IntoN2 manufactures a line of high pressure, high purity nitrogen generators in their factory located in Minden, Nevada. These nitrogen generators are primarily used for laser cutting and specialized manufacturing, but are used in other industries requiring up to 5 nines (0.99999%) of high-purity nitrogen.
Because they generate nitrogen, I was curious when IntoN2 began purchasing our TR250Z 25% oxygen sensors, and decided to give them a call. I spoke with Charlie Winans, a control engineer at IntoN2, and asked why they needed an oxygen sensor in a nitrogen generator?
Charlie explained that one of the features IntoN2 has incorporated into their generators is an oxygen sensor to detect if trace amounts of oxygen are present in the final N2 gas. This additional feedback loop is a “double check” that further verifies the purity of the gas generated.
I asked Charlie how he found us.
“I googled oxygen sensors,” he said. “I was looking for a sensor that ran on 24 VDC, and output an industry-standard 4-20mA signal to make it easy to integrate into our system.”
Additional requirements were that the oxygen sensor would be maintenance free, and did not corrode or expire like traditional chemical cell sensors.
“And you had the oxygen sensor in stock for immediate shipment,” Charlie added.
After completing his research, Charlie and his team chose our TR250Z 25% oxygen sensor with tube sampling. They have been integrated into IntoN2’s full line of generators, and are performing as required.
I asked Charlie how they got into the nitrogen generator business.
“Our company couldn’t find the right nitrogen generator for our laser cutters, so we built one,” he said. When they discovered there was a market for high-purity nitrogen generators, they began to manufacture them under the IntoN2 brand name.
According to Charlie, stand-alone nitrogen generators reduce costs between 75-90% compared to delivered gas services.
“Our nitrogen generators are high pressure. They can boost up to 4,300 psi, a unique feature in the industry,” he added.
Nitrogen is considered an assist gas in the laser cutting industry. Using an assist gas allows material like steel or aluminum to be cut faster with a cleaner edge. In addition, high-pressure gas also blows material out of the cut (called the kerf) to maintain a cleaner cut edge.
