Relevant Information For Users Of The N2 Generator

By Freida Michael


Nitrogen is a standard industrial gas at present. It is supplied by users of specialized equipment known as a nitrogen generator, or N2 generator. This equipment uses thin air to generate the pure gas, something which might come as a surprise to those who are not educated about this process.

Nitrogen itself is not an easy element to work with because of its gaseous nature. It only liquefies at a very low temperature, about minus 180 degrees Celsius, or -300 degrees Fahrenheit. This makes it difficult to contain or purify, since as a gas it must be captured and isolated from other gases, and as a liquid it does not remain that cold for very long.

Storage is therefore a challenge on its own. Refrigeration at -300F is not possible without special appliances since the natural environment does not offer a location at that temperature and the climate is never suitable. It is possible, however, to store the gas under exceptionally high pressure, which makes it stay liquid. This is seen in kitchen gas canisters, which contain pressurized gas that is sometimes liquid.

Nitrogen itself is harmless to people in its gaseous state. It represents 80% of the atmosphere at surface level. In other words, 80% of the air that you breathe is nitrogen. It does, however, have the ability to form compounds with other elements, and this is where users of the nitrogen generator might be interested in conducting some background research.

Nitric acid is perhaps one of the best known. It is one of the most potent acids in industry and its storage is not safe in any material over a long period of time. It forms through the combination of nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen and its use requires special training. Nitrates are commonly found in agriculture, where they are some of the main ingredients in fertilizer. They should be identified in isolation to nitrites. The difference is that nitrites have two oxygen atoms but nitrates have three. Nitrates are formed by soil and root bacteria, which use the nitrogen in the atmosphere. An example of a plant that does this is the lupin.

Nitric acid contains nitrogen, hydrogen and oxygen. Concentrated nitric acid is so corrosive that it cannot be stored in anything for more than a temporary period. It is possibly the most corrosive acid of all acids and it should only be handled by those who are qualified to do so. Nitrates are a group of nitrogenous compounds that occur in agricultural fertilizers. The nitrogen in the atmosphere is trapped into the soil by bacteria which are resident in the roots of some plants, for example lupins. Nitrates have three oxygen atoms, and so should not be confused with nitrites, which have only two.

Silver nitrate is used in medicine, where it burns growths off the exterior of the human body. It is an attractive chemical, with a reflective silver sheen and a liquid state at ordinary atmospheric temperature. But it eats into human skin so it should be treated with caution, too.

These compounds are some examples of what nitrogen forms when it reacts with other chemicals. Users of nitrogen equipment should be aware of these related compounds and should be aware of what might possibly form in the equipment. This is important in preventing damage and maintaining a pure output.




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