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.