Uses of Nitrogen Gas Across Industries
Nitrogen is around us at all times; it makes up around 78% of the air we breathe, making it the most abundant gas in the Earth’s atmosphere.
And while we are constantly surrounded by nitrogen, its role extends far beyond the atmosphere into industries, food processing, laboratories, healthcare and many other applications.
In this blog, we will explore how nitrogen is produced, why it is important to our everyday lives and some of the most common uses of nitrogen gas across different industries.
How Is Nitrogen Gas Made?
The air around us is mainly composed of around 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% argon.
To produce these gases on an industrial scale, they need to be separated. This process is called “air separation”.
Here’s how it works:
Through a cryogenic process, atmospheric air is cooled to extremely low temperatures, allowing its main components to be separated according to their different liquefaction temperatures.
For nitrogen specifically, it liquefies at approximately -196°C.
Through cryogenic distillation, it can be separated from oxygen, argon and other components of the air to produce purified nitrogen that can be used for industrial and other applications.
This nitrogen production process enables large quantities of the gas to be produced for sectors that depend on a reliable gas supply.
Why Is Nitrogen Important?
Nitrogen has many properties that make it an indispensable element for us.
One of nitrogen's most useful properties is its ability to create an inert atmosphere.
By reducing the presence of oxygen, nitrogen can help limit oxidation and protect materials during production and storage. This can be seen in everyday industries such as cosmetics production, where nitrogen is used in inerting to protect active molecules from oxidation.
It can also be used in gaseous or liquid form: gaseous nitrogen supports processes such as purging, inerting, blanketing and pressurization, while liquid nitrogen provides extremely low temperatures for rapid cooling, freezing and cryogenic applications.
These properties are key to understanding the importance of nitrogen gas across a wide range of industries.
What Are the Main Uses of Nitrogen Gas?
From protecting industrial equipment to preserving food, there are many uses for nitrogen.
Here are some of its most important applications:
Nitrogen Gas Uses in Petrochemicals, Chemicals and Oil & Gas
In the petrochemical, chemical and oil and gas industries, nitrogen is commonly used for purging, inerting, blanketing and pressurization.
These processes help reduce oxygen exposure inside tanks, pipelines, reactors and other equipment.
Nitrogen is also used for drying, stirring, temperature control, catalyst preparation and other process requirements.
For temporary or project-based requirements, nitrogen can also support shutdowns and commissioning, reactor services, leak testing, product displacement and pipeline operations.
Nitrogen Uses in Food and Beverage
Nitrogen plays an important role throughout food production and distribution.
It is used for chilling and freezing food as well as controlling temperatures during processing, transportation and storage.
Nitrogen is also widely used in Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP), where it helps reduce oxidation and microorganism growth while protecting the quality and shelf life of food products.
For liquid foods, nitrogen can also support inerting, pressure transfer and deoxygenation.
Industrial Uses of Nitrogen Gas in Manufacturing
Nitrogen has several applications in manufacturing and metal fabrication.
It can be used during heat treatment, welding and laser cutting as well as in gas-assisted injection molding for the production of manufactured components.
In electronics manufacturing, nitrogen can provide an inert atmosphere, purge production lines and chambers and help carry or dilute materials during different processing stages.
Nitrogen Uses in Laboratories and Analytical Applications
High-purity nitrogen is widely used in laboratories and analytical processes.
Applications include chromatography, calibration mixtures, drying and other processes that require controlled or highly pure gases.
Air Liquide also provides high-purity nitrogen under the ALPHAGAZ™ range for critical laboratory and analytical applications.
What Is the Medical Use of Nitrogen?
The medical use of nitrogen is mainly associated with liquid nitrogen and its extremely low temperature.
At approximately -196°C, liquid nitrogen can support rapid freezing and the preservation of biological materials. It is used for storing cells, samples and other temperature-sensitive biological materials.
Liquid nitrogen is also used in cryosurgery and cryotherapy, where controlled freezing can be used to treat or remove certain tissues.
Because healthcare applications require strict standards for gas purity, storage and handling, medical liquid nitrogen requirements differ from general industrial applications.
At Air Liquide Egypt, our solutions extend beyond industrial gas. Learn more about our healthcare solutions.
Are There Any Other Liquid Nitrogen Applications?
Liquid nitrogen has applications extending beyond healthcare.
In food processing, it enables rapid cryogenic freezing and chilling, helping processors maintain product quality while increasing cooling speed.
In industrial processes, liquid nitrogen can also be used for cryogenic grinding of plastics and rubbers as well as other applications that require very low temperatures.
Choosing the Right Solution for Your Application
Choosing the right nitrogen solution is very important to the success of your objectives. Some applications require packaged nitrogen cylinders for flexibility.
Larger operations may require bulk supply, while facilities with continuous high-volume demand can benefit from onsite nitrogen production.
Nitrogen Solutions with Air Liquide Egypt
At Air Liquide Egypt, we supply nitrogen in different grades and supply modes, including packaged gas, bulk supply and onsite solutions, to meet different industrial and application requirements.
We also offer solutions for maintenance and major turnaround projects. You can check them out here.
Contact Air Liquide Egypt today to explore how our nitrogen solutions can support your processes and goals.