DESICCANT BREATHERS

A FRONT LINE
DEFENSE IN THE WAR
ON CONTAMINATION

1
INTRODUCTION

Are you losing the battle on extending equipment life? Are you changing your oil too often or
having machine failures? Most companies are now realizing that maintaining clean oil is one of
the best investments it can make, with contamination at the core of premature machinery failure
and diminished lubricant life. But many companies don’t know where to start in preventing
contamination or how to build the case for it to get approval in the budget. This white paper will
assist you in better understanding how a desiccant breather can be used as a first line of defense
in preventing contaminants from ruining your equipment and what the right metrics are to show a
return on your investment.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

+ The Problem: Lubricant Contamination 1

+ The Solution: A Desiccant Breather 1
- What is a Desiccant Breather? 1
- Why is a Desiccant Breather Necessary? 2
- Why is Water Contamination a Problem? 3
- How Does a Desiccant Breather Get and Keep Your Equipment Dry? 3
- Why is Particulate Contamination a Problem? 4
- How Does a Desiccant Breather Filter Out Dirt? 4
- What to Look for when Choosing a Quality Breather 5
+ The Payoff: Money in the Bank (and the Budget) 6
+ Industries Benefiting From Breathers 6
+ Frequently Asked Questions 8
+ Take Action 11
+ Try One On Us 12
+ About Des-Case Corporation 12

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THE PROBLEM: LUBRICANT CONTAMINATION

If the atmosphere is contaminated (and most are to some degree), the oil is probably dirty and
lubricant quality is compromised. Even new oil isn’t delivered clean.

There are two primary types of contamination.

DIRT
If the atmosphere is contaminated, oil will become dirtier “Contamination is the greatest single
cause of lubricant malfunction and
and lubricant quality becomes compromised. Particulate
subsequent excessive wear of parts.”
contamination, once inside an operating system, will
Mobil Oil
accelerate the generation of new contaminants due
to machine wear. These contaminants damage critical
components and act as a catalyst for oxidation, further degrading the condition of lubricants.

WATER
If the atmosphere is humid or has frequent temperature fluctuations, the oil is probably moisture-
laden and lubricant quality is compromised. Often times, plant wash down activities are
responsible for inducing conditions that lead to moisture ingression and corrosion.

THE SOLUTION: A DESICCANT BREATHER

The good news is that dirt and water can be effectively controlled with some preventative
maintenance techniques. The desiccant breather filter continues to be at the top of the list
for preventative maintenance and conquering contamination—a low cost option that proves a
significant return on investment.

As nearly all gearboxes, reservoirs and storage tanks are designed to breathe, allowing only clean,
dry air to enter the system is essential to extending the life of your equipment. Replacing standard
breather/filter caps with a desiccant breather immediately prevents moisture and moves particle
filtration from 40 micron to 3 micron or less.

WHAT IS A DESICCANT BREATHER?

A desiccant breather is a unique, air filter and water vapor removal system. It replaces the
standard breather or ventilation system on virtually all types of industrial equipment that contain
hydrocarbon and other non-aqueous fluids. It also prevents contamination of products in storage
and process tanks. Many other applications exist, including the reduction of pump down time for
vacuum chambers, adaptation to air breathers for off-road vehicles, and more.

Desiccant breathers combine a drying media with a combination of filters to prohibit the entry of
water and microscopic particulates from entering the system and remove water contained within
a reservoir to prevent condensation. A large variety of sizes, desiccants and options allow you to
select the right solution for your application.

1
WHY IS A DESICCANT BREATHER NECESSARY?
Today’s options for restricting the ingression of contaminants are a far cry from yesterday’s open
tube turndown pipes that did little more than keep the birds out (Table 1). Proper installation and
maintenance of contamination control breathers can significantly reduce ingression of airborne
contaminants.

