Generate cost benefits with on-site nitrogen
Date:
12/08/2009
Nitrogen is used in food and drink manufacturing, processing, and packaging for a wide range of industrial applications, from modified atmosphere packaging for perishable food products to blanketing drinks to prevent oxidation. However, while nitrogen is all around us, making up 78% of the air we breathe, obtaining a ready supply of the gas can be problematic and expensive.
Typically, food and beverage businesses use supply methods such as high pressure cylinders, liquid mini tanks, or bulk storage vessels. Each of these options introduces a range of problems that need to be solved. There is the need to source a reliable supplier, set aside valuable space in or outside the company's premises, and install and maintain the network of pipe-work required. The cost of addressing these logistical issues can be high and difficult to budget for, while the price of gas and supplier rates are changing continually.
One potential solution lies in a new range of gas generation systems, which enable users to produce their own supply of nitrogen on-site. As a result, companies can generate as much or as little nitrogen as they need, at a fraction of the cost of having the gas delivered by an external supplier.
These integrated systems, such as the MIDIGAS and MAXIGAS range from Parker Hannifin, use a principle known as Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) to produce a continuous stream of nitrogen. Pre-treated air from a standard industrial compressor is essentially ‘sieved’ so that oxygen and other trace gases are adsorbed while nitrogen is allowed to pass through. While using a Carbon Molecular Sieve (CMS) for air separation is not a new idea, the radical design and control system employed on these latest nitrogen generators has maximised gas output and reduced compressed air consumption to achieve even higher levels of efficiency than were previously achievable.
Being able to take control of your nitrogen supply in this way, as opposed to having to rely on a third party, can reduce costs considerably. Unlike cylinders, liquid mini tanks and bulk storage vessels, which present rental, refill, delivery, environmental levy and order processing costs, once a nitrogen generation system has been purchased the ongoing costs can be reduced by over 90% when compared to traditional methods of supply. If a company using liquid nitrogen were to switch to gas generation technology, they could expect the new system to pay for itself in less than two years, while for a company using cylinders, the payback period could be even sooner; less than 12 months in many cases.
In addition to the cost benefits, nitrogen generation units offer a much more convenient solution than sourcing gas externally and storing it on-site. The latest compact systems can be installed quickly, easily, and at minimum cost and disruption, simply requiring a pre-treated compressed air stream to start producing nitrogen. With no need to transport or contain the gas, the environmental impact of using nitrogen for industrial processes can be minimised, while the new systems can also make the workplace considerably safer for employees, eliminating the safety risks of storing, handling and changing heavy, high pressure cylinders.
Generating its own nitrogen on-site puts a food or beverage company in control of its gas supply, producing as much or as little gas as needed, and at a consistent, measurable cost. This more efficient nitrogen supply is a flexible solution to a company's changing gas needs, as the modular design of the latest systems means that extra banks can be added as required at minimum cost. Furthermore, to guarantee 100% back up, and secure the supply when routine maintenance on one set of systems is required, additional banks of units can be set up quickly and easily on-site.
A large US-based coffee packager that was using nitrogen delivered in liquid form to displace the oxygen in their packs of coffee and prolong shelf life, decided to install banks of nitrogen generation units at its site. The improvements were immediate; they no longer needed to worry about late deliveries, fluctuating prices, de-icing the evaporator, or signing long term supply contracts. Most importantly, they expect to save more than $100,000 per year after a payback period of four years. With the system providing a service life of over 15 years, the cost savings look set to be substantial.
With food and drink manufacturing, processing, and packaging companies increasingly looking for ways to increase their operational efficiency and decrease their overheads, this new gas generation technology couldn’t have come at a better time. By eliminating the problems and costs associated with sourcing nitrogen from an external supplier and storing it on-site, companies can achieve a considerably more reliable, efficient and affordable source of gas for a wide range of applications.
