Eliminating Bacteria Using Nitrogen Gas

What Is Bacteria?

Bacteria are microorganisms that grow in soil, water, and organic matter as well as living plants, animals, and people.  While most bacteria are harmless (and some are even beneficial), there are a few strains of bacteria that are pathogenic and can cause harmful bacterial infections.  Bacteria can grow and divide extremely rapidly, especially in the presence of available nutrients.

How Can I Prevent Bacteria Formation?

Bacteria, as well as mold and mildew, can start to form, grow, and reproduce in the presence of oxygen, warmth, and moisture.  Removing oxygen from an atmosphere for packaging or storage eliminates the potential for harmful bacteria growth.  This can be applied to food packaging and storage as well as chemical processing and even to sterilization for cleanrooms and medical device packaging.

Nitrogen is a clean, dry, inert gas that is often used to absorb moisture and displace oxygen in an environment.  The application of N2 gas effectively removes oxygen and prevents bacteria formation as well mold and mildew.

Why Use a Nitrogen Generator for Bacteria Elimination?

Using a Nitrogen Generator to eliminate and prevent harmful bacteria is an efficient, reliable, and cost effective solution compared to using high pressure N2 gas cylinders or bulk liquid Nitrogen.  Using a simple, straightforward PSA Generator or Membrane Generator technology to isolate and capture N2 molecules from the air we breathe, a Nitrogen Generator essentially produces high purity Nitrogen from thin air.  It is reliable and safe, easy to maintain, and won't ever run out of N2 gas.

About South-Tek Systems

South-Tek Systems engineers and manufactures Nitrogen Generators for a wide variety of applications, including bacteria elimination.  Our Flow Verification Program ensures that you'll be fitted with the most appropriately sized generator for your specific application.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to find out how our Nitrogen Generators can help make your production more efficient, more safe, and less costly: 888-526-6284.

Nitrogen Gas Uses for Clean Rooms

A cleanroom may be used in manufacturing, in the pharmaceutical industry, or in a scientific research lab.  It provides a controlled atmosphere to reduce contaminants such as airborne particles and dust.  The essence of a cleanroom is to reduce environmental contaminants by controlling air flow rates and direction, pressurization, temperature, and humidity.  This provides the cleanest possible environment for manufacturing, packaging, testing, or research.

Clean rooms may utilize inert gas systems to maintain a specific air pressure and to control humidity levels.  Nitrogen is often used as the inert gas in this scenario. 

The dry, inert properties of Nitrogen gas make it an ideal substance for other cleanroom uses.  These may include:

• Drying parts being used in the clean room
• Blowing off an assembled system or piece of equipment before it leaves the clean room
• Purging a product, system, or piece of equipment for packaging

Nitrogen Generators for Cleanrooms

Nitrogen Generators are an alternative to bulk liquid N2 or high pressure gas cylinders.  A Nitrogen Generator produces high purity N2 gas on-site and on-demand and may be customized according to the flow rate capacity of the cleanroom.  It is a safe, reliable, and cost efficient source of Nitrogen gas, ideal for cleanrooms because of their need for a continuous controlled environment.

Contact South-Tek Systems

South-Tek Systems designs and manufactures Nitrogen Generators for use with cleanrooms.  Using their unique Flow Verification Program, South-Tek has the ability to accurately measure your cleanroom flow rate requirements and design the optimum Nitrogen System for your operation.  Contact South-Tek Systems today for more information: 888-526-6284.

Nitrogen Use with Medical Device Packaging

The packaging of medical devices and supplies such as test kits for doctor's offices, blood supplies, instruments, and containers presents a challenge for sterilization, preservation, and extended shelf life.  Sterile packaging is a crucial factor for medical technology and devices but the packaging must also be optimal for transportation, storage, and end use.


Packaging for Medical Supplies and Devices - Challenges and Solutions

Medical supplies and devices are constantly being transported from office, hospital, or clinic to labs, or from suppliers to buyers where they are stored until needed for use.  It is imperative to maintain a sterile atmosphere within the medical supply and device packaging during transportation and storage - right up until the moment the package is opened for the end user.  Often, a medical supply being packaged is perishable and must be preserved at it's freshest state for the duration of the transportation and storage.

The challenge here is to maintain sterility, freshness, and shelf life so as to preserve the integrity of the product, to get the most accurate test results, and to extend the shelf life of medical devices and supplies.

