Nitrogen Generator Applications
Nitrogen generators have become essential systems across a wide range of industries, offering a reliable and cost-effective way to produce high-purity nitrogen on demand. By eliminating the need for bulky gas cylinders or liquid nitrogen deliveries, these systems provide a consistent supply of nitrogen, improving operational efficiency and safety. Understanding their diverse applications reveals how this technology can transform processes and deliver measurable value in almost any environment where controlled atmospheres are critical.
Common Industrial Applications of Nitrogen Gas Generating Systems
The following are some of the many applications requiring nitrogen that could benefit from onsite nitrogen generating systems.
- Autoclaves
- Beverages
- Chemical Plants and Refineries
- Coffee Packaging
- Controlled Atmosphere Fruit Storage
- Enhanced Oil Field Recovery
- Food / MAP Packaging
- Fuel and Chemical Tank Inerting
- Gas-Assist Injection Molding
- Heat Treating
- Jewelry Manufacturing
- Laser Cutting
- Leak Checking
- Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
- Printing
- Power Plants
- Reflow Ovens
- Shipboard Inerting
- Soldering
- Tire Inflation
How are Nitrogen Gas Generators Used in Different Industries?
Autoclaves
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 98% – 99.999%
Autoclaves, ovens, and high-temperature curing facilities for materials such as metal, carbon fiber, Kevlar, and other high-strength or pre-preg fibers are an ideal application for onsite nitrogen generating systems. A quick drop in oxygen levels can be provided by a properly sized nitrogen surge tank and then the nitrogen generator can supply a consistent, continuous flow of nitrogen to maintain the atmosphere throughout the cycle while re-charging the nitrogen surge tank for the next cycle.
Beverages
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirement: 99% - 99.9%
Onsite nitrogen generating systems are widely used to supply nitrogen for beverage storage, C02 mixing, beverage transport, and beverage dispensing to end users such as breweries, juice packagers, vintners, and manufacturers of beverage dispensing systems. The relatively low nitrogen purity requirements and the need for continuous nitrogen flow make these applications ideally suited for onsite nitrogen generation systems.
Chemical Plants and Refineries
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 99.99%
Onsite nitrogen generating systems are very well suited for chemical manufacturing operations that require a continuous blanket of nitrogen to inert the headspace in chemical storage or process tanks to minimize the explosion risk or because of the adverse effect oxygen may have on certain chemicals.
Coffee Packaging
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.9%
When packaging whole beans, ground coffee, or espresso pods, nitrogen gas purging helps preserve coffee freshness and greatly extend the product shelf life. Coffee packaging is very well suited to onsite nitrogen generation as purity requirements are relatively low and packaging is a relatively continuous process. Coffee packagers can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on nitrogen costs by utilizing onsite nitrogen gas generating system.
Fruit & Vegetable Storage
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 97% - 99%
By controlling the amount of oxygen in a vegetable or fruit storage container, the ripening process can be controlled to a point where fruits and vegetables will mature and ripen at a perfectly controlled pace. As a result, onsite nitrogen generating technology is well suited and widely used to provide a very cost-effective supply of nitrogen for this application.
Oil Field Recovery
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 98%
Nitrogen is an ideal gas choice for re-pressurizing oil wells, and there is no better way to supply nitrogen requirements then specially designed onsite nitrogen generating systems. Along with the benefit of increased productivity, inert nitrogen has no corrosive effect on borehole piping (unlike carbon dioxide). Nitrogen can also be used in place of both salt and fresh water injection.
Food / MAP Packaging
Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) using nitrogen and nitrogen-CO2 gas mixes is widely used in the food packaging industry to prevent spoilage, preserve freshness, maintain flavor, and greatly extend product shelf life. Food packagers can save hundreds of thousands of dollars in nitrogen costs by utilizing onsite nitrogen generating systems to supply their nitrogen requirements.
Fuel and Chemical Tank Inerting
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 99.99%
Nitrogen is the ideal inert gas for blanketing or purging fuel and chemical tanks. Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply the necessary nitrogen requirements.
