University Environmental Health & Safety Departments: Handling Compressed Nitrogen and Cryogenics

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An explosion at a university research lab in Hawaii last year highlights the dangers of working with compressed gas and the need for safety equipment on campus. Learn the dangers of working with compressed gas, how an oxygen deficiency monitor can help, and campus safety best practices. 

Compressed Gas on Campus: Uses and Dangers

Compressed gases including nitrogen, argon, and oxygen are widely used on campuses. These gases have many practical and educational uses across educational institutions. While the level of risk varies across schools, a few examples will illustrate the benefits and the risks of using compressed gas on campus.

Argon gas is critical in the 3D printing process, which campus design, fine arts, applied arts, and sciences may use. Culinary programs may use liquid nitrogen for cooking and freezing, and chemistry labs may use N2 as well. Autoclaves, which sterilize equipment, are regularly used in scientific, medical, and industrial programs. Sports programs and physical therapy training programs may use cryotherapy for injury recovery. Cryotherapy chambers rely on nitrogen to chill the air. The chambers can turn deadly if a nitrogen leak occurs. These gases may be used by facilities personnel, researchers, faculty members or teaching assistants and students assisting with teaching labs. No matter which gas students are working with, they are at risk if the gas is not handled, used, stored, or transported properly. 

As these few examples illustrate, there are many opportunities for dangerous leaks, explosions, or fires on campus if safety protocol isn't followed. Many schools find the gases are not properly stored, which leaves everyone on campus in danger. A recent safety bulletin from the University of Rochester found that liquid nitrogen was stored without an oxygen sensor, poisonous gas was used with a fume hood that did not adequately vent hazardous fumes, gas cylinders were modified using unacceptable materials, and gas tanks were stored without protective chains, stands, and gas caps. 

Why Schools and Universities Need an O₂ Monitor 

As the incident in the Hawaiian university lab illustrates clearly, compressed gases pose significant health risks in the university setting. Whenever safety protocol is not followed, the tanks are at greater risk of tipping, falling over, or leaking. 

While the lab worker escaped with her life, many others have not been so lucky. A nitrogen (N₂) gas leak causes death via asphyxiation in a matter of minutes. 

Nitrogen gas is both odorless and colorless. If gas leaks from a canister, there is no way for passerby to tell. As the gas leaks, it lowers ambient oxygen levels below safe thresholds. When levels of oxygen in the air fall below 16 percent, people can experience adverse health affects. Additionally, university property can be damaged by fires or explosions. 

All it takes it a couple of breaths of oxygen-deficient air for symptoms including confusion, dizziness, fatigue, muscular aches, lack of consciousness, and even death. 

Given the clear dangers that these gases pose, universities and schools must take steps to protect their students and staff. Fortunately, there is an easy and cost-effective way to detect gas leaks and alert everyone before oxygen is depleted from the air: Installing an O₂ monitor. 

An O₂ monitor, also called an O₂ deficiency monitor, measures levels of oxygen in the air all the time. As long as the air has adequate oxygen, the monitor will stay silent. When levels fall below safe thresholds, the oxygen deficiency monitor will flash lights and sound an alarm. This way, everyone in the vicinity of the leak can escape without suffering adverse health effects. 

An O₂ deficiency monitor should be installed anywhere that these gases are used or stored. Universities and schools may wish to equip labs, storage facilities, equipment rooms, and hallways or corridors that connect storage rooms with labs or classrooms where the gas is used. 

PureAire offers robust oxygen deficiency monitors that feature best in class construction. Made with zirconium oxide sensors, these monitors offer 10 or more years of maintenance-free performance once installed. These monitors can detect leaks of gases including argon, nitrogen, and helium. View PureAire's line of oxygen deficiency monitors at www.pureairemonitoring.com.
 

http://cen.acs.org/articles/94/web/2016/04/Spark-pressure-gauge-caused-University.html

Nitrogen Refrigerated Trucks a New Trend? An Alternative to Diesel Powered Refrigeration

Nitrogen Truck Refrigeration

Thanks to technological innovations, the food distribution industry has a greener way to protect refrigerated food during transit: Nitrogen refrigeration. The existing system relies on diesel-powdered mechanical refrigeration units. Although these units are effective, they release significant levels of noise and air pollution. While the new innovations decrease emissions to safeguard the environment, there is a hidden health risk transportation companies must take into account. 

