© Copyright 2009 Humidity Control Systems Ltd        Tel: 0044 (1) 522 753722 The SSCR Rotor for Industrial Desiccant Dehumidifiers - from Seibu Giken Seibu Giken was the first company to develop a commercially available silica gel rotor - they remain the world leaders in this technology. All our desiccant dehumidifiers include the Seibu Giken SSCR silica gel rotor as standard. The SSCR manufacturing process includes the synthesizing (chemical bonding) of the silica gel to the rotor structure, resulting in a silica gel rotor of superior quality and exceptional longevity. Following 10 years of continuous operation - the SSCR rotor retains more than 90% of its original capacity! The rotor is the most important single component in a desiccant dehumidifier. It is the rotor that determines the capacity, efficiency and lifetime of the equipment. The following factors must be considered:- The Desiccant Material Back in the fifties, when the desiccant rotor dehumidifier was invented, lithium chloride salt (LiCl) was used as the main desiccant. LiCl absorbs the moisture through a chemical reaction with the water molecules. Unfortunately LiCl becomes volatile when exposed to air with a high relative humidity and this often causes the salt to deliquesce (dissolve). This very corrosive salt dust is carried in the airflow which is then deposited on system components as a fine white powder. Synthesized Silica Gel Today, most desiccant dehumidifiers use silica gel rotors. The silica gel adsorbs the moisture - water molecules adhering to the surface of the silica gel. The main advantage is that unlike LiCl, these rotors are unaffected by saturated air and, if the silica gel is chemically bonded (synthesized) to the rotor, will also have an extended lifetime (typically in excess of 10 years). The SSCR rotor material is chemically bonded to the parent material using metal silicates. No dust from the rotor Both lithium chloride and silica gel rotors containing "loose" desiccant will create dust particles which leave the rotor in the airflow. Apart from possible damage to products, the capacity of the rotor will soon deteriorate. Only rotors with chemically bonded silica gel will have no desiccant carry-over to the air. Tests by the Frauenhofer Institute show no particle carry over from the SSCR rotor. Non-Flammable As a consequence to an electrical power failure, residual heat from reactivation heaters have resulted in some brands of silica gel rotor to burn, causing irreparable damage to both the rotor and the dehumidifier. The SSCR silica gel rotor is non flammable and unaffected by excessive heat generation typically attributed to an electrical power failure. Washable - without capacity loss If the rotor is accidentally exposed to contaminated air, it is important that the rotor can easily be washed on site without capacity loss. Sending the rotor away for washing is expensive and causes unnecessary equipment downtime. Despite manufacturers’ claims, some silica gel rotors are not washable without significant capacity loss. The SSCR rotor is washable - without capacity loss. No bacterial growth (bacteriostatic) Tests on the standard SSCR silica gel rotor used in a water sewage plant showed no bacteria formation on the rotor. This is thanks to the high reactivation temperature used (above 120°C), and to the low relative humidity of the dry air. In addition, our SSCR-H rotor is bacteriocidal - see above.     SSCR-H In association with Seibu Giken - DST’s 20th anniversary 2005, DST now offer a new dehumidification rotor, specifically developed to maintain the desired indoor climate in the food and pharmaceutical industry. The SSCR-H can be installed in new or existing desiccant dehumidifier units from Seibu Giken DST. The SSCR-H rotor has a high dehumidification capacity, it is bacteriostatic and bacteriocidal - the rotor surface effectively eliminating airborne bacteria. It was successfully tested in the Japan Food Research Laboratories in 2001.