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Desiccants Can Elevate Air Quality, Reduce Cooling Costs
by Ken Sheinkopf

Question: I read an article recently that said desiccants may be the key to improving indoor air quality. What are desiccants?
Answer: A desiccant is a material that absorbs water and therefore dehumidifies.

One popular use of desiccants is to package a small amount with new electronic equipment to keep moisture from damaging the components. Those little packets you find in a box along with your new radio or computer are desiccants. Energy researchers have been studying the use of desiccants for the past few years to see how they can be used in both active and passive solar cooling and heating systems.

Silica gel and some other types of dehumidification agents work well as desiccants to take moisture out of the air. Air passes through the material, and the humidity is removed. When the desiccant dries, it is regenerated and ready for further use.

When humidity is removed from the air, less energy needs to be used to lower temperatures for cooling. Desiccants also do away with the need to super cool the air, which is how many air conditioning systems work. In other words, the desiccant serves as an excellent backup to conventional air conditioning systems, reducing the energy needed to achieve the desired cooling level.

Research has found that desiccants can reduce energy costs by as much as 50 percent and can allow many facilities to use much less equipment than otherwise would be needed.

As for indoor air quality, tests have shown the potential benefit of desiccant material. Air flowing through a desiccant loses airborne particulates and has been found to reduce some airborne diseases. Because desiccants reduce moisture, they also are reducing molds, mildews and other allergens that get into indoor air.

Desiccants can play an important role in cleaning the air and keeping the indoor environment comfortable and safe.

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