Nitrogen for Power Plants

Threat of Corrosion to Power Plant Equipment

Corrosion, as we all know, shortens the life of power plant process equipment. The internal protection from corrosion of boiler tubes, condensers, and wetted parts within small industrial boilers, HRSG combined cycle power plants, and large gas, oil, and coal fired power plants is extremely important during short term layups, right on to the long term plant outages. Without a form of protection, during the shutdown, corrosion can occur on these wetted parts at an alarming rate.

Chemical Solution - Harmful to the Environment

One solution, if the water is able to be circulated within these power plant parts during shut down, is to inject chemical inhibitors into the water stream. But introducing such chemicals into the system has become less desirable as the disposal of such presents environmental issues. If the water is drained from the wetted parts, residual water remains within, and along with oxygen (air) introduced during the draining process, corrosion begins.

Nitrogen Solution - The Environmentally Friendly Answer

Nitrogen has been used for years to protect against corrosion in power plant equipment and similar applications. Nitrogen, which makes up 79% of the air we breathe, is the perfect “green” solution for corrosion protection in power plant equipment. Nitrogen is inert and, by displacing the oxygen within the wetted parts with a low pressure slow flow Nitrogen purge, you ultimately inhibit the oxidation/corrosion process.

In the past, power plants have purchased either banks of high pressure cylinders or liquid bulk Nitrogen to provide this form of corrosion protection. Today, with the installation of a Nitrogen Generator at your facility, you can generate your own nitrogen at a fraction of the cost versus purchasing Nitrogen cylinders or bulk liquid Nitrogen. Plus you can generate the Nitrogen on demand, and never run out.

How Does a Nitrogen Generator Benefit the Power Plant?

The Nitrogen Generator simply separates mechanically, the Nitrogen molecules from the other molecules found within the air and stores the Nitrogen until needed for your process use. South-Tek Systems offers a complete line of reliable, cost effective Nitrogen Generators sized for your application. By using our Flow Rate Verification System and knowing the flow rates of Nitrogen required, a Nitrogen Generator can be sized and installed at your facility accordingly, allowing you to realize the significant cost savings yielded by this technology.

 PSA N2 Series Nitrogen Generators

South-Tek Systems' Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) Technology in our N2-Series Nitrogen Generators produces high purity N2 gas in a safe, reliable, convenient, and cost effective process.  These systems provide great benefits to the power industry and are easy to integrate and maintain.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn more about N2 Generators and the power industry: 888-526-6284.

De-fog and Waterproof your Optics with Nitrogen

Nitrogen gas is often used with optical instruments such as night vision goggles, telescopes, microscopes, binoculars, and cameras for a number of reasons.

1. Purging - Night vision goggles and other infrared and thermal imaging devices require purging with N2 gas in order to eliminate air from the goggles that could affect the clarity of vision that is so vital to these instruments.  
2. Prevent Internal Fogging - Filling optical instruments with Nitrogen replaces naturally occurring Oxygen and prevents the presence of moisture that can fog the devices.
3. Create a Waterproof Environment - Some optical instruments purged with Nitrogen are then sealed to prevent any loss of N2 gas caused by changes in pressure or temperature.  This sealing process makes Nitrogen-purged instruments waterproof.
4. Prevent Fungus and Mold Development - Nitrogen is a dry gas able to absorb and eliminate moisture when used to displace Oxygen in an environment.  The presence of Nitrogen prevents the development of fungus and mold that can easily form in moist, enclosed atmospheres.
   

Routine Nitrogen Purging of Optical Instruments

Nitrogen is such an important element in the efficacy of optical instruments.  Some devices require routine Nitrogen purging to ensure optimal results - that the instruments remain fog-proof and waterproof.

For instance, military personnel regularly purge night vision goggles to refill them with dry Nitrogen gas and eliminate them of contaminants and moisture.  For this purpose, a compact, portable Nitrogen Generator provides the best possible solution for purging.  Especially for soldiers in the field, a Nitrogen source that is lightweight, portable, reliable, safe, and efficient is the best possible choice.

South-Tek Systems manufactures portable Nitrogen Generators used exactly for this purpose.  In fact, the N2 GEN portable system has recently completed the military EMIP review and is proven to enhance safety, survivability, reliability/maintainability/sustainability (RMS), distribution/mission enhancements (DME), and mobility for warfighters.

For more information about the N2 GEN Portable Series, please contact South-Tek Systems today: 888-526-6284.

Nitrogen Use with Oil Platforms and Refineries

Nitrogen Generators Used In Oil Industry

Nitrogen has long been used in the oil industry with oil platforms and refineries for a number of uses including:

• drilling
• workover
  
• completion of oil gas wells
  
• purging of lines, compressors, and seals
• tank blanketing

The purpose of using Nitrogen for inerting, blanketing, and purging with oil platforms and refineries is to suppress flammability by reducing oxygen levels to a point below which combustion is possible.

Nitrogen is a clean, dry, inert gas and has long proven effective at displacing oxygen in tanks, hoses, and piping in order to minimize the presence of oxygen, preventing the potential for combustion.

