Nitrogen Uses in the Wine Industry

Wine Barrels & Nitrogen Inerting

The amount and length of time that oxygen (found predominantly in the air all around us) is exposed to wine can influence wine quality, stability, and longevity. Nitrogen gas is used widely throughout the wine industry to eliminate the exposure of oxygen to wine for a number of applications including:

• Bottling
• Topping
• Sparging
• Flushing
• Storage
• Transfer from Storage to Bottling
• and more!

Nitrogen is the preferred inert gas for these wine-making processes because of its low solubility in wine as well as for its ability to eliminate the presence of oxygen and to prevent oxygen from coming into contact with the wine throughout the many stages of production.

The problem of prolonged exposure to oxygen is that it causes oxidation, effectively turning wine into a vinegar-like substance over time.  The oxygen reacts with a microbe found in wine and starts converting the ethyl alcohol in the wine into acetic acid - the main component of vinegar!

Here are the ways Nitrogen as an inert gas is used to prevent oxygen exposure during wine making, storage, and bottling:

1. Sparging: this is when Nitrogen (N2) is applied in the form of very fine gas bubbles in order to remove dissolved oxygen from the wine.
2. Blanketing: the process of applying an inert Gas such as Nitrogen into a vessel to displace the oxygen is used during wine-making often to top the head space in partially filled tanks, barrels, or other containers.
3. Flushing: just prior to bottling, air must be flushed from hoses, filter housing pumps, and the fill bowl by using a displacement gas such as Nitrogen.

Sparging, blanketing, and flushing are used during the processing stages of wine making for the following uses:

1. Wine Transfer: when transferring wine from one container to another, Nitrogen should be pumped through the vessels for blanketing and hoses should be flushed to remove oxygen.  It may also be necessary to use sparging of the wine at this point to remove any oxygen that has already dissolved in wine.
2. Topping: this is the process of replacing evaporated wine in the barrel. The "head space" in the barrel, also called "ullage," should be flushed with Nitrogen and then blanketed to eliminate oxygen.
3.  Bottling: oxidation is a particular risk during wine bottling due to the turbulence and mixing of wine with air in the filling process.  It is important to flush wine bottles with Nitrogen prior to and after filling.

Nitrogen Generators are an efficient and cost effective way to eliminate the threat of oxidation during wine production and bottling and to preserve the quality of the wine.  Nitrogen Generators replace the need for handling high pressure N2 cylinders and expensive gas company contracts.  They are safe, reliable, easy to operate, never run out of Nitrogen, and generate Nitrogen as needed so they can accommodate seasonal or fluctuating production schedules.


South-Tek Systems -  Makers of Nitrogen Generators

South-Tek Systems designs and manufactures Nitrogen Generators for a wide range of industries including the wine industry.  Using our Flow Verification Program, we can accurately measure a client's flow rate in order to match them with the appropriately sized Nitrogen Generator for their specific needs. 

The tank mounted T-Series Nitrogen Generators are generally used for wine industry applications.  These are available in a range of N2 Output levels and are equipped with a 60 gallon tank under 400 lbs.  The T-Series Generators are not difficult to place, move, or reposition.

Contact South-Tek Systems today to get on your way to a more efficient and reliable Nitrogen system for your winery: 888-524-6284.

Further Reading on Nitrogen Uses in the Wine Industry:

Keeping Food Fresh with a Nitrogen Generator
Nitrogen Generators Aid in Bottling Wine
WineLast™ - Keep Your Wine Fresh & Tasting Great Longer

Portable Nitrogen Generators

Portable Nitrogen Generator

Portable Nitrogen Generators are an easy and convenient way to produce high purity Nitrogen gas from the field, in an emergency scenario, or in a mobile unit.

Compact, portable Nitrogen Generators can produce high purity Nitrogen at low flow rates using a straightforward Nitrogen Generator technology and a self contained compressor, with an attached N2 storage tank.  The portable N2 Generator simply uses the available air supply around it to separate out the Nitrogen gas and send it to the storage tank.

South-Tek Systems designs and manufactures portable Nitrogen Generators for use in a variety of industries:

Military - Soldiers on the ground require Nitrogen gas to de-fog and waterproof night vision goggles.  South-Tek Systems supplies its N2 GEN portable Nitrogen Generators for Military Humvee mounted optical labs and mobile maintenance trailers.  The N2 GEN has been deployed in combat venues in both Iraq and Afghanistan. (Read more about South-Tek Systems Completing the Military EMIP Review.)


