Nitrogen generator and oxygen measurement

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On-site high-purity nitrogen (N₂) generation can provide a sustainable alternative to bottled or bulk gas supplies. For a nitrogen generator to be successful on-site it must continuously produce the gas purity required. The precise measurement of gas purity confirms the quality of gas provided to downstream processes, and acts as an indicator of possible system faults.

In a nitrogen gas stream, the measurement of oxygen (O₂) is normally used as an indication of purity. There are four key reasons for this: 1. Contaminant detection — oxygen is typically one of the most common contaminants in nitrogen gas streams; 2. Low concentration measurement — oxygen sensors and analysers are often highly sensitive and capable of detecting very low concentrations of O₂; 3. Cost and practicality — measuring O₂ concentration is more cost-effective and practical than measuring N₂ concentration directly; and 4. Measurement stability — oxygen measurement is less likely to be affected by the presence of other gases.

Oxygen analysers from Analytical Industries Inc (AII) are designed to be suitable for this task. They have a variety of measurement sensor styles and detect trace levels of gas as low as a few parts per million (ppm) using technology that is designed to be easy to calibrate and able to produce consistent results over time.