At BeerX 2020, Atlas Copco will reveal how on-site nitrogen generation systems offer breweries many benefits over bottled or liquid nitrogen, including reduced costs, more flexibility and less administration. Visitors to booth 113 will experience the latest technological developments in this field, including NGMs and NGP+ nitrogen generators that represent a viable alternative to bottled or liquid nitrogen. NGMs membrane nitrogen generators offer N2 purities from 95% up to 99.9% and represent a highly efficient and compact on-site solution for small breweries with low-flow N2 requirements, with the added benefits of minimal maintenance and operational costs. The NGP+ with pressure swing absorption technology is the premium range offering 99.999% purity and 50% lower energy costs.
Many breweries have already benefited from adopting on-site nitrogen generation systems, including the Outstanding Brewing Company in Salford, UK. The company recently installed a compressed air and on-site nitrogen generation system from Atlas Copco that has enhanced its product quality, productivity and growth.
The Outstanding Brewing Company relies on a continuous supply of compressed air and nitrogen at critical stages of its production process: from purging kegs and tanks, oxygenating beer to promote fermentation, through to filling, bottling, labelling and packaging the final product.
To meet these needs, Atlas Copco installed a system comprising a tank-mounted 5.5 kW GX5 rotary screw compressor with integral refrigerant dryer, together with filtration for hydrocarbon and odour removal. The energy-efficient compressor’s dry air output feeds a plug-and-play NGP8+ nitrogen generator and buffer tank, then a separate storage receiver for nitrogen at the required purity.
The installation not only met The Outstanding Brewing Company’s process needs but also provided opportunities to realise operational cost savings, in terms of energy requirement, and will deliver a comparatively short-term payback on capital costs.
To find out how breweries can benefit by adopting on-site nitrogen generation systems, please visit: https://www.atlascopco.com/en-uk/compressors/industry-solutions/brewery-air-compressor/nitrogen-generator-brewery
