NITROGEN GENERATION NEED TO KNOW

WHY SHOULD I GENERATE MY OWN NITROGEN INSTEAD OF PURCHASING IT FROM A BULK SUPPLIER?

The main reason customers generate their own nitrogen is to reduce overall costs for nitrogen. Compared with bulk liquid nitrogen, the per unit cost for generating your own commonly ranges between one quarter to one tenth of the cost. Compared to more costly sources such as nitrogen dewars and high pressure cylinders, the savings can be significantly greater. Return on investment is typically 1-2 years or less.

Other reasons for generating your own nitrogen include: freedom from restrictive contracts, waste reduction (liquid nitrogen is always evaporating), environmental concerns, and convenience when compared to frequently changing cylinders or dewars.

 

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO OBTAIN A QUOTE?

In order to choose the right nitrogen generator for you, we will need to know how much nitrogen flow you need, at what pressure, the ambient temperature, and how you use nitrogen in your process.

 

WILL I NEED ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE NITROGEN GENERATOR IN ORDER TO GENERATE MY OWN NITROGEN?

The nitrogen generator will need a source of compressed air, typically at least 100 psig (6.9 barg). If you do not already have enough clean, dry, compressed air, we will be happy to include compressor and air treatment in our quotation. Most systems would also require receiver tanks. Some higher pressure applications, such as laser cutting, will require a nitrogen booster. Our sales engineers and distributor partners can help with all this equipment and offer turnkey packages in order to reduce the amount of installation work needed on-site.

 

HOW DOES THE NITROGEN GENERATOR QUALITY IMPACT THE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE?

A nitrogen generator is a piece of equipment your company will typically rely on for day-to-day business. The active ingredient in a PSA nitrogen generator is carbon molecular sieve (CMS). This is a costly material and there are some varieties which must be changed on a schedule every 2-4 years. Holtec uses only the highest grade of material which can last ten years or much more, if proper compressor and filter maintenance is done. Beyond the CMS, PSA systems require automated valves which cycle very frequently. Holtec uses the highest quality valves as well. Valves 2½” or under are angle-seat valves designed for 5,000,000 million cycles and larger ones are butterfly valves rated for 3,000,000 cycles. This typically equates to 6-10 years before valves may need to be changed.

 

At Holtec, our goal is to design nitrogen generators for a competitive price, with the least amount of downtime and the least amount of customer interaction required. If you take good care of your compressor and change filters on schedule, you can expect many years of service with very low nitrogen generator maintenance required. For more information regarding all of our unique features enhancing performance, operability and reliability, request a copy of our one page Holtec Advantages summary sheet.