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NITROGEN GENERATORS
INSTALLATION, OPERATION, AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL
4.1 Prefiltration
Two Balston
®
high efficiency coalescing filters, an activated carbon filter, and a particulate filter are
incorporated into the Parker Nitrogen Generators to protect the membrane module from contamina-
tion. The coalescing filters are located behind the filtration access panel. They remove liquids and
particulate matter from the incoming air supply to 0.01 micron. These filters are equipped with float
drains which automatically open to empty any liquids which accumulate inside the filter housing. The
drains are connected to 1/4" O.D. plastic tubing which discharges to atmosphere on the left side of
the generator (see Figure 1).
The activated carbon filter removes hydrocarbons from the compressed air before it enters the
separation module. A Balston high efficiency particulate filter is installed between the activated
carbon filter and the separation module to protect the membrane from carbon dust.
4.2 Air Separation
Air separation takes place in the membrane modules. The modules consist of bundles of hollow
fiber membranes. As the air passes through these hollow fibers, oxygen and water molecules pass
through the membrane wall at a higher rate than nitrogen molecules. This differential permeation
results in a high purity, dry nitrogen gas stream exiting the membrane module. The oxygen enriched
permeate stream is exhausted through ports on the membrane module at a very low pressure.
4.3 Final Filtration
The final filter on the generators is a Balston Grade GS membrane filter. The final membrane
filter removes particulate contamination to 0.01 micron (absolute), and assures the user a clean,
commercially sterile supply of high purity nitrogen.
4.4 Controls
The flow controls integral to the Parker Nitrogen Generators comprise: an operating pressure
gauge, a flowmeter, a flow control valve, an outlet pressure gauge, and an outlet pressure regulator
(see Figures 1 and 2). Proper use of these controls will assure the user of a 95% to 99.5% purity
nitrogen outlet stream. The pressure gauges, mounted on the front panel, measure operating pres-
sure and outlet pressure. The outlet pressure regulator allows the user to set the pressure of the outlet
nitrogen process stream. The flow control valve sets the flow rate of nitrogen exiting the membrane
module. The scale on the flowmeter is dimensionless because the operating pressure can range from
60 psig (4.1 barg) to 145 psig (10 barg). The flowmeter adjustment label on the control panel is used
to convert the dimensionless flowmeter reading into standard liters per minute of outlet nitrogen
based on operating air pressure.
