Desiccate
Desiccate[Options]⟹UnitOperation
dries out solid substances by absorbing water molecules from the samples through exposing them to a chemical desiccant in a bell jar desiccator under vacuum or non-vacuum conditions.
Desiccate UnitOperation is a method for drying solid samples by extracting water molecules using a desiccator. This experiment exposes the solid samples to the specified chemical desiccant within a bell jar desiccator. In contrast to desiccated storage, Desiccate keeps the sample container open within a dedicated bell jar, with only the input samples present throughout the duration of the experiment.
Experimental Principles
Figure 1.1: Procedural outline for Desiccate unit operation. Step 1: Select a desiccator. The desiccator can be selected using "Desiccator" option. Refer to Table 1 for available desiccators and their specifications. The default desiccant is Indicating Drierite, Model[Sample, "Indicating Drierite"], with the flexibility to choose any solid or liquid chemical via "Desiccant" option. Step 2: Input sample specifications. "Amount" specifies the quantity of the input sample(s) for the experiment. Samples may either remain in their original container (for full sample usage) or be moved to a new container using "SampleContainer" option. Step 3: Desiccation. The desiccation method is determined by "Method" option. Available desiccation methods include StandardDesiccant, DesiccantUnderVacuum, and Vacuum. StandardDesiccant uses a chemical desiccant specified by the "Desiccant" option. DesiccantUnderVacuum uses a chemical desiccant within a vacuumed desiccator to improve drying efficiency. Vacuum, on the other hand, exposes the sample only to a vacuum within a bell jar desiccator, without the use of any desiccant. The duration of desiccation is determined by "Time" which can be set to any value under 72 hours with a default of 5 hours. Step 4: Retrieving samples: The experiment concludes with the retrieval and storage of the sample. "ContainerOut" determines the container that the sample is transferred into after desiccation. The storage conditions for the desiccated samples can be specified by "SamplesOutStorageCondition" option.
Instrumentation
Bel-Art Space Saver Vacuum Desiccator
Figure 2.1: This diagram shows the bell jar desiccator at ECL. It is connected to a vacuum pump, and the pressure inside the chamber is monitored with a sensor during desiccation under vacuum. The desiccator uses Drierite as the default desiccant, which is blue when dry and turns pink as it absorbs moisture; however, any chemical can be specified as the desiccant.
Experiment Options
General
Sample
Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Object[Sample] or Object[Container] or a prepared sample or Null.
Amount
The mass of the sample to transfer from the input samples into another container (specified by SampleContainer) before desiccation. All indicates that the sample remains in the primary container.
SampleLabel
A user defined word or phrase used to identify the samples that are being desiccated, for use in downstream unit operations.
SampleContainer
The container that the sample Amount is transferred into prior to desiccating in a bell jar. The container's lid is off during desiccation. Null indicates the sample is not transferred to another container and is desiccated in its primary container.
Default Calculation: Automatically set to Null if Amount is set to All; otherwise, it is calculated by the PreferredContainer function. Null indicates that the sample is desiccated in its primary container without being transferred to another.
Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Model[Container, Vessel] or Object[Container, Vessel] or a prepared sample or Null.
Programmatic Pattern: ((Null | (ObjectP[{Model[Container, Vessel], Object[Container, Vessel]}] | _String)) | Automatic) | Null
SampleContainerLabel
A user defined word or phrase used to identify the sample containers that are used during the desiccation step, for use in downstream unit operations.
SampleOutLabel
A user defined word or phrase used to identify the sample collected at the end of the desiccation step, for use in downstream unit operations.
ContainerOutLabel
A user defined word or phrase used to identify the ContainerOut that the sample is transferred into after the desiccation step, for use in downstream unit operations.
Method
Method of drying the sample (removing water or solvent molecules from the solid sample). Options include StandardDesiccant, Vacuum, and DesiccantUnderVacuum. StandardDesiccant involves utilizing a sealed bell jar desiccator that exposes the sample to a chemical desiccant that absorbs water molecules from the exposed sample. DesiccantUnderVacuum is similar to StandardDesiccant but includes creating a vacuum inside the bell jar via pumping out the air by a vacuum pump. Vacuum just includes creating a vacuum by a vacuum pump and desiccant is NOT used inside the desiccator.
Desiccant
The hygroscopic chemical that is used in the desiccator to dry the exposed sample by absorbing water molecules from the sample.
Default Calculation: Automatically set to Model[Sample,"Indicating Drierite"], Model[Sample,"Sulfuric acid"], or Null if DesiccantPhase is Solid/not informed, Liquid, or Method is Vacuum.
Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Model[Item, Consumable], Object[Item, Consumable], Model[Sample], or Object[Sample] or a prepared sample or Null.