How Liquid Nitrogen Refrigeration Works

The new system uses a liquid nitrogen system to cryogenically chill food. A storage tank mounted underneath the truck can be easily refilled when empty. Since the tank is stored outside the truck, the liquid nitrogen never comes into direct contact with the food.

To cool the refrigerated container, liquid nitrogen first passes through a heat exchanger. As the nitrogen moves through the heat exchanger, it evaporates. High-powered fans inside the container circulate the chilled air through the compartment, helping keep all food safely chilled below the temperature danger zone. 

The traditional mechanical refrigeration system emits significant noise while in operation. Even when the truck itself is off, the refrigeration unit can cause as much as 80 dB of noise, which is roughly as much noise as a busy urban environment. This noise level exceeds the typical noise pollution levels in cities, thus limiting the hours when truckers can make deliveries. Additional downsides to the mechanical refrigeration system include reliance on harmful refrigeration chemicals and expensive maintenance and repair costs. 

In contrast, the liquid nitrogen system falls beneath the noise pollution thresholds, so deliveries can be made at any time. This benefits both truckers and restaurants, grocery stores, and other businesses who may want to accept deliveries outside of business hours. 

The liquid nitrogen system, or N₂ system, also reduces carbon dioxide emissions significantly and does not use harmful refrigerants to keep food cool. Transportation companies who want to green their image or offer their clients increased flexibility will enjoy the liquid nitrogen refrigerant system for these reasons. 

While the cryogenic system reduces costs and pollution associated with mechanical refrigeration, the N2 system is not perfect. Liquid nitrogen does pose a safety risk if it comes into contact with the food or the environment. If a truck rollover accident caused a nitrogen spill, for example, individual health and environmental dangers abound. 

If the nitrogen gas seeps into the load chamber in the accident, it could turn the truck chamber into an oxygen deficient environment. Staff who opened the truck chamber to check on their load could become dizzy, pass out, and die within minutes of entering the oxygen deficient space. 

The liquid nitrogen itself has cryogenic properties, which is why it's been used to freeze off cancerous cells and warts. A worker cleaning up the spill must take precautions to avoid getting liquid nitrogen on their skin. In a worst-case scenario, an employee could lose a finger if it was immersed in liquid nitrogen. 

How to Safeguard Truckers Against Liquid Nitrogen Dangers

An O₂ deficiency monitor, also called an oxygen monitor, can protect employees from the dangers posed by liquid nitrogen. These monitors continually measure the amount of oxygen in the load chamber. When the cryogenic system is working properly, oxygen will naturally remain at safe levels and the alarm will stay silent yet vigilant. In the event that nitrogen gas leaks into the load chamber -- due to a system malfunction or an accident - oxygen levels will start dropping. Once the environmental oxygen levels falls below OSHA thresholds, the oxygen monitor will flash and sound an alarm. This notifies staff that safety hazards exist, so they will not open the load chamber and enter an oxygen deficient environment. 

Since staff can succumb to asphyxiation within minutes, the O₂ deficiency monitor is necessary to monitor system performance and keep employees safe if anything goes wrong. Since nitrogen is invisible and odorless, employees have no other way to know whether the system's operating as it should or whether there is an N₂ leak. 

Oxygen monitors from PureAire use zirconium oxide sensors, which provide reliable service for 10+ years. To learn more about PureAire products, please visit www.Pureairemonitoring.com.

http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19870668

Neon Gas and Where it is Used. PureAire Oxygen Deficiency Monitors for Safety and Why a Monitor May be Required?

Neon gas has a range of uses in industry, including in the popular business signs advertising stores as open. Explore some of the less well-known ways to use neon and learn how use of the gas may require installation of an oxygen deficiency monitor to protect worker safety.  

Uses for Neon Gas

Neon gas can be filtered from helium using activated charcoal in a low temperature environment, or through the selective adsorption method. Once filtered out, neon can be used in the manufacturing of television tubes, plasma screens, and more. 

Ne or neon gas is used for advertising signs, as are other noble gases. Neon is also used for television tubes, plasma screens, wave meter tubes, inside lightning arresters, and with high-voltage indicators.
The gas itself has no color until an electric charge is applied that alters the structure of the Ne molecules. Neon gas only produces a reddish orange color light, so other inert gases are used to make other colors. In plasma screens, individual neon lights interact with phosphors within the screen to product the vibrant colors. This interaction allows neon to make other colors. 

