On-site nitrogen production is an extremely wise and economical decision for any business that relies on a compressed gas source to operate equipment in their facilities. If you have already made the decision to produce nitrogen on-site, the next step for you would be to decide the appropriate size generator that you will need in order to keep your business moving efficiently and to ensure that you see the benefits of choosing
on-site nitrogen.
Professional nitrogen generators suppliers will be able to assist you in determining the appropriate sized nitrogen generator needed recommend certain types of nitrogen generators that will work specifically for the tasks you require but there is some basic information that you should divulge to the suppler in order to ensure that the generator they recommend will truly be the best quality and best value.
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Where is your current source of nitrogen coming from? Are you using high pressure cylinders; liquid dewars; or bulk liquid nitrogen? By choosing nitrogen generators you have chosen to eliminate the need for nitrogen cylinders and dewars of nitrogen. Nitrogen generators will also eliminate bulk liquid nitrogen. However, most businesses have a contract (typically 7 years) with the supplier. If liquid nitrogen is your current source of nitrogen - when is your contract going to expire?
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Flow rate - High or low usage? How many high pressure cylinders; liquid dewars; or bulk liquid nitrogen does your business use on a weekly basis? From there, you should break it down to determine how much is used in one hour. Nitrogen generators are rated by scfh (standard cubic feet per hour). If you are still unsure how to determine this number - simply ask the supplier you are currently interested in - they will help you.
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Purity - how much oxygen can your process allow? Meet with the various nitrogen users in your facility and ask them what will oxygen do to our process? The more oxygen you can allow the less expensive the cost of the nitrogen generator which means more savings. A good explanation for purity would be, "what type of gas do you put in your car?" Most cars only require Regular Grade gas so why spend the extra money to fill it with higher grades of gas.
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Pressure - At point of use what is the actual pressure of nitrogen? A high pressure nitrogen cylinder is rated at 2200 psig (pounds per square inch gauge), however most companies regulate the pressure down to less than 100 psig and many times even lower if it is being used for tank padding.
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Is compressed air available in your facility? If it is, you will need to know what the compressed air pressure is in your facility so that we can determine which of our nitrogen generators is best suited for your usage as well as the appropriate sized unit. Does the system have an air dryer? If so what type of air dryer does the system use: Refrigerated or Desiccant style?
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Where will the permanent location of the nitrogen generator be? Will it be installed indoors? If not, what are the ambient conditions (winter & summer) that your nitrogen generator will be exposed to? Is there an option to shield your equipment from the elements? If the nitrogen generator can be installed indoors what are the minimum and maximum temperatures in the factory where the unit would be installed?
With the answers to these questions you are now on the right path to choosing an appropriate sized nitrogen generator. But don't worry if you don't know the answers to all these questions - it is encouraged that you know the most you can about your process but a good nitrogen generators supplier will be more than willing to assist you with getting all the necessary information, assess your business's needs and suggest nitrogen generators that will make your day-to -day business simpler and in the long run save you some serious money.