Gas Assist Injection Molding
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 97% - 99%
Gas Assist Injection Molding is very well suited to onsite nitrogen generation as purity requirements are relatively low and the process is relatively continuous process. Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply the necessary nitrogen requirements.
Heat Treating
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.999%
Kilns and furnaces used for heat treating have one enemy — oxygen. Oxygen discolors the product and can dangerously weaken it. Any metal over 600° F will oxidize in the presence of oxygen. Nitrogen is the ideal gas for providing an inert atmosphere, and our onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective solution to meet the necessary nitrogen requirements.
Jewelry Manufacturing
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99.5% - 99.999%
The furnaces used to melt gold for jewelry or connectors have a silent enemy — oxygen. Oxygen discolors the product and can dangerously weaken it. Any metal over 600° F will oxidize in the presence of oxygen. Nitrogen is the ideal gas for providing an inert atmosphere and onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply the necessary nitrogen requirements.
Laser Cutting
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 99.999%
A lean and efficient shop has become vital to the success of a laser cutting operation. Nothing can provide you with more cost savings than to generate your own nitrogen with Advanced Gas Technologies’ onsite nitrogen generating technology, especially if you are currently purchasing high-pressure cylinder gas.
Leak Checking
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 98%
Nitrogen and nitrogen/helium gas mixes are used to detect leaks in a variety of tubing and piping assemblies. Nothing can provide you with more cost savings than to generate your own nitrogen with onsite nitrogen generating technology, especially if you are currently purchasing high pressure cylinder gas.
Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.999%
Most pharmaceutical companies have multiple nitrogen uses and purity demands for lab and production purposes. The higher volume requirements are typically for blanketing, inerting, and sparging for production purposes. Pharmaceutical manufacturers can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on nitrogen costs by utilizing our onsite nitrogen generating systems to supply their nitrogen requirements.
Printing
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.999%
Some printing applications use nitrogen for drying and to prevent oxygen contamination for film production and separation. Purity needs vary depending on the process. Printing applications that require nitrogen are very well suited to onsite nitrogen generation as it is a continuous process. Printers can save hundreds of thousands of dollars on nitrogen by utilizing onsite nitrogen generating systems to supply their nitrogen requirements.
Power Plants
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 98% - 99.99%
Nitrogen is used for general purging as well as for blanketing of specially treated water used in power plant operations. Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost effective method to supply the necessary nitrogen requirements.
Reflow Ovens
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.99%
Using a nitrogen blanket in your reflow oven? Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply your necessary nitrogen requirements for your reflow ovens.
Shipboard Inerting
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 97% - 99.9%
Put onsite nitrogen generating technology to work for inerting propulsion, bulk cargo combustibles and bulk cargo food products on shipboards. We can design and build to your specifications or help you develop the specifications for a custom-designed system.
Soldering
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99.5% - 99.995%.
High-purity nitrogen is used in many solder applications. Its benefits include reduced dross on solder pots and reduced surface tension, which allows solder to cleanly break away from the solder site. Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply your necessary nitrogen requirements.
Tire Inflation
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 95% - 98%
Nitrogen tire inflation has been a common practice for aircraft tires and large off-road construction and mining equipment for decades. It will also help cars and trucks to get better fuel efficiency and longer tire life as nitrogen-filled tires run cooler and maintain proper tire pressure longer which means cost savings. Onsite nitrogen generating technology is the most cost-effective method to supply your necessary nitrogen requirements.
Aerospace Applications
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 98% - 99.9%.
The aerospace industry has a high nitrogen consumption. The industry relies heavily on nitrogen gas to create an inert environment for many applications. Onsite nitrogen generation removes the stress associated with logistics or cylinder delivery delays.
Metallurgical Sintering
Typical Nitrogen Purity Requirements: 99% - 99.9995%
One key factor in optimizing the sintering process is the control of the atmosphere in which the sintering process takes place. An onsite nitrogen generator for sintering can be used to produce the required nitrogen gas from ambient air by separating nitrogen molecules from other gases, primarily oxygen. Removing oxygen from the atmosphere is imperative to prevent metals from oxidizing.
If you have specific questions regarding your industry’s requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
