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 a low humidity. Humidifiers are used to create an environment with perfect 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
Alembic Pharmaceuticals Ltd
Condair RS , for HVAC Condair SETC for FBE
Cipla Ltd, Kurkumbh , Maharashtra
Condair Mk5 , for HVAC
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd., Hyderabad
Condair RS , for laboratory Fluidized Bed Equipment
Lupin Ltd, Aurangabad
Condair SETC for FBE
Lupin Ltd, Pithampur , M.P.
Condair RS , for HVAC
Lupin Ltd. Research Park, Pune
Condair RS , for HVAC
Serum Institute of India Pvt. Ltd.
Serum Institute is the largest vaccine manufacturing company in the world. Hundreds of air handling systems are installed in multiple buildings within the 42 acre campus of the company in Pune.The company is using Condair steam humidifiers in their manufacturing processes to maintain the highest quality environmental conditions for optimum production efficiency. Condair is proud to be associated with the the Serum Institute and its fight against Covid - 19.
Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
Humidification required for Tablet Coating machines. The required rH was 25% at 43°. C. Although the rH value is low the temperature at which it is required is not possible to achieve without humidification. The system provided was Condair SE 250 having a humidification capacity of 114 Kg/hr.
Sun Pharmaceuticals, Halol, Gujarat
Condair RS for Tray Dryer
Sun Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Dadra Nagar Haveli
Condair RS and Condair SETC humidifcation systems help address any dissolution issues in the coating applications.
Lupin Ltd. Nagpur
Condair RS , for HVAC
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.
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.
Get a free 10-point guide to cleanroom humidity control
This guide has been compiled from Condair's extensive experience across thousands of cleanroom humidity control projects.
It gives an overview of the 10 most important topics to consider when setting out on a cleanroom humidification or dehumidification project.
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?
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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
Hybrid HumidifiersThe 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 organisations with public responsibility.
Condair RS
Resistive steam humidifierInnovative 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
Desiccant dehumidifierCondair 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
Live steam distribution systemThe 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 1,000 kg/h at pressures of up to 4 bar.
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