5 Safety Tips for Nitrogen Generator Installation
Nitrogen is an inert, chemically stable gas that’s used for a myriad of industrial applications including laser cutting, food and beverage preservation, and electronics manufacturing to name a few.
Onsite nitrogen generator installations can save industrial operations thousands of dollars annually, in addition to helping them lower their carbon footprint.
With that said, proper installation of onsite nitrogen generators is imperative in order to mitigate the risk of injuries to personnel. It’s important to adhere to the following nitrogen generator safety measures during installation and regular use.
Check for Leaks
One of the biggest concerns involving the use of onsite nitrogen generators is the potential for too much oxygen depletion or enrichment in the jobsite location. A stable ratio of oxygen and nitrogen in the atmosphere is required. Leaks in the system can occur and alter that ratio by introducing too much nitrogen into the atmosphere if the pipework or nitrogen buffer tank vessel is damaged or leaking.
To prevent this from happening, it’s important to ensure that the pressure vessels and pipes are properly installed and have an airtight connection during the nitrogen generator installation process. It is imperative to leak test the nitrogen generating system prior to putting it into operation.
Provide Proper Ventilation
Nitrogen generators consist of filtration materials that are used to separate oxygen and nitrogen from ambient air. Enhanced concentrations of oxygen are in the nitrogen generator waste gas stream.
For that reason PSA and membrane nitrogen generators need to be located in an area with proper ventilation in order to immediately disperse this waste gas and to prevent it from coming in contact and interacting with other gases and/or chemical compounds.
To reduce the risk of harmful interactions, nitrogen generators should be installed as close to an exterior wall as possible, so that the waste gas can be dispersed out doors or in a wide-open, ventilated space.
Use Safety Relief Valves
Under all circumstances safety pressure relief valves must be installed on all pressure vessels.
Install a Pressure Vessel Ventilation System
In the event of a safety relief valve activating due to an over pressurization event sufficient ventilation is required in the vicinity of all nitrogen generator installations to ensure there is no build up of excessive nitrogen levels in the area. A professional nitrogen generator technician will install vent stacks on safety relief valves where required which will ensure that if a safety relief does activate the resultant nitrogen gas stream will be vented to a safe area.
Read Warning and Information Labels
Although nitrogen is an inert gas that doesn’t have any adverse reactions with other chemical compounds, warning labels to alert workers of its presence should be prominently displayed on all equipment, vessels, and areas where it’s used. That way, workers can take special precautions to maintain proper atmospheric nitrogen levels.
