Nitrogen Generator Maintenance and Repair

Nitrogen generators are nitrogen production equipment designed and manufactured based on pressure swing adsorption technology. Therefore, daily maintenance should not be overlooked. How should we maintain a nitrogen generator? As follows: 　　1. Daily maintenance of nitrogen generator equipment: 　　Maintenance of equipment in the nitrogen generation system mainly includes the air compressor, refrigerated dryer, filters, and the nitrogen generator itself. Daily maintenance of the air compressor primarily involves: 　　1. Regularly checking whether the drain port of the air compressor's air tank is blocked and ensuring the heat dissipation vents are unobstructed. 　　2. Frequently cleaning the heat sink of the refrigerated dryer. 　　3. Regularly inspecting the drain port of the filters to ensure it is not blocked. 　　4. Frequently checking whether the exhaust port of the nitrogen generator is clear. 　　5. Keeping all equipment surfaces clean and tidy, regularly wiping them with a damp cloth or neutral soapy water. 　　2. Periodic maintenance of nitrogen generator equipment: 　　Maintenance of oil-flooded screw air compressors mainly involves periodically replacing the air intake filter (which can become clogged with dust), as well as replacing the lubricating oil and oil separator annually. Compressor maintenance also includes regular replenishment and replacement of oil. To ensure stable and reliable operation of the nitrogen generation system and the long service life of the compressor, it is essential to follow the maintenance methods and measures recommended by the compressor manufacturer. 　　Periodic maintenance of air-cooled refrigerated dryers mainly involves regular blowdown and cleaning of the drain port. Please carefully read the operation and maintenance manual of the refrigerated dryer and strictly follow the maintenance methods and measures recommended by the manufacturer. 　　Periodic maintenance of filters primarily involves replacing the filter elements regularly based on their usage conditions. If the pressure difference across the filter is found to be too large, replace the filter element promptly. Refer to the maintenance methods and measures recommended by the filter manufacturer. 　　The nitrogen generator itself generally requires no periodic maintenance. During major overhauls of all equipment, simply check whether the nitrogen generator is operating normally. Equipment failure conditions: 1. Prolonged alarm due to substandard purity; 2. Carbon molecular sieve sinking, carbon level alarm; 3. Oil contamination and large amounts of moisture discharged from the drain valve of the air storage tank; 4. Dust emission from the adsorption tower; 5. Carbon molecular sieve particles discharged from the drain valve of the buffer tank; 6. Malfunction of the refrigerated dryer or adsorption dryer. Equipment consumables and service life: 1. Main pipeline filter element: Replace every 6 months; 2. Precision filter element: Replace every 12 months; 3. Ultra-precision filter element: Replace every 12 months; 4. Nitrogen generator activated carbon (activated carbon filter): Replace every 6 months; 5. Automatic drain valve (automatic drainer): Observe during operation; if no drainage occurs, clean or replace promptly; 6. Normal service life of solenoid valves is 5-10 years; 7. Nitrogen analyzer sensor: Service life varies depending on the analyzer; 8. Normal service life of pneumatic valves is 3-10 million open/close cycles, varying based on customer operating conditions; 9. Nitrogen generator carbon molecular sieve: Service life varies depending on the cleanliness of the customer's air source, generally 5-10 years without replacement; 10. Refrigerated dryer: Regularly check the refrigerant and drain valve. Generally, nitrogen generators may experience the following issues: 1) Air filters, refrigerated dryers, and air storage tanks not draining properly. 2) Refrigerated dryer not cooling, with no timely detection. 3) No activated carbon oil remover installed before the nitrogen generator. 4) Large amounts of black particles emitted from the nitrogen generator. 5) Some pneumatic valves damaged. 6) Air filter elements not replaced since the equipment was put into use. Solutions: 1) Install a timed drainer at the drain port of the air storage tank to reduce the load pressure on post-treatment equipment. 2) For normal equipment use, regularly check whether each timed drainer is functioning properly, whether the air pressure meets or exceeds 0.6 MPa, compare the inlet and outlet temperatures of the refrigerated dryer to check for cooling effect, and verify whether nitrogen purity is stable. 3) Air filters must be replaced every 4,000 hours of operation. 4) Activated carbon filters can effectively remove oil contamination and extend the service life of high-quality carbon molecular sieve. Activated carbon should be replaced every 3,000 hours or every 4 months. 5) It is advisable to keep one spare pneumatic valve and solenoid valve for each model of the nitrogen generator as critical components to prevent future issues.