dégasage

Dégazage is the process of removing dissolved gases from liquids or volatile components from solids. The aim is to reduce gas content to prevent issues such as foaming, gas pockets, oxidation, or instability, and to prepare materials for storage, packaging, or further processing. The term is used across industrial and laboratory contexts, with equipment and methods selected to suit the phase and gas type involved.

Common degassing methods include: vacuum degassing, where the material is placed in a chamber at reduced pressure so dissolved gases emerge; sparging, which introduces an inert gas such as nitrogen or argon to sweep away gases; membrane degassing, which uses gas-permeable membranes to transfer gas from liquid to a sweep gas; and thermal or mechanical degassing, which rely on heating, agitation, or stirring to release dissolved gases. Integrated systems may combine approaches.

Applications: In winemaking and beverage production, degassing removes dissolved CO2 that can affect aroma or stability; in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics, degassed solvents improve stability and texture; in chemical processing and petrochemistry, degassing minimizes gas pockets in reactors and pipelines; in electronics and coatings, degassed solvents reduce bubbles during application and drying.

Considerations: Degassing can also remove desirable volatile compounds and, if not controlled, may promote oxidation or contamination; the choice of method depends on liquid viscosity, volume, target gas content, required purity, and energy use. Maintenance of inert gas purity and compatible materials is important. Note: in French technical usage, the standard spelling is dégazage; the concept is the same as degassing.