In its liquid form, neon is extremely cold, and can act as a stronger refrigerant than liquid hydrogen or helium. Thus, the gas can be converted to liquid for use in cryogenic health tanks or other applications. There are potential cryonics applications for neon as well. 

In recent years, noble gases including neon have been used to detect fracking leaks. Neon can be tracked as it moved, illustrating the path of leaked methane from the frack site. Neon is a good choice for this purpose since it will not interact with other natural elements. 

As one of the inert gases, neon has a low environmental impact. The substance cannot react with other substances in the environment, which could pose harm. Neon is naturally found in the earth's environment in relatively low concentrations.

Neon gas itself has no color or odor naturally. The noble gas could seep into the environment in a manufacturing leak without anyone knowing what had happened. 

How an Oxygen Deficiency Monitor Can Protect Workers From Neon Gas Danger

Like other inert gases, neon can act as an asphyxiant. This means that, if Ne leaks into the air, it begins to displace oxygen in the air. As oxygen levels fall, workers can experience confusion and respiratory problems. If employees do not evacuate in time, they can lose consciousness and die of asphyxiation from the lack of oxygen in the air. In extreme cases, this can happen in a matter of minutes before staff even have time to reach safety. 

Since workers cannot see or smell the gas, they need a way to know when they are in danger of asphyxiation. Installing an oxygen monitor is one of these easiest ways to protect employees and provide early warning. 
A wall-mounted O₂ deficiency monitor continually checks the levels of oxygen in the air, to protect employee health. The monitor stays silent when everything is normal. As soon as oxygen levels fall below the threshold set by OSHA, the monitor will sound an alarm and flash colored lights to provide staff with clear notification. Workers can then evacuate before oxygen levels fall so low that they experience respiratory problems. 
PureAire offers an O₂ monitor built to withstand 10 years of use with no maintenance once it is installed. Oxygen monitors from PureAire contain zirconium sensors, which are accurate, efficient, and long-lasting. Simply by installing the right O2 monitor, businesses can protect their workers in environments where a noble gas is used. 

To learn more about the oxygen monitors PureAire offers, please visit www.pureairemonitoring.com.

Source

http://www.livescience.com/28811-neon.html

Are You An OLED Display Manufacturer? Why PureAire Monitoring Systems May Be Your Next Partner

OLED -- organic LED -- is a top desired feature in smartphones, yet manufacturers do not have the production capacity needed to meet industry demands. Since OLED devices have stronger contrast, a faster response time, a better quality, and a lower cost, there are many reasons for consumers as well as manufacturers to embrace this trend. To build capacity needed to product OLED screens for smartphones without sacrificing employee safety, semiconductor plants need two devices: An oxygen analyzer and an oxygen monitor. 

OLED Manufacturing and its Risks 

A good display is one of the strongest motivators to purchase a device, such as a television or a smartphone. The superior quality the OLED devices deliver will be a major driver for consumers, if these screens can make it onto a wide array of device types.

Next-generation OLED screens can even curve or roll up, like a newspaper. Kateeva is a company worth noting, as they are advancing OLED displays with over 200 million raised since 2008, using their YIELDjet FLEX printing tools. Two years after its debut, Kateeva’s YIELDjet FLEX tool is the undisputed leader in the industry. Kateeva’s President & COO was named “Inventor of the Year” for 2016 by the Silicon Valley Intellectual Property Law Association.

At present, only a handful of smartphone screens come with an organic LED. Apple hopes to ship all iPhones with OLEDs by 2018, but some doubt that facilities will have enough production to meet demands. At present, there is only one producer, Samsung, who is on board to provide the OLED screens. 

Efficient OLEDs are made using either an inkjet printing process or a process known as organic vapor phase deposition (OVPD). In the OVPD process, an inert gas (usually nitrogen or N₂) is used as a "carrier gas" to transport the organics onto a substrate, where they can condense. Nitrogen is a popular choice because it is inexpensive, efficient, and reliable.

Nitrogen can be generated on-demand using a generator that distils air into its component parts. An oxygen analyzer can help ensure the purity of the nitrogen gas created by measuring trace amounts of oxygen in ppm. By using nitrogen as the carrier gas, manufacturers can reduce the cost associated with making OLED screens and decrease the time to production.

