K3.1.142e Manual NitroFlow Lab - 12 -
3 Description of the appliance
3.1 General
The NitroFlow
®
Lab 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 Pressurized 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. Pressurized 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:
• Oxygen and water vapor have a high diffusion rate and diffuse rapidly
through the membrane wall.
• Nitrogen has a low diffusion rate and diffuses slowly through the
membrane wall.
Pressurized 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
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