What You Need to Know Before Making a Purchase: Are you tired of the recurring costs and logistical hassles of purchasing bulk nitrogen or the high upfront costs of cryogenic nitrogen? Investing in an on-site nitrogen generator could completely transform your business operations. However, before delving into the details, it is essential to understand the factors that affect nitrogen generator prices. This knowledge not only helps you make informed decisions but can also save your business thousands of dollars annually.
The price of a nitrogen generator ranges from $3,000 to $160,000, depending on the purity of nitrogen, capacity, and application. Understanding these variables helps businesses make informed and cost-effective decisions.
Whether you’re looking to cut costs, enhance efficiency, or improve gas purity, understanding how nitrogen generator prices are determined is critical. Read on to explore what factors influence pricing, compare generator types, and learn whether on-site generation is right for your operations.
What is a nitrogen generator?
A nitrogen generator is a system that produces nitrogen gas from ambient air through air separation technologies. The most common technologies used include Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) and membrane separation.
Unlike traditional nitrogen supply methods—such as high-pressure cylinders or liquid nitrogen, on-site nitrogen generators provide a continuous and customizable nitrogen gas supply. This allows industries to maintain stable nitrogen purity, reduce logistics costs, and increase operational autonomy.
Hangzhou Boda Purity Equipment Co., Ltd., a PSA nitrogen generator manufacturer with over 23 years of expertise, designs nitrogen plants for various industries such as electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food processing, and oil and gas. Nitrogen gas is widely used for blanketing, purging, pressurizing, and preventing oxidation. Each use case has specific nitrogen purity and pressure requirements, making it essential to select a generator tailored to your application. BODA offers customizable solutions with a nitrogen flow range from 1–3000Nm³/h and nitrogen purity from 95% to 99.999%.
Types of nitrogen generators
1. PSA nitrogen generator
A PSA nitrogen generator operates on PSA technology for nitrogen generation. It uses carbon molecular sieves to separate nitrogen from compressed air by exploiting the different adsorption rates of oxygen and nitrogen under pressure. Oxygen is selectively adsorbed, and nitrogen is allowed to pass through. PSA nitrogen generators offer high nitrogen purity (up to 99.9995%), making them ideal for applications requiring ultra-pure gas, such as semiconductors, electronics, and pharmaceuticals.
BODA’s nitrogen PSA systems are designed with advanced features, including energy-saving control, remote monitoring, and dew point detection. The carbon molecular sieves are redundantly filled to enhance service life and minimize maintenance. These generators are modular in design, easy to maintain, and customizable based on pressure, purity, and output capacity. As a leading PSA nitrogen generator manufacturer, BODA also offers containerized and skid-mounted systems for easy transport and installation.
2. Membrane separation nitrogen generator
Membrane separation nitrogen generators utilize selective permeability of membrane fibers to separate nitrogen from oxygen and other gases. Membrane systems typically offer nitrogen purity from 95% to 99.5%, making them suitable for applications where ultra-high purity is not critical—such as tire inflation, fire prevention, and food packaging.
BODA’s membrane nitrogen plants are compact, energy-efficient, and low-maintenance. Since they have no moving parts, they are ideal for high-vibration environments. These units are also quieter and can be installed close to the point of use. Their adjustable purity settings help reduce operational costs by consuming only the energy necessary to meet the required purity level. If higher nitrogen purity is needed, PSA technology is generally recommended over membrane-based systems.
3. Liquid nitrogen generator
Liquid nitrogen generators employ cryogenic technology to produce nitrogen in liquid form. These systems are used in specialized industries such as medical, aerospace, and cryopreservation, where extremely low temperatures and liquid-phase nitrogen are required. The upfront and maintenance costs are significantly higher due to the complexity and energy intensity of cryogenic systems.
Though BODA focuses on PSA and membrane nitrogen systems, it supports customers in identifying whether liquid nitrogen generation or other technologies best suit their applications. Factors such as the density of nitrogen required, frequency of use, and available infrastructure should be evaluated before opting for a liquid nitrogen plant.
Key factors influencing nitrogen generator costs
1. Production capacity and output rate
The nitrogen generator’s output capacity, typically measured in Nm³/h, is a major cost determinant. A higher nitrogen output rate necessitates larger equipment, increased material usage, and more complex controls. For instance, a generator capable of producing 100Nm³/h will cost significantly more than one producing 10Nm³/h. BODA offers customized nitrogen plant solutions ranging from 5Nm³/h to 3000Nm³/h to suit various industrial needs. Selecting the right capacity avoids both undersized units and unnecessary expenditure on oversized systems.
