Is water-heated a safe drying temp for all compositions?

[Ubehage]

Hey, fellow pyro-enthusiasts

 

I am trying(!) to build a drying chamber.

I was thinking about constructing a spiral of pipelines in the box's isolation, and then make a system that will let hot water flow through those pipes.

 

Besides my low quality construction-skills, and the obvious amount of work associated with this project, I just have 1 question:

 

Heating the chamber this way, I can predict that the temperature may, in perfect conditions, get up to 99C; just below waters boiling point.

Is this temperature safe for drying all known pyro-compositions?

 

Or is it maybe safe for most; and in that case, which comps should I NOT put into this chamber?

[MrB]

If you put 99c water in the pipes your going to get steam pressure buildup. Keep it below 80c.

 

While the temperature should be safe enough, your running the risk of stars drying on the surface, but locking moisture inside the star. I've never had that problem, but then i don't dry stuff over 25c, which might be a reason.

I run a dehumidifier, and then pass the air through a drying rack. If i dried stars during the summer it might get as high as 30, or 35c, but i don't, so it hasn't ever been a problem for me... Not sure what conditions has to be meet to make the issue arise.

B!

[Nessalco]

The issue for water-bound comps is less the temperature than relative humidity. I too use a dehumidifier in a sealed chamber, and am very happy with the results. I can pop D1 comets, fresh from the pump, into the chamber and they dry quickly, with no cracking. Temperature of the drying chamber never exceeds 35C

 

Kevin

[Arthur]

My local Lidl has small dehumidifiers as next week's special, one would suit your needs. Get a big cardboard box put the stars on racks and the dehumidifier inside and shut the box. Dry in a couple of hours -Whether you have a Lidl with the same offers????

[Ubehage]

Thank you for your inputs.. I will try to stay with lower temps.

Arthur, I also have a Lidl close to me. I will go there and look

[dagabu]

I will attempt to pass along some of the notes from Mike Swisher without quoting him but as he says in many places over the period of many years, a gentle breeze on a warm day out of the direct Sun is the best and fastest way to dry Stars. So as you make your drying chamber consider a slight breeze and warm but not hot temperatures and out of the direct radiation of the heat supply.

[GalFisk]

What the gentle breeze does is to keep moist air from building up around your stars. If you recycle your air, or if your air is very humid already, it probably helps more dehumidify it. Drying is a balance reaction, and you want to maintain the imbalance between the moisture in the air and in the stars. Heat also helps by increasing the vapor pressure of the water - but if the air gets too humid, the water stays even if it's hot.

Edited January 15, 2015 by GalFisk