Maintenance Tips to Optimize Nitrogen Generator Performance

To save money and achieve a reliable source of nitrogen, many industrial facilities have turned to on-site nitrogen generation. While nitrogen generators are reliable and require minimal attention, there are some maintenance best practices that can be put in place to optimize industrial nitrogen generator performance. This blog will give a brief overview of the equipment and provide readers with suggested maintenance strategies and outline the positive impact they can have on nitrogen generation systems. 

An inert gas, nitrogen plays a critical role in many industrial processes in the automotive, food and beverage, chemical, injection molding, pharmaceutical, medical device and electronics manufacturing industries. 

Although high-purity nitrogen can be purchased in the form of dewars, bulk liquid nitrogen or high-pressure compressed gas cylinders, purchasing nitrogen from third-party nitrogen suppliers can be costly and unreliable. For this reason, many manufacturers have installed nitrogen gas generators or liquid nitrogen generators on site to ensure a flexible, available and low-cost source of the gas. 

On-site generation ensures an unlimited, on-demand supply of nitrogen of which manufacturers can control the level of purity and pressure, as well as the precise amount that is needed for their application. Generating nitrogen in house is also safer and more cost and time efficient as it eliminates the risks associated with storing high-pressure tanks, as well as the inconvenience associated with ordering and receiving deliveries from third-party supplies, which may be subject to supply chain delays, inflexible schedules and unstable pricing. 

How Does a Nitrogen Generator Work? 

In-house nitrogen generation uses a facility’s existing compressed air system to separate the nitrogen molecules from the oxygen molecules in the air to create an unlimited, purified supply of nitrogen. 

Depending on the level of purity required for the process, there are two types of nitrogen generation systems, as follows:

The Importance of Nitrogen Generator Maintenance

Manufacturers with in-house industrial nitrogen generators rely on the steady supply of nitrogen to conduct their daily activities, so optimizing the performance of the system is critical to effective and efficient operations. And, while nitrogen generators are robust and reliable pieces of equipment, a proactive approach to maintenance ensures the consistent supply of high-purity gas that is needed to keep production moving. 

Other advantages associated with routine nitrogen generator maintenance include:

• Improved system efficiency: Proactive maintenance ensures efficient performance and sustains purity levels and flow. 
• Reduced downtime: Visual inspections identify and address wear and tear of system components before they become complex problems, reducing downtime, minimizing the risk of catastrophic breakdown and extending the lifetime of the equipment. 
• Minimized costs: When a nitrogen generator is in optimal running condition, it consumes less energy, requires fewer repairs and has a longer lifespan. 
• Enhanced safety: Identifying potential hazards such as leaks or malfunctions during routine inspections prevents serious safety issues. 
• Compliance assurance: Routine maintenance addresses issues that may help manufacturers avoid non-compliance with safety regulations related to facility safety. In addition, food, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers must ensure purity of the nitrogen used in their processes. Proper maintenance can help assure manufacturers that the generated nitrogen meets purity requirements. 
• Maintained warranty: Often, following nitrogen generator specs regarding maintenance is required to keep the warranty valid. 

Proactive Maintenance Strategies for Industrial Nitrogen Generators

Although every nitrogen generation system is different, the following maintenance activities can optimize the system, ensuring a consistent supply of high-purity nitrogen and prolonging the life of the system. 

Daily maintenance activities	Routine maintenance activities
Monitor temperature and pressure: Proper temperature and pressure are essential to the safe and reliable operation of nitrogen generators, so make sure that the pressure and temperature levels are within the range recommended in the nitrogen generator specs.	Air compressor: If your nitrogen generator is used in conjunction with an oiled air compressor, regular oil changes will ensure purity of the produced nitrogen. Follow manufacturer’s recommendations for suggested oil change intervals. Oil levels should also be monitored and oil filters and separator elements should be replaced as needed.
Check for leaks: Perform a visual inspection of the connections between pipes, as leaks will reduce the efficiency of the system and force it to work harder, risking wear and tear of system components.	Filter element replacement: To maintain the purity of the nitrogen, filter elements and drains should be checked and replaced regularly as they prevent contamination of the system and the generated nitrogen.
Inspect for damage: To ensure safety of the system, be sure to check for corrosion on the unit and components and damage to pressure instrumentation.	Test for nitrogen purity: Periodic nitrogen purity testing assures users that the generator is producing gas that meets required purity levels. If gas analyzers are used to assess the quality of the nitrogen, they should be calibrated regularly as part of the ongoing maintenance strategy.
Address system alerts: Most nitrogen generators are available with systems that alert users to potential issues. Monitor daily for system alarms and address warnings immediately. Your nitrogen generator specs should provide guidance on how to interpret and handle alarms.	Maintain cooling and drying systems: Inspect and service the dryer on a regular basis according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Cooling systems should also be monitored to ensure operation is within specified ranges and condensate drains are functioning properly.  They should be maintained according to manufacturer’s recommendations to prevent overheating.
Maintain the environment: To provide safe and effective operation of the system, fans and ventilation should be used to keep the temperature in the area below maximum.

General suggestions: 

• Keep maintenance logs: It’s important to keep, review and update maintenance records so that trends and patterns that may indicate potential issues can be identified before catastrophic failure of the system occurs. 
• Review emergency shutdown procedures: In addition to assuring that emergency shutdown systems are functional via regular testing procedures, be sure that operators know and understand the emergency shutdown procedures. Train employees on how to respond to emergencies to minimize downtime and prevent serious hazards. 

Establishing a program of proactive maintenance activities for your industrial nitrogen generator ensures that the system will operate safely, efficiently and effectively and continue to produce low-cost, high-purity nitrogen for your process for years to come. To learn about on-site nitrogen generators or for guidance on creating a maintenance strategy for your nitrogen generation system, please contact JHFOSTER, a Tavoron company, today.