Benefits of on-site nitrogen generation

Nitrogen is required for many manufacturing facilities. Generally, this involves having the gas delivered in pressurised bottles at the required purity level or having on-site gas tanks reloaded.

Storing gas bottles and having your whole manufacturing process be reliant on prompt deliveries of nitrogen can be problematic. Dispatch delays could see your production halted because an essential supply of nitrogen is unavailable. Worsened further by the currently increasing costs of diesel.

At Anglian Compressors, we offer an alternative to help you avoid these potential pitfalls. We can help you generate your own nitrogen via an on-site nitrogen skid.

First of all, what is an on-site nitrogen skid? 

It is a compact, all-in-one solution for producing nitrogen at your facility instead of being reliant on regular deliveries. 

The nitrogen skid contains an air compressor machine, a nitrogen generator (that relies on compressed air), and a secondary receiver to regulate purity and pressure levels. Plus, a third receiver, known as a booster unit, adjusts the pressure levels to 300 bar for storage inside a high-pressure cylinder. 

Your team then sets the purity level to their requirements before initiating the nitrogen production run. This gives you effortless control over the process. 

Considerable cost savings are achievable when switching from gas deliveries to on-site generation. For example, some customers spend over £2,000 weekly on gas deliveries to support high-pressure systems and have seen as much as a 50% reduction in expenses when switching to on-site nitrogen generation.

In this article, we will explore 10 benefits of switching to on-site nitrogen generation:

1.  Stable Nitrogen at the Required Purity Level

For manufacturing uses, nitrogen is required at a certain purity level. To obtain this, supplies at this purity level (or higher) must be available for purchase.

By generating nitrogen on-site, Anglian Compressors helps companies configure their nitrogen generator to produce the exact purity needed for production. This adroitly sidesteps local nitrogen suppliers that may not offer or have supplies immediately available at the required purity level.  

2.  Lower Price per Volume

Ordering tall nitrogen-filled bottles at the right moment and waiting for them to arrive can be a slow, costly and above all stress-inducing process.

When factoring in the price per volume from the supplier, plus delivery charges, it can begin to get expensive. This is even truer when the supplier can only provide a higher purity level than required and your company is stuck paying extra.

In addition, as anyone knows with pressurized nitrogen bottle supplies, it’s never possible to use all the nitrogen contained in the bottle. Some of it goes unused resulting in an unnecessary net loss for your business.

However, with an on-site nitrogen skid, only the required nitrogen is produced. No wasteful overproduction of unused nitrogen, over-specified purity level from the supplier, or transportation costs either.

3. Stable Costs without Worrisome Contracts

To secure a consistent supply of nitrogen, it’s necessary to accept complex, long-term contracts with third-party suppliers. This is problematic when the ongoing need for nitrogen at specific purity and quality levels is subject to change in an evolving business landscape.

Furthermore, if your business requires several different purity levels through a supplier, this increases the complication of ensuring reliable supplies.

With an on-site nitrogen facility, your business is no longer tied to worrisome contracts with third parties. Instead, costs are more predictable, with less waste, as only the required purified nitrogen gas is produced. This leads to tidy cost savings.

Also, the reduced administration and logistical expenses shouldn’t be overlooked either. Not needing to arrange for refills or new deliveries frees staff up to focus on more critical activities.

4. More Economical Over the Full Ownership Period

Companies typically examine the long-term value or lifetime value of a purchase.

A nitrogen skid combined with lower operating costs is more economical compared to nitrogen deliveries over the same duration. Depreciating the equipment’s value also reduces corporation tax liabilities too. Here at Anglian Compressors, we help calculate these costs for you to ensure a healthy return on investment is secured.

5. Nitrogen Gas Isn’t Wasted

Nitrogen gas is supplied in batches, which typically sits on a rack or in the corner of a production facility. When the gas isn’t used in a timely fashion, or changing production demands suddenly alter the purity level necessary for production and it’s the wrong type, then you’re stuck.

An on-site skid is an efficient self-contained system where nitrogen is produced on demand. While it’s possible to produce several bottles of pressurised nitrogen ahead of time to match internal production needs, that’s not essential.

Instead, the nitrogen generator can be spun up and given instructions for exactly what’s needed on each occasion. Of course, we provide full training to help you set this up.

6. Improved Safety Standards

Dealing with pressured liquid gas – which has a temperature close to minus 200 centigrade – is avoidable when making nitrogen on demand.

Receiving substantial deliveries of tall nitrogen bottles to the delivery bay, and then transporting them around the warehouse or production facility has long been a safety concern. This is no longer necessary with a skid.

Alternatively, arranging to have an on-site storage tank refilled regularly doesn’t solve the issue either. It still means that there’s a substantial amount of gas stored on-site, instead of producing only what’s required when it’s needed, and not more.

7. Happier Staff in Production Environments

By situating the compact skid in a location that’s closer and more convenient to where the nitrogen is utilised, it’s easier to handle and safer to move.

Not needing to use a forklift truck or similar loader to relocate multiple gas cylinders avoids the risk of potential, unnecessary workplace safety issues.

Also, less gas stored on-site at any given time is safer and not to be overlooked.

8. Reduced Environmental Footprint

Producing nitrogen at your location is one more delivery truck taken off the road. That means less gas being released into the atmosphere, to reduce your business’s overall carbon footprint.

Many companies have ambitious goals for reducing their carbon footprint over the next few years. Stopping nitrogen deliveries is a step towards this positive environmental goal.

Fewer trucks on our congested roads also reduce delays for other drivers. Any company with a fleet to manage will surely appreciate that.

9. Zero-waste Nitrogen Production Process

A nitrogen skid is a modern, compact design created to produce this odourless gas without any waste product.

Therefore, as a company, there’s no need to worry about any icky disposal process or potentially negative environmental impact from producing nitrogen in-house.

10. Maintained Through Service Agreements

The nitrogen generator and the other equipment on an on-site skid require regular servicing and maintenance. This ensures the skid performs in a reliable, cost-efficient manner. 

At Anglian Compressors, we offer a fixed-price comprehensive service package covering all service needs. This provides our customers with financial clarity on operating costs and peace of mind. 

For chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical companies, laser cutting, and other businesses with an ongoing nitrogen requirement, cost efficiencies are achieved through on-site generation. It is worth looking into making the switch from a delivery supply model to producing your own nitrogen gas.

So there you have it, on-site nitrogen generation can transform your business. Contact Anglian Compressors today to discuss getting your business set up today.