COMPRESSORS & COMPRESSED AIR
existing compressed air installation, can be used in place of carbon dioxide. Vanda Jones, executive director at BCAS explained why operators may want to consider alternatives to carbon dioxide, which can help to lower operating costs and ease supply chain issues. Jones said: “Our manufacturing members
have been promoting the benefits of on- site nitrogen generation for several years now - and the recent carbon dioxide supply issue, coupled with the numerous opportunities where nitrogen can be used safely in place of CO2make this an ideal time for food producers to look at alternative solutions. “As an inert gas, nitrogen can be used in
ALTERNATIVES TO CO2
The British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) is urging the food industry to consider nitrogen as an alternative to carbon dioxide
help mitigate the risk of CO2 gas shortages in the future. Recent news reports have focused on the
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impact that the rise in wholesale gas prices is having on the production of carbon dioxide. This is an essential gas used in the drinks industry for soft drinks and some beers, and in packaging to
he British Compressed Air Society (BCAS) is urging food producers to consider the benefits of on-site nitrogen generation, to
extend the shelf life of fresh food products. Although the Government introduced
emergency support measures to ensure ongoing production at CF Industries’ Teeside and Cheshire fertiliser plants, where CO2 is produced as a by-product, supply chain issues remain, which are leading to some shortages in shops and a rise in food prices. However, in several applications, nitrogen gas, which can be generated as part of an
COMBINING VALUE FOR MONEY AND RELIABILITY
BOGE Compressors has launched BOGE ecoline – an economy 4 to 30kW Plug & Play rotary screw compressor. The compressor delivers high operating hours, low servicing costs and includes next day delivery. This will come as positive news for many businesses facing the challenges of UK availability right now. Ideal for the smaller industrial manufacturer, the ecoline screw compressor uses a belt-driven drive system
and is oil-lubricated. It comes with standard options such as different pressure ratings, air receiver, refrigerant dryer and a 24 month warranty, extendable up to 5 years. The compressor includes an IE3 motor and BOGE base control. Mark Whitmore, general manager at BOGE said: “We’ve learnt
from many of our customers that a low capital purchase price, immediate availability and reliability are crucial factors for this series of compressor. The typical business drivers such as total cost of ownership or extended warranty are not so important in applications where ecoline fits the bill.” Feedback from the ecoline product launch at BOGE’s 2021
Distributor Conference, has been positive. Andy Callan, managing director at PCM Engineering, a distributor of BOGE compressors said: “I am hugely impressed with this latest series of screw compressor from BOGE. It really hits the mark for us and of course, stock availability and the competitive price is hugely desirable. It’s also the low maintenance factor that’s really important to our smaller industrial customers.”
place of carbon dioxide in smaller breweries, to remove oxygen when purging tanks, thus preventing oxidation and contamination. It can also be used for clean in place (CIP) pipework and vessel purging, for assisted filling to increase process speed and during bottling to help extend shelf life. “Elsewhere in the food processing
industry, modified atmosphere packaging is used to replace oxygen with nitrogen, significantly slowing down the process of decay by inhibiting oxidation and the growth of microbes. “Unlike carbon dioxide, nitrogen can be
produced cost-effectively as a by-product of the air compression process, which can reduce the cost of bought-in gas, in cylinders or in bulk, by as much as 90 per cent. Compatible with standard industrial compressor systems, many manufacturers now offer nitrogen generators, in which pre- treated air is filtered, and the oxygen, water and carbon dioxide removed. This leaves pure nitrogen, which can be captured at source, and reused for other processes. “With only minimal investment in an on-
site nitrogen generator, this process enables companies to match their production to help meet gas demand, providing greater control over the volume of gas required. “With some customers of BCAS members
quoting pay-back periods of as little as one year when replacing bought-in cylinders with an on-site nitrogen generator, it is certainly worth speaking to your supplier to discover whether nitrogen gas could offer an alternative to an existing CO2 supply. “Not only could this help improve on-site
productivity and ease the logistics of gas storage, but with forecasters predicting that energy prices will continue to rise, it could help to mitigate against future supply-chain issues too.” Food producers keen to learn more
about on-site nitrogen generation can download a factsheet from the BCAS website or contact their BCAS supplier.
https://uk.boge.com/en/products/screw-compressor-S-eco
BCAS
https://rebrand.ly/BCASnitrogen
NOVEMBER 2021 | PROCESS & CONTROL 9
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