Adsorption Nitrogen Generator Airpol NGS-A1700

Problems You May Have Already Faced

• Supplier dependency — nitrogen deliveries in cylinders or liquid form are disrupted, prices rise, and production stalls waiting for the next batch.
• High ongoing costs — the cost of gas from cylinders per 1 m³ of nitrogen is several times higher than the cost of gas produced by an in-house generator.
• Logistics and storage — managing a cylinder store, permits, replacements, transport, and liability for pressurised storage.
• Inconsistent purity — as a cylinder empties, pressure drops and gas purity falls, which is critical for precision processes.
• Insufficient volume — the NGS-A1700’s output (up to 563 Nm³/h) is simply unachievable with cylinder supply without a huge store and constant rotation.

The NGS-A1700 solves all of these at once: a stable flow of nitrogen at the required purity, 24 hours a day, with no dependence on external suppliers.

Operating Principle: PSA on Carbon Molecular Sieve

The NGS-A1700 operates on the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) principle using a carbon molecular sieve. The principle is based on the difference in molecular size: oxygen molecules are smaller than nitrogen molecules, and it is oxygen that is adsorbed by the sieve as compressed air passes through the adsorption column.

The operating cycle:

1. Compressed air (pre-dried and pre-filtered) is fed into the first column containing the carbon sieve.
2. Oxygen molecules are adsorbed in the sieve’s pores, while the larger nitrogen molecules pass through freely — producing pure nitrogen at the outlet.
3. When the sieve becomes saturated with oxygen, the valves switch automatically — the air flow is directed to the second column.
4. The first column regenerates: pressure drops to atmospheric, the adsorbed oxygen desorbs and is discharged to atmosphere. The column is additionally purged with pure nitrogen to restore its adsorption capacity.
5. The cycle is continuous — the two columns operate alternately, providing a constant nitrogen flow.

💡 Result: from air (78% N₂ + 21% O₂ + ~1% Ar), the NGS-A1700 produces nitrogen at purities from 97% to 99.999% — depending on the setting and process requirements.

NGS-A1700 Technical Specifications

NGS-A1700 Output by Required Purity

Important: the higher the required nitrogen purity, the more compressed air is consumed per unit volume of nitrogen produced (the air-to-nitrogen ratio rises from 2.1 to 6.7). When designing the system, the compressor must be sized for the actual required purity, not for the maximum table value.

Recommended NGS-A1700 Nitrogen Station Layout

For stable generator operation, Airpol recommends the following air preparation system:

1. Screw compressor — compressed air source
2. Cyclone separator — removal of large moisture and oil droplets
3. Compressed air receiver — buffer vessel
4. Pre-filter — particle removal
5. Fine filter — final oil removal
6. Very fine filter — protection of the adsorbent from oil mist
7. Dust filter — protection from dust
8. Refrigerant dryer — reduction of dew point to +3 °C
9. Carbon column — the NGS-A1700 generator itself
10. Nitrogen receiver — finished gas buffer
11. Oil-water separator — removal of residual condensate
12. Safety valve — system protection
13. Condensate drain valve

⚠️ Air quality requirement: to ensure maximum efficiency, operational safety, and extended carbon sieve life, the feed air pressure dew point must be maintained at +3 °C or below. Failure to meet this requirement leads to premature moisture saturation of the sieve and loss of output capacity.

NGS-A1700 Applications

High output capacity (up to 563 Nm³/h) makes the NGS-A1700 the solution for large industrial nitrogen consumers:

Metalworking and Heat Treatment Inert atmosphere in heat treatment, annealing, sintering, and brazing furnaces. Nitrogen displaces oxygen and prevents metal oxidation at high temperatures. Typical required purity: 99–99.9%.

Laser Cutting of Metal Nitrogen is used as the cutting gas when laser-cutting stainless steel, aluminium, and other non-ferrous metals — without forming an oxide film on the cut edge. Typical purity: 99.5–99.99%.

Chemical and Petrochemical Industry Inerting reactors, tanks, and pipelines before maintenance or when storing hazardous substances. System purging. Purity: 97–99.9% depending on the process standard.

Electronics and Semiconductors Soldering in an inert atmosphere, storage of sensitive components, chamber purging. High purity required: 99.99–99.999%.