Nitrogen Use in Drilling for Oil


Nitrogen gas is used in the drilling phase of the oil and gas industry mainly for purging and inerting systems to keep instruments dry, effective, and efficient.  Nitrogen provides a dry air source that can prolong the life expectancy of a drilling system and keep instruments working properly.

Nitrogen Use in Workover and Completion of Oil Gas Wells


Nitrogen is a low density, high pressure gas that can absorb and displace fluids in wells to keep an optimal flow.  This process during completion is known as Nitrogen Circulation.  N2 gas can also be used to  purge systems to reduce hydrogen sulfide concentration in residual oil and gas.  In addition, Nitrogen is used for blanketing storage tanks to maintain pressure.

Benefits of a Nitrogen Generator

Considering all the uses of Nitrogen gas during the drilling, workover, completion, operation, and maintenance of oil rigs and fields, it is important to consider the benefits of using a Nitrogen Generator to provide a steady supply of high purity N2 gas on-site and on-demand.

A Nitrogen Generator is:

• Efficient - producing Nitrogen as needed
  
• Convenient - it will never run out of Nitrogen gas and needs only minimal annual maintenance
  
• Easy to Manage -a single compact system replaces dozens of stored high pressure cylinders
• Cost Effective - yielding a high return on investment

Membrane Nitrogen Generators are often used in the oil industry and South-Tek Systems designs and manufactures Membrane Generators, as well as PSA Nitrogen Generators, specifically for these applications.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn more about how your Oil and Gas Operation can benefit from a Nitrogen Generator: 888-526-6284

Medical Industry Benefits From Use Of Nitrogen Generators

Nitrogen (N2) gas is used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries in order to reduce the presence of oxygen in situations where combustion is a major concern. Blanketing or inerting an environment using Nitrogen gas can stabilize materials that might otherwise prove harmful or even explosive when put in contact with Oxygen.  Nitrogen is a cool, dry, inert, gas that can displace Oxygen in a situation where Oxygen may provide the catalyst for combustion or where it may affect the quality of a product.

The use of Nitrogen Generators for medical equipment in the lab or hospital is a popular practice because of the increased safety, convenience, reliability, and ease of storage they offer compared to using high pressure cylinders.

• Safety - Use of high pressure N2 gas cylinders in a medical, pharmaceutical, or lab application runs the risk of rapid leakage during the handling and switching of tanks which could lead to asphyxiation of those present during the leak.  Nitrogen Generators do NOT require switching out or handling with high pressure regulators.  They are easy to operate and are equipped with an automatic shutdown if any leakage is detected.
• Ease of Use - Nitrogen Generators are compact, easy to switch on, and require no manual handling of high pressure cylinders
• Reliability - Nitrogen Generators produce high purity N2 gas on-site and on-demand.  A simple PSA or Membrane technology creates Nitrogen gas from the existing air around you and requires only an annual filter change for maintenance.  Never switch out a high pressure N2 tank again!
• Requiring Less Storage - A Nitrogen Generator will replace high pressure tanks, eliminating the need to store extra cylinders and rely on deliveries from the gas company.
• Cost Effectiveness - An investment in a Nitrogen Generating System is well worth the cost and proves its worth in only a short time.  Go for a stronger Return On Investment (ROI) with a Nitrogen Generator and save on the need for recurring delivery, storage, administrative time, inventory, and downtime for changing out high pressure cylinders.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn how a Nitrogen Generator can benefit your particular medical or pharmaceutical application: 888-526-6284

Read Also:

Nitrogen Generators in the Laboratory 
Use of Nitrogen Generators With Cell Incubators
Nitrogen Generators Support Top "Made in the USA" Industries
Higher IVF Success Rates with Nitrogen Generators in the Lab
PSA Nitrogen Generators

N2 GEN Portable Nitrogen Generator from South-Tek Systems Completes Military EMIP Review

South-Tek Systems N2 GEN portable Nitrogen Generator series successfully completed a review by the military-based Expedited Modernization Initiative Procedure (EMIP).

Wilmington, N.C., December 28, 2009 -- South-Tek Systems, designer and manufacturer of Nitrogen Generators, has successfully completed a review of its N2 GEN series of portable Nitrogen Generation systems by the military based Expedited Modernization Initiative Procedure (EMIP).  Only a dozen technologies a year are chosen to go through the EMIP review process, which involves an extensive application and submission method for each technology.

The N2 GEN Series Nitrogen Generator gives U.S. warfighters the capability of producing inert Nitrogen gas, an element critical to maintenance in the field or at the maintenance facility.  The N2 GEN eliminates the safety and logistical issues involved with transporting high pressure gas cylinders.

According to the official EMIP website, "The Expedited Modernization Initiative Procedure (EMIP) is a multi-phased and continuous market research process" conducted by the U.S. Military with the goal of educating Government representatives about new technologies for vehicles and fleets.  "EMIP is primarily designed to suggest improvements to the current and future fleet of tactical wheeled vehicles and other systems. EMIP seeks to identify an industry's investments in proven, advanced, commercial technologies at the component, and subsystem levels, at a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 7, or better."

