Nitrogen is one of the most abundant naturally occurring elements in nature. In its compound form, it can be used in industrial applications from medicine to food manufacturing to oil and gas production.

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In this article, we will consider how nitrogen is produced on an industrial basis.

The Main Methods of Nitrogen Gas Generation

The generation of nitrogen gas on an industrial scale is usually done via three core methods.

• Pressure swing absorption (PSA)
• Membrane nitrogen generation
• Fractional distillation

The nitrogen gas generation technique for your application will depend on the industrial-grade nitrogen purity that you require. How do nitrogen generators work according to each of these working principles?

PSA Nitrogen Generation

This method of nitrogen production works on the principle of differential separation of a gaseous mixture when passed through an adsorbent material. Special adsorptive material will separate gas fractions based on their molecular characteristics using a two-stage process:

Adsorption

Adsorption is the first stage of nitrogen gas production using the PSA method. This system features two adsorptive towers filled with carbon molecular sieve adsorbent material which selectively adsorbs oxygen allowing nitrogen-rich air to pass through the chamber and into a collection tank

Desorption

This is a straightforward reversal of the adsorptive process. While one chamber is in the adsorption process, the other is simultaneously engaged in desorption. This second stage releases the oxygen trapped by adsorption and allows the renewal of the adsorptive tower in preparation for another cycle of adsorption. The entire process nitrogen production from air using PSA is relatively fast ' taking an average of sixty seconds per cycle.

Membrane Nitrogen Generation

Membrane filtration technology depends on the use of a semipermeable membrane which selectively separates air into its constituent gases depending on their varied speeds of travel. The membrane surfaces are shaped in hollow fibers, which provide a larger surface area for faster rates of selective adsorption.

Hollow fiber nitrogen membranes are perfect for on-site nitrogen generators, as they are relatively quiet and safe to operate.

The most vital components involved in the industrial preparation of nitrogen gas using semipermeable membranes are highlighted below:

Feed Filter Coalescers

Every membrane-mediated nitrogen gas manufacturing process requires a protective filtration unit that will protect the membrane from the damaging effects of moisture from the compressed air sample.

Immersion Heater Units

Immersion heaters are vital components of membrane filters used in the industrial preparation of nitrogen. These heaters will superheat the air entering the adsorptive membrane to ensure any liquids that may have gotten past the feed filter coalescers do not reach the adsorptive membranes.

Activated Carbon Filters

Heated air supplied from immersion heaters passes over beds of activated carbon which will absorb any hydrocarbon vapor impurities before the air enters the filtration membranes.

Particulate Filter

A particulate filter is the last screening step in the production of nitrogen gas using selective membranes. This filter acts as a sieve for particles as small as 0.01 microns before the air enters the membranes.

Fractional Distillation

Fractional distillation is one of the most effective methods of nitrogen production from atmospheric air as it produces nitrogen of very high purity. This nitrogen gas plant process involves supercooling an air mixture to its liquefaction point followed by distillation of its fractions at their different boiling points. Fractional distillation will produce gases of almost hundred percent purity (99.999%).

Industrial Applications of Nitrogen Gas Production

The inert nature of nitrogen in addition to its other physical and chemical properties make it ideal for use in a host of processes. There are several nitrogen gas uses in the oil and gas industry alone.

Nitrogen Use in Oil and Gas

Industrially manufactured nitrogen compliant with compressed air quality standards can be used for several onshore and offshore processes including:

• Nitrogen injection
• Gas mediated pipeline drying
• Gas blanketing
• Nitrogen gas purging

Nitrogen Injection in Oil and Gas Wells

Over time, the natural formation pressure of an oil and gas well will start to decline which leads to a reduction in production rates. A switch to a secondary recovery method will be needed. An effective method of sustaining gas well production is the use of nitrogen injection into the reservoir as an enhanced oil recovery technique.

Gas Mediated Pipeline Drying

Nitrogen gas can be effectively utilized to remove impurities and keep gas lines dry. Dehumidification and pipeline drying is essential to prevent corrosion of gas storage facilities and interference of water vapor in various industrial processes.

Nitrogen Gas Purging

This process involves the use of gaseous nitrogen to displace hazardous gases from an industrial process. Due to the inert nature of nitrogen, it will also exert a stabilizing balance on industrial processes having high risks of spontaneous combustion.

Gas Blanketing

Nitrogen gas is introduced into storage tanks to prevent the occurrence of adverse chemical reactions between volatile hydrocarbon compounds.

Food Processing

Manufacturers of perishable food items use nitrogen to prolong the shelf life of their products.

Polymer Manufacturing

Polymer production industries utilize nitrogen gas to harden rubber and plastic products and improve their tensile strengths.

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For nearly two decades, NiGen has provided high-efficiency on-site nitrogen generation systems to meet diverse industrial process needs. We also offer cost-effective nitrogen generator rentals to a broad range of industries.

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How Is Nitrogen Produced for Industrial Applications?

