March 22, 2024
At BeerX 2023, Atlas Copco will reveal how breweries can offset the ever-escalating costs of energy and carbon dioxide through the multiple benefits of on-site generated nitrogen gas.
Both microbreweries and industrial-scale operations currently reliant on bulk or bottled nitrogen gas can reduce their nitrogen costs to one-tenth by switching to an Atlas Copco on-site, point-of-use nitrogen generator, such as the NGMs1 unit featured on stand 76 at BeerX. Designed to meet low-flow N₂ requirements, the NGMs range of membrane nitrogen generators is a cost-effective, point-of-use solution that meets low-flow requirements and has a footprint of as little as 0.25 cubic feet, making it ideal for small breweries.
Other nitrogen generators which make it easier for breweries of all sizes to reduce their dependence on deliveries of bottled nitrogen and improve their profitability are the NGM+ range, a compact, quiet and dependable nitrogen generator that maximises the robustness and simplicity of membrane technology. Thanks to its exceptionally low air and energy consumption, it also offers the lowest cost of ownership on the market today. There is also the NGP+ range - a premium nitrogen generator which uses pressure swing adsorption technology. Carbon molecular sieves guarantee premium nitrogen at the highest purity levels and highest energy efficiency. On-site generation ensures a continuous, reliable supply of nitrogen with a stable purity from 95% to 99.999%, depending on the site’s requirements.
Atlas Copco nitrogen generators operate via a continuous and reliable source of compressed air from a rotary screw, full-feature compressor - incorporating a refrigerant dryer and filtration - that is part of an extensive range suitable for additional brewery duties such as fermentation, aeration, bottling and carbonation.
Self-generation of nitrogen solves several other issues as well. It eliminates the need to order deliveries to site, arrange collection of empty cylinders, or request tank refills. Logistics planning and associated administration time and costs are reduced. And fewer deliveries to site reduce a brewery’s carbon footprint.
Atlas Copco's products in the brewing process
Replacing CO2 with nitrogen
Many breweries employ carbon dioxide (CO2) at various stages of the brewing process for applications that include inerting, purging tanks or brew kettles, protecting against oxygenation, and nitrogenating the beer. However, periodic shortages of CO2 have led to sharp price increases, sometimes five-fold.
Fortunately, nitrogen, much cheaper and more readily available, can be used instead of carbon dioxide in at least two-thirds of brewing applications as a viable CO2 alternative. Not only is nitrogen more sustainable, but replacing a large proportion of CO2 with nitrogen significantly reduces a brewery’s carbon footprint.
Chillers and process filtration
Complementing the compressors and nitrogen generators which will be showcased on the stand are Atlas Copco’s TCX industrial chillers which play a key role in many stages of the brewing process, maximising energy efficiency whilst offering reliability and optimum water-cooling performance. Also helping to optimise brewing productivity while protecting manufacturing processes, process filters comprise a portfolio of bags, capsules, cartridges, and housings to cover all of the brewers’ process filtration and purification needs,
