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When it comes to protecting your cargo, shipping container desiccants are one of the most important considerations. Moisture damage can lead to mold, caking, packaging damage, and product loss. Container desiccants prevent these devastating outcomes.
That said, shipping container desiccants can be pricey, and that may leave you wondering if your desiccants can be reused. Before taking a chance on an overseas shipment, read on to learn all about shipping container desiccants, how they work, and whether they can be reused.
How Do Desiccants Work?
Desiccants are an effective tool for absorbing moisture, whether sopping up leaks or pulling humidity from the air. All desiccants attract and trap moisture, but they don’t all work the same way. Desiccants rely on two different processes:
- Adsorption: Most desiccants use a process known as adsorption to hold moisture. These materials attract water molecules, which stick to their surface. Desiccants that adsorb have no physical change; they simply trap water molecules.
- Absorption: Desiccants that absorb water experience a real physical change when they come into contact with water molecules. They dissolve and turn into either a liquid or a gel. This process is known as deliquesence.
Can Desiccants Be Reused?
Whether desiccants can be reused depends on the type. Desiccants that adsorb moisture typically can be reused, because these desiccants don’t experience any sort of physical change. The water is simply held on the surface. To reuse them, you simply need to use heat to dry them out.
Desiccants that use absorption, on the other hand, cannot be reused. These desiccants undergo a chemical reaction that changes their state. Once a desiccant absorbs moisture and transforms into a liquid or gel, it can’t return to its solid state.
Comparing Popular Desiccant Types
Let’s look at how this translates in real life. Here’s a quick rundown of the main desiccant types and whether they can be reused:
- Silica gel: Silica gel uses adsorption to trap water. The silica beads trap water on their surface, but they remain solid the whole time. Silica gel can often be dried in an oven and reused several times.
- Clay desiccants: Clay desiccants like bentonite or montmorillonite also use adsorption, so their physical state remains unchanged. That said, they tend to be less stable than silica gel desiccants, so they can typically only be reused once before they start to deteriorate.
- Calcium chloride: Calcium chloride is one of the most effective desiccants. It can pull moisture from the air for extended periods of time and permanently traps it. That said, calcium chloride uses absorption to trap moisture, meaning it experiences a physical change when it comes into contact with water. Calcium chloride desiccants cannot be reused.
Considerations When Reusing Desiccants
Just because a desiccant can be reused, doesn’t always mean it should. Keep the following in mind when reusing a desiccant:
- Packaging condition: Desiccant packaging can undergo significant wear and tear in transit. Even if the desiccant is thoroughly dried and prepared for reuse, small tears or holes in the packaging can lead to failure.
- Diminishing capacity: Most desiccants diminish in absorption capacity with each reuse. That means your desiccant may absorb water more slowly the second time around.
- Contamination risk: A desiccant bag that’s traveled with a shipment, then dried and reused, carries some serious contamination risk. Reintroducing it into your shipping container may mean introducing dust, insects, or other pests along with it.
Best Shipping Containers Desiccants
When it comes to choosing a desiccant for your shipping container, the two priorities are absorption capacity and lifespan. Your desiccant of choice should be able to absorb a lot of moisture and to do so for an extended period of time.
Clay desiccants don’t have the capacity or longevity required in these high-stakes situations. Silica gel has a long lifespan, but its absorption capacity is better suited for inside your product packaging, than for protecting your entire shipping container. To get the protection you need, calcium chloride desiccants are the best choice.
Protect Your Shipment With Container Moisture Control from EPGNA
While some desiccants can be reused, the ones used to protect shipping containers typically cannot. Any desiccant that undergoes a physical change when in contact with moisture cannot be converted back. For your best possible results, treat shipping container desiccants as one-time-use only.
Don’t let container rain or mold ruin your shipment. EPGNA specializes in shipping container moisture products that ensure your goods arrive at their destination safely. Explore our top shipping container desiccants, including:
- HyBag: These calcium chloride desiccant bags are built to absorb up to three times their own weight in moisture. They’re made with a breathable membrane and leakproof design, so moisture stays locked in. Hang them from the walls of your container to absorb condensation.
- HyPad: Moisture-absorbent pads that sit on the container floor and protect your cargo from leaks and spills. The calcium chloride desiccant gels when it comes into contact with moisture.
- HyBlanket: Protect your shipment from container rain with these desiccant blankets. A hanging system allows them to drape just below your container’s ceiling, creating a barrier between the ceiling and your cargo.
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