Two-stage high-purity nitrogen generation system

Atlas Copco has unveiled the Nitrogen Purifier through Hydrogen (NPH). The NPH delivers efficiency improvements in on-site nitrogen generation, enabling businesses to produce high-purity nitrogen with reductions in energy use and costs.

The NPH is designed to complement new and existing nitrogen generation systems. These systems typically consist of a compressor to supply the feed air and a nitrogen generator which removes oxygen from the air, leaving only nitrogen. One of the key advantages of on-site nitrogen generation is that users can select the exact purity to meet the specific requirements of their application. However, producing higher levels of purity requires significantly more energy.

This is where the NPH nitrogen purifier improves the process. By introducing two-stage nitrogen generation, the NPH boosts lower-purity nitrogen produced by a generator to a purity of 99.999% up to 99.9999%. It does this with hydrogen, which reacts with the residual oxygen in the nitrogen.

One of the advantages of the NPH is its ability to reduce energy consumption. To produce high-purity nitrogen directly, generators need substantial compressed air to remove the final traces of oxygen. The NPH allows the generator to produce lower-purity nitrogen. This requires 40% less feed air, enabling smaller compressor and generator setups, lowering operational costs, and contributing to CO2 emission reductions. The NPH also offers a practical solution for facilities with electrical system limitations. When added on to an existing system, the NPH can effectively double nitrogen production capacity.

The NPH is equipped with Atlas Copco’s advanced Elektronikon Touch controller, which automates hydrogen dosing and monitoring. This avoids hydrogen overuse without requiring manual intervention.

The NPH also features advanced safeguards, such as the feed nitrogen check and restore and the outlet nitrogen check and restore features. The first ensures consistent and reliable purifier operation, while the latter allows no off-spec gas to reach the application. The NPH also comes with automatic start-up and standby modes as well as overflow protection.

The NPH is available in a wide range of capacities, from 20 to 400 Nm³/h, making it suitable for industries with diverse nitrogen requirements. It is compatible with most nitrogen generators.