Unveiling the Grain Storage Secret: Nitrogen Generators Fill Silos with Nitrogen to Safeguard Grain Security—Cutting-Edge Technology That Protects Our Food Supply
High-Efficiency Grain Storage and Controlled Atmosphere Solution for Granaries
Overview of Grain Storage Plans for Granaries
Grain, as a critical strategic resource for the nation, plays an indispensable role in ensuring national food security, stabilizing the grain market, and effectively responding to emergencies. Grain warehouses, as the key facilities for storing grain, rely heavily on scientifically sound and efficient storage solutions. Common methods used in grain storage include drying with dryers, low-temperature refrigeration using air conditioning systems, and nitrogen-flushing techniques with nitrogen generators.
Drying machines remove excess moisture from grains using mechanical equipment, reducing their moisture content to safe storage levels. This prevents issues such as mold growth and sprouting caused by high moisture levels, ensuring the consistent quality of grains during storage.
Air-conditioned low-temperature refrigeration uses air-conditioning equipment to maintain the temperature and humidity inside the grain storage facility within an ideal range. Typically, the grain temperature is kept consistently below 15°C (low temperature) or 20°C (sub-low temperature), slowing down the respiration process and metabolic rate of the grains. This also helps suppress the growth and reproduction of pests and microorganisms, thereby extending the storage life of the grain while maximizing the preservation of its quality and nutritional content.
Principle of Nitrogen Generation for Grain Storage with Nitrogen Filling
Among the numerous grain-storage solutions mentioned above, nitrogen-inflation storage using nitrogen generators has garnered significant attention in recent years due to its unique advantages. Below, we will delve into the principles behind this method and explore its remarkable benefits in detail.
How Nitrogen Generators Work
Nitrogen generators typically employ Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) technology, the core of which lies in leveraging the differential gas adsorption properties of carbon molecular sieves to achieve nitrogen separation and purification. Carbon molecular sieves are specialized adsorbents with unique pore structures; at ambient temperatures, they exhibit a significantly stronger affinity for oxygen than for nitrogen. During operation, compressed air first passes through an air compressor before being routed through filters that remove moisture, oil, and impurities, resulting in clean, pressurized air. This purified air then enters an adsorption tower packed with carbon molecular sieves. Under pressurized conditions, the sieves rapidly capture oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other impurities from the air, while nitrogen—being barely adsorbed—easily flows through the tower, emerging as high-purity nitrogen gas ready for output. Once the carbon molecular sieves in one adsorption tower reach saturation, the system automatically switches to activate another tower, ensuring a continuous supply of nitrogen. Meanwhile, the saturated tower undergoes a depressurization process, allowing the trapped impurities to desorb from the sieve material. This step effectively regenerates the carbon molecular sieve, preparing it for the next round of adsorption. By cycling two or more adsorption towers in alternating fashion, the nitrogen generator can consistently produce high-purity nitrogen gas—often reaching levels above 99%—fully meeting the stringent purity requirements for grain storage applications in silos.
The principle behind how nitrogen extends the storage life of food
Injecting the high-purity nitrogen produced by the nitrogen generator into sealed grain silos creates a low-oxygen environment, effectively addressing the issue of food spoilage at its source—specifically in the following ways:
- Control pest damage
Pests depend on oxygen for survival and reproduction. When the oxygen concentration inside grain storage facilities is reduced to below 3% by replacing it with nitrogen, most pests suffocate due to insufficient oxygen, preventing them from breathing and ultimately leading to their death. At the same time, insect eggs are unable to hatch normally, effectively halting pest infestations in the grain. This physical method of pest control eliminates the chemical residue issues associated with traditional fumigation, ensuring food safety while aligning perfectly with eco-friendly and green practices.
- Inhibit microbial growth
Mold, bacteria, and other aerobic microorganisms are the primary culprits behind food spoilage and mold growth. In low-oxygen environments, the metabolism and growth of these microorganisms are severely inhibited, making it difficult for them to proliferate extensively. This effectively prevents food from becoming moldy, helping to preserve the original quality and nutritional value of the grains as much as possible.
- Delaying the "aging" of grain
Grain itself is biologically active and continues to respire, a process that consumes oxygen while generating heat and carbon dioxide—accelerating the grain's natural aging and quality degradation. In contrast, a nitrogen-rich environment can significantly suppress the grain's respiratory activity, slowing down its metabolic rate and putting the grain into a state of relative "dormancy." This effectively delays the deterioration of grain quality, helping to preserve its color, texture, and nutritional value over extended periods.
