Desicant Air Breathers

Don’t Let Moisture Destroy Clean Oil.

Have you noticed condensation droplets forming inside your gearbox, hydraulic unit or storage tank—or worse: rust buildup, free water in the hydraulic oil, reduced lubrication efficiency, or a strong oily odor while the unit is operating?

These are all red flags that point to a common root cause: moisture are entering your system unfiltered each time it pulls in air to balance internal pressure or internally generated from oil degradation ad machine wear. At the same time, oil aerosols are escaping into the environment every time the system exhales. It’s a silent but steady exchange that compromises both performance and cleanliness. Ignoring these warning signs means you’re on the fast track to costly maintenance, potential equipment failure, and unnecessary risk to both your employees and the environment. But a simple device called a desiccant breather can help you avoid these issues.

A desiccant breather is a filtration device designed to protect industrial equipment by preventing moisture from entering lubricants, hydraulic fluids, and other systems.

Desiccant breathers contain silica gel beads that adsorb moisture from incoming air, preventing water vapour from contaminating the system.

The silica gel changes colour when saturated, signalling the need for replacement. When the system heats up or cools down, air expands or contracts. The desiccant breather allows air to pass through while filtering moisture, maintaining system pressure, and preventing vacuum formation.