Nitrogen compressors purify air to store nitrogen in a pressurized chamber. Most use the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) model, with a carbon molecular sieve to adsorb oxygen and trace gases. The final product is typically stored at 102-123 psi and used in various industries.
A nitrogen compressor is a component of a system for purifying nitrogen from ordinary air and storing it in a pressurized state in a cylindrical chamber. Most nitrogen compressor systems as of 2011 operate on the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) model, although other commercially viable methods also exist. The chemicals adsorbing in the process react with other elements in the air such as oxygen to separate them from the nitrogen present, which is then carried in pure form into a nitrogen compressor chamber. In the PSA process, approximately 30% to 35% of the pressurized air passing through the system is discharged into the surrounding environment, which is mainly composed of oxygen, and the remaining nitrogen can be up to 99.9995% pure.
A typical PSA system uses a carbon molecular sieve to adsorb oxygen and trace inert gases found in normal air. This air is pressurized and driven through two connected adsorption towers before the purified nitrogen is completely removed and stored in a third equally sized nitrogen compressor tank. The process is quite simple because the ordinary atmosphere already contains 78% nitrogen and 21% of the remaining 22% gas is oxygen.
The carbon molecular sieve used for gas adsorption is in the form of a series of hollow, intertwined fibers that work to permeate water and oxygen, which can then be vented into the outside environment. Increasing the speed of the separation process as the gas passes over the sieve can reduce the purity of the final nitrogen gas product by up to 90%, and this is done depending on the needs of the industry using it in terms of purity and volume . The end product of nitrogen compressor gas is typically stored at a pressure range of 102 to 123 pounds per square inch (703 to 848 kilo pascals). Further purification of the nitrogen compressor gas can also be accomplished by passing it over a heated catalyst in the PSA process, which burns off any hydrocarbons to below 0.1 parts per million.
Compressing nitrogen gas has become a common and cost-effective feature of many industries and is considered a more cost-effective solution than purchasing liquefied nitrogen cylinders. The petroleum industry uses compressed nitrogen as an inert gas to prevent explosions in areas where oxygen and other flammable gases would otherwise be present. Nitrogen gas is also used for tempering and brazing metals in metallurgy, for industrial cleaning applications and as a cooling agent in glass manufacturing.
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