High-humidity sensors for the pharmaceutical industry and temperature-controlled logistics

In this article, we explain in detail why humidity measurement is essential under high-humidity conditions in critical environments and what challenges arise when the air is nearly saturated (> see the article “High Humidity AFTF 35 / KFTF 35”).

But what does this look like in practice?

A particularly sensitive area of application is pharmaceutical and temperature-controlled logistics. In cold chains, warehouses, and transshipment areas, temperature fluctuations, door openings, and varying climate zones quickly lead to condensation—with direct impacts on measurement accuracy, product safety, and regulatory compliance.

In this article, we’ll show how these challenges can be effectively managed in pharmaceutical and cold-chain logistics—and why reliable, specially developed humidity and temperature sensors play a central role in ensuring stable processes and safe transport conditions. 

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In a nutshell

In the pharmaceutical and temperature-controlled logistics sectors, stable climate and storage conditions are crucial for product safety, process stability, and traceable quality assurance. High humidity, door openings, temperature fluctuations, and different climate zones can cause spikes in humidity and increase the risk of condensation.

Condensation-protected humidity and temperature sensors help reliably measure humidity and temperature—even during challenging periods of high humidity.

Typical benefits:

  • Stable readings at high relative humidity
  • better assessment of condensation risks
  • Support for monitoring, ventilation, cooling, and dehumidification
  • Suitable for cold rooms, storage areas, airlocks, and air ducts
  • Easy integration into building management systems, DDC, PLCs, or monitoring systems

Contents

Applications in Pharmaceutical and Temperature-Controlled Logistics Why Humidity Measurement Is Important in the Cold Chain and Pharmaceutical Logistics Typical challenges: temperature zones, door openings, and humidity spikes What metrics are relevant in the pharmaceutical and logistics sectors? AFTF-35 or KFTF-35 – Which Model Is Best Suited for the Pharmaceutical and Logistics Industries? Assembly and Measurement Points in Warehousing and Logistics Areas

Applications in Pharmaceutical and Temperature-Controlled Logistics

In the pharmaceutical and logistics industries, there are stringent requirements for humidity and temperature measurement wherever products are stored, handled, or prepared for transport under defined climatic conditions. Environmental conditions can change rapidly, particularly in cold chains, pharmaceutical warehouses, airlock areas, and temperature-controlled logistics centers.

Typical scenarios:

  • Cold-chain storage for medications and pharmaceutical products
  • temperature-controlled logistics centers
  • Areas with frequent door openings
  • Airlocks, pre-cooling zones, and transition areas
  • Ventilation and Air Conditioning Ducts in Warehouses and Logistics Facilities

For operators, this means that the measured values must be reliable not only during stable, continuous operation, but also during air exchange, temperature fluctuations, and short-term humidity spikes. Only in this way can climate monitoring, control, and documentation be based on reliable data.

Why Humidity Measurement Is Important in the Cold Chain and Pharmaceutical Logistics

In the pharmaceutical and logistics sectors, humidity is always linked to temperature control, product safety, and traceability. Especially in refrigerated or temperature-controlled areas, temperature differences can cause relative humidity to rise rapidly, leading to condensation.

Transitions between different climate zones are particularly critical. If warm, humid air enters a colder area, Humidity can condense on surfaces, packaging, components, or sensors. This can skew measurement readings and make it difficult to assess storage conditions.

Reliable humidity and temperature measurements help detect such conditions early on and regulate cooling, ventilation, or dehumidification more effectively. At the same time, they provide traceable monitoring data for quality management, audits, and process evaluation.

Typical challenges: temperature zones, door openings, and humidity spikes

In pharmaceutical logistics, the most challenging conditions often arise not during normal warehouse operations, but at the transitions between different temperature and humidity zones.

Typical influencing factors include:

  • Door Openings and Cargo Handling: Warm or humid air can enter cooled areas and cause localized spikes in humidity.
  • Different temperature zones: Transitions between the warehouse, the airlock, the cold storage room, and the loading area increase the risk of condensation.
  • Air Exchange and Airflow: Supply and exhaust air, recirculation systems, and cooling units affect the local humidity distribution.
  • Downtime and Operational Phases: Changes in system operation can cause short-term fluctuations in temperature and relative humidity.
  • Cold Surfaces: Under unfavorable conditionsHumidity may condense on doors, walls, ceilings, shelves, or packaging.

Conventional humidity sensors can reach their limits in such situations. If condensation forms on the sensor element, this often results in sluggish readings, longer recovery times, or inaccurate control signals. Condensation-protected humidity and temperature sensors reduce this risk and help ensure more stable readings during critical periods of high humidity.

What metrics are relevant in the pharmaceutical and logistics sectors?

In temperature-controlled storage and logistics areas, it is not just individual measurement values that are crucial, but how they interact. Temperature fluctuations and air exchange, in particular, can quickly change the relative humidity.

Key metrics include:

  • Relative humidity—a key parameter for indoor climate, storage conditions, and monitoring
  • Temperature – Critical for the Cold Chain, Storage Zones, and Moisture Behavior
  • Dew Point – Helps Assess Condensation Risks
  • Absolute humidity – indicates the actual water content of the air
  • Mixing ratio – aids in assessing air exchange and dehumidification

The AFTF-35 and KFTF-35 measure humidity and temperature and can provide additional calculated parameters for building management systems (BMS), distributed control systems (DCS), programmable logic controllers (PLCs), or monitoring systems.

