Jiangyin Youtejia Air Treatment Equipment Co., Ltd.

In the pharmaceutical industry, there are various types of drug formulations, and many medications produced require humidity control during manufacturing—such as tablets, suppositories, powders, pastes, lotions, ampoules, capsules, blood products, and diagnostic reagents. Among these, effervescent tablets and softgel formulations stand out as particularly notable examples: Effervescent tablets contain carbonates and organic acids, which react with water to release gas, creating a bubbly, effervescent effect. These tablets come in both oral and vaginal forms, all formulated using an effervescent agent as the disintegrant.

The preparation methods for effervescent tablets include dry granulation, wet granulation, and direct compression. In effervescent tablets, the proportion of the genuinely active pharmaceutical ingredient is extremely small, requiring a substantial amount of excipients—such as effervescent disintegrants, binders, wetting agents, flavoring agents, sweeteners, lubricants, diluents, colorants, and more. Many of these excipients are hygroscopic materials that readily absorb moisture. Therefore, during the manufacturing process, it’s crucial to strictly prevent moisture absorption. Both the granulation stage (if applicable) and the tablet compression area must maintain controlled air temperature and humidity levels, with relative humidity typically kept between 20% and 25% and the temperature maintained at 15–25°C. Excessively high temperatures, particularly when processing traditional Chinese medicine extracts, can lead to dissolution and cause the product to become sticky very easily.

Therefore, rotary dehumidification finds extensive application in the production process of this dosage form. Soft capsule formulations, thanks to their soluble capsule shell that encapsulates the drug, ensure controlled release and absorption only after the medication reaches the digestive tract. Additionally, this design helps prevent the drug's odor from irritating taste buds in the oral cavity. As a result, soft capsules are increasingly being used in various oral medications and health supplements. Currently, common drying techniques for soft capsules include rotary drum drying, conveyor belt drying, and static tray drying. However, due to the inherent characteristics of soft capsules—specifically their sensitivity to heat—the drying temperature cannot be too high. To boost production efficiency under these constraints, manufacturers often focus on reducing air humidity and increasing the ventilation rate within the drying chamber. At present, domestic air-conditioning and purification equipment manufacturers face no major challenges in maintaining stable chamber temperatures or ensuring robust air circulation. The real bottleneck lies in achieving precise low-humidity control—a task that remains particularly difficult. Yet, the quality of humidity control directly influences key aspects of pharmaceutical products, such as product stability and shelf life. Under room-temperature conditions, the optimal humidity range for drying soft capsules typically falls between 20% and 30%. Unfortunately, conventional air conditioners and compressor-based dehumidifiers struggle to consistently deliver humidity levels within this narrow range. In contrast, silica gel rotary dehumidifiers offer a reliable and efficient solution to this critical challenge.