2. Nitrogen purity
Nitrogen purity also affects generator pricing. Higher purity requires more molecular sieve material and longer adsorption cycles, increasing both material and energy costs. A PSA nitrogen generator with 99.999% purity can be 10–26% more expensive than one providing 95% purity. BODA provides systems with purities ranging from 95% to 99.9995%, offering flexibility based on the specific application, whether for food-grade nitrogen or ultra-high-purity electronics-grade gas. Understanding the intended uses of nitrogen element will help in determining the optimal purity level.
3. Technology and Innovation
Advanced nitrogen generators equipped with innovations such as remote control, automatic fault diagnostics, and energy-saving systems typically come with a higher price tag. However, these features reduce operational costs and downtime, improving the total cost of ownership. BODA incorporates PSA technology for nitrogen generation with features like dew point monitoring, intelligent control interfaces, and touch-screen displays, ensuring precision, ease of use, and cost efficiency.
4. Accessories and Auxiliary Components
Additional equipment can significantly affect total system costs:
- Air Compressors: Essential for raw air supply. Premium compressors range from $5,000–$20,000 based on type and capacity.
- Dryers: Remove moisture to ensure nitrogen purity. Refrigerated and desiccant dryers add $1,000–$10,000 to the cost.
- Booster: For applications like laser cutting, requiring higher nitrogen pressure. Boosters are optional but vital in select industries.
- Containerized Skid: Systems integrated into skids or containers may incur additional assembly and shipping costs, especially for international maritime transport.
Maintenance and operational costs
While initial cost is important, ongoing expenses must not be ignored. Major recurring costs include energy consumption, component wear, and filter replacements. Energy usage, driven mostly by the compressor, can vary based on system efficiency and nitrogen purity levels. BODA’s nitrogen gas plants feature energy-saving controls that help lower these expenses.
Maintenance tasks typically include:
Air compressor spare parts
- Air filter element, replacement cycle-4000h
- oil filter element, replacement cycle-4000h
- oil separator element, replacement cycle-8000h
- lubricating oil, replacement cycle-4000h
Compressed air purification system spare part:
- Multiple filter elements, replacement cycle-8000h
- Activated Carbon Granules, replacement cycle-8000h-16000h
- Dryer adsorbent(Al2O3particles), replacement cycle-24000h
Detailed Cost Breakdown
1. Low-Flow Nitrogen Generator
Priced between $6,000 and $17,000. Ideal for laboratories, packaging, and smaller operations. These systems are compact and energy-efficient, offering affordable entry into on-site nitrogen generation.
2. Medium-Flow Nitrogen Generator
Prices range from $17,000 to $90,000. These generators are suited for mid-sized industries such as beverage bottling, chemical processing, and light manufacturing. Systems can be standalone or integrated into skids.
3. High-Flow Nitrogen Generator
Costing between $90,000 and $160,000. Designed for heavy-duty use in sectors like oil refineries, steel manufacturing, and petrochemicals. These nitrogen PSA systems offer high nitrogen density, pressure, and reliability.
To estimate your needed generator size, calculate your yearly nitrogen consumption. Since the average payback time is 12–14 months, a basic review of past nitrogen delivery costs can guide your purchase. If you’re unsure, BODA’s engineers are available to assist with application-specific recommendations.
Cost-benefit analysis: Is it worth the investment?
Choosing on-site nitrogen generation over bulk supply can lead to substantial long-term savings. For example, spending $10,000 annually on bottled nitrogen results in $100,000 over 10 years. A one-time investment in a $40,000 PSA nitrogen generator could pay for itself within 4 years. After that, only electricity and minimal maintenance costs remain. BODA provides energy-efficient nitrogen PSA systems that reduce operational expenses while ensuring a stable supply and high nitrogen purity.
Cost of On-Site Nitrogen Generation Systems
The true cost includes more than just equipment. Key operational costs are:
- Electricity: Mainly from air compressors and dryers. BODA optimizes compressor selection to reduce energy draw per Nm³ of nitrogen produced.
- Labor: Minimal. Once installed, nitrogen gas plants require only periodic checks.
- Maintenance: Includes regular filter and oil changes.
These long-term savings make nitrogen generators a smart investment, particularly for high-usage industries.
FAQs
1. How much nitrogen can a nitrogen generator produce?
The nitrogen output depends on the specific model. BODA offers nitrogen PSA systems with flow rates ranging from 5Nm³/h to 3000Nm³/h. For accurate recommendations, understanding your application is essential.
2. What is the service life of a nitrogen generator?
Typically 8–10 years with proper maintenance. BODA’s robust designs, combined with spare part availability and professional service plans, help extend generator longevity.
3. How reliable is the nitrogen generator?
BODA nitrogen generators are designed for continuous operation with minimal downtime. High-quality components, advanced PSA technology, and precision control systems ensure high reliability even under demanding conditions.
Contact us online today for more information on our compressed air dryer solutions or to request a quote.
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