: Desiccant dehumidification for the existing packaging environment
Moisture removal: 8.8–11.5 kg/h
Dry air flow: 1,000–3,100 m³/h
Outcome: More consistent humidity, dry powder and fewer moisture related production interruptions
THE CHALLANGE
Humidity within the pharmaceutical packaging area was regularly reaching 40-50% RH and above, creating problems for the hygroscopic powdered compounds being handled.
As the powders absorbed moisture from the surrounding air, they became sticky and difficult to process. Material would build up within the packaging equipment, forcing the production line to stop intermittently while the machinery was cleaned.
These interruptions reduced production efficiency and created additional labour and maintenance requirements. More importantly, repeated stoppages made it increasingly difficult for the facility to meet production schedules and customer delivery deadlines.
The manufacturer required a way to maintain a consistently dry environment around the packaging process, regardless of changes in ambient humidity.
Hygroscopic pharmaceutical powders can absorb moisture from the surrounding air, affecting handling and packaging performance.
THE SOLUTION
Humiscope assessed the packaging environment and selected a TFT desiccant dehumidifier capable of maintaining the dry conditions required for the moisture sensitive production process.
The system was sourced, installed and commissioned by Humiscope, providing moisture removal capacity of approximately 8.8–11.5 kg/h and dry air flow between 1,000 and 3,100 m³/h.
Desiccant technology was well suited to the application because it could continuously remove moisture from the air and maintain more stable humidity conditions around the packaging line.
By controlling the surrounding air rather than relying on ambient conditions, the facility could create a more predictable environment for handling its hygroscopic powdered compounds.
THE OUTCOME
With the desiccant dehumidifier commissioned, the packaging area could maintain a considerably drier and more stable production environment.
The hygroscopic powders remained dry and easier to process, reducing the moisture-related build-up that had previously contributed to packaging-line stoppages and cleaning requirements.
More consistent environmental conditions also helped improve production reliability and reduce the risk of delays caused by changing ambient humidity.
MORE CONSISTENT PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTION
Dry, stable conditions for hygroscopic powders
with fewer moisture-related interruptions to packaging
Humidity Control in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Moisture control can be critical across pharmaceutical manufacturing, powder handling, packaging, laboratories and controlled storage environments. Humiscope designs dehumidification and climate control systems around the specific conditions required by each process.
Need better humidity control in your pharmaceutical production environment?
Humiscope can assess your process, moisture load and operating conditions and design a solution to maintain more stable production conditions.