TRL 7 readiness level requires demonstration of an actual system prototype in an operational environment such as a vehicle, aircraft, or space. 

EMIP seeks technologies that will improve the capabilities of current and future military vehicles and places emphasis on technologies that address solutions in warfighting capabilities that include safety, survivability, reliability/maintainability/sustainability (RMS), distribution/mission enhancements (DME), and mobility.

For the past four years, the N2 GEN portable Nitrogen Generator from South-Tek Systems has been incorporated into Humvee mounted optical labs and mobile maintenance trailers.  It has been deployed in combat venues in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

In particular, the N2 GEN supports safety capabilities that are sought through the EMIP process, reducing non-combat casualties by eliminating the need for transporting high pressure cylinders of compressed Nitrogen gas to maintenance sites.  The RMS capabilities of the N2 GEN reduce operator maintenance tasks by reducing paperwork and eliminating the need to transport gas cylinders or arms to and from maintenance depots and sites.

"Providing Nitrogen in the field of active duty is a particularly complicated problem because compressed Nitrogen is not readily available," says Charles Metzler of South-Tek's Military/Industrial Division.  "We feel that completing this review process will help South-Tek Systems bring the N2 GEN to the attention of those who need it the most."

For more information about South-Tek Systems and the N2 GEN Series portable Nitrogen Generator, visit http://www.SouthTekSystems.com/n2-series.asp.  To learn more about the EMIP process, visit http://peocscss.tacom.army.mil/EMIP/home.html.


Contact:

Charles Metzler
South-Tek Systems
2940 Orville Wright Way
Suite 600
Wilmington, NC 28405
888-526-6284
http://www.SouthTekSystems.com

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Fuel Tank Safety Using Nitrogen Generators

Fuel tanks are closed or sealed pressure vessels carrying highly flammable gases for the purposes of providing fuel to a source such as an aircraft.  Such fuel tanks run a high risk of fire or explosion when the following three factors are in play:

1. Heat as an ignition source,
2. Fuel as the contents of the vessel, and
3. Oxygen to initiate and sustain the fire

Eliminating one of these three factors prevents the potential for fire or explosion.  Since a fuel tank carries fuel - one of the three vital factors - that one cannot be eliminated.  If it is not possible to eliminate the heat or ignition source, then it is necessary to eliminate or significantly reduce the presence of Oxygen in the tank.

The process of reducing Oxygen from the fuel tank is called inerting.  One way to accomplish an inert atmosphere is to pump Nitrogen gas into the tank in order to displace the Oxygen and reduce its content to a level below the threshold required for combustion.  Nitrogen is a cool, dry, inert gas that acts as a safe replacement for Oxygen within a pressure vessel such as a fuel tank.

A Nitrogen Generator provides a great advantage when used for inerting fuel tanks.  N2 Generators supply a steady stream of Nitrogen gas on-demand and on-site in a safe and reliable system.  In comparison to a high pressure Nitrogen gas cylinder, there are a number of advantages including:

• increased safety, 
• increased reliability, 
• decreased costs over time,
• decreased dependency on gas company deliveries,
• increased savings on Nitrogen gas that is otherwise lost to evaporation during delivery and storage in high pressure cylinders
• increased self sufficiency when gas company contracts can be eliminated and N2 gas generated on-site.

South-Tek Systems specializes in designing and manufacturing Nitrogen Generators used in a wide range of applications, including fuel tank inerting.  South-Tek employs a Flow Verification Program to ensure that each client is appropriately suited with the most efficient Nitrogen Generator for their particular application.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to inquire about the use of a Nitrogen Generator for inerting your fuel tank today: 888-526-6284

Heat Treating Safety with A Nitrogen Generator

Heat treatment of metals requires the presence of N2 gas for both safety during the process of treatment and quality of the final product.  Nitrogen is used to quickly cool a metal that has been heated to extreme temperatures in order to alter its properties, often for conditioning and hardening.  It is also used for blanketing purposes in order to provide a safe and neutral atmosphere for treatment.

Metals and alloys are heat treated to enhance their strength and build up their resistance to wear and corrosion.  Metals can also be tempered to increase flexibility or to relax stresses.  Heat treatment application results in high quality parts that can be supplied at competitive prices, especially when Nitrogen gas is generated on-site for blanketing purposes to reduce oxidation and absorb hydrogen.

A Nitrogen Generator is effective at producing high purity N2 gas on demand using a simple and reliable process.  The use of a Nitrogen Generator in heat treatment of metals streamlines the process, making it more safe, reliable, and cost-effective.

There are a number of techniques that can be applied to heat treating metals using Nitrogen gas as a blanketing agent for both safety and quality concerns and/or a forced air cooling agent for heated metals.

• Quenching
• Tempering
• Annealing
• Hardening
• Galvanising
• Normalising
• Sintering

For more information on heat treatment using Nitrogen, please Contact South-Tek Systems, engineers and manufacturers of custom Nitrogen Generators: 888-526-6284.