Mikropor began its journey in 1987 with a passion for creating “tomorrow’s technology” and has become one of the leading manufacturers of atmospheric air filtration solutions, compressed air treatment systems and gas generation systems for a variety of industries. By closely following the latest developments in technology, Mikropor’s “Best in Class” products and solutions are appreciated by customers in more than 100 countries.
The company’s sustainable growth has been provided by its passion for innovation and commitment to quality, as well as its dedication to technology. Mikropor is an environmentally conscious company that values people while developing products that extend the needs and expectations of customers.
We focus on developing new products according to the customer’s needs with the latest technology. One of the recently developed products is the MDX Series Deoxo System. High-purity nitrogen production can be achieved with this patented system.
As well known, nitrogen which constitutes nearly 78% of the air that we breathe has a wide variety of usage areas, especially in the food and beverages industry. It has various applications in that sector taking advantage of inert, non-toxicity, colourless and odourless properties. Most of the foodstuff starts to degrade the moment they are ready for packaging due to the oxygen surrounding them. Deterioration of these kinds of food can happen easily due to the variation of chemical ingredients. Chemical oxidation and enzymatic oxidation are driven by oxygen and can cause fast spoilage, and taste loss and for the manufacturer, it might lead to loss of product, time, and cost. For that reason, in the food industry, the modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technique is used commonly. In that procedure, nitrogen gas is flushed through the food package and replaced with oxygen gas. The decreased oxygen amount from the food atmosphere inhibits the degradation. The taste, texture, and flavour of the food do not change with nitrogen and most importantly nitrogen gas has a GRAS status, which is called “Generally Recognised as Safe”, so it is not harmful to human health. The rate of oxidation is decreased with MAP and food quality can be maintained for a longer time. Transportation of the food will become easier with longer life in this way.
The nitrogen air quality of these applications is highly important to get effective and better results and end-of-product quality. Also using nitrogen cylinders is not a convenient choice of nitrogen source when thinking about the storage conditions and time loss in cylinder changes. At Mikropor, the Nitrogen Generators and Deoxo Units can produce unlimited and high-quality pure nitrogen cost-effectively.
Mikropor MNG-PRO Series Nitrogen Generator uses the pressure swing adsorption (PSA) method. This method has lots of advantages as compared to other methods. It supplies in the range of 95% – 99.999% high purity of nitrogen production on-site.
In the PSA method, nitrogen is separated from the air with a twin tower system. Tanks are filled with carbon molecular sieve (CMS) which has high crushing strength due to its spherical shape and presence property itself and it tends to adsorb oxygen molecules. Nitrogen separated from the air in that system according to the kinetic selectivity method. Adsorption forces between oxygen and carbon molecular sieves are higher rather than nitrogen. As compressed air is supplied through the first tank oxygen molecules are physically bonded with a carbon molecular sieve and nitrogen molecules can pass through it at high pressure. Separated nitrogen can be collected at the buffer tank at the end. Physical bonding between oxygen and carbon molecular sieve is pressure and temperature-dependent. That means when the pressure has lowered the bonding between CMS and oxygen disappears. CMS granules can hold the oxygen molecules until they get saturated. Saturated CMS granules can be prepared for reuse by lowering the pressure which is called the regeneration process. When the first tank starts to regeneration process, the second starts to generate nitrogen as pressure increases. When CMS in the second adsorption tank is saturated regeneration process is switched over and then the first tank starts for the nitrogen generation. The nitrogen generation process non-stop continues with these cycles.
The Air/Nitrogen ratio is 6.8 for 99.999% pure nitrogen produced by the PSA method. The smaller the Air/Nitrogen ratio smaller the capacity of the compressor, filter, or nitrogen generator, etc. For that reason, to lower down this ratio it is better to use nitrogen purification deoxo unit addition to the PSA system. 99.5% or 99.9% pure nitrogen which is produced by the PSA method can be increased to 99.999% with an Air/Nitrogen ratio of 2.6 by using a Deoxo Unit. In that way, investment costs and energy consumption can be reduced. The remaining oxygen reacts with supplied hydrogen gases. The amount of consumed hydrogen is coinciding 0.2% of produced nitrogen gases for that reaction and the only by-product at that reaction is water.
N2 + 2H2 +O2 ➝ 2H2 O + N2
In the MDX series, 99.999% pure nitrogen can be produced with a dew point < 3°C. The Air/Nitrogen ratio of this equipment is 2.6 which means the end user requires a smaller size compressor compared to traditional nitrogen production systems. According to that, the investment cost and energy consumption of the machine decrease remarkably. The long-term service life of deoxo catalysts and the high efficiency of nitrogen production make MDX different. Another advantage is that the Mikropor MNG-PRO Series Nitrogen Generator and MDX Series Deoxo System Units can be controlled on the same screen which makes it easier to control the two systems. In addition, Mikropor can provide 99.999% pure nitrogen production with a -40°C dew point for high-technology applications. To achieve such a low dew point, nitrogen dryer units must be added after the Deoxo System. Mikropor patented Nitrogen Dryer System can reduce dew point down to -40°C without loss of pure nitrogen supplied during the regeneration process. -40°C dew point and 99.999..% pure nitrogen produced by the PSA nitrogen generator can be given to the system without any loss of the production flow.
AUTHORS:
Tuğba MEMİLİ / R&D Manager
Berkay COŞKUN / R&D Assistant Specialist