Why Are Scientific Instrument Manufacturers Increasingly Investing in Nitrogen Generators?

Highlights

• Introduction
• Advantages of on-site nitrogen generation over traditional methods
• The increasing application of nitrogen generators in consumer electronics sector

Nitrogen is one of the most unique gases due to its non-reactive, non-corrosive, and non-oxidizing nature. It is one of the most widely used gases in the food and beverages industry and the pharmaceuticals sector as it can prevent the deterioration of perishable packaged goods. To address the needs of these industries, several new technologies have emerged to ensure a steady supply of nitrogen to these industries so as to streamline their manufacturing processes. Nitrogen generators which produce nitrogen gas from surrounding air by separating nitrogen molecules from other gases like oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, etc., are one such technology that is regularly used in oil & gas, food packaging, and medical industries.

Use cases of on-site nitrogen generation in the pharmaceutical and food packaging sector

Traditionally, pharmaceutical and food packaging industries have always sourced nitrogen gas through mobile tankers and cylinders. The methodology has proven to be costly and unviable as there are a lot of logistical and safety challenges associated with it. Hence, a new trend has emerged in the nitrogen generators industry wherein there is a growing preference for on-site nitrogen generation.

Pharmaceutical industries are increasingly demanding on-site nitrogen generation systems as they offer higher operational efficiency. Furthermore, these systems allow the users to customize the purity levels of nitrogen that are generated depending upon the applications for which it is going to be used. Another important reason behind the growing use of on-site nitrogen generators is that they can be easily scaled, thus helping the industry meet the fluctuating nitrogen demands without any hurdles. These nitrogen generators are also much more energy efficient as compared to other generators which makes an environmentally sustainable solution.

To address these demands of on-site nitrogen generation, many companies like PEAK Scientific Instruments, in July 2023, launched a dedicated nitrogen gas generation solution viz., Corona 1010A. The company released a statement after the launch saying that the product was launched keeping in mind the continuous demand for nitrogen gas from different end-use industries. The system helps industries reduce their dependence on nitrogen gas cylinders as Corona 1010A is capable of providing an uninterrupted supply of nitrogen, that too at extremely low costs.

In recent times, on-site nitrogen generator manufacturers have started integrating emerging technologies to improve their operability and efficiency. For instance, the use of the Internet of Things technology for remote monitoring of nitrogen generation is an important trend witnessed in the industry. Furthermore, new-age nitrogen generators have advanced sensors installed in them that continuously monitor the gas levels and automatically shut down when a certain predetermined level is reached.

Role of nitrogen generators in the consumer electronics sector

Apart from the pharmaceutical and food packaging industries, the applicability of nitrogen generators has increased massively in the consumer electronics manufacturing sector also. For example, a continuous flow of nitrogen is necessary for different processes like wave soldering and reflow soldering. This is because nitrogen helps in improving the integrity of soldering joints, thereby ultimately increasing the quality of electronic circuitry. Also, nitrogen aids in minimizing oxidation during soldering which is why nitrogen generators are widely used during the surface mount technology (SMT) processes.

Along with this, maintaining the purity of electronic components is of utmost importance during semiconductor manufacturing. Nitrogen, by creating an inert atmosphere, helps in maintaining the quality of different components and thus improves the reliability of the electronic devices developed using these components. Even in the calibration and testing of electrical appliances, nitrogen generators play a major role as a stable nitrogen environment improves the overall accuracy of the calibration processes. Finally, nitrogen also blocks the moisture from the environment, thereby reducing the chances of degradation of electronic components during their manufacturing.

To sum it up, nitrogen generators have witnessed massive transformation as the demand for on-site generation systems has increased in the past few years. Furthermore, the rising integration of emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things is expected to open new avenues of growth in the nitrogen generators industry. Finally, the growing applicability of these systems in the consumer electronics manufacturing sector is predicted to augment the growth rate of the market.

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