Nitrogen FAQs

What is the substance identification of nitrogen?

Chemical formula: N₂
Synonyms: Liquid Nitrogen, LIN, Nitrogen gas, Gaseous Nitrogen, GAN
REACH Registration Number: Listed in Annex IV / V REACH, exempted from registration
Gases under pressure - Compressed gas. H280: Contains gas under pressure; may explode if heated.

What is the ADR classification of nitrogen?

UN/ID No.: UN 1066
Proper shipping name: NITROGEN, COMPRESSED Class or Division : 2
Tunnel Code: (E) Label(s) : 2.2
ADR/RID Hazard ID no.: 20
Marine Pollutant: No

What PPE should I wear when handling liquid nitrogen?

Personnel must be thoroughly familiar with properties and safety considerations before handling liquid nitrogen and/or its associated equipment. Eyes are most sensitive to the extreme cold of liquid nitrogen and its vapours.

The recommended personal protective equipment is:

full faceshield over safety goggles
loose-fitting thermal insulated or leather gloves
long-sleeved shirts and trousers without cuffs, especially whenever the possibility of exposure or a spill exists.

In addition, safety shoes are recommended for those involved with the handling of liquid nitrogen containers. In emergency situations, self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) must be used.

Why is nitrogen used in the glass industry?

Nitrogen can be used in glass manufacturing for atmosphere control and flat glass lamination. In the glass forming process, it can prevent detrimental reactions and help protect equipment where glass is formed.

Find out more about nitrogen applications in the glass industry

Why is nitrogen used in metal production?

Nitrogen is routinely used in iron and steel as well as non-ferrous metals production operations. Its uses and benefits vary across foundries, integrated mills, mini mills, specialty/stainless, and non-ferrous metals production operations. Maintenance of proper flow and pressure are critical to reduce costs and help provide consistent results.

Find out more about nitrogen applications in metals production.

Why is nitrogen used for Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) in the food industry?

Nitrogen is an inert gas and is used to exclude air and, in particular, oxygen. It is also used as a balance gas (filler gas) to make up the difference in a gas mixture, to prevent the collapse of packs containing high-moisture and fat-containing foods, caused by the tendency of these foods to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. For Modified Atmosphere Packaging of dried snack products 100% nitrogen is used to prevent oxidative rancidity.

Find out more about our MAP offering.

Why is nitrogen used for freezing food?

Thanks to its extremely cold temperature, liquid nitrogen can enable a cryogenic system (for example a food tunnel) to freeze food within minutes, instead of the hours traditionally required with other mechanical systems. The faster freezing causes the formation of small ice crystals, which then help ensure product moisture and quality are maintained longer.

Find out more about our food freezing offerings.

Why is nitrogen used for grinding?

Ultra-cold, inert nitrogen can be used to cool and control the temperature of the product or mill so you can grind more efficiently in an inert atmosphere. It can help you increase production rates, improve product quality, achieve finer particle size and more uniform particle distribution. Using nitrogen can also facilitate difficult material separation and prevent explosions.

Find out more about our cryogenic grinding offerings.

Why is liquid nitrogen used in cryopreservation?

Liquid nitrogen provides consistent freezing below the glass transition point of -132°C. The low temperature maintains long-term viability of the cell structure and provides reliable long-term storage, since the systems are not susceptible to electrical outages.

Find out more about our cryopreservation offer.

How is liquid nitrogen used for solvent or VOC recovery?

Liquid nitrogen is used to condense and freeze VOC vapours which then form frozen particles which are removed providing a clean process gas stream that should conform to environmental legislation and can be discharged into the atmosphere.

Find out more about our CryoCondap® technology.