Benefits
Humidity control in the pharmaceutical industry is essential in many production and testing processes to maintain quality and reduce waste.
Product stability
Humidity control helps during storage time, ensures drug quality and safety.
Precise manufacturing
Optimal humidity protects the hygroscopic materials and supports the processes.
Prevents contamination
Humidity control prevents degradation and microbial growth.
Humidity control in the pharmaceutical industry
Prevention of static electricity
Levels of humidity below 40% RH can lead to static build-up. The results of this include materials adhering to each other on the production line and not locating correctly inside of packaging. A humidity level of between 55 - 65% RH will significantly reduce the probability of electro static discharge, which is vital for sensitive electronic equipment or where flammable gases or substances are being used.
Stability testing
Regulations on accelerated or longterm stability testing mostly require humidity to be controlled within a tolerance of ±5% RH. If the condition of the atmosphere falls outside this window, it can result in a test having to be restarted. This is expensive and can even delay the launch of a new product.
Humidification and dehumidification in tablet coating
Successful coating of a tablet largely depends on the composition of the tablet at the time of exposure to its coating. If the tablet’s surface is too dry, due to incorrect humidity levels, the coating will not adhere correctly. Likewise if the humidity post coating is not optimal, the coating may dry too rapidly, detrimentally affecting its properties.
Humidity control in fluid bed drying
Consistent and responsive humidity control in Fluid Bed Drying processes results in the product’s moisture content reaching the target level more rapidly and with less wastage through over or under drying. Close control resistive steam humidifiers running on pure RO water can provide a precision of ±2% RH.
Dehumidification in tablet pressing processes
Production and processing procedures in the pharmaceutical industry have always been associated with special requirements: this also applies to the manufacture of tablets. Even the raw materials require constant environmental parameters in order to maintain their effectiveness. To avoid the risk of the tablets being contaminated by dirt particles, germs, or spores in the air during the manufacturing process, a relative humidity of 35–50 percent at air temperatures of 21–27 degrees Celsius is optimal.
Use Cases
Prevent evaporative losses
Organic materials have an internal moisture content and will lose moisture to the atmosphere when exposed to air with low humidity. Humidifiers are used to create an environment with the proper balance between the material’s internal moisture content and the air’s relative humidity.
Anti-static and ESD prevention
Low humidity increases static build-up because dry air is an insulator, making electrostatic discharge (ESD) more likely. Maintaining 40–60% relative humidity helps dissipate charges and significantly reduces ESD risk.
Reliable operations start with a controlled environment
Humidity fluctuations can cause static discharge, material distortion, and premature wear on sensitive equipment—all leading to costly downtime. By maintaining consistent humidity, it protects both the machinery and the materials they process, ensuring smoother production, fewer interruptions, and maximum operational uptime.
Discover Condair in action
Centre De Recherche Pierre Fabre
With 13,000 employees and annual revenues of 2.282 billion euros, it is one of the largest companies in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to a wide range of specialized research and development departments, the Research Center in Toulouse is also home to one of the world's most renowned oncology research centers. At this site, teams have access to the equipment they need to research and create new molecules, and can concentrate on research relating to natural, chemical and biological molecules. The campus is known as a national center of excellence, and provides a site where public and private research institutions, doctors, hospitals and patients can all come together in one place. Condair steam humidifiers are used to meet the many requirements for indoor air in laboratories and common areas.
Catalent Pharma Solutions
Somerset, New Jersey location is the corporate headquarters for Catalent Pharma Solutions. This location houses the state-of-the-art laboratory, clinical, commercial manufacturing plant for oral dose forms in addition to being the Center of Excellence for Highly Potent Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients. The facility is located approximately 45 minutes from Newark Liberty airport.
Eli Lilly and Company
Eli Lilly and Company is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, with offices in 18 countries. Its products are sold in approximately 125 countries. The company was founded in 1876 by, and named after, Col. Eli Lilly, a pharmaceutical chemist and veteran of the American Civil War. Colonel Eli Lilly, a man committed to creating high-quality medicines that met real needs in an era of unreliable elixirs peddled by questionable characters. His charge to the generations of employees who have followed was this: "Take what you find here and make it better and better."
Beijing Fuyuan Pharmaceutical
In 2024, Fuyuan Pharmaceutical was awarded the title of one of Beijing's first "Green Credit Grade A Enterprises" and was included in the "2024 China Pharmaceutical R&D Comprehensive Strength Top 100."
