Nitrogen, the Element



Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78.1% of the Earth’s air, by volume.  It’s found in all living systems as part of their biological makeup. Though it’s one of the most abundant elements in the atmosphere, nitrogen in its crude form is of no use for humans or plants.

Nitrogen becomes useful only after it is treated, when it becomes one of the most valuable elements for many industrial and biological processes.

It is nonflammable and it won’t support combustion – some of the properties that make it valuable for industrial and commercial use. It is commonly thought of and used as an inert gas but it isn’t: it can form nitrogen dioxide and nitric oxide with oxygen, ammonia with hydrogen, and nitrogen sulfide with sulfur.

Some nitrogen compounds are formed naturally through biological activity. Compounds are also formed at high temperature or at moderate temperature with the aid of catalysts. At high temperatures, nitrogen will combine with active metals such as lithium, magnesium and titanium to form nitrides. Foods, organic materials, fertilizers, poisons and explosives all make use of nitrogen compounds.

Nitrogen is odorless, non-polluting and non-reactive in nature so increased use of N2 supports a “greener” environment. For example, inflating tires with nitrogen, a replacement for standard air, is becoming more popular. With nitrogen tire inflation, improvements in vehicles’ fuel efficiency and tire life help boost fuel economy.

In Airdyne nitrogen generation systems, N2 is produced by the diffusion separation process, which uses specially designed hollow fibers.

Compressed air is forced into one end of the permeable hollow-fiber membrane. While the oxygen in the air passes through the fibers’ sidewall and leaves the system, the nitrogen in the compressed air travels the length of the fibers, and exits at the other end of the hollow fibers.

Pure N2 is the result – and it’s ready to go to work for you.