OPTION DESCRIPTION/COMMENTS

• Although uncommon in most facilities today, you might be able to walk

through a facility and find a reservoir open to the air. Not quite as uncommon is
Open Port a similar scenario with a shop rag acting as a filter—especially after the original
cap was lost or misplaced

• In some cases, older units can be found that have a ‘snorkel tube’ opening
Turndown Pipe vented to the atmosphere
• Prevents entry of large objects into the reservoir

• Typically mesh type strainer that captures particles down to 40μ

• Captures insects and large dust particles
Typical OEM Cap • Does not effectively control most clearance size particles and the many forms
of contamination that cause the most damage to bearings, pumps or valves

• Ratings from 1 to 3μ
Low Micron Filter/ • Higher airflow ratings
Breather • Not as effective if humidity is a concern
• Hydrophobic membrane breathers are effective at stopping free water

• Help prevent plant emission byproducts, as well as prohibit entry of contamina-

tion into machines
• Captures oil mist and recycles oil back into the system
Oil Coalescence • Can be incorporated with desiccant
• Non-desiccant versions ideal for continuous operation (24/7) machinery
• Pressure/vacuum relief valves and sight glass indications allow for condi-
tion-based monitoring

• Designed to prevent atmospheric moisture ingression by stripping the air of

moisture before it enters the system
• Typically incorporate filtration media for capture of particulate matter
• Color indicating silica gel is commonly used as the water absorbing agent,
Desiccant Breather changing color as it becomes saturated, indicated the need for a condi-
tion-based replacement
• Some incorporate both hydrophobic and oleophboic media. This type of dual
protection breather keeps free water out of the system, and oil mist contained
within the headspace (where it belongs)

Table 1: Reservoir Filter Options

2
Conventional vent ports or breather caps provide little or no protection. They are typically rated
at 40 micron and offer no means of capturing moisture. Retrofitting these ports with desiccant
breathers will provide 24/7 protection against uninvited contaminants–both dirt and water. Clean
lubricants extend the life of equipment and lower the total cost of ownership with lower oil, repair,
downtime and maintenance costs.

Traditional desiccant breathers include both a mechanical filtration system to strip particles from
the air down to 3 microns or less and a desiccant stage to lower the relative humidity of the air to
a level that prevents condensation and even removes water from the oil in many cases.

WHY IS WATER CONTAMINATION A PROBLEM?

As the fluid level decreases, it draws air into the reservoir. This air enters at ambient temperature
and balances the pressure with the outside air. The heating of the air to unit operating temperature
allows the partial pressure of the heated air to retain atmospheric moisture in vapor form.
As the air in the reservoir cools down, it loses its ability to retain the water vapor and condenses.
This condensed water forms droplets on the inside surfaces of the reservoir which group together
and enter the fluid, resulting in contamination. It mixes with the oil in the circulating pump or work-
ing zone of the equipment and results in:
• Reduced lubricating ability • Increased oxidation of the oil
• Blocked filters • Equipment failures
• Sludge formation
Water remains on the inside of the reservoir and causes corrosion. This corrosion contaminates the
oil with abrasive oxides (rust and others) and speeds up the wear process in the equipment.

Water contamination of the lubricating oil dramatically shortens the life of the lubricant and strips
additives. This results in accelerated wear of the component.

HOW DOES A DESICCANT BREATHER GET AND KEEP YOUR EQUIPMENT DRY?
The breather is filled with a hygroscopic agent (water adsorbing) that traps and adsorbs moisture
contained in the air entering the filter. Adsorption is when material sticks to the surface of a sub-
stance. The desiccant in breathers attracts and holds onto water molecules. It does this so well
that a single grain of silica gel can adsorb 40% of its weight in water.

It also removes moisture from within the reservoir as the unit breathes out. As
the reservoir heats up, water contained within the reservoir becomes water
vapor. As the vapor is forced out through the breather it is removed by the
drying agent.

Water in oil can increase oxidation rate by more than ten times. By controlling
moisture both outside and inside the reservoir, all of the problems typically
caused by water contamination are prevented.

3
WHY IS PARTICULATE CONTAMINATION A PROBLEM?
The most damaging particles for lubricated machinery are those that are approximately the same
size as the oil film.

CLEARANCE COMPONENT CLEARANCE

COMPONENT
(MICRONS) HYDRAULICS (MICRONS)

Element Bearings 0.5-5 Vane Pump Vane Slides 5-13

Journal Bearings 0.5-100 Vane Pump Vane Tips 0.5-1

Engine Ring / Liner 0.3-7 Piston Pump Bore 5-40

Engine Rod Bearing 0.5-20 Piston Cylinder / Plate .05-5

Engine Main Bearing 0.8-50 Servo Valves 1-4

Engine Valve Train 0.0-1.0 Actuators 50-250

HOW MUCH DOES IT TAKE TO CONTAMINATE YOUR EQUIPMENT?

