Nitrogen Purging: What it is and Why Companies Insist on it

Nitrogen Purging: What it is and Why Companies Insist on it

Nitrogen purging means to do what it sounds. Professionals or experienced individuals fill the atmosphere with nitrogen, helping to transform hazardous atmospheres into a safe place.

It can be used to create a stable mixture in the air, replacing a flammable, hazardous one.

When is this used?

This method is used in a variety of industries for various things. One common use of this method is in the gas or oil industry to clean tanks. The environment inside of machinery in these industries is extremely flammable, creating a dangerous environment. This method is used to help clean them and create a balanced, safer environment.

It is also used in the military industry to remove excessive condensation from electric operations systems and other equipment, such as the ones that are used on aircraft. These systems can include cameras, lasers and a variety of other important elements that are a necessity for capturing vital information and protecting the inhabitants of the air craft. This equipment failing is not an option.

Nitrogen purging is also used widely in the pharmaceutical industry. The pharma industry consists of moving things that may be too sensitive to oxygen to be in an oxygen rich atmosphere during transportation. Filling that atmosphere with this gas helps guarantee the safety of those products during transportation.

These are a few of many ways that this method is used. In short, it is used when the atmosphere needs to be mainly nitrogen instead of the gasses that are currently in it.

Why nitrogen purging?

Most people that are first hearing of this want to know why this gas is used for purging, and there are a couple of reasons. First, it is stable. This gas is not flammable, so it can be mixed with flammable gasses without creating a hazardous environment. Second, it does cause the same effects that oxygen does, such as oxidation or rust and corrosion. This gas is harmless

to many materials, for the most part. In addition to those reasons, the Earth’s atmosphere is primarily comprised of this gas, meaning that there is so much that it is readily available, and no one will run out anytime soon.

How is it done?

There are four primary methods of doing this type of purging, but they all consist of the same goal: using equipment to put this gas into the environment. Which method is used often depends on the environment. For example, a tank that only has one opening will require a dilution method. This means that the gas is put into the tank. Then, the professionals doing the job will wait until the gasses that were previously in the tank are mixed with enough of it that it is diluted. Some of the gas will be vented out, and then they will repeat the process until enough dilution has occurred that it is considered safe.

This is only one way of performing this operation, though. Every job is different and may require different equipment to ensure that the job is a success. An experienced professional will assess the area, the equipment, and then conclude with method is right for the job.

About Us: GTS Maintenance began with providing containers to gas companies and offering maintenance on them. Since then, this small company has grown to include services for the gas industry, the waste industry and the water industry. Then, they created their sister company, GTS Nitrogen Services. Through GTS Nitrogen Services they provide an extensive amount of nitrogen purging services to help keep things clean and safe for all the industries that they serve. In addition to nitrogen purging, GTS Nitrogen Services offers liquid nitrogen supplies, nitrogen pumping equipment for businesses that are already experienced in the field and would like to do it themselves, nitrogen tanks and various other services.