Deliquescent materials are substances (mostly salts) which have a strong affinity for moisture and will absorb relatively large amount of water from the atmosphere if exposed to it, forming a liquidsolution. Deliquescent salts include calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, zinc chloride, and the strong base sodium hydroxide. They are often used as desiccants. A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) In chemistry, a salt is any ionic compound composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ... Chemical affinity results from electronic properties by which dissimilar substances are capable of forming chemical compounds. ... Moisture generally refers to the presence of water in trace amounts. ... A girl in a swimming pool Water (from the Old English waeter; c. ... Layers of Atmosphere (NOAA) Earths atmosphere is a layer of gases surrounding the planet Earth and retained by the Earths gravity. ... A liquid will assume the shape of its container. ... Dissolving table salt in water In chemistry, a solution is a homogeneous mixture composed of one or more substances known as solutes that are dissolved in another substance known as a solvent. ... A magnified crystal of a salt (halite/sodium chloride) In chemistry, a salt is any ionic compound composed of positively charged cations and negatively charged anions, so that the product is neutral and without a net charge. ... R-phrases S-phrases , , RTECS number EV9800000, anhydrous EV9810000, dihydrate EV9830000, hexahydrate Supplementary data page Structure & properties n, εr, etc. ... Magnesium chloride is composed of magnesium and chlorine and is a typical ionic halide, being highly polar and soluble in water. ... Zinc chloride (ZnCl2) is a colorless or white compound of zinc and chlorine that is extremely hygroscopic. ... Flash point non flammable Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ... A desiccant is a substance that adsorbs moisture from the air. ...
See also
Look up Deliquescence in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
Deliquescent dryers are simply large pressure vessels filled with a chemical having an affinity for water -- salt, urea, and calcium chloride are common.
As the compressed air passes through the vessel, the salt dissolves in the water vapor and drips to the bottom of the tank where it is drained.
Deliquescent air dryers are inexpensive and simple; however, they require that the salt be replenished regularly.