Cryogenics
 
 
NitroGen


 

NitroGen

 

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Many users of liquid nitrogen (LN2) face challenges with regard to its availability and safe handling. To address these needs, Rigaku has developed a self-contained, one-box liquid nitrogen (LN2) generation, storage, and transfer system that requires only electricity and water to operate.


The two most difficult issues associated with liquid nitrogen are safety and supply. As with all cryogenic liquids, potential hazards may be encountered at every stage of the transportation chain. From the production facility to end use, potential dangers range from frostbite to suffocation to explosion and disaster. Transportation and inventory are central to a steady supply of commercial LN2.

NitroGen addresses both of these issues.


Transportation and handling of liquid nitrogen presents numerous safety hazards, including: frostbite, suffocation, explosion, and the dangers associated with liquid oxygen condensation. NitroGen can eliminate all transportation related safety issues while minimizing human exposure to LN2.


A 24-year-old student died while filling flasks with liquid nitrogen. The arms, legs and back were frozen and the face, ears and neck showed a dark red and livid colour with horizontal lines of demarcation ... Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was carried out and terminated after 90 min ... The student had worked alone with nitrogen, without opening the windows and without a working ventilation system. While filling the third flask he lost consciousness ... and died from asphyxia due to oxygen deficiency in an atmosphere of nitrogen.

Int J Legal Med. 111(4), p.191-5 (1998)


Providing a continuous supply of liquid nitrogen can be a challenge even if you are not in a remote or rural location. Availability of LN2 can be effected by uncertain transport and involves constant inventory management. NitroGen makes LN2 right were you need it and can automatically fill other Dewars and equipment. Available capacities include 10, 40 and 60 liters per day.


NitroGen provides predictable LN2 availability with safe as-needed production. Automatic filling of other devices is an available option, eliminating the risks and safety issues associated with conventional filling procedures. It is designed for 24/7 unattended operation.


With the NitroGen, nitrogen is extracted from air using a Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) apparatus and condensed into an internal Dewar using a Gifford-McMahon (GM-cycle) cryo-refrigerator. All components are fitted into a single enclosure.


NitroGen systems all use the Gifford-McMahon (GM) principle using a closed helium gas cycle. The compressor unit (lower cabinet, not shown) is separated from the cold head and connected via flexible pressure tubing, allowing a compact one-box design. Condensed LN2 from the cold head (cryo-engine) is collected and stored in an internal Dewar in most models.


NitroGen produces and stores liquid nitrogen directly from air using only electricity and cooling water. Ambient air is compressed, filtered, and dried prior to passing through a Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) nitrogen generator. This room temperature process extracts nitrogen gas from air by passing it through special molecular sieve filters. The resulting pure nitrogen is then liquefied by a Gifford-McMahon cycle cryo-engine inside a Dewar storage vessel. LN2 may then be manually tapped or transferred automatically into another device's Dewar.


Air separation in a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit begins when air from the atmosphere is compressed to 100 psig. The compressed air is directed to one of the two adsorbing tanks by a series of valves. In the tank, oxygen selectively desorbs to a carbon molecular sieve, while nitrogen passes through. Eventually the adsorbent becomes saturated with oxygen. At this point, the product stream from the adsorber is cut off. A bleed stream from the adsorber is opened, and the tank is depressurized. At this reduced pressure, the desorbed oxygen leaves the tank through a vent.

Two adsorbers work together in a PSA unit. While the oxygen in one tank is desorbing, air is being fed to the second tank for adsorbtion. With this design, a continuous stream of pure nitrogen gas is delivered to a cryo-engine for liquification.


Simplified, the Gifford-McMahon cycle can be divided into four steps involving the opening and closing of valves as well as the movement of a displacer piston. In the cold head, the high-pressure and low-pressure He(g) are controlled by means of a rotary valve fitted on the shaft of an electric motor. The rotary valve rotates on a control disk. The displacer with integrated regenerator is pneumatically actuated by a control piston. Through additional holes in the control disk, the control chamber is supplied alternating high pressure and low pressure by means of the control piston. The operating frequency is around 2 Hz.


From producing liquid nitrogen at a hospital for tissue storage or cryosurgery to supplying scientific instruments in research laboratories, the Rigaku NitroGen is the perfect solution for safe and reliable on-site LN2 production.


Many laboratories are dependent upon a continuous supply of LN2 for their operation. Whether inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, or the clinical medical laboratory, availability can become critical. A NitroGen liquid nitrogen plant from Rigaku can solve the problem by generating LN2 where it is needed. NitroGen is backed by global 24/7 service and support.


In semiconductor fabrication facilities, where uptime is mission critical, the availability of liquid nitrogen is often a strategic necessity. But using LN2 normally involves either an integrated cryogenic plumbing system or the use of "roll around" Dewars for localized delivery. Associated with availability issues, these Dewars are also frequently the source of contamination problems.

The Rigaku NitroGen eliminates problems caused by unwanted particulate contamination associated with Dewar movement and filling operations. Like a complicated plumbed-in system, but without the high capital requirements and ongoing maintenance costs, the NitroGen provides for automatic filling of your equipment. This feature also eliminates manual handling of this dangerous cryogen, thereby reducing the risk of worker injury and enhancing productivity.


Conventional superconducting NMR spectrometers are completely dependant upon a continuous supply of LN2 for their operation. Instead of relying on inconvenient large and heavy Dewars, or difficult-to-maintain built-in plumbing, the Rigaku NitroGen allows LN2 to be produced and delivered exactly where it is needed, with operational costs comparable to those of commercially produced LN2.


Since many types of modern analytical equipment are completely dependent upon a continuous supply of LN2 for their operation, availability and timely filling issues can become critical.

Whether a remote or rural location makes supplies uncertain, or if the physical layout of your facility makes internal movement of Dewars difficult and time consuming, a NitroGen liquid nitrogen plant from Rigaku can solve the problem by generating LN2 where it is needed.


Both macromolecular and small molecule crystallographers employ cryo-cooling of crystals to enhance data quality. This technique requires both a cryogenic nitrogen gas stream to cool crystals during the X-ray exposure and a supply of liquid nitrogen (LN2) in which to flash cool and store crystals. Traditionally, these requirements have been fulfilled by maintaining an inventory of LN2 Dewars which can be subject to availability problems.

Rigaku offers two products that eliminate the need for crystallographers to have access to liquid nitrogen supply. The award winning Rigaku X-stream™ 2000 low temperature system delivers a temperature regulated laminar flow stream of cryogenic nitrogen gas. To supply LN2, Rigaku offers the innovative self-contained NitroGen system.


Transportation and handling of liquid nitrogen presents numerous safety hazards, including: frostbite, suffocation, explosion, and the dangers associated with liquid oxygen condensation. NitroGen can eliminate all transportation related safety issues, while minimizing human exposure to LN2, by producing only the required quantity when and where it is needed.


New technology now makes it possible to eliminate traditional approaches to LN2 supply. Instead of inconvenient large and heavy Dewars, or difficult to maintain built-in plumbing, NitroGen allows LN2 to be produced and delivered exactly where it is needed. There is now no reason to accept liability associated with cryogen transport and handling. Automatically generating and delivering LN2 when and where it is needed substantially reduces risks associated with uncertain lines of supply while enhancing productivity.


NitroGen is the first self-contained liquid nitrogen plant specifically designed to serve the needs of scientific applications. The system provides predictable availability with safe as-needed production and automated dispensing.

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