Many industries around the world require nitrogen gas for their applications. Nitrogen (N2) is a dry, inert gas that the pharmaceutical industry relies on to prevent undesirable reactions between products and atmospheric gases like oxygen.
For example, nitrogen is needed for blanketing, which replaces oxygen with nitrogen to prevent rust, corrosion, and oxidation. Blanketing maintains the high purity required in pharmaceutical ingredients during manufacturing. Nitrogen purging eliminates oxygen from packaging, ensuring the safety and protection of pharma products during transport and storage. Nitrogen is also essential in product transfer, where the gas helps move reaction mixtures between vessels.
Considering the significance of nitrogen in the pharmaceutical industry, companies need a reliable source of this gas. Generating nitrogen in-house remains the best way to ensure reliability, quality, and cost efficiency. Airmatic Compressor supplies high-quality industrial nitrogen generators ideal for pharmaceutical companies seeking to produce N2 in-house.
Types of Nitrogen Generators: Airmatic Compressor Systems for the Pharmaceutical Industry
How do nitrogen generators work? It depends on how they produce the final product, nitrogen gas. Airmatic Compressor offers two types of nitrogen generators for the pharmaceutical industry. Here’s how each one works.
- PSA N2 Generators: Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) nitrogen generators have carbon molecular sieves inside two separate pressure vessels to absorb oxygen and other gases flowing from pre-treated air pumps. Since nitrogen molecules are larger, they bypass the molecular sieve, while smaller molecules like oxygen pass through the sieve. The tower expels the gases and contaminants as it transitions from separation to regenerative mode, keeping only the nitrogen.
- Membrane N2 Generators: Membrane nitrogen generators collect naturally abundant nitrogen from the atmosphere using selective permeation. Compressed air passes through semipermeable membranes comprising bundles of tiny, individual hollow fibers. Nitrogen remains within the membrane and flows through the outlet port while oxygen and other gases permeate the membrane fiber.
Pharmaceutical companies can reap huge benefits from installing either PSA or membrane nitrogen gas generators for in-house nitrogen gas generation.
Benefits of Nitrogen Generation in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Environmentally Friendly
Nitrogen gas requires a lot of energy to convert into a liquid for high-pressure storage or transportation. Since most applications require nitrogen in gaseous form, converting the gas into a liquid and back to gas leads to a waste of energy and resources.
Any company considering going green should switch to on-site nitrogen generation since it is an easy and cost-efficient way to reduce their carbon footprint. In doing so, the company also frees up space otherwise required to store nitrogen bottles, whether empty or full.
Reduced Risk of Injury
Converting nitrogen gas into liquid form at -196 °C (-320 °F) for transport or storage at high pressures of 200 to 300 bar (2900 to 4350 psi) is a dangerous process. It is also potentially hazardous to unload a liquid at this temperature because spillage or leakage can lead to injuries or death. It is also risky to handle high-pressure cylinders. Fortunately, on-site nitrogen gas generation eliminates such risks completely, since it produces only nitrogen gas, on demand.
Cost-Effective
Liquid nitrogen tanks can cost your business between $0.35 to $3.00 per hundred cubic feet, depending on current market prices. Generating nitrogen in-house costs only $0.11 to $0.21 per hundred cubic feet, including the initial investment for the first two years. This saves companies up to 80% of their expenses on high-purity nitrogen.
Production Flexibility
Installing a nitrogen generator on your premises ensures adequate supply whenever you need it. You won’t need to order and wait for shipment from a supplier. Price fluctuations will also not be a concern. You’ll have control of everything from the amount you produce to the degree of purity.
Pharmaceutical Nitrogen Generators From Airmatic Compressor
The pharmaceutical industry relies heavily on nitrogen gas for its day-to-day operations, and on-site N2 generation ensures a reliable supply of high-purity nitrogen whenever needed. On-site nitrogen generation is safe, cost-efficient, and environmentally friendly.
Common pharmaceutical applications for nitrogen generation include sealing blister packaging, blood supplies, test kits, sterile medical devices, and specimen containers. At Airmatic Compressor, we supply high-quality nitrogen generators to fit the diverse needs of the pharmaceutical industry.
Learn more about our N2 generators here. If you’re ready to start your solution, contact us or request a quote today.