Parker NitroFlow Lab - Health, Safety, and Environmental Aspects; General Safety Precautions; Specific Hazards

K3.1.142k Manual NitroFlow Lab - 8 -
3 Description of the appliance
3.1 General
The generator separates compressed air produced by an on-board compressor into nitrogen and an oxygen
enriched air stream. The separation system is based on membranes.
3.2 Separation principle
A Pressurised air inlet
B Hollow fibre membrane
C Nitrogen outlet
F Fast permeation
S Slow permeation
Ambient air contains nitrogen (78.1%), oxygen (20.9%), argon (1%), carbon dioxide, water vapor and traces of
other inert gasses. Pressurised air (A) is led through hollow fibre membranes(B). The various air components
diffuse through the porous wall of the membranes.
The diffusion rate differs for the various gasses:
x Oxygen and water vapor have a high diffusion rate and diffuse rapidly through the membrane wall.
x Nitrogen has a low diffusion rate and diffuses slowly through the membrane wall.
Pressurised nitrogen enriched air is released at the outlet of the membranes (E) which can be stored in a nitrogen
storage vessel.
A
F
S
H2O - H2
O2
N2
B
C
Fig. 3-1: Separation principle