Way to dry out wet W231?

[curator]

Our recent brush with the Hurricane put about an inch of water in my workshop. Two plastic jugs of pull-down W231 sitting on the wet floor appear to have had pin holes in their bottoms allowing water to seep into the contents. Now, 2 weeks after I am discovering nearly the whole 8 pounds is uniformly (but slightly) damp. Is it all ruined? Any way to safely dry out smokeless powder? No, my wife wont allow the use of her oven!

[wgr]

spread it out and set in in the sun

[Outpost75]

Bulk powder is stored in water and piped around the plant between operations in a,water slurry. Water does no harm. Spread on a tarpaulin in the sun.

[tazman]

You have been given good advice.

[curator]

WoW!!! Good to know. Now, how to keep it from blowing around.
Thanks guys!

[2011redrider]

Try a 5 gal paint strainer, it will contain the powder and let you rotate it to dry and dump back in a dry container. I use these to separate the pins when wet tumbling.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Blue-Hawk-2-Pack-Plastic-Bucket-Paint-Strainers-Fits-Container-Size-5-Gallon/1008387

[Bzcraig]

Bulk powder is stored in water and piped around the plant between operations in a,water slurry. Water does no harm. Spread on a tarpaulin in the sun.

I learned something new today!

[Grmps]

Bulk powder is stored in water and piped around the plant between operations in a,water slurry. Water does no harm. Spread on a tarpaulin in the sun.

How do they dry it out at the factory?

[country gent]

The factories may have a centrafuge to spin large batches of powder, throwing a lot of the water out. What might work better is to pour the powder into a nylon and set it out the nylon will allow moisture out but hold the powder in. (Fish Net stockings don't work here though). Roll it every few hours to keep it even

[jeepguy242]

Silica packs? Put about 15 of them in the jug

[jeepguy242]

Pour about a pound out on a cookie sheet and leave it in a warm garage before you use it then pour it in your hopper. Then back into a clean 1 pound jug when your finished loading?

[JBinMN]

The factories may have a centrafuge to spin large batches of powder, throwing a lot of the water out. What might work better is to pour the powder into a nylon and set it out the nylon will allow moisture out but hold the powder in. (Fish Net stockings don't work here though). Roll it every few hours to keep it even

^I think I would do it like this, ^
but with one exception & it would solve the "wind" issue & likely speed the process. Hang the nylon & powder out in the sun with a plastic bag like a trash bag covering the nylon/powder with the opening at the bottom & tied off. The sun will create more heat inside the plastic bag & the moisture will condensate on the inside of the outer plastic bag & flow down to the opening at the bottom.

It might take a few tries, but that should do it.

The system is much the same as gathering water from foliage by wrapping the foliage(non poisonous) in plastic & letting the moisture condensate in the bags for collection later. [<Evapo-Transpiration I think it is called]
Good thing to remember if you are in a survival situation, & have some plastic & cordage, & need some fairly pure water with no other water source available. Of course there may be some dust & dirt & the occasional bug in the water, but it does work, and might help keep ya alive...

Anyway... G'Luck!
:)
Please let us know what ya end up trying...
;)

ETA: A couple videos that kind of shows what I am talking about... ;)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXjW5Veb5Rk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srOQuHxj_dU

[OlDeuce]

A friend lost 2 400lbs kegs ! got wet in his basement and then pitched out in the field!!! If we only net then what we know today !!! This is
great to know.....Info is worth a Thousands !!!!:awesome::2_high5: when I see him I will make him SICK!!!

Ol Deuce

[John Boy]

Pour the powder into a pillow case - put a hair dryer in the case opening - squeeze the case around the end of the dry - Blow Dry It

[JimB..]

Water is one thing, sewage is another, and salt water is yet another.

[curator]

Thanks to all who offered information. I poured off the top 1/3rd and found it mostly dry. I put it in cookie trays about 1/4 inch deep to let it dry as necessary. The next 1/3 from each jug came out a bit damp and I spread it out in more cookie trays and put them in my air conditioned office. The bottom 1/3rd was pretty damp and clumpy so I put this into several nylon stockings, also hung in air conditioning with dehumidifier. My reloading room is air conditioned but with a small "window shaker" of 5K BTU so it is not really all that good at dehumidifying. I am going to wait a few days to see how effective the dry-out is going.

JimB, I was fortunate that the "flood" was only fresh water, not salt or sewage. Others nearby were not so lucky. Your message is right on!

[JBinMN]

Thanks for the update!
:)

Hope it all turns out for ya!
:)

[myg30]

Pour the powder into a pillow case - put a hair dryer in the case opening - squeeze the case around the end of the dry - Blow Dry It

NO SIR DONT DO THIS !! There is potential that a spark from the thermostat switch on the element or dust on the heat element may burn and " could" ignite the powder as it's blowed out.
Not worth the risk. If your just blowing air with no heat maybe but I wouldn't risk it.
Also restricted air flow will over heat the element make it hotter and again spark from the thermo switch will result.

Mike