Programmatic Pattern: ((ObjectP[{Model[Item, Consumable], Object[Item, Consumable], Model[Sample], Object[Sample]}] | _String) | Automatic) | Null
DesiccantPhase
The physical state of the desiccant in the desiccator which dries the exposed sample by absorbing water molecules from the sample.
Default Calculation: Automatically set to the physical state of the selected desiccant, or Null if Desiccant is Null.
CheckDesiccant
Indicates if the color of the desiccant is verified and is thrown out before the experiment begins if the color indicates it is expired.
Default Calculation: Automatically set to True if Desiccant model is Model[Sample, "Indicating Drierite"].
DesiccantAmount
The mass of a solid or the volume of a liquid hygroscopic chemical that is used in the desiccator to dry the exposed sample by absorbing water molecules from the sample.
Default Calculation: Automatically set to 100 Gram if DesiccantPhase is Solid, 100 Milliliter if DesiccantPhase is Liquid, or Null if Method is Vacuum.
Programmatic Pattern: ((RangeP[1*Gram, 1*Kilogram, 1*Gram] | RangeP[1*Milliliter, 1*Liter, 1*Milliliter]) | Automatic) | Null
Desiccator
The instrument that is used to dry the sample by exposing the sample with its container lid open in a bell jar which includes a chemical desiccant either at atmosphere or vacuum.
Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Model[Instrument, Desiccator] or Object[Instrument, Desiccator]
Time
Pattern Description: Greater than or equal to 1 minute and less than or equal to 72 hours in increments of 1 minute.
Storage Information
ContainerOut
The desired container that the desiccated sample should be transferred into after desiccation. If specified, all of the sample is transferred into ContainerOut.
Pattern Description: An object of type or subtype Model[Container, Vessel], Object[Container, Vessel], or Model[Container, GrindingContainer] or a prepared sample or Null.
Programmatic Pattern: (Null | (ObjectP[{Model[Container, Vessel], Object[Container, Vessel], Model[Container, GrindingContainer]}] | _String)) | Null
SamplesOutStorageCondition
The non-default conditions under which any new samples generated by this experiment should be stored after the protocol is completed. If left unset, the new samples will be stored according to their StorageCondition or their Models' DefaultStorageCondition.
Pattern Description: {AmbientStorage, EnclosedAmbientStorage, Refrigerator, Freezer, DeepFreezer, CryogenicStorage, YeastIncubation, YeastShakingIncubation, BacterialIncubation, BacterialShakingIncubation, MammalianIncubation, ViralIncubation, CrystalIncubation, AcceleratedTesting, IntermediateTesting, LongTermTesting, UVVisLightTesting, Oven}, Desiccated, VacuumDesiccated, RefrigeratorDesiccated, or Disposal or an object of type or subtype Model[StorageCondition] or Null.
Programmatic Pattern: (Null | ((SampleStorageTypeP | Desiccated | VacuumDesiccated | RefrigeratorDesiccated | Disposal) | ObjectP[Model[StorageCondition]])) | Null
DesiccantStorageCondition
The non-default condition under which the desiccant is stored after the protocol is completed. Null indicates the desiccant will be stored according to its StorageCondition or its Models' DefaultStorageCondition.
Pattern Description: {AmbientStorage, EnclosedAmbientStorage, Refrigerator, Freezer, DeepFreezer, CryogenicStorage, YeastIncubation, YeastShakingIncubation, BacterialIncubation, BacterialShakingIncubation, MammalianIncubation, ViralIncubation, CrystalIncubation, AcceleratedTesting, IntermediateTesting, LongTermTesting, UVVisLightTesting, Oven}, Desiccated, VacuumDesiccated, RefrigeratorDesiccated, or Disposal or an object of type or subtype Model[StorageCondition] or Null.
Programmatic Pattern: (((SampleStorageTypeP | Desiccated | VacuumDesiccated | RefrigeratorDesiccated | Disposal) | ObjectP[Model[StorageCondition]]) | Automatic) | Null
DesiccantStorageContainer
The desired container that the desiccant is transferred into after desiccation. If Not specified, it is determined by PreferredContainer function.
Protocol Options
Post Experiment
MeasureWeight
Indicates if any solid samples that are modified in the course of the experiment should have their weights measured and updated after running the experiment. Please note that public samples are weighed regardless of the value of this option.
MeasureVolume
Indicates if any liquid samples that are modified in the course of the experiment should have their volumes measured and updated after running the experiment. Please note that public samples are volume measured regardless of the value of this option.
ImageSample
Warnings and Errors
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Messages
Possible Issues
Last modified on Thu 11 Sep 2025 17:04:16