Nitrogen is one of the common compounds in the universe. It accounts for about 78% of the universe. Despite this, nitrogen generation is common owing to the many industrial requirements where nitrogen is used. There are two main methods applied in production of nitrogen for industrial purposes. These are the use of pressure swing adsorption technology and the membrane technology.
Adsorption technology
This is the most common for of nitrogen generation for industrial purposes. It involves the use adsorption to fix different gas mixtures. The process uses an adsorption nitrogen generator an appliance used for safe production of this gas. The man advantages of using this process include;
• Production of high purity gas – the gas produced through this system has high purity measuring up to 99.95%. This is ensured by use of a carbon molecular sieve contained in the system.
• Low production costs when compared to other methods. Using the generator reduces generation costs by up to 50%.
• Less harm to the environment – when generators are used little or no synthetic gas is released to the environment. This greatly reduces instances of pollution when producing, transporting or storing the gas produced.
Membrane technology
Ideal for limited production of nitrogen, the process involves the use of differential velocity principle. Through use of a membrane nitrogen generator a mixture of gas components is pressurised forcing separation of the required nitrogen gas.
Areas where synthetic nitrogen is used
• Used as a preservative for food items.
• A cheap alternative to argon in production of incandescent lights.
• Fire suppressant in IT equipments.
• Used as a safety measure on liquid explosives.
• Used to pump aircraft and race car tires
• In chemical analysis to reduce volume liquid samples.
Dangers from nitrogen exposure
Despite being non-toxic, nitrogen poses a big hazard to life. If released, it replaces oxygen that is required for life hence exposing living creatures to low amounts of oxygen. Inhalation of nitrogen may lead to a number of health conditions that include temporary mental impairment. A fatal condition arising from excessive inhalation of nitrogen is decompression sickness a condition that forms when nitrogen bubbles form in the bloodstream or the joints. Liquid nitrogen can cause frostbite when it comes into contact with the skin.
Safety measure in handling nitrogen
During the process of generating nitrogen, safety measures are required to ensure that no hazards are posed. Nitrogen generators require to be installed with nitrogen sensors. These are ideal to alert workers in the event any amount of nitrogen is spilled to the atmosphere. The production process also requires to be conducted indoors without exposing the equipment to direct sun or other adverse effects of weather.
Conclusion
Nitrogen generation is a common process that is required for diverse industrial purposes. While in itself is a non-toxic gas, it can lead to serious complications when exposed in large amounts to human body. Observing safety measures is an important measure required during the process. Generator manufacturers always ensure that safety measures in use of the appliances they provide is always provided. This is done through manuals, chart and training when purchasing the equipments. These instructions require observation to prevent body harm or damage to the environment.