AFTF-35 or KFTF-35—which model is best suited for the pharmaceutical and logistics industries?

For pharmaceutical and logistics applications, both surface-mounted sensors and duct sensors may be suitable, depending on the system. The key factor is where the measured value is needed for control, monitoring, or documentation.

AFTF-35 as a surface-mounted sensor

  • Wall mounting in storage, refrigeration, airlock, or utility areas
  • Direct measurement of indoor air
  • Suitable for areas with high humidity and dynamic operating conditions

The AFTF-35 is suitable for applications where humidity and temperature need to be measured directly in the room—for example, in cold storage rooms, pharmaceutical warehouses, loading areas, or utility rooms.

KFTF-35 as a duct sensor

  • Installation in ventilation and air conditioning ducts
  • Measurements in Supply or Exhaust Air Ducts
  • Suitable for HVAC systems, recirculating air systems, and central air handling systems

The KFTF-35 is useful when humidity and temperature need to be measured in the air ductwork, for example, to control supply and exhaust air, dehumidification, or central air conditioning. In larger systems, a combination of both measurement points may be useful: The duct sensor indicates which air is being supplied or exhausted. The room sensor indicates the actual conditions in the storage or handling area.

Assembly and Measurement Points in Warehousing and Logistics Areas

The measurement location should be chosen so that it captures the actual storage or process conditions as accurately as possible. For the AFTF-35, a readily accessible location with sufficient air movement is recommended—not directly next to doors, not immediately in the airflow from refrigeration units, vents, or fans, and not in areas with significant local humidity spikes.

The KFTF-35 is installed as a duct sensor in ventilation or air-conditioning ducts using the mounting flange provided. Before installation, ensure that the measurement range, installation length, duct dimensions, flow velocity, and protection class are suitable for the application.

Important: The AFTF-35 and KFTF-35 are designed for high-humidity environments; however, they are intended only for use with non-polluted, non-condensing air, with no overpressure or underpressure at the sensor element. Installation and commissioning must be performed only by qualified personnel. For specific installation, always follow the instructions in the operating and installation manual.

Select the right humidity sensors for the pharmaceutical industry and temperature-controlled logistics now

In pharmaceutical and temperature-controlled logistics environments, high humidity, temperature fluctuations, door openings, and varying climate zones place special demands on measurement technology. The AFTF-35 and KFTF-35 are designed for such high-humidity applications and provide stable measurements of humidity, temperature, and additional humidity parameters.

For you, this means:

  • reliable measurements during critical high-humidity phases
  • a better foundation for cooling, ventilation, and dehumidification
  • Easy integration into building management systems, DDC, PLCs, or monitoring systems
  • Greater certainty in assessing condensation risks
  • Support for transparent climate and storage conditions

Depending on the installation situation, choose the appropriate model: AFTF-35 for direct indoor air measurement or KFTF-35 for installation in ventilation and HVAC ducts.

Discover Humidity Sensors for the Pharmaceutical and Logistics Industries

Bestseller AFTF-35 / KFTF-35

HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-I/W
°C
%RH

On-wall humidity and temperature sensors

HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-I/W

790,69 €
790,69 €
HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-U/W
°C
%RH

On-wall humidity and temperature sensors

HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-U/W

790,69 €
790,69 €
HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-U/W LCD
°C
%RH

Duct humidity and temperature sensor

HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-U/W LCD

903,63 €
903,63 €
HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-U/W
°C
%RH

Duct humidity and temperature sensor

HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-U/W

790,69 €
790,69 €
HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-I/W LCD
°C
%RH

Duct humidity and temperature sensor

HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-I/W LCD

903,63 €
903,63 €
HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-I/W
°C
%RH

Duct humidity and temperature sensors

HYGRASGARD® KFTF-35-I/W

790,69 €
790,69 €
HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-U/W LCD
°C
%RH

On-wall humidity and temperature sensors

HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-U/W LCD

903,63 €
903,63 €
HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-I/W LCD
°C
%RH

On-wall humidity and temperature sensors

HYGRASGARD® AFTF-35-I/W LCD

903,63 €
903,63 €

FAQ

Which humidity sensors are suitable for the pharmaceutical industry and temperature-controlled logistics?

Condensation-protected humidity and temperature sensors are suitable for pharmaceutical and logistics areas with high humidity, temperature fluctuations, or an increased risk of condensation. They ensure stable measurements in cold storage rooms, pharmaceutical warehouses, airlock areas, and ventilation or HVAC ducts.

Where do typical moisture problems occur in the pharmaceutical and logistics sectors?

Critical areas include, above all, transitions between different climate zones, cold storage rooms, airlocks, transshipment areas, and loading zones. In these areas, warm, humid air can enter colder areas and promote condensation.

Why is the dew point important in the cold chain?

The dew point helps to better assess the risk of condensation. When warm, humid air enters a colder area, Humidity can condense on surfaces, packaging, shelves, or sensors.

Where should a humidity sensor be installed in a pharmaceutical warehouse?

The measurement location should be representative of the respective storage or process area. Avoid areas directly adjacent to doors, direct airflow from cooling units or vents, and local extreme zones that do not reflect the actual indoor climate.