Silica Gel is a pure silica compound, prepared by process involving coagulation of colloidal solution of Silicic acid. Coagulation takes place when the silica sol of silicates is allowed to settle to gel. With optimum mixing time for sol formation and setting time for gel formation, product develops porous structure giving high surface area of its particles. Higher the surface area higher is the adsorption capacity
It is available in different mesh sizes as per the requirements. The general types are summarized in the following.
Blue Indicating Silica Gel
Indicating is one, which is impregnated with Cobalt Chloride. In activated state, it is blue in color and turns pink as it starts absorbing moisture. The intense blue color is a indicator of its complete activation.
White Non-Indicating Silica Gel
Non-indicating is white in color and does not contain any indicator, Hence it does not change in its characters after adsorption of moisture & after activation.
Orange indicating Silica Gel
Orange indicating Silica gel gets its color from its high content of methyl violet, a toxic and poisonous compound that helps the gel beads to change their color from orange to green on reaching maximum capacity.
However, both indicating and non-indicating material do not differ in its absorption capacity when material is supplied in fully activated state and all of them can be reactivated by heating, and ready to be used again once its dry and back to its natural color.,
Special Types of Silica Gel
Special types of the silica gel which use in oil, Gas and Petrochemical industries are divided in two types as following.
Silica Gel Type H
It is mainly use for Natural Gas Dehydration process to remove water from gas stream. The shape is in bead form with high water adsorption capacity and the free water is a poison for this type of silica gel.
It is also use in Air Separation, Compressed Air for Water removal application.
Silica Gel Type WS
Since this type of Silica Gel is resistant against any free water or liquid droplets, It is mainly use as a protective layer above other type (Silica Gel Type H) to protect the main bed from any free water or droplets which may carry via feed stream to the column.
It is in beads shape and has high Water adsorption capacity.
Packing Types
Iron Drum, Carton Drum, Carton Box, PE Bags, …