Particulate size is measured in microns so how big is a micron? A .001" particle is 25.4 microns and
a particle measuring as small as 5 microns can do extensive damage to your equipment. To put this
in perspective, a strain of human hair measures approximately 65 microns in diameter.

One teaspoon of dirt in a 55 gallon drum yields a particle count of 19/17/14. This means there are
about 1 billion particles in the drum which are greater than 4 microns in diameter.

HOW DOES A DESICCANT BREATHER FILTER OUT DIRT?

Most quality desiccant breathers have a multi-level filtration system to keep dirt out of your equipment.

• As air enters the unit from outside it contacts a low-density foam filter element.

• The air then passes through a woven polyester filter element.

• For added protection, some desiccant breathers also provide a second foam and polyester
filter.

4
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A QUALITY BREATHER
Today, there are many variations of breathers to choose from.
Here are a few things to look for when choosing a quality breather:

1. Integrated nylon standpipe— this key feature provides excellent vibration resistance and
dissipates impact throughout the unit, eliminating weak points. It also allows even airflow
distribution throughout the unit, preventing inaccurate readings of desiccant saturation.
Many breathers that do not have this key feature will also have oil saturation problems in the
desiccant due to splashing or oil mist, causing the breather to spend very quickly.

2. Resilient polycarbonate casing— shock-absorbing, clear casing provides reliable service, easy
visual maintenance, and UV resistance

3. Multi-layer filtration— such as polyester filters and foam pads to protect against migration of
desiccant dust or oil mist, providing maximum efficiency

4. Water vapor adsorbent silica gel— adsorbs water from incoming air and can hold up to 40%
of its weight

5. Check-valves— specifically high-quality umbrella check-valves that won’t clog or stick for
added protection from washdown environments. Check-valves isolate equipment from
ambient conditions prolonging breather life, and protecting system integrity

1 2

5 4

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THE PAYOFF: MONEY IN THE BANK (AND THE BUDGET)

Contamination control is the single greatest opportunity for gains in the average lube program.
Significant gains in machinery reliability can be made with minimal investments.

To date, industry has treated the symptoms of oil contamination by filtering the lubricant, replac-
ing the oil sooner than necessary, and rebuilding or replacing failed components at a very high
cost.

Studies show it costs about 10 times as much to remove contamination as it does to exclude it.

The benefits of treating the cause of abrasive and corrosive contamination are:
• Elimination of water contamination through the breather
• Removal of water contamination of the reservoir
• Prevention of rust and corrosion
• Increased oil life “Less than 0.5% of a plant’s maintenance
• Improved lubricant performance budget is spent purchasing lubricants, but
• Increased oil filter life the downstream effects of poor lubrication
• Reduced abrasive wear can impact as much as 30% of a plant’s
• Reduced rebuild/replacement costs total maintenance cost each year.”
• Reliable production from equipment ExxonMobil Case Study
• Reduced machine downtime

Your program’s effectiveness can be measured through the following metrics:

• Maintenance of targeted ISO cleanliness codes
• Reduction in moisture levels (% or ppm) measured by Karl Fischer filtration tests
• Lubricant life extension, extended drain intervals
• Extension of MTBF (mean time between failures), decreased unscheduled downtime
• Cost savings (e.g. reduced component repair, decreased oil disposal expense, decreased oil
purchases/machine or part produced)

INDUSTRIES BENEFITING FROM BREATHERS

The breather is used to protect any industrial or commercial system that breathes in and expels air.
Individual product lines have been designed to meet the needs of most applications. Custom units
can be engineered on request. The following list (pg. 7) was prepared to help identify applications
where breathers have proven successful.

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 INDUSTRY COMMENTS
Aluminum Extrusion
These operations are almost exclusively oriented to hydraulic equipment.
Forging & Rolling Mills

Appliance Manufacturers Stampings—look for large hydraulic presses and some gearboxes.

Automotive Industries This industry is intensively equipped with hydraulic machinery, gearboxes & robots.

Large Transformer & Use a large amount of insulating oil (transformer oil) which can easily get contaminated.
Switch Gear Mfg. Reclamation common.

Aerospace & High Tech

Associated hydraulics are susceptible.
Welding

Day Tanks on Diesel Found in almost every large building. Moisture contamination is a big problem because
Powered Generators they are seldom used.