Air quality is crucial for pharmaceutical production environments. If the air humidity is too low, it can significantly impact production processes, thereby affecting drug quality. The Condair PS humidifiers provide steam humidification for HVAC systems.
Air quality is crucial for pharmaceutical production environments. If the air humidity is too low, it can significantly impact production processes, thereby affecting drug quality. The Condair PS humidifiers provide steam humidification for HVAC systems.
Evik Diagnostics, Ottawa
Evik Diagnostics Innovations, a biotechnology leader in Ottawa, faced stringent challenges: producing lyophilized assay reagents (DxSpheres) requires dry room conditions with relative humidity below 10%. Their prior dehumidification systems failed to deliver consistent reliability across their 2,600 sq ft of production and research space. Condair stepped in with its DA dehumidifiers (400/208 units) and local support to deliver the ultra‚ low RH stability required. The installation, carried out by Longhill Energy and Atwood‚ Gravel, integrated seamlessly with ongoing operations. With Condair in place, Evik achieved maintenance‚ light operation delivering stable sub‚ 10% RH, enhancing product strength and consistency while reducing environmental fluctuations. The solution not only solved immediate moisture control issues but also provided a platform for growth with dependable humidity performance for the most exacting manufacturing environment.
GW Pharmaceuticals
GW Pharmaceuticals is a leader in therapies based on its proprietary cannabinoid product platform to treat a number of diseases. The company was the first to receive FDA approval for a CBD-based treatment for severe forms of childhood epilepsy in its Epidiolex lead product. Condair RS resistive steam humidifiers are maintaining the ideal humidity level in GW's research laboratories and are being supported with Condair's planned preventative maintenance services.
Sanofi
Sanofi engages in the research and development, manufacturing and marketing of pharmaceutical drugs principally in the prescription market, but the firm also develops over-the-counter medication.
L'Oréal - Centre de Recherche & Développement
L'Orital's Research Development Centre in Vitry-sur-Seine is one of the group's main global sites dedicated to innovation in cosmetics. The centre employs over 4,000 researchers of various nationalities, specialising in more than 50 scientific and technical fields. The centre is also involved in green chemistry and eco-design initiatives, contributing to L'Orital's objective of creating beauty that respects the planet Condair is proud to have supplied, installed and commissioned Condair EL and EC electrode steam humidifiers to help maintain the consistent and accurate humidity levels needed for the sensitive testing processes.
Sanofi France
Sanofi is a global life sciences company committed to improving access to healthcare and supporting the people we serve throughout the continuum of care. From prevention to treatment, we transform scientific innovation into healthcare solutions, in human vaccines, rare diseases, multiple sclerosis, oncology, immunology, infectious diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular solutions and consumer healthcare. More than 110,000 people at Sanofi are dedicated to make a difference on patients' daily life, wherever they live and enable them to enjoy a healthier life.
Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Condair RS , for HVAC Condair SETC for FBE
Frequently asked questions
Why is it so important to control humidity in pharmaceutical industries?
What is the ideal humidity for pharmaceutical processes?
What kind of dehumidifier is best for pharmaceutical processes?
Get free expert advice
If you want to explore your options for humidity control, Condair's expert sales engineers will visit your site, review your project and talk you through their recommendations.
Alternatively, if you would prefer a call or online meeting, our team are always happy to discuss possible solutions and offer free technical advice.
Humidifiers and dehumidifiers often used in the pharmaceutical industry
Condair DL
The Condair DL is the next generation of the Condair Dual2—the successful system for adiabatic air humidification. Its hygienic credentials have proven successful in practice and were verified and certified by independent organizations with public responsibility.
Condair RS
Innovative scale management removes the separated minerals from the steam cylinder during operation and automatically conveys them into the designated scale collecting tank. Scale deposits are thus continuously removed from the steam cylinder.
Condair DA
Condair DA desiccant dryers are designed for applications requiring extremely low humidity, such as in sensitive industrial manufacturing processes, and for environments with very low temperatures or where precise moisture control is essential.
Condair ESCO
The Condair ESCO live steam distribution system efficiently delivers dry, hygienic steam from the central steam network to the air ducts or ventilation units. It features a precise ceramic rotary disc valve (0–100% modulation), internal nozzles for condensate-free distribution of saturated steam in the air duct, fast response without preheating, and capacities of up to 2,205 lb/h at pressures of up to 58 psi.
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