Powdered absorbers influenced by environmental conditions during storage

In this article, we will cover Powder storage solutions. A client in an emerging market recently asked us to simulate atmospheric conditions in their biogas plant. They specifically wanted to measure the impact of the factory’s environment on the powdery adsorbent they use for purification. This request focused solely on the atmospheric conditions, with no attention to the production side of their process. Our task was to analyze how these conditions affected the adsorbent during handling and storage.

This project interested us particularly because of the need to meet the strict budget constraints typical in emerging economies. Developing a solution within these limits challenged us to innovate while still achieving accurate results.

As the demand for renewable energy continues to grow, emerging economies face an urgent need for sustainable energy sources. Fossil fuels are finite, and their environmental and health impacts are severe. Therefore, finding affordable, renewable energy solutions has become an industry priority, especially in regions where energy accessibility is essential for growth.

Environmental conditions like moisture and static electricity, along with powder-specific factors such as morphology, size, size distribution, density, and surface area, greatly impact powder flow. Moisture, in particular, plays a critical role in both storage conditions and powder flowability. For this study, we examined how moisture affects powders through atmospheric transference.

In this article, we will delve into the material saturation conditions encountered during storage. We will also present practical, cost-effective strategies to address these challenges, ensuring powders maintain optimal flow and quality under diverse storage conditions.

One client request involved exploring storage options that were economically viable yet would not alter the powder’s behavior and performance during storage. In our initial approach, we simulated factory conditions in our laboratory climate chamber, setting the temperature to 20°C with 50% relative humidity. We then tracked mass increases over time under various storage methods.

Our goal was to understand the moisture uptake of the product and determine optimal storage conditions while considering cost-efficiency. This approach aimed to keep biogas production and solids handling as affordable as possible. The product itself had a particle size distribution ranging from 0.2 to 20 µm. For the baseline, we exposed the material to environmental conditions without any shielding, finding a 5.3% mass increase after 24 hours, equal to an absorption of 53 mg of H₂O per gram of product.

While a silo with a valve or cover effectively limits environmental exposure, it does not align with the client’s economic needs. As a cost-effective alternative, we identified that a big bag with a specialized liner provides optimal results. Specifically, a big bag lined with Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) proved to be the most economical solution.

PET, a common thermoplastic polymer resin from the polyester family, excels as a moisture barrier, making it ideal for this application. Thanks to its semi-crystalline resin structure, PET is hygroscopic and offers an excellent gas barrier.

The big bag, also known as a Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container (FIBC), can feature a PET liner with thicknesses ranging from 40 to 250 microns. This setup closely replicates the environmental control of a silo, providing substantial protection against moisture while remaining cost-efficient.

We provide a wide range of unique services ranging from the research of materials’ properties, development of new techniques, methodologies and equipment, innovative research projects for materials development, consultancy in powder technology as well as lab-scale industrial set-ups, offering the most appropriate analysis conditions for our client’s needs. This implies selecting particular analysis techniques as well as considering the right analysis conditions! Want to learn more about how we can help you, feel free to reach out. We are looking forward to hearing from you.