In many manufacturing processes, the use of large volumes of nitrogen is crucial to success. From food and beverage manufacture, winery, and oil and gas processes such as nitrogen blanketing and gas purging, large volumes of nitrogen are needed to facilitate these processes.

A significant challenge that industrial operators may face is deciding the best method of generating the required industrial nitrogen gas supply. While some processes may run on nitrogen supplied by an external source, most process plant managers will opt for on-site nitrogen generation.

So, how is nitrogen produced? This article outlines the methods currently being employed to generate nitrogen on an industrial scale.

What Is Nitrogen Gas?

Nitrogen gas is an inert element occurring abundantly in nature both free and as part of industrially significant compounds. Gaseous nitrogen is colorless, odorless, tasteless, and has inert properties.

While these properties make it ideal for use in various industrial processes, they also make it a potential safety hazard to personnel. As a result, appropriate nitrogen safety precautions must be followed by nitrogen gas manufacturers and users.

Common Industrial Uses of Nitrogen Gas

The manufacture of nitrogen gas has countless applications, especially in the oil and gas industry. Some of the key uses of industrial nitrogen are outlined below.

• Nitrogen blanketing
• Nitrogen purging
• Nitrogen injection/ Gas lifting
• Gas-assisted injection molding
• Nitrogen Sparging for Wine

Gas Blanketing

A critical nitrogen gas application is the blanketing of storage tanks for volatile chemical compounds. Due to its inert nature, nitrogen blanketing within storage units will keep unstable hydrocarbons from undergoing hazardous chemical reactions.

Nitrogen Purging

Nitrogen gas with its low reactivity can be introduced into industrial gas lines and other volatile processes to displace oxygen and other gases more prone to spontaneous combustion or oxidation. Nitrogen purging will keep manufacturing processes within stable and safe limits.

Nitrogen Injection/ Gas Lifting

As an enhanced oil recovery technique, nitrogen generated by various standard methods can be introduced into an oil reservoir when formation pressures start to dwindle. These secondary recovery techniques will restore and prolong well productivity for as long as possible.

Gas-assisted Injection Molding

A well-known and effective method of shaping plastics involves the use of gas to manipulate the molten materials into the desired shapes. Many industrial operators incorporate a nitrogen manufacturing process in their plastic casting procedure. The use of nitrogen in place of traditional molding methods, produces even, well-crafted products with minimal filling errors/ defects.

Winery

Winemaking processes require brewers to delicately balance various factors to yield high-quality wine. Significant concerns winemakers face is the risk of oxidation which will alter the flavor and quality of their brews. Nitrogen sparging can be safely undergone to eliminate oxygen and other gaseous impurities in wine as well as flushing and blanketing process containers.

3 Common Types of Nitrogen Gas Production

So, how is nitrogen made? The three main techniques used in the industrial preparation of nitrogen gas are listed below:

• Pressure swing adsorption
• Membrane nitrogen generation
• Fractional distillation

1. Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Nitrogen Production

This method of production of nitrogen gas relies on the ability of adsorbent material to separate a gaseous mixture into its components. Pressure swing adsorption is a two-stage nitrogen making process that involves adsorption and desorption ongoing simultaneously in two generation towers.

Get a quote on our GENERON® PSA Nitrogen Generators today!

Adsorption

This first stage requires the use of an adsorptive tower filled with a molecular carbon sieve material, which selectively retains oxygen while allowing nitrogen to pass into a collecting tank. This process will continue until the adsorptive tower reaches its maximum saturation point.

Desorption

This is the second step in a PSA nitrogen generation process and is essentially a reversal of the adsorption process. Once the saturation point for an adsorptive tower is reached, its function is changed, and oxygen is released from it to regenerate the sieve material to enable another cycle of adsorption.

2. Membrane Nitrogen Production

Membrane nitrogen generation uses a semi-permeable membrane to achieve the separation of a stream of air into its component gases using their varied speeds of travel. The hollow fiber membrane module is designed to facilitate faster rates of permeation by providing a larger surface area for the gas stream.

A typical membrane nitrogen generator has these components:

• Feed filter coalescers
• Immersion heaters
• Activated carbon filters
• Particulate filters

Get a quote on our GENERON® Membrane Nitrogen Generators today!

3. Fractional Distillation Nitrogen Production

Fractional distillation is a highly effective method of generating nitrogen for industrial use. The process involves the supercooling of air to its liquefaction point and then distilling its component gases at their various boiling points. This process will yield nitrogen with a high purity but is generally more costly than PSA or Membrane production.

GENERON Has Efficient Nitrogen Generation Solutions

GENERON is committed to providing customers like you with the most efficient nitrogen generation solutions. Our services are targeted at achieving maximal industrial productivity while remaining cost-effective.

Our nitrogen generators incorporate the latest in membrane and adsorption technology which makes them uniquely suited to a broad range of industrial applications.

Contact GENERON today for more information about the nitrogen generation services we offer.

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