Nitrogen Generators by BERG Kompressoren
Produce nitrogen directly from compressed air – eliminating dependency on external cylinder or bulk deliveries. BERG systems are engineered for demanding industrial applications, offering robust design, reliable performance, and worldwide deployment – including use in extreme environments such as oil & gas, offshore, maritime, and pharmaceutical production. On this page you will find a clear overview of nitrogen generator categories, technical performance ranges, and selection criteria to help you define the right solution for your process.
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Not Sure Which Nitrogen Generator Fits Your Application?
Selecting the appropriate nitrogen generator depends on multiple technical and environmental factors – including required purity, capacity, operating profile, installation conditions, and industry-specific requirements. Our engineering team supports you in evaluating all relevant parameters to define a reliable and efficient nitrogen generation solution tailored to your application.
Request a QuoteWhat is an On-Site Nitrogen Generator
An on-site nitrogen generator is a system that separates nitrogen (N2) from ambient air and delivers it directly at the point of use. Instead of relying on delivered nitrogen cylinders or liquid nitrogen tanks, companies produce nitrogen continuously on their own premises using compressed air as the feed medium. Ambient air consists of approximately 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and small amounts of other gases. In conventional supply models, nitrogen is centrally separated, compressed, and transported to industrial facilities – even though the primary component of the product is already present in the surrounding atmosphere. On-site generation avoids transporting processed air over long distances and instead utilizes locally available compressed air as the raw material for nitrogen production. A nitrogen generator separates oxygen and trace gases from this air stream, supplying nitrogen with a defined purity level tailored to the process requirement. On-site nitrogen systems can be integrated into existing compressed air infrastructure or engineered as complete turnkey solutions – including compressor and air treatment components where required. Depending on configuration, systems can operate continuously or demand-driven. This approach allows industrial facilities to control availability, purity, pressure, and operating costs independently of external supply logistics.
Why Generate Nitrogen On-Site?
Switching from delivered nitrogen to on-site generation changes both operational economics and supply reliability.
Reduce Nitrogen Supply Costs
Delivered nitrogen includes not only the gas itself, but also logistics, storage infrastructure, cylinder handling, rental agreements, and price volatility linked to supplier contracts. These costs scale with consumption and can become significant in continuous industrial operations. On-site generation replaces these recurring supply expenses with operational costs primarily tied to electricity and compressed air production. While initial investment is required, operating costs become predictable and directly linked to actual nitrogen demand. For facilities with stable or high consumption, this often improves cost transparency and long-term budget planning.
Increase Supply Security
Industrial processes that rely on nitrogen for inerting, cutting, blanketing, or protective atmospheres depend on uninterrupted availability. External supply chains introduce potential risks such as delayed deliveries, storage depletion, or contractual volume constraints. An on-site nitrogen generator reduces dependency on external logistics. As long as electrical power and compressed air are available, nitrogen can be produced continuously. This increases operational autonomy and lowers exposure to supply chain disruptions.
Improve Process Stability
Consistent nitrogen purity and pressure are essential for many technical processes. Fluctuations caused by cylinder changeovers, pressure drops, or varying supply conditions can influence process outcomes. On-site systems are configured to deliver a defined purity and stable outlet pressure tailored to the application. This allows better control of process parameters and reduces variability linked to external handling or storage conditions.
Lower Environmental Impact
Cylinder storage areas, cryogenic tanks, and safety buffer zones require physical space and internal handling procedures. On-site systems can be integrated into existing compressed air infrastructure and engineered according to available installation conditions. Depending on system configuration, this can simplify plant layout and reduce the operational complexity associated with gas storage and handling.
Typical Applications of Nitrogen Generators
Nitrogen is used across many industrial sectors where oxidation must be reduced, process stability ensured, or inert atmospheres maintained. The exact purity and flow requirements vary significantly depending on the application, which makes correct system sizing essential.
Food and Beverage Packaging
In food processing, nitrogen is commonly used for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP). By reducing oxygen levels inside packaging, oxidation processes slow down, helping maintain product quality, texture, and shelf life. The required nitrogen purity depends on the specific product and packaging method. Continuous and predictable nitrogen supply is particularly important in high-throughput production lines where interruptions can directly affect output.
Laser Cutting and Metal Processing
Nitrogen is frequently used as an assist gas in laser cutting applications. It helps prevent oxidation at the cutting edge and supports clean, high-quality cutting results, particularly with stainless steel and aluminum. In this environment, stable pressure and consistent purity are critical. Demand can fluctuate depending on material thickness and production intensity, which makes proper capacity planning essential.
Pharmaceutical and Chemical Industry
In chemical and pharmaceutical production, nitrogen is often used for inerting, tank blanketing, and preventing oxidation or contamination of sensitive substances. These applications typically require defined purity levels and reliable continuous operation. In some cases, nitrogen also supports safety strategies by reducing the risk of explosive atmospheres in process environments.
Oil and Gas Applications
In oil and gas operations, nitrogen may be used for purging pipelines, pressure testing, tank blanketing, or supporting maintenance activities. Reliability and availability are often more critical than maximum purity. In remote or infrastructure-limited locations, on-site generation can reduce dependency on delivered gas logistics.
Electronics Manufacturing
Electronics production may require nitrogen atmospheres for soldering processes, wave soldering, or controlled environments in component manufacturing. Here, stable purity and controlled pressure contribute to consistent production quality and reduced oxidation effects.