Mixed Beer Gas - the portable N2 GEN is incorporated into the BeerBlast™ Mixed Beer Gas Dispense System, a compact system designed especially for restaurant, bar, and stadium draft beer service.  This system will eliminate over-carbonation, improve beer taste and quality, and increase profits.


Nitrogen Tire Inflation - South-Tek Systems' patented TireBlast™ Nitrogen Tire Inflation System uses the N2 GEN to generate Nitrogen gas for automotive and tire shops.  Nitrogen tire inflation helps maintain more consistent tire pressure, increasing a vehicle's safety, gas mileage, and life expectancy.


Corrosion Prevention - a portable Nitrogen Generator is installed with the MICBlast™ FPS Corrosion Inhibiting System to help combat and eliminate galvanized corrosion and microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) threatening dry and preaction Fire Protection Systems (FPS).


Nitrogen Based Smoke - Nitrogen gas can be used to generate smoke for fire simulation machines.  South-Tek Systems uses the N2 GEN portable Nitrogen Generator in its patented SmokeBlast™ Nitrogen Based Smoke Machines for Fire Simulation and Fire DepartmentTraining.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of uses for a portable Nitrogen Generator.  You can also learn more about the uses of stationary, small Nitrogen Generators.

To inquire about the N2 GEN for your particular application, please contact South-Tek Systems today: 888-526-6284.  They have experience across a number of fields and can outfit a portable Nitrogen Generator for your express purposes.

Reference: Spec Sheet for the N2 GEN Series Nitrogen Generator

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Small Nitrogen Generators

N2-GEN Compact Nitrogen Generator

Small Nitrogen Generators are ideal for applications where low flow rates of high purity Nitrogen (N2) are required.  Compact, portable Nitrogen Generators can be used for field work or emergency operations including military ground operations or coal mine fire suppression and prevention.  Small Nitrogen Generators can also be stationary and installed in smaller, out-of-the-way locations.

Portable Nitrogen Generators

Compact, portable Nitrogen Generators are used regularly by military personnel needing to de-fog and waterproof night vision goggles in order to maintain maximum efficiency and performance.  This treatment of Nitrogen for Optical Equipment relates directly to the safety of the ground personnel and the performance of the mission.  Portable Nitrogen Generators are ideal for their compact size, safety, reliability, and ability to generate N2 gas wherever it is needed.

Compact Nitrogen Generators

Small, compact Nitrogen Generators may also be installed for a variety of uses including:

• Nitrogen tire inflation, 
• blended beer gas for draft beer service,
• fire simulator smoke machines, and
• FPS corrosion prevention

Compact Nitrogen Generators use minimal space, run quiet, and can be installed in out-of-the-way locations.  They are also safe, reliable, and will generate Nitrogen literally from thin air requiring only an annual filter change for regular maintenance.

Small Nitrogen Generator vs. High Pressure N2 Cylinders

There are so many benefits to using a Nitrogen Generator as opposed to high pressure gas cylinders.  Cylinders require extra storage space, must be handled with extreme care, or may run out at inopportune times.  Nitrogen Generators are a more environmentally friendly choice, saving on resources needed for transportation and delivery of gas cylinders.  The ease and efficiency of a Nitrogen Generator together with it's valuable ROI (most can generate a return after only 18 months) make this the best possible solution to fulfilling your Nitrogen gas requirements.

South-Tek Systems - Your Source for Nitrogen Generators

South-Tek Systems engineers and manufactures compact and portable Nitrogen Generators that can be applied across a wide variety of industries.Their patented products provide ideal solutions for very specific needs:

• N2-GEN - Compact Nitrogen Generator with N2 purities from 95% to 99.5% with N2 flow rates from 1 to 90 cubic feet per hour (SCFH).
• TireBlast - Nitrogen Tire Filling Station
• BeerBlast - Mixed Beer Gas Dispense System
• SmokeBlast - for Fire Simulator Smoke Machines
• MICBlast - Fire Protection System (FPS) MIC Corrosion Prevention

Contact South-Tek Systems today and speak with a knowledgeable and experienced customer representative to discuss your small Nitrogen Generator needs: 888-526-6284