Nitrogen applications for breweries

Nitrogen applications for Breweries

Nitrogen gas can be used for various applications within a brewery. Traditionally, nitrogen was available only in the form of bulk supply or cylinders. Now, there is a more flexible, efficient, and cost-effective option. NITROSource is a modular range of nitrogen generators that produce nitrogen from compressed air. NITROSource can generate food-grade nitrogen independently. The nitrogen is certified according to EU and FDA specifications and can meet the nitrogen needs for a wide range of brewery applications.

Covering ingredients

Nitrogen is used to prevent ingredients from coming into contact with air, thereby reducing the likelihood of oxygen absorption. During bulk storage, the use of closed tanks with positive nitrogen pressure prevents air ingress due to temperature fluctuations. Nitrogen coverage of atmospheric tanks is also possible, with a small continuous flow ensuring that air cannot diffuse through ventilation openings and compensating for volume changes. During emptying, the nitrogen flow can be increased to fill the headspace. In sealed systems, nitrogen can support tank-to-tank transfers.

Clean-in-Place (CIP), Piping, and Tank ventilation

In breweries, caustic solutions containing sodium hydroxide are generally used to clean and sterilize pipes and tanks. To save costs and minimize waste, it is beneficial to reuse the cleaning solution.

If CO2 is used in the cleaning solution, a reaction with sodium hydroxide can form sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. This can reduce the cleaning and sterilizing properties of the solution, making it unsuitable for reuse. Nitrogen does not react with sodium hydroxide, thus preserving the cleaning properties and making the solution more suitable for reuse.

Reduced oxidation

Beer oxidizes quickly when exposed to air. To ensure the quality of the product (in this case, beer), it must be constantly protected from air. The headspace of tanks can be filled with a protective layer of nitrogen gas to prevent air ingress.

Ventilation and filling

Equipment and pipelines are prone to oxygen absorption. Nitrogen is an effective purging gas that allows brewers to reduce water consumption. Filling with nitrogen increases processing speed, protects beer from oxidation, and results in significantly reduced beer waste.

Bottling

Purging bottles, cans, and kegs with nitrogen helps reduce oxidation and extends the shelf life of the product. Nitrogen can also be used to dry bottles after rinsing.

Why choose NITROSource?

With over 30 years of experience in the brewing industry and beverage applications, and more than 50,000 gas generators installed worldwide, Parker is a leader in innovative and reliable gas generation technology. The generators in the NITROSource range can be equipped with our innovative energy-saving technology that reduces the amount of compressed air needed to supply nitrogen to your applications.

Benefits of NITROSource

NITROSource offers many advantages over traditional nitrogen supplies, including:

Independently certified food-grade nitrogen according to EU regulations as a food additive E941
Complete control over gas supply and costs with savings often exceeding 70%
No unexpected price increases
Elimination of costs related to monitoring gas levels, managing inventory, running out of stock, and waiting for deliveries
No gas wastage from venting or partially full cylinders returned to the supplier
Maximum uptime with constant flow and pressure 24/7