Laboratory and Research
Laboratories often use nitrogen for analytical instruments, sample preparation, or controlled experimental environments. Depending on the application, purity requirements can vary widely. On-site generation provides flexibility and independence from cylinder logistics, particularly in facilities with continuous analytical demand.
Technical Data Overview
The following overview summarizes the overall performance range of the nitrogen generator portfolio. The values represent the total available product spectrum and are intended for orientation at category level. Actual performance depends on required nitrogen purity, compressed air quality, and system configuration.
| Parameter | Specification Range | |
| Nitrogen Purity (N2) | 97% – 99.999% | |
| Residual Oxygen (O2) | 3% – 10 ppm | |
| Nitrogen Capacity | 1.2 – 1,141.3 Nm³/h | |
| Compressed Air Demand | 7.7 – 2,625 Nm³/h | |
| Compressed Air Factor | 2.3 – 6.4 | |
| Product Vessel Volume | 90 – 6,000 liters | |
| Compressed Air Vessel Volume | 90 – 10,000 liters |
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Nitrogen Generator Product Selection Guide
Selecting the right nitrogen generator requires a clear understanding of your process requirements, operating conditions, and future production plans. Proper system sizing ensures reliable performance, optimized operating costs, and long-term efficiency. To determine the correct system configuration for your specific application, the following technical parameters must be defined.
Technology Selection: PSA or Membrane:
Before defining system parameters, the appropriate nitrogen generation technology should be selected. Membrane systems are typically suitable for moderate purity requirements up to approximately 99.5% and are often used for inerting or blanketing applications. PSA technology covers a wider performance range from 97% up to 99.999% nitrogen purity and is the preferred solution for applications requiring higher or precisely controlled purity levels, such as laser cutting, electronics manufacturing, or food packaging. As purity requirements increase beyond roughly 99.5–99.9%, PSA generally becomes the technically and economically preferred option.Required Nitrogen Purity
Nitrogen purity is the primary driver of system performance and operating cost. Within the PSA process, higher purity levels require longer adsorption cycles and increased purge gas consumption. This directly reduces nitrogen output and increases compressed air demand. For example, moving from 99.5% to 99.999% purity can nearly double the compressed air requirement per Nm³ of nitrogen. Selecting a purity level above actual process needs therefore leads to higher energy consumption, larger compressor sizing, and increased lifecycle cost. The selected purity should always match the technical application requirement precisely rather than exceed it unnecessarily.Required Nitrogen Flow (Nm³/h)
The required nitrogen capacity must be defined under standard conditions (Nm³/h) and should be based on real operating data. Both average consumption and peak demand must be considered to ensure stable supply. Systems sized solely for average values risk undersupply during production peaks, while excessive oversizing reduces efficiency and increases capital expenditure. Accurate consumption data and a realistic safety margin ensure reliable operation and optimized investment cost.
Operating Pressure
Nitrogen outlet pressure must align with process requirements and piping infrastructure. Higher delivery pressures increase compressor energy demand and must be considered when evaluating the upstream compressed air system. Pressure losses within the distribution network should be included in system design. Where demand fluctuates, nitrogen buffer vessels within the available portfolio range (90–6,000 liters) can stabilize pressure levels and improve operational reliability.Compressed Air Supply and Quality
PSA nitrogen generation depends entirely on compressed air availability and quality. The upstream air system must provide sufficient volume flow at stable pressure and include proper drying and multi-stage filtration to protect the adsorption system. Oil contamination or inadequate air treatment can significantly reduce adsorbent lifetime and negatively affect nitrogen purity. With proper air quality, the carbon molecular sieve can operate reliably for 15–20 years. For this reason, the nitrogen generator should always be evaluated as part of the complete compressed air system rather than as a standalone unit.Planning for Future Capacity
Production requirements often evolve over time. Modular PSA systems allow scalable configurations, enabling future capacity expansion up to the full portfolio range of 1.2 – 1141 Nm³/h. Considering long-term growth during system planning prevents premature equipment replacement and reduces total lifecycle cost while maintaining flexibility for increasing demand.Engineering Recommendation
Define purity, flow rate, and pressure based on real process data. Then evaluate compressed air capacity and energy impact before final system selection. For application-specific sizing support, our engineering team provides detailed performance calculations based on your operating parameters.
FAQ About Nitrogen Generators
The payback period depends on nitrogen consumption, current supply method (cylinders or bulk), energy costs, and operating hours. For facilities with continuous or high nitrogen demand, payback can often be achieved within a relatively short period compared to long-term cylinder supply contracts. A detailed cost comparison should include gas purchase costs, rental fees, logistics, and downtime risk.
The required compressed air volume depends on the desired nitrogen purity and flow rate. Higher purity levels require more compressed air input. The compressed air factor provided in the technical data indicates the ratio between nitrogen output and compressed air consumption and is essential for proper compressor sizing.
Routine maintenance typically includes filter replacement, inspection of valves and fittings, and monitoring of system performance parameters such as pressure and purity levels. Adsorbent material in PSA systems generally has a long service life under proper operating conditions. Maintenance requirements depend on operating hours and compressed air quality.
Modern nitrogen generators are equipped with integrated oxygen sensors that continuously measure residual oxygen levels. Purity values are displayed via the control panel and can be monitored to ensure compliance with process requirements. Remote monitoring may also be available depending on system configuration.
In most industrial environments, nitrogen generators can be integrated into existing compressed air infrastructure, provided that air capacity and quality meet technical requirements. A system evaluation should verify available air volume, pressure stability, and air treatment standards before installation.