Comparison between PSA industrial nitrogen generator and deep cooling nitrogen generator
The PSA nitrogen generator uses carbon molecular sieves to adsorb oxygen, with simple operation and quick response, making it suitable for industries such as food and medicine; the deep cooling nitrogen generator achieves ultra-high purity (99.999%) through low-temperature distillation, and is suitable for large-scale industries such as semiconductors and steel. The choice depends on the purity requirements and production scale.
Nitrogen gas, as an inert gas, has extensive applications in industrial production, from chemical synthesis, metallurgical processing to food preservation, electronic manufacturing, and other fields. A thorough understanding of the differences in principles, purity, operation control, and industry scenarios between PSA industrial nitrogen generators and deep cooling nitrogen generators is necessary.
I. Comparison of PSA industrial nitrogen generator and deep cooling nitrogen generator principles
● The PSA industrial nitrogen generator is based on the selective adsorption characteristics of the adsorbent. Its core is the carbon molecular sieve, which has a microporous structure that allows oxygen molecules to enter and be adsorbed while nitrogen molecules, due to their slightly larger size, are difficult to pass through, thus achieving oxygen-nitrogen separation under pressure; when the adsorbent reaches saturation, it is decompressed or evacuated to allow oxygen to desorb and complete the regeneration cycle.
● The deep cooling nitrogen generator uses low-temperature distillation separation. It utilizes the boiling point differences of nitrogen (at -196°C) and oxygen (at -183°C) in the air, liquefying the air and then through the gas-liquid exchange in the distillation tower, allowing the low-boiling-point nitrogen to separate from the top of the tower and the high-boiling-point oxygen to remain at the bottom, achieving efficient separation.
II. Comparison of purity
The nitrogen production purity of the PSA nitrogen generator ranges from 97% to 99.999%, and for higher purity, additional purification devices are required; while the deep cooling nitrogen generator not only produces nitrogen and liquid nitrogen but also needs to meet the process requirements of liquid nitrogen, with a purity that can be stable at over 99.999%.
III. Comparison of operation control
● The PSA nitrogen generator has a relatively simple and fast process. It uses a PLC control system as the core, automatically controlling the switching of adsorption towers, valve opening and closing, etc., with a fast response speed, capable of quickly adapting to load fluctuations, requiring less manual intervention, and being easy to operate.
● The deep cooling nitrogen generator has a more complex control system, requiring coordination of air compressors, purification equipment, refrigeration systems, and distillation towers, with high precision requirements for temperature and pressure parameters. The start-up and shutdown need to strictly follow the heating and cooling procedures to avoid equipment damage. The overall control is more dependent on a stable automation system, and the adjustment response is relatively slow, making it more suitable for long-term continuous stable operation conditions.
Deep cooling nitrogen generator
IV. Specific industry scenarios
● PSA industrial nitrogen generator: Widely used in the food and medicine industries, such as food nitrogen preservation and oxygen replacement in drug packaging. In the metal processing industry, it can be used for stainless steel annealing and laser cutting auxiliary gas. Additionally, small and medium-sized chemical scenarios such as oil tank nitrogen sealing and pipeline purging also often use this equipment.
● Deep cooling nitrogen generator: Mainly used in large-scale steel smelting processes, providing protective gas and purging gas for it. In the coal chemical industry, coal gasification and coal liquefaction processes require a large amount of high-purity nitrogen, and the deep cooling nitrogen generator is also the main selection equipment. In electronic and new energy scenarios with strict requirements for nitrogen purity such as semiconductor manufacturing and lithium battery manufacturing, the deep cooling nitrogen generator is also a mainstream nitrogen generation equipment.
Overall, PSA industrial nitrogen generators and deep cooling nitrogen generators have no absolute superiority or inferiority. The key lies in whether they meet the actual production needs. It is recommended to communicate with the manufacturer. For example, Zhejiang Sheng’er Gas Equipment is a professional nitrogen generator manufacturer. When choosing, consider the nitrogen gas requirements of the nitrogen generator, equipment investment, etc., and select the most suitable nitrogen generation equipment.
