There are a huge range of liquid nitrogen applications. Dr Kerry Elgie has detailed a few of the most common applications for us below:
General Laboratory Use
Liquid nitrogen generators have their uses in a whole genre of laboratories. From Chemistry, through to Physics, Biochemistry and Clinical Medicinal labs, the availability of LN2 is exceptionally important. Whether you’re located in the middle of a city, or out in a rural location, having your own liquid nitrogen generators makes supply uncertainty a thing of the past. Couple this with the internal logistics of your facilities layout and the ease of moving dewars around the department, the ability to generate LN2 where needed is a massive plus.
LN2 for Cryopreservation of Biological Materials
Our liquid nitrogen generators are suitable for a whole plethora of scientists ranging from academic institutes to hospital research labs, artificial insemination programs to biotechnology centres.
LN2 for IVF labs
Within the IVF clinics there are tissue banks embryologists and andrologists freeze and store oocytes (eggs), sperm and embryos for potential parents. All tissue in the bank is stored frozen in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -196 oC in vacuum lined tanks that are computer controlled and monitored 24 hours a day with a state of the art alarm system. This kind of liquid nitrogen application has been enabling people to become parents since 1978, and thanks to technological advancements, is now successful in nearly 50% of all cases.
LN2 for Farming
Branding is a convenient method of permanently identifying cattle. Freeze branding uses liquid nitrogen and a cold branding iron is applied to the back of the cow resulting in frozen hair follicles. Freeze branding kills the pigment producing cells in the hair follicle which results in hair growing back white or no hair regrowth.
In bovine artificial insemination centres, where liquid nitrogen facilities are available, mini straws with semen are stored in cryogenic containers.
A reliable supply of liquid nitrogen is of vital importance for semen storage. Years of work and investment could be totally wasted should the content of a cryogenic vessel perish due to a lack of sufficient liquid nitrogen. Hence, it is important to consider and organize liquid nitrogen availability in an utmost reliable way.
LN2 for Analytical Equipment:
Many types of modern analytical laboratory equipment are completely dependent on a supply of LN2 for their continued operation. (NMR, XRD, Gamma Ray detectors.) Due to this, the availability and filling issues associated with liquid nitrogen storage tanks on such equipment can become critical.
- Superconducting magnets in NMR spectrometers require liquid nitrogen for their continued operation. As it is difficult to make a perfect dewar to hold LN2 for prolonged periods of time and challenging pipework infrastructure makes life difficult, this system can generate LN2 exactly where it is required. Paying for itself in as little as two years.
It is also possible for our LN generator to supply both N2 gas and LN2 with the ability to supply multiple devices. With capacities from 6 litres to 480 litres /day, this system can easily provide enough LN2 to operate a 900 MHz NMR and still provide temperature regulated N2 gas for a variable temperature (VT) probe. - LN2 for X-ray Diffraction / Crystallography (XRD)
X-Ray crystallographers use the cryo-cooling of crystals to enhance their data capacity and quality which requires both a cryogenic N2 stream which allows the crystals to cool during exposure to X-Rays and also a supply of LN2 to quickly cool and store crystals. This is often accomplished utilizing dewars of LN2 which frequently need replenishing.
LN2 for Food industry:
- Injection Applications
Pressurization of cans and full container and head space inerting - Common uses of LN2 Inerting
The combination of inertness and its intensely cold initial state makes LN2 an ideal coolant for certain applications in food freezing. - LN2 for Ice Cream Making
My personal favourite of our examples of liquid nitrogen applications! The secret to the creamy ice cream is all in the rapid freezing of the mixture. The liquid nitrogen causes the fat and the water particles to stay very small, giving the ice cream its creamy consistency. The goal is to avoid ice crystals – similar to what you get when you make ice milk. According to food science experts, rapid freezing preserves the nutrients in food.
LN2 for the Semiconductor Industry
Cryogenic gases are used extensively throughout the semiconductor manufacturing and testing processes. Liquid Nitrogen is widely used to remove heat from the manufacturing process. Nitrogen gas, often stored as a liquid at cryogenic temperatures, is also employed to purge unwanted gases and to create inert environments in critical process areas.
LN2 for the CryoSauna Industry and Sports Therapy
Whole body cryotherapy treatment helps to improve skin tone, leading to reduced signs of aging. It also helps manages pain, reduces inflammation, aids in feelings of depression and improves athletic performance. The treatment involves exposing individuals to extremely cold dry air (below -100 °C) for two to four minutes using liquid nitrogen.
How much simpler would generating your own supply of liquid nitrogen make life at your lab?
If you’d like more information on the range of liquid nitrogen generators we can offer, or lab gas generators, please contact us at [email protected] or use the LIVE CHAT box at the bottom right of your screen to talk with us today.
You may be interested in our blog that explains how this technology works: https://www.asynt.com/blog/how-does-a-liquid-nitrogen-generator-work/
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140213/
