How Does Humidity Affect Manufacturing Processes

Many manufacturers often struggle to maintain the right level of moisture in wide range of industrial applications. Different manufacturing industries may encounter various humidity-related problems depending on different manufacturing processes and requirements. Too much humidity can negatively have significant effects on the process industries such as food and beverage plants.

For food industry, clean and dry compressed air is very important because it has direct and indirect contact with products in the food supply chain or the finished products. According to their requirements, different food and beverage industry segments usually use compressed air for different applications. Therefore, dry compressed air plays a key role in food processing and packaging. It must be free of contaminants to keep the sanitation and product safety in their food production facilities from being contaminated.

Excess humidity levels can result in a number of issues, such as increasing the risk of microorganism growth, losing product quality, shortening the life of equipment and damaging the facilities structure itself. The source of contaminants in food processing environments could be physical, chemical, or biological. Generally, the main contaminants in compressed air include particles, humidity and oil. For example, dry foods, such as cereals, flour and spices need to be packaged in the low-humidity controlled environments. If dry foods are exposed to moisture, it not only prolongs drying times, but loses productivity. Moisture also encourages the possibility of mold and mildew growth which can have a great effect on the quality of the finished products. Even a small amount of moisture can provide favorable conditions for bacteria and mold to grow.

Additionally, condensation is also one of the physical concerns in food manufacturing environments. Condensation results from humidity and temperature differentials in the air. If moisture levels are too high, water vapor in the air may condensate. When the dew point and the air temperature are the same, the air is saturated and starts to form condensation on surfaces such as pipes. Once the water droplet is formed from the condensation, it can contaminate the food if the droplet falls onto the production lines. Besides, if you cannot control the moisture sufficiently, the compressed air pipes may be corroded. Corrosion in food manufacturing environments poses a threat to the equipment and product quality. It not only reduces the reliability of machinery, but also decreases production efficiencies. Therefore, maintaining proper humidity levels is essential in variety of industrial applications, not to mention the food manufacturing facility.

Having the right humidity levels contribute to ensuring product quality, enhancing production rates, reducing energy consumption, etc. You can use a hygrometer or dew point transmitter (sensor) to measure the humidity and maintain it at ideal level.