1. The importance of HUMIDITY CONTROL in Pharmaceutical Industries
Belén Sampedro Business Developer

2. THE IMPORTANCE OF HUMIDITY CONTROL
The lack of humidity control affects:
Comfort: Environmental Wellness
Health: Respiratory diseases, viruses, bacteria, allergies, etc.
Materials: Hygroscopic and corrosion.
Static Electricity: Risk for materials and people. Discomfort.

3. DRYING SYSTEMS Sorption dehumidifiers
Mechanical dehumidifiers (cooling +heating)

4. DFRA SERIES

5. WHY SORPTION To reach dew points <10ºC
To reach Absolute humidity points < 8,5 g/kg
Desiccant dehumidification is more efficient at low relative humidity and temperature , and it’s cheaper than mechanical dehumidification a DBT<20ºC
The best option and when both systems works better is by combining the mechanical (first step) and desiccant (second step)
Most cases, the choice is not an easy decission. Energy cost will be the key factor

6. COMBINED SYSTEMS FRESH AIR HEATING COIL COOLING COIL
16 g/kg
FRESH AIR
30ºC and 60%RH
8,5 g/kg
HEATING COIL
25ºC and 40%RH
COOLING COIL
11ºC and 98%RH
Dessicant DEHUMIDIFIER
32ºC and 12%RH <3,5 g/kg
<3,5 g/kg

7. PHARMA INDUSTRY APPLICATIONS
PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY
Clean rooms and Laboratories
These industries require air humidity high precision control
References:
Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, GSK, Normon, Lilly, Pfizer, Pharma Mar, Roche, Bayer, Sanofi Aventis, Schering-Plough, Wyeth, C.S.I.C., SGS.

8. Application: BLISTERING
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 22ºC, 30%HR, 4,9 g/kg
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To avoid the product absorves humidity
To avoid condensation and microbiological problems in the storage
To Increase blistering speed (more production)
To decrease the number of maintenance interruptions
Direct dry air inside the blistering cabinet (smaller size of the dehumidifier)

9. Application: STERILE AREA
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 22ºC, from 10% to 30%HR (1,6 - 4,9 g/kg)
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To avoid the product absorves humidity
To avoid microbiological growth when low humidity
Dry air mixed before the AHU

10. Application: GELATINE CAPSULES
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 22ºC, from 4% to 10%HR (0,6 - 1,6 g/kg)
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To dry the gelatine capsules
To decrease non-quality products
Direct dry air inside the cabinet
To Increase drying process,more production

11. Application: ACCELA COTA MACHINE
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 22ºC, 4%HR (0,6 g/kg)
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To help coating the product
To increase speed of production
To decrease the dosage of powder coating
To increase stability / product quality giving greater hardness
To increase the hygienic quality of the product
Direct dry air inside the coating pan

12. Application: PILLS PRODUCTION
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 22ºC, from 30%HR
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To avoid condensation on the product
To ensure continuous production
To decrease non-quality products
To decrease the number of maintenance interruptions
Direct dry air inside the cabinet

13. Application: FLUIDIZED BED
REQUIRED CONDITIONS: 45ºC-60ºC, 5%HR
Why do we need DRY AIR?
To avoid fresh air (different) conditions dependence
To stabilize production times
Allows to increase the temperature of dry air without quality product change
To decrease the cicle time, increasing the capacity up to 20%
Direct dry air inside the the fluidized bed in parallel flux

14. REAL CASE CALCULATION
Air handling project in a Pharma Lab production area , Madrid.
Outdoor air conditions T= 34ºC, RH= 43%, X= 15,68 g/kg
Room set poin, design T= 21ºC, RH= 15%, X= 2,5 g/kg
Corridor air conditons T= 22ºC, RH= 60%, X= 10,78 g/kg
Three persons working in the room
No loads due to product lost in weight
Negative pressure from the corridor (infiltrations)

15. INFILTRATIONS scheme Supply air: 1,9 g/kg to absorve the infiltrations
Corridor
22ºC / 60%RH
10,78 g/kg
CLEAN ROOM
Area num.4
21ºC / 15%RH / 2,5 g/kg
Infiltrations from the corridor
9,541 Kg/h
Extraction
1500 m3/h

16. INSTALLATION REQUESTS
Internal humidity loads to be absorved 9,5 kg/h + fresh air loads 9 kg/h =
TOTAL LOADS to absorve 18,5 kg/h
DEHUMIDIFIER: Fresh air+ recirculating air drying

17. Thank you!!!