Mill applications like gearboxes, hydraulic turbines, paper machines, calendars, & presses
Paper & Pulp Mills:
often are contaminated with water or airborne particles. Environments such as board
Particle Board & Sawmills
mills, wood yards, & roll handling areas of paper mills are also good applications for
(Forest Products)
desiccant breathers.

Hydraulics on the mobile equipment, gearboxes. Equipment in the field is subject to

Oil Drill Industry
substantial dust contamination.

Acid & Chemical Storage Moisture and dirt alters the fluid.

Wash down of equipment makes moisture a real problem for hydraulic reservoirs &
Food Processing Plants
gearboxes. One of the best applications.

Electro-discharge machining is a high metal removing process that produces contami-

E.D.M. Die Making
nated oil.

Food Products; Oils,

Contamination prevention is particularly important during fill/empty operations.
Grains, Syrups

Filtering moisture and dirt from air going to differentials, transmissions, loader cylinders,
Off Road Vehicles
etc.

These are basically high production lathes, which often use petroleum based cutting
Automatic Screw Machine
oils.

Chemical & Petro Chemical Micronic filtration of the process stream. Lube oil degassing and conditioning; turbine &
Plants seal oil.

Jet Fuel Storage at Large

Water or dirt contamination results in loss of entire product.
Airports

Plastic Injection Molding Big user of hydraulic equipment.

Filtration application is on the main steam turbines, boilers, feed pumps and any peak-
Power Plants & Utilities
ing units. Transformer oil treatment is another obvious application.

Paper mills, petrochemical plants, refineries, & even distilleries are turbine users. Off
Steam & Gas Turbine
shore oil drilling platforms utilize gas turbines as main electrical generating power
Manufacturers & Users
source.

A typical steel rolling mill has two stories of hydraulic equipment beneath the roll
Steel Rolling Mill & Forge stands. They periodically contaminate this hydraulic oil with water based rolling fluids. A
Plants desiccant breather could prevent the contamination of moisture that gets in through the
breather cap.

Mining Companies Hydraulically powered equipment exposed in a very dirty environment.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. HOW LONG DOES A DESICCANT BREATHER LAST?

This depends on the environment. Some guidelines are listed but will vary with conditions.

On Water Contamination
The disposable models contain silica gel that is visible through the plastic case. When the silica gel
completely changes to a different color, the unit has reached 100% saturation and must be re-
placed.

If the system was not previously equipped

with a desiccant breather, it is normal for the
first unit to change color relatively quickly on
the initial installation. This means the product
is working to remove existing contaminants
already in the gearbox or reservoir and its life
will be shorter than typical. Subsequent units
will increasingly provide longer life.

If the environment is not unusually moist the

unit has the potential to last up to six months
or longer before color change indicates re-
quired replacement.

On Abrasives/Dust Contamination
The breather filter assembly has the ability to “back flush” itself when the system expels air, due to
the unique woven loop design of the filter material.

Operational experience has shown that, in most applications, the unit will require replacement
due to moisture saturation before the particulate filters require replacement. However, it is recom-
mended that for an environment with very heavy airborne contamination, that the unit be changed
every six months or 3000 operating hours.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Note breather installation date directly on breather housing using a permanent marker.
• Include breather change-outs in equipment maintenance manual(s).

8
2. WHERE ARE BREATHERS USED?
Generally, any reservoir, tank, cabinet or piece of equipment that breathes in and expels air, and
where water or dirt in that air would be detrimental to the contents or operation.
Suggested applications include:
• Gearboxes • Non-aqueous Chemical Process
• Hydraulic Systems- All Types Storage/Handling Tanks
• Bearing Circulating Systems • Diesel Fuel Storage Tanks
• Robotic Hydraulic Equipment • Mobile Earthmoving Equipment
• Transformers with Oil Cooled Design • Agricultural Equipment
• Vacuum and Welding Chambers

3. CAN I REPLACE THE ELEMENT/DESICCANT?

No, not for the disposable models. The cost of the replacement filter pads and hygroscopic agent
is approximately 70% of the total unit cost. The only salvageable parts would be the plastic case
and cap which are pressed together. If this tight fit were not achieved in the rebuild, abrasive mate-
rials and moisture could bypass the filter.

Once spent, these units–disposable models–should be disposed of just as any used oil or oil filter.
Local, state and federal regulations should be consulted. For most European countries, disposal
involves incineration.

