There are several factors, such space and power, that you will need to consider when thinking about investing in a Nitrogen generator to ensure that that an upgrade to your gas supply is as stress and issue free as possible.
The decision to switch from a bulk gas supply to an on-site nitrogen generator system is generally an easy one. Upgrading will eliminate regular admin, order processing and hazardous deliveries of bulk gas supplies to your facility. All these waste time, money & put your personnel at risk. Furthermore, upgrading to an on-site nitrogen generator will ensure that your site now has a guaranteed gas supply. One which will never be interrupted by late deliveries and will always be available to deliver on-demand. Finally, over the medium to long term you will make significant savings as you will never need to pay for gas deliveries – notably reducing your costs and increasing efficiency and sustainability.
At Apex Gas Generators, we believe that an easy decision should be accompanied with an easy implementation process. That’s why we have put together a short list, so you know exactly what is required to upgrade your nitrogen supply to an on-site nitrogen generator system. Additionally, by selecting Apex Gas Generators as your nitrogen generator supplier, the process will be even simpler, and we will assist you at every stage.
Below is a basic list of requirements for uptake:
Capital
No matter which nitrogen gas supplier you choose, you will need to invest capital in the purchase & installation of an on-site nitrogen generation system. How much you will need to invest depends on the size of your operation, processing application requirements and any existing compressed air infrastructure – typically this means the investment cost of your system could range anywhere between £15K and £120K+. However, the good news is that with an Apex nitrogen generator, our customers typically see a return on investment within 12 months, meaning that before long all the money you were spending on buying in gas supplies, starts adding to your business’ bottom-line.
Space To install a nitrogen gas generator system, you will need to allocate space within your facility – most likely in or around your plant rooms. How much space depends on the size of the system you require, as the footprint can vary based on the size of the infrastructure investment required. Determining the footprint of the system required for your facility and subsequently the space required to be allocated is easy with Apex, as when setting out your requirements, our technical specialists will help to assess what setup will best fit in with your needs and limitations. Environmental Control Systems
Most compressed air, filtration and nitrogen gas generation systems have specific environmental parameter recommendations for operation that must be adhered to. For example, ensuring ambient temperatures within the installation or plant room do not exceed 50°C and providing adequate ventilation & ducting for air compressors. Thankfully, the vast majority of facilities already have adequate heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in place – therefore, confirming suitability is largely a box ticking exercise. However, where there is uncertainty, our technical specialists will be on hand to advise and guide you on the system’s operational environment requirements.
Network Piping
It’s likely that your facility already has a full and expansive network of compressed air plumbing in place – most likely this will be for purpose of providing compressed air to operate pneumatic machinery; but also to transport the previously supplied gas throughout your facility to various points of use. Therefore, with this existing pipework in place, the investment on additional plumbing to connect up your new N2 generator should be minimal. However, it will be important to ensure that your existing piping network has been properly maintained, is leak proof and gets inspected on a regular basis. Thankfully your Facility Manager will most likely already have a periodic maintenance schedule in place, where this is conducted frequently enough to ensure all other machinery within the facility is capable of operation.
Electricity
As with all plant machinery, your nitrogen generator system will need electricity to operate – so the main consideration here is whether there is an adequate supply of electricity, firstly, for any additional compressor that needs to be installed; and secondly, for all the various items of air filtration and of course the nitrogen generator. It should be noted that an air compressor typically requires a three-phase power supply, whereas air filtration and nitrogen gas generation systems require single-phase sockets – all ideally within approximately 1.5m of the planned installation location. As most manufacturing and processing facilities already have in-house air compressors and other electrical equipment, getting access to the required power supplies is often as simple as utilising what is already on-site or slightly modifying the existing connections to accommodate.
Optional - Existing Compressed Air & Treatment
Often a facility will have an existing & surplus compressed air supply, as well as many of the necessary air treatment systems – all of which can be utilised to feed your new N2 generator installation. If so then great! However, where this is not the case, this is not a problem either as Apex Gas Generators can supply all the required equipment alongside our nitrogen generator or integrated within it!
Confidence to make the change
Changing from your existing traditional methods of gas supply over to a N2 generator may seem intimidating, especially when you know that your existing approach currently works for you and that it is critical to the day-to-day operation of your business. However, the benefits are very real and very much achievable, all within a relatively short time, therefore these should not be overlooked. In a world where the drives for leaner manufacturing, processing efficiency, cost reduction, sustainability & low carbon footprints are increasingly at the forefront of every discussion, industry agenda & best practice, it makes more than just economic sense to make the decision to switch away from expensive & wasteful methods of bulk gas supply.
At Apex Gas Generators we strive to make the process of switching from your nitrogen gas supplier as simple as possible, keeping you fully informed and aware of what is needed throughout every stage. Thus, ensuring you can invest in an Apex nitrogen generator with confidence and go on to enjoy the many benefits of having your own in-house gas generation system.