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Nitrogen Cylinders Vs. Nitrogen Generators - Which One’s Better?

Nitrogen is a critical, but often overlooked resource that is used daily in manufacturing facilities.

As a manufacturer, you may not think about how you get all those precious nitrogen molecules for your facility, but our blog is all about that.

In today’s blog, we will put a rest to the nitrogen cylinders VS. nitrogen generators debate, why you should prefer the latter, and help you determine the best nitrogen system for your facility. 

Nitrogen Cylinders Vs. Nitrogen Generators: What’s The Difference?

The Cost Breakdown

The decision of whether to install an on-site nitrogen generator or purchase nitrogen cylinder is highly influenced by the cost factor.

Even though the nitrogen generator systems come with a substantial upfront cost, they recover their cost in as little as 2 years and are still an ideal fit for several businesses. The majority of facilities already have a compressed system installed. This means your only costs are the purchase and installation of this new machine, If you already have an air compressor with a spare capacity and with the proper air quality is all what you will need is to have your Nitrogen/Oxygen generator to start generating your own gas.

Nitrogen cylinders, on the other hand, come with regular delivery charges. The fluctuating cost of nitrogen cylinders, and delivery charges aren’t the only costs that the manufacturer tolerates. Additional costs in terms of more space required to store nitrogen cylinders is borne by the manufacturer.

So, if your facility has high, regular nitrogen demand, it’s better to install a nitrogen generator than paying the cost of rent, delivery, installment, additional space and return amount of nitrogen cylinders. 

Convenience

Convenience is another significant factor when choosing between on-site nitrogen generation and nitrogen cylinder. Which one is more convenient and fitting to your facility? Let’s compare the two. 

With an on-site nitrogen generator installed into your manufacturing plant, you can avail unlimited nitrogen supply whenever you require it – without having to worry about renting nitrogen cylinders.

Nitrogen cylinders aren’t the best option when it comes to convenience. Delivery and replacement can be inconvenient, and production might have to come to a halt while you wait for someone to show up and replace your nitrogen cylinder with a new one.

Safety

Safety is always an apprehension when you have pressurized nitrogen on-site. Regardless of what industry you function in, as a manufacturer, you should always take into consideration the safety of your plant and personnel. 

Nitrogen generators serve one primary purpose – producing pure nitrogen gas. They only operate on-demand which means they only produce nitrogen when needed. There’s no need to store huge quantities of pressurized gas. This alleviates the risk factor and ensures a safer environment in the facility.

The safety concern is more alarming in the case of nitrogen cylinders.  Storing, and moving nitrogen cylinders filled with pressurized nitrogen increases the risks of a hazard to both your facility and the people managing these cylinders. 

Why Choose Nitrogen Generators Over Nitrogen Cylinders?

nitrogen-generator

Every application needs pure nitrogen, but sourcing and delivering the gas can be costly and difficult.

Nitrogen gas generators are a smart choice for any application that demands a regular supply of pure nitrogen gas. They’re safe – for both the facility and personnel, convenient and cost-effective too. That’s why most businesses prefer it over nitrogen cylinders. Food and beverage packaging, electronics manufacturing, chemical industries, medical facilities, metal Industry, wastewater treatment plants to name a few.

While nitrogen generators may not be the most ideal solution for businesses who require a few bottles of nitrogen cylinder – take a small-scale food facility for instance, they work well in giant manufacturing, production and packaging facilities by fulfilling the high nitrogen requirements.

A nitrogen generator is an investment worth making. Not only will it provide you with nitrogen for preserving produce, but it’s also an efficient and cost-effective way of creating a safer facility. In fact, one study shows that the payback period from using a nitrogen generator is less than 2 years!

If you’re considering your nitrogen delivery options, and think a nitrogen generator might be right for you, talk to the experts at Atlas Copco that will be always more than happy to support you and have a free site visits or virtual calls.

Looking to buy a nitrogen generator? Atlas Copco has more than 75 years of experience in the industrial gas supply business. Whether you’re looking for a small home unit that you can use to refill tires on your lawnmower, or a commercial gas generator that can run multiple tools and machines in your shop, we can help.

Our N2 team has over 30 years of experience in designing and developing nitrogen generators for facilities in manufacturing, food & beverage packaging, marine industry and more. We understand the nitrogen requirements of every facility and help businesses make an informed decision on which nitrogen solution best meets the needs of their facilities.

Give our team a call at +971 4373 8216 or contact us online for more information today!

Boost Operational Efficiency with Atlas Copco Nitrogen Generators

If you need a nitrogen generator that’s more cost-effective, look no further than Atlas Copco.

Built with high-standard materials and components, it’s one of the most popular small flow generators on the market. We also offer mid-flow generators, which are more cost effective than their larger counterparts while still producing up to 16 liters per minute – perfect for industrial applications.

Common FAQs About Nitrogen Generators & Nitrogen Cylinders.

How long do nitrogen cylinders last?

Nitrogen gas cylinders are very durable and will not expire, even if they have been unused for a few years. However, experts recommend for safety prospective that after every 2 years you swap out any unused cylinders for brand new ones to properly maintain the integrity and functioning of your regulator.

How much gas is wasted in the nitrogen cylinders?

Nitrogen cylinders generally are filled with 200 bar pressure however the cylinders cannot be used beyond the application pressure meaning you will waste the gas stored in cylinder for which you have already paid as an average of 10-15% wastage. On the other hand, the Nitrogen Generator generates the gas that you consume (zero loss) no wastage of expensive gas and you only pay for the gas you use. 

Can you monitor the gas purity in nitrogen cylinder?

There is no monitoring device installed on the Nitrogen cylinder which means you are not sure what is the purity of the gas inside the cylinder which can be a risk to your application, while the Nitrogen Generator comes with built in Purity control system which monitors the gas purity 24 x 7 ensuring your application always gets the required purity at all times.

Which nitrogen generator technology should I choose?

Two types of nitrogen generators are used in the industrial market: membrane generators and PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) generators. Deciding on which technology to use first requires an analysis of your specific needs.

A membrane technology produces a reliable, high purity source of nitrogen across a range of flow rates. If your facility requires higher flows, however, while at the same time being able to maintain high purity levels, PSA nitrogen generators are likely to be a better solution.

What is the cost of a nitrogen generator?

Small flow nitrogen generators typically cost around $5000 and can go up to around $10,000. Mid-flow nitrogen generators have a range between $10,000 and $30,000. Whether you're looking for a small or mid-flow system, our experts can help you find the right generator for your business.

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