Nitrogen is a chemical element that has multiple uses, both in elemental form in the gaseous state, in the liquid state, or in the diversity of compounds that can be synthesized from it. Its use in liquid form has its advantages which are related to the specific field where it is applied, while its disadvantages are more homogeneous and depend on the intrinsic properties of having a gaseous compound under pressure and temperature conditions so that it is in liquid form.
Regardless of their advantages and disadvantages, many technological processes will continue to use liquid nitrogen, because its performance makes it difficult to find a substitute that will compete with their abundance and price. As a result, large food and beverage industries, genomics and proteomics laboratories, and chemical and physics laboratories will continue to use liquid nitrogen routinely.
What are the disadvantages of liquid nitrogen?
To maintain the nitrogen in the liquid state, special conditions and containers are required. Handling this substance, which has a temperature below -190°C, requires all safety standards to avoid burns. Nor can the container in which it is stored be hermetically sealed, as it risks exploding due to the expansion that involves changing from liquid to gaseous state, so that it cannot be stored for a long period of time. Given these difficult ideas, the disadvantages of nitrogen can be summarized as follows:
- A special Dewar type container is needed, characterized by an insulating layer with vacuum to minimize heat transfer. This requires an economic investment in equipment
- Nitrogen can move air. So we need to work in well-ventilated spaces, to prevent people from choking. For example, in a restaurant where the chef uses liquid nitrogen to prepare special dishes, the kitchen must be sufficiently ventilated.
- Having compressed gases carries an associated risk of explosion. Therefore, a special warehouse is needed to store such substances when the container fails.
- Cryogenically compatible materials, such as metals and borosilicate and certain polymers, such as polystyrene, are needed
What are the benefits of liquid nitrogen?
Consequently, the economic cost and the risks to the safety of users and storage spaces are the main drawbacks. But liquid nitrogen has properties that make it desirable for work in various fields. The first advantage it has is its non-reactivity, although this is true only under ordinary conditions. As in the above case, each benefit is described as follows:
- ·Chemical inertia makes it desirable in applications where the presence of oxygen may be a problem. For example, in the beverage industry, such as wine and beer, nitrogen prevents the degradation of the organoleptic properties of these beverages due to the oxidizing effect of oxygen. So, it’s a good condom
- Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the atmosphere (78% by volume), so it is unlikely to be rare. For the same reason, it is cheaper than other gases
- Its boiling point of -196°C makes it ideal for freezing various biological tissues for various purposes. Its non-reactivity ensures that it will not alter stored materials
- Compared to other gases, transporting and storing nitrogen is less risky because it does not ignite. The only risk is an explosion, which can be minimized if all safety protocols are followed
- Its use for therapeutic purposes in medicine, and in particular in dermatology and cryosurgery, is due in part to its low boiling point, its non-reactivity and its low cost
Why use Kalstein’s nitrogen tanks?
The main reason is that you will use a tank that is designed and built with the best materials and according to the strictest quality standards. The Kalstein product manufacturer provides professionals from different fields with models that can be consulted on this link HERE, where you can also consult prices, quote or process a purchase.
Nitrogen tanks, are made of light and strong aluminum, come with a guaranteed vacuum for 5 years and have a high thermal efficiency. On the company’s homepage HERE, you can also locate more equipment for work in cryogenics or other areas of medical research and related fields.
