Nitrogen is an inert gas which makes up approximately 78% of the earth’s atmosphere. At normal room temperature, it is generally unreactive, meaning it is a safe gas to work with and has many uses across various industries. It is also odourless and colourless, which provides significant benefits to services such as the food industry.

As a leading supplier of nitrogen bottles, we will be exploring how this gas is used to benefit several industries and how often we come across this gas in our day-to-day lives.

Fertiliser for Crops

Nitrogen is an essential element of plant growth and is required for the healthy yield of plants. This component can help plants grow taller, produce more leaves, and increase root growth and flowering. All these supported factors lead to much more reliable crop yields. Therefore, nitrogen is often used within commercial agriculture within fertiliser products to promote continuously healthy crops as it provides the necessary foundation for development.

Nitrogen In Food

Due to its properties of being odourless, colourless, and non-toxic, nitrogen is the ideal gas to use for food preservation. The most common use of nitrogen to preserve food can be found within crisp packets. Nitrogen creates an inert atmosphere to prevent the food from spoiling. This inert gas injection can also protect the crisps to prevent them from breaking during the distribution process. Due to being a very stable gas at room temperature, nitrogen in food is perfectly safe and doesn’t contaminate the items.

Nitrogen in Wine Making

Again, much like within food preservation, nitrogen offers significant benefits in preventing oxidation within winemaking. This gas can replace any oxygen within a container, which helps to preserve the likes of wine from being exposed to oxygen before being purchased, as this can make wine go off. Additionally, nitrogen helps preserve any wine’s colour, flavour, and aroma. We even have a selection of cylinders for nitrogen in wine preservation.

Nitrogen for Welding

Although it’s not our customers’ most common choice for TIG or MIG welding gas, nitrogen can also be used to prevent oxidation within the welding process. Used as a shielding gas, this component can protect the molten metal from being contaminated by oxygen and other gases in the atmosphere, which may spoil the success of the weld. Its inert nature allows it to be unreactive under normal conditions, making it a safe gas to use for welding.

Nitrogen for Refrigeration

Although at average room temperature, nitrogen is gas, when used at temperatures below -198.5°C, it takes a liquid form. This liquid can be used as a refrigerant to preserve an array of items. For example, liquid nitrogen can preserve blood supplies and quickly cool large plant equipment. It has also been used in the past to serve alcoholic beverages to give them a quirky look whilst keeping them cold.

Nitrogen for Tyre Inflation

Whilst most domestic vehicles use atmospheric air to inflate tyres, nitrogen is the preferred gas in motorsport and aviation. Because of its low boiling point, nitrogen for tyre inflation promises much better performance. Furthermore, unlike atmospheric air, nitrogen remains relatively stable even with various weather conditions, which means it will not deflate in the temperature change. This factor is essential for motorsports when tyres often get very warm and when an aircraft’s external temperature is very cold.

Nitrogen For Medicinal Purposes

Many drugs are manufactured using nitrogen, which can help with conditions such as angina and heart attacks. Also, when converted to a liquid, nitrogen can be used to remove benign skin lesions like warts and in cryosurgery to treat cancer and other conditions. It can also be combined with oxygen to create nitrous oxide (also known as laughing gas), which can then be used as a sedative for treatment, most commonly used in dentistry.

Nitrogen for Air Conditioners

Nitrogen for air conditioning flushing has been used for many years. While Freon used to be popular for AC units, nitrogen is incredibly useful to clean them when they oxidise; the gas has many other benefits that make it the perfect choice for air conditioning. For instance, nitrogen is eco-friendly and doesn’t contain chlorine because it’s an inert gas. This factor means you won’t have to worry about chemical reactions with other materials either. Its properties also make it a very safe gas to use without the worry of spontaneous combustion or electrical elements coming to harm.

Nitrogen for Manufacturing and Construction

Nitrogen is used widely within the manufacturing industry. This gas can shrink fittings, allowing them to be inserted into smaller spaces. Once inserted, the fitting expands as it returns to its ambient temperature, sealing the connection and creating a tight fitting. Nitrogen can also be used in liquid form to assist in tunnel creation and excavation, specifically within construction.

How Much Nitrogen Can I Get at Once?

As a nationwide supplier of bottle gases, we can provide various amounts of nitrogen to suit all applications and needs. Our sizes range from 2L to 50L, and our cylinders are rent-free, meaning you only pay for the gas you refill. So, whether you’re looking for a solution that will last your business for a substantial amount of time or you don’t use much nitrogen and require a smaller cylinder, we have an option that is right for you.

We also offer speedy delivery with regular drop-offs throughout Kent, South London, Central London, and East Sussex. So, when sourcing your nitrogen for any application, purchase high-quality gases through Bottle Gases.