Food Industry Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) to extend the shelf life of meat, fish, and fresh vegetables. Inerting vessels containing oils and wine. Purity: 99–99.9%.

Oil and Gas Pipeline purging, tank inerting during maintenance. Purity: 97–99%.

Pharmaceuticals Inert atmosphere for manufacturing and packaging of pharmaceuticals sensitive to oxidation. Purity: 99.5–99.999%.

5 Reasons to Choose Your Own Generator Over Cylinder Supply

1. Complete independence from suppliers The NGS-A1700 produces nitrogen from atmospheric air. No orders, no waiting for delivery, no capital tied up in cylinder stocks.

2. Nitrogen cost reduced by a factor of 3–10 At sufficient consumption levels, the generator pays for itself within 1–3 years. After that — pure savings. The cost of producing nitrogen with an in-house generator is essentially just the compressor’s electricity cost.

3. Stable purity 24/7 Gas of consistent quality — continuously and regardless of what remains in a cylinder. Purity adjustment is achieved by simply reconfiguring the controller, with no equipment replacement.

4. Wide capacity and purity range From 63 to 563 Nm³/h from a single unit — depending on required purity. The system is scalable: a second generator can be added as demand grows.

5. Compliance with ISO and industry standards Airpol is a Polish manufacturer certified to ISO 9001; equipment complies with the PED 2014/68/EU directive. Full documentation package included.

Expert Opinion

“The NGS-A1700 is already a serious industrial unit for medium and large-scale production. Three things I always pay attention to when designing this type of system: first — selecting the right compressor based on the actual air consumption at the required purity, not the maximum table value; second — a refrigerant dryer is non-negotiable, the +3 °C dew point is not a recommendation but a condition for the long-term performance of the carbon sieve; third — the nitrogen buffer receiver must match the table specification, otherwise the regeneration cycles will lose synchronisation and purity will drop. With correct design, the NGS-A1700 runs for years without major intervention.”

Vitaly Boluchevsky, Chief Engineer at Acvatron SRL, 15 years in the industry

FAQ

❓ What compressor is needed for the NGS-A1700 at 99% purity? At 99% purity, air consumption is 1,029.4 Nm³/h (or 1,122.8 m³/h at working pressure). You will need a screw compressor with an output of at least 1,050–1,100 Nm³/h at 7–10 bar. Acvatron SRL will select the compressor and the complete air preparation system to your requirements.

❓ Can nitrogen purity be changed after the generator is installed? Yes. Nitrogen purity is controlled by the generator’s controller — by adjusting the flow rate through the adsorption columns. Switching from 99% to 99.9% or back requires no equipment changes. Output capacity will change in accordance with the performance table.

❓ How long does the carbon molecular sieve last? With feed air quality requirements met (dew point ≤ +3 °C, oil content < 0.01 mg/m³), carbon sieve service life is 10 years or more. Moisture and oil in the air are the sieve’s primary enemies — which is exactly why the refrigerant dryer and filters are mandatory system components.

❓ What are the room requirements for installing the NGS-A1700? Room temperature must be within +5…+40 °C. Ventilation is required to remove heat from the compressor and vent oxygen. The floor must be able to bear the equipment load. Acvatron SRL designs compressor and nitrogen stations on a turnkey basis.

❓ Is a containerised version available? Yes. Airpol offers a container enclosure option for outdoor installation or where indoor space is not available. The containerised version includes all necessary infrastructure. Please enquire with an Acvatron SRL manager.

Why Acvatron SRL

Genuine Airpol equipment with full certification Acvatron SRL is an authorised supplier of Airpol (Poland) equipment in the Moldovan market. Full documentation package: ISO 9001, PED 2014/68/EU, product passport, declaration of conformity.

Engineering system design tailored to your requirements We don’t just sell a generator — we design the complete system: compressor → dryer → filters → NGS-A1700 generator → buffer → point of use. Matched to your purity requirements, your consumption, and your facility.

Installation, commissioning, and service Acvatron SRL carries out equipment installation and commissioning, as well as planned maintenance — filter element replacement, controller diagnostics, adsorbent condition monitoring.

Documents for legal entities VAT invoice, supply contract, full accompanying documentation.