Using nitrogen for drying

[Gtir]

Right now it's raining. And it's wet. So I'm wondering to flooding my material column w nitrogen gas as described here

https://m.terrauniversal.com/desiccators-dry-boxes/nitrogen-purge-desiccators.php

Will this Result in lower moisture in my material?

 

[Gray Wolf]

Right now it's raining. And it's wet. So I'm wondering to flooding my material column w nitrogen gas as described here

https://m.terrauniversal.com/desiccators-dry-boxes/nitrogen-purge-desiccators.php

Will this Result in lower moisture in my material?

Yes. A dry gas will absorb water from the atmosphere inside the system.

 

[pusbag]

I use nitrogen for every run I do. I use it to test for leaks before running for the day. I use it to flood the tubes I run to remove any moisture as well. Then I use it at the end of the day to remove moisture from the entire system from molecular sieve to the recovery pump. Easy and cheap addition, all extractors should use it to there advantage.

 

[Gtir]

Yes. A dry gas will absorb water from the atmosphere inside the system.

Does it absorb is or push it?

 

[Hrpuffnkush]

In Guam they use dry ice to dry there tweeds

 

[Gray Wolf]

I use nitrogen for every run I do. I use it to test for leaks before running for the day. I use it to flood the tubes I run to remove any moisture as well. Then I use it at the end of the day to remove moisture from the entire system from molecular sieve to the recovery pump. Easy and cheap addition, all extractors should use it to there advantage.

We use it for the initial pressure test as well, and at the end of cycles as back fill, to render the atmosphere inert when opened.

After a 150F bake out under up to -29.5" Hg, and then backfilled with N2, followed by a second vacuum to -29.5" Hg and another back fill, the material removed from the column was no more prone to flash or burn under direct flame impingement, than starting material that had not yet seen the LPG.

 

[Gray Wolf]

Does it absorb is or push it?

Both. It is pushes out humid atmospheres during purging, at the same time it absorbs moisture, because it is very dry and being warmed up by contact with the wet atmosphere, so it is no longer saturated at its temperature.

At some point it is no longer pushing, but scavenging water molecules stuck here and there, before exiting and taking them with it.

 

[Gtir]

Both. It is pushes out humid atmospheres during purging, at the same time it absorbs moisture, because it is very dry and being warmed up by contact with the wet atmosphere, so it is no longer saturated at its temperature.

At some point it is no longer pushing, but scavenging water molecules stuck here and there, before exiting and taking them with it.

Do you think this removes all of the moisture?

 

[Gray Wolf]

Do you think this removes all of the moisture?

Maybe eventually, but it would take a long time.

 

[Gtir]

So you think the longer it sits w the nitrogen the more moisture is absorbed and removes?

 

[corky1968]

I think the main benefit of storing a product using nitrogen gas is that you reduce the amount of oxidation.

 

[Gray Wolf]

So you think the longer it sits w the nitrogen the more moisture is absorbed and removes?

If you change the nitrogen when it saturates, it will continue to absorb moisture. Not much different than just plain atmosphere, which is 78% nitrogen, with about 21% oxygen.