Nitrogen gas is a clean, dry, inert gas used effectively for sterilization, preservation, and atmosphere blanketing.  Nitrogen provides an ideal solution to the challenges presented in medical device packaging.

Optimal Preservation with Nitrogen Gas

Nitrogen may be applied during medical device packaging to eliminate the presence of oxygen.  If oxygen comes into contact with perishable medical supplies, it may affect the nature of the product as well as any test results associated with it.  Nitrogen displaces the oxygen and maintains a dry, sterile atmosphere within the packaging.  Also, by eliminating oxygen, Nitrogen gas will prevent humidity levels which can affect the shelf life of stored medical devices.

A Nitrogen Generator is a safe and reliable way to administer N2 gas for medical packaging.  Especially when compared to high pressure cylinders, a Nitrogen Generator is cost effective, easily manageable, produces high purity N2 gas on-site and on-demand, and won't ever run out of gas.  Using a simple PSA Generator or Membrane Generator technology, a Nitrogen Generator is the best solution for sterile medical device packaging.


Contact South-Tek Systems

South-Tek Systems engineers and manufactures Nitrogen Generators for a number of different industries including medical packaging.  Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn how they can help you cut costs, increase efficiency, and provide an effective solution to medical device packaging: 888-526-6284.

See Also:

Medical Industry Benefits From Use Of Nitrogen Generators

Nitrogen Uses in the Military

The U.S. Military has unique and specific uses for Nitrogen gas in a number of applications throughout its branches.  We recently published a page on our blog providing all posts related to Nitrogen Gas Uses in the U.S. Military.

We encourage you to check out this page and browse the related posts to better understand how Nitrogen gas is used for military purposes:

Nitrogen Uses in the U.S. Military

South-Tek Systems is a GSA Contract Holder, a certified seller with the DOD EMALL, and manufactures the N2-GEN portable Nitrogen Generator that has successfully completed the EMIP review process.

Please contact South-Tek Systems to learn more about how a Nitrogen Generator can increase safety, improve reliability, and decrease costs associated with Nitrogen gas use: 888-526-6284.

South-Tek Systems Contracts With the U.S. Military

South-Tek Systems, a company dedicated to designing and manufacturing Nitrogen Generators, has been awarded defense contracts with the U.S. military to supply their Nitrogen Generator products to different sectors of the military, including the Marine Corps.

South-Tek Systems is featured in a Wilmington, N.C. Star-News report about local southeastern North Carolina businesses who are benefiting from defense contracts with the U.S. military.  The article states that approximately 325 Wilmington area businesses hold defense contracts to do business with the military and "that the word only recently has gotten out about the enormous opportunities to make money from the U.S. government."

Charles Metzler, industrial and military sales manager for South-Tek Systems, was quoted in the article regarding his experience in getting qualified to sell to the U.S. government and then actually securing defense contracts.  South-Tek makes a big and deliberate push to promote their Nitrogen Generators to the military bases and has had success in getting their products into the hands of the Marine Corps.

Nitrogen Generators produce Nitrogen gas on-site and on-demand using a simple technology that separates and captures the N2 gas present in the air around us.  They are meant to replace delivery of hundreds of high pressure cylinders of the gas and are more efficient, reliable, and cost effective.  Nitrogen is "the most widely used gas on the market," says Metzler, and Nitrogen Generators make it easier to produce high purity N2 gas as-needed.

South-Tek Systems manufactures a range of Nitrogen Generators from the compact, portable N2 GEN Series, to the skid mounted S Series, to the high pressure HP Series.  Their generators can accommodate a wide variety of applications and can be used for the military both in the field and on the base.

To read the Star-News article in full, please visit: Roughly 325 area businesses benefit from defense contracts

For more information on South-Tek Systems and Nitrogen Generator uses in the military, please see:

South-Tek Systems provides Nitrogen Generators for the U.S. Military
Nitrogen Generation in Military Ground Systems
South-Tek Systems Now A Certified Supplier at DOD EMALL
N2 GEN Portable Nitrogen Generator from South-Tek Systems Completes Military EMIP Review

Save Money, Preserve Quality Using Nitrogen for Food Packaging

Companies that specialize in food packaging require a solution for keeping the food fresh, preserving the taste and texture, and ensuring safe delivery throughout its journey from the warehouse to the shelf to the consumer.