Some companies have tried ‘baking’ the desiccant in used breathers in an attempt to turn it back
to its original color. While this works in changing the color, each time the desiccant is baked it los-
es at least 20% of its life. Additionally, once the breather is opened, both the desiccant and sec-
ondary filters have been further contaminated resulting in insufficient protection of your machin-
ery. Fully disposable breathers are recommended to ensure maximum protection.

9
4. HOW CAN I PREVENT SATURATION IN VERY WET ENVIRONMENTS?
Mount the unit in the driest location. Use the remote mounting method to get the unit away from
direct water spray.

For applications with frequent wash downs or high-humidity, breathers that offer a fully sealed
system with high-quality umbrella check valves prove the most effective.

5. DO I HAVE TO SEAL THE UNIT?

All disposable breathers are outfitted with an O-ring to seal the breather to the application. It is
recommended that a silicone sealer is used to mount the unit to the field adapter or threaded
adapter, and that thread seal tape or silicone is used on the adapter threads.

6. IF THE UNIT IS ACCIDENTALLY BROKEN WILL THE DESICCANT ENTER THE

RESERVOIR?
To avoid this issue, select a high quality breather that has an impact resistant poly-carbonate cas-
ing and an integrated nylon standpipe.

7. WHAT SIZE DO I NEED?

There are a number of different breather models and sizes. Fitting the smallest unit for economy of
purchase price is not always the best option for the application. The unit should be sized by look-
ing at the system’s air flow requirements, environment, type and amount of lubricant, as well as
desired amount of water adsorption.

10
 Extended
BREATHER LINES Standard VentGuard
Series
HydroGuard Extreme Duty Non-Desiccant Rebuildable Steel

Silica

Foam Pad

Efficient Filter

Integrated Standpipe

Impact Resistance

Vibration Resistance
(female thread)
Caustic Chemical
Resistance

Check Valves

Expansion Bladder

Disposable

Integrated Honeycomb
Oil Mist Reducer

Extended
COMMON USES Standard VentGuard
Series
HydroGuard Extreme Duty Non-Desiccant Rebuildable Steel
Intermittent Steady State High Flow
General Use Storage Tanks Harsh Environments Low Humidity
Operations Operations Applications

Transformers Gearboxes Wind Turbines Gearboxes Mobile Equipment Oil Misting Harsh Environments

Large Gearboxes/
Storage Drums High Humidity High Humidity Hydraulics Arid Environments Bulk Storage
Hydraulics

Totes Washdowns Oil Misting Washdowns Washdowns High Dust Large Hydraulics

Low Flow Low Flow High

Hydraulics Remote Applications Water Based Fluids Harsh Chemicals
Applications Applications Vibration/Impact

TAKE ACTION

When it comes to selecting breathers, the “one size fits all” approach is not really ideal. Today,
there are many different designs available and there is definitely a best fit for each particular
application. Breather selection is an important part of the process of developing a world-class
lubrication program and should not be oversimplified.

At Des-Case Corporation, we understand the importance of fluid cleanliness and the role it plays in
reliability optimization. That’s why we’ve spent more than 30 years pioneering solutions specific to
your industry applications that help maintain lubricant quality.

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TRY ONE ON US

Request your complimentary disposable desiccant breather today

by calling 615.672.8800 or visiting descase.com/sample.

ABOUT DES-CASE CORPORATION

Des-Case is where the original desiccant breather was invented and now manufactures a wide
array of contamination control products for industrial lubricants. Headquartered near Nashville,
TN, we market an entire line of products designed to help companies make their equipment
investments last longer. Our design features are unparalleled in the marketplace and are used
wherever lubricant life and performance are essential to daily operations.

Des-Case has worked with some of the world’s largest companies, both directly and through
our partners. Founded on innovation to solve lubrication problems, we continue to design
enhancements to our current line as well as provide customers with unique products for their
particular company or industry.

Des-Case technical support is available during normal business hours on M-F 8am-5pm CST at
615.672.8800. More information can also be found on the Des-Case website at descase.com.

Des-Case Corporation | 675 N. Main St. | Goodlettsville, TN 37072

D: 615.672.8800 | F: 615.672.0701 | descase.com

© Des-Case Corporation. All rights reserved.

® Des-Case is a registered trademark of Des-Case Corporation.