Nitrogen generator

Nitrogen is one of the most abundant gases in nature and also one of the most used in industry, because it is the cheapest inert gas and with higher availability. In the food sector, it is commonly used to improve the preservation of fresh food by preventing its oxidation, as well as to pressurize deposits of soft drinks such as beer. In the chemical industry it is widely used to prevent the oxidation of reagents, avoid explosive atmospheres or for the operation of analytical equipment. It is also a frequent gas in the metal industry, being widely used in foundry processes and in some types of welding. Other common applications are tire filling, plastic injection or extinguishing systems of fires. It is also a gas widely used in additive manufacturing using SLS and DMLS technology to prevent the oxidation of some materials at high temperatures during manufacturing.

The simplest way to access nitrogen is through pressurized cylinders, however it is a inconvenient and expensive solution. The use of tanks is a solution used by users who have a high nitrogen consumption, but requires adequate facilities and obtaining permits and licenses.

A solution to these problems is the use of nitrogen generators, equipment capable of separating oxygen from the air, pressurizing it and supplying it with a high degree of purity.

Simtar Makina is a manufacturer of nitrogen generation equipment that stands out for the excellent value for money of its products. It has three series of nitrogen generators based on the latest pressure swing adsorption (PSA) technology capable of supplying nitrogen with a purity of up to 99.999%.

Image 1: Diagram of operation of a nitrogen generator with pressure swing adsorption technology. Source: Simtar Makina.

SNL Series

The SNL series is made up of the SNL-250 and SNL-350 models. These are compact nitrogen compressors dedicated to applications that require low supply flows.

The SNL-250 and SNL-350 models include an oil-free compressor, which avoids the risk of contamination in the molecular carbon filters (CMS) and prolongs their useful life for at least 10 years .

It is an equipment designed for a long life cycle with easy maintenance. By not having an air tank, the risk of corrosion is avoided and the automatic start/stop system of the compressor prolongs its useful life over other similar equipment. Its maintenance is limited to an annual filter change, and it is not necessary to replace the CMS adsorbent.

The SNL-350 nitrogen generator is compatible with Sinterit's compact SLS 3D printers Lisa Pro and Lisa X, considerably reducing the cost of printing PA11-based materials such as PA11 ESD and PA11-CF, compared to the use of pressurized nitrogen in a bottle or tank.

Image 2: Sinterit Lisa X printer and accessories. Source: Sinterit.

SNP series

The SNP series series, made up of the SNP-100, SNP-200, SNP-300, SNP-400 and SNP-500 models, unlike the SNL series, uses compressed air to favor the compaction of the CMS, providing a filter size of only 0.01 um and prolonging its useful life.

They are, like the SNL series, compact units developed to provide reliable long-term use and low maintenance.

The SNP series generators incorporate a single one-way valve with a long useful life (minimum 10 million cycles), as well as ducts made of aluminum to prevent corrosion .

It is also inexpensive, silent equipment (<45 db(A) at 1m) and with an power consumption of only 100 W.

These nitrogen generators are compatible with multiple metal additive manufacturing equipment such as the Dentas Arrow series (SNP-100), the Concept Laser from General Electrics (SNP-200), the HSD SLM systems (SNP-300) or the VM series from Vulcantech (SNP-400).

SNE Series

The SNE series, made up of the SNE-10 model, is reserved for the most demanding applications.

The use of two adsorption columns composed of CMS of the highest quality compacted by compressed air, make the SNE-10 capable of providing up to 1100 L/h with a purity 99.999%.

The SNE-10 nitrogen generator is capable of operating at maximum performance uninterruptedly thanks to the use of highest quality components.

The SNE-10 nitrogen generator is compatible with multiple industrial SLS and DMLS equipment from the main manufacturers such as EOS, Trumpf or Sisma.

Table 1: Maximum flow rates according to purity. Source: Simtar Makina.