Preserving Quality

An ideal solution to solve each of these issues is Nitrogen gas.  Using Nitrogen to blanket food packaging helps to eliminate the presence of oxygen.  Oxygen reacts with the food causing oxidation and affecting the quality, taste, texture, and safety of the product.  Food packaging companies use Nitrogen for modified atmosphere blanketing (MAP) or controlled atmosphere (CA) to eliminate oxygen that might cause bacteria or virus growth and keep food safe and preserved for consumption later in its shelf life.

Saving Money

Because large quantities of Nitrogen are required for atmosphere blanketing with food packaging, the most ideal method for administering the gas is with a Nitrogen Generator.  Nitrogen Generators help companies save money and work efficiently because they produce Nitrogen literally from thin air and will not run out of the gas supply.  Avoid costly run-outs, switching tanks, N2 gas company contracts, high pressure cylinder delivery, handling and storage all with a Nitrogen Generator.  Depending on the size and model Nitrogen Generator a company needs, they may see a return on investment (ROI) in 18-24 months, plus they eliminate the hassle of dealing with the gas company, storing extra cylinders, and potentially running out of gas at a critical point.

Contact South-Tek Systems for Your Nitrogen Generator

South-Tek Systems is a designer and manufacturer of Nitrogen Generators for a wide range of industries, including the food packaging industry.  Using the Flow Verification Program, they are able to suit you up with the best sized N2 Generator for your specific needs.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to learn more about how a Nitrogen Generator can save money, improve efficiency, and preserve quality: 888-526-6284.

Wine Bottling Using Nitrogen

Wine Making Process

The process of making wine involves many steps, from growing the grapes to picking them and crushing them to get the juice or "must."  The must is then pressed, the juices extracted and poured into a vat. The next step involves settling - letting the juices settle so that the grape sediment separates and drops to the bottom of the vat.  The juices are then divided up and transferred among different vats where they will settle even more.  The next step is fermentation where yeast is added to convert the natural sugars into alcohol.  Finally, the wine is ready to be bottled.

Nitrogen Use During Wine Bottling

Nitrogen gas is a clean, dry, inert gas that is safe to handle and easily accessed with a Nitrogen Generator.  Nitrogen comprises 79% of the air we breathe and a Generator uses a simple technology to mechanically separate the Nitrogen molecules from the other molecules found in the air, isolating the Nitrogen gas in a storage tank until needed.

Nitrogen is used in the bottling phase of wine making in a couple of different ways:

1. Sterilizing the bottles - Nitrogen is used to flush the wine bottles before and after bottling to sterilize them.  Using Nitrogen helps eliminate the need to use water in the bottles before adding the wine.
2. Flushing the hoses - Nitrogen is pumped through hoses, pumps, and tubing just prior to bottling for sterilization and to flush out the oxygen.
3.  Reducing Oxidation - The turbulence that results from bottling has the potential to mix a lot of air in with the wine, increasing the risk of oxidation that will turn wine stale before its time.  Oxygen reacts with a microbe found in wine and starts converting the ethyl alcohol in the wine into acetic acid, turning wine into a more vinegar-like substance.  Nitrogen works to displace the oxygen and preserve the wine during bottling.

Get The Freshest, Best Tasting Wine By Using Nitrogen During Bottling

Use of Nitrogen during wine bottling has many advantages, especially when produced using a Nitrogen Generator as an alternative to N2 gas cylinders.  The high pressure cylinders need to be handled with extreme caution and require that you rely on a gas company for refilling.  You also run the risk of running out of N2 gas with a cylinder.  A Nitrogen Generator is safe, reliable, won't run out of gas, produces N2 on an as-needed basis, and is even more cost effective than using cylinders.  You can ensure that your wine will not risk oxidation during bottling with a  Nitrogen Generator.

You may be surprised to note that Nitrogen gas can be used during many phases of wine making, not just bottling.  Nitrogen is used throughout the process of wine making, particularly during the settling phase, to eliminate the presence of oxygen and to protect against possible oxidation.  Nitrogen can also be used during the wine drinking phase to preserve open bottles of wine for a longer period of time by purging them of oxygen (see: WineLast™ Nitrogen Purging System, WineLast™ - Keep Your Wine Fresh & Tasting Great Longer)

Contact South-Tek Systems for your Nitrogen Generator

South-Tek Systems engineers and manufactures Nitrogen Generators for use with many industries, including the wine making industry.  Contact South-Tek Systems to see about getting a Nitrogen Generator ideally suited to your winery: 888-526-6284.

More Resources on Nitrogen in the Wine Making Industry:

Nitrogen Uses in the Wine Industry
Nitrogen Generators Aid in Bottling Wine