Advantages of Nitrogen-Filling Grain Storage Using a Nitrogen Generator
Economic efficiency
Compared to traditional methods of supplying nitrogen gas using liquid nitrogen or high-pressure nitrogen cylinders, on-site nitrogen generators offer significant cost advantages. Liquid nitrogen requires specialized production equipment for manufacturing, and during transportation, it must be handled with special cryogenic vehicles to maintain its ultra-low temperature—resulting in substantial shipping costs and equipment wear-and-tear. Storing liquid nitrogen also demands professional-grade cryogenic tanks, which come with high upfront purchase costs, not to mention ongoing maintenance and management expenses that can add up quickly. Similarly, high-pressure nitrogen cylinders incur transportation costs as well, and these cylinders need regular inspection and maintenance. Plus, replacing empty cylinders further increases operational expenses.
By using an on-site nitrogen generator, companies only need to bear the one-time upfront cost of purchasing the nitrogen-generation equipment, with subsequent expenses limited to the electricity required for operation and minimal maintenance costs. There’s no need to cover the high costs associated with producing, transporting, and storing liquid nitrogen or high-pressure nitrogen cylinders. In the long run, this approach can significantly reduce operational costs and enhance overall economic efficiency for businesses.
Security
Traditional liquid nitrogen or high-pressure nitrogen gas cylinders used for gas supply pose certain safety risks. During the storage and transportation of liquid nitrogen, if the storage tank or transport equipment malfunctions, it could lead to leaks, and the extremely low temperature of liquid nitrogen may cause severe frostbite injuries to the surrounding environment and personnel. Meanwhile, high-pressure nitrogen gas cylinders carry the risk of explosion if subjected to impacts, high temperatures, or other adverse conditions during storage and use, posing a significant threat to both people and facilities.
On-site nitrogen generators produce nitrogen without the need to store large quantities of high-pressure gas, thereby reducing safety risks associated with improper gas storage and transportation. The operating principle of nitrogen generators relies on a physical adsorption process, ensuring that no flammable or explosive substances are generated under normal conditions. Additionally, the equipment is typically equipped with comprehensive safety features, such as overpressure alarms and leakage protection systems, effectively safeguarding both the personal safety of operators and the stable operation of the equipment, thus providing a reliable guarantee for safe production in grain warehouses.
Convenience
The nitrogen generator can produce gas on demand in real time, according to the actual needs of the grain storage facility, ensuring a continuous and stable supply of nitrogen. As the grain storage facility progresses through different stages, its demand for nitrogen may fluctuate; however, the nitrogen generator is capable of flexibly adapting to these changes. Thanks to its automated control system, it can effortlessly adjust nitrogen production to meet the facility's dynamic requirements.
In contrast, supplying nitrogen gas via liquid nitrogen or high-pressure nitrogen cylinders has certain limitations in terms of gas availability. When the stock of liquid nitrogen or cylinder-packed nitrogen runs low, it must be replenished promptly—yet this process can be delayed due to factors such as transportation time and the supplier's capacity, potentially leading to interruptions in gas supply and disrupting the smooth operation of grain-storage activities. On the other hand, on-site nitrogen generators eliminate these issues altogether. As long as the generator operates smoothly and maintains a stable power supply, it can continuously and reliably produce nitrogen, providing convenient and dependable gas support for grain storage in warehouses.
Conclusion
The nitrogen-inflation grain storage solution, with its unique operating principle and remarkable advantages in cost-effectiveness, safety, and convenience, offers a green, efficient, and reliable approach to food preservation. As we continue on the journey to ensure national food security, nitrogen-inflation technology will remain a critical tool. With ongoing advancements and innovations, this technology is poised to evolve further, delivering even greater optimization and refinement—ultimately contributing more significantly to our nation’s grain reserves, safeguarding the "food basket" of our country, and ensuring that people can eat with complete confidence and peace of mind.t
Other areas
Oil storage and pressurized pipeline cleaning and purging of oil and gas wells, nitrogen sealing, nitrogen displacement, solvent recovery.
Used for food preservation and grain storage, pest control, food drying and sterilization, quick freezing of food, etc.
Provide the necessary gas raw materials for the preparation of new energy materials, battery production, and create an inert gas environment.
Ensure the manufacturing of electronic components and the stable operation of equipment, providing gas support for maintenance, combustion assistance, cooling, and other aspects related to thermal power generation equipment.
Nitrogen generator: Prevents oxidation, inhibits bacterial growth, and produces odors in biopharmaceuticals, providing protection throughout the process. Oxygen generator: Provides an oxygen-rich environment.
When signs of fire occur in the goaf or other locations, nitrogen injection is needed for fire prevention. The nitrogen device is lowered into the mine. It is used for annealing protective gas and sintering.
Used in the aerospace composite field, providing the necessary inert atmosphere for the molding and reinforcement processes of large carbon fiber composite wings.
Provide protection for the safety of oil and gas reserves, prevent oxidation, nitrogen sealing, and ensure dust suppression, fire prevention, and nitrogen sealing for coal reserves.