How an Oxygen Deficiency Monitor Protects OLED Employee Safety

Inert gases including N₂ do not react with other substances. If the N₂ used as a carrier gas were to seep out from the generator or from supply lines, it would start to deplete oxygen present in the atmosphere. Since nitrogen gas has no odor or color, staff would be unable to tell that a leak had occurred without something like an oxygen deficient monitor in place. 

Within minutes of a leak, room oxygen levels would fall to below the minimum acceptable levels for oxygen. When this happens, anyone in the room would begin to experience respiratory symptoms, including mental confusion, loss of consciousness, and asphyxiation due to lack of oxygen. Accidents involving oxygen depletion are usually fast, serious, and frequently fatal. 

An oxygen monitor is a low-cost, effective way to monitor levels of oxygen anywhere that inert gases such as nitrogen are used. A wall-mounted oxygen monitor tracks oxygen levels on a continual basis and sounds a loud alert should oxygen fall below the 19.5 percent oxygen threshold earmarked by OSHA, a threshold that provides employees ample time to evacuate before succumbing to symptoms of oxygen deficiency.
By installing an oxygen deficiency monitor anywhere nitrogen gases are used or nitrogen generators exist, manufacturers can safeguard their staff while taking advantage of efficiencies that allow cheaper manufacturing of OLEDs. 

PureAire offers an oxygen deficiency monitors with a zirconium sensor, which is capable of withstanding 10 years of continued use. Because these sensors are long-lasting, they offer a good value compared to other types of sensors on the market. By installing an oxygen monitor to safeguard staff and an oxygen analyzer to protect the purity of the nitrogen gas, manufacturers can build capacity needed to meet the demand for OLED screens.   


PureAire's sensors are reliable, effective, and easy to set up. Once installed, they require no calibration to work. These monitors work in temperature extremes and remain reliable even when adverse weather affects barometric pressure. Learn more about oxygen monitors and analyzers from PureAire at www.pureairemonitoring.com. 

Nitrogen Demand Increases for Semiconductor: How Safe Are You?

As users demand ever-smaller smartphones and better televisions, semiconductor manufacturing plants are tasked with developing new products faster and using new materials. Key to the continued success of the semiconductor industry are inert gases, which include nitrogen and argon. When used safely, both nitrogen and argon play a number of important roles within the semiconductor plant. Yet, these gases poses a health hazard for employees if a leak occurs. 

How and Why Nitrogen is used in Semiconductor Manufacturing Plants 

Nitrogen is used throughout the manufacturing process, from purging pumps to abatement. Nitrogen is also used in the process, especially now that fab size is growing. In a modern semiconductor manufacturing plant, as much as 50,000 cubic meters of nitrogen gas are used every hour. 

To meet this demand, semiconductor manufacturing plants are installing nitrogen generators onsite. Generators mean a cheap, efficient, and always-ready supply of nitrogen gas to supply production. 

As long as nitrogen gas is stored safely in the generator and used properly, there is no health risk. Yet if the generator or supply lines develop a leak, nitrogen gas can escape and deplete oxygen in the environment. Since nitrogen gas is both odorless and colorless, there is no way that staff can monitor their risk. 

Along with nitrogen, argon gas is used in semiconductor manufacturing, most notable as a sputtering gas. Like nitrogen, argon gas depletes oxygen from the environment. Like nitrogen, the gas has no color or odor. In a closed area, the gas can deplete oxygen and cause respiratory problems and eventual suffocation. 

How an Oxygen Analyzer Can Protect Staff Working in a Semiconductor Manufacturing Plant 

If either nitrogen or argon were to leak into the plant, these inert gases would begin to deplete the levels of oxygen in the air. OSHA sets the oxygen threshold at 19.5 percent or less oxygen in the air. If oxygen levels fall below this, staff could suffer. 

When oxygen levels fall to OSHA's threshold, staff may show signs of confusion or fatigue. Since there are no warning signs that something is wrong, staff can fall unconscious before they can escape the oxygen deficient environment. Once unconscious, they asphyxiate. 

It is critical for any workplace that uses these inert gases, including semiconductor plants, to monitor levels of oxygen in the air and alert workers if the ambient oxygen levels fall to the OSHA threshold. 

By installing an oxygen monitor and an oxygen analyzer anywhere inert gases are used, manufacturers can protect the safety of their workers through continual oxygen monitoring and fast alert if oxygen levels fall. A wall-mounted oxygen monitor scans the atmosphere and measures the amount of oxygen from 0 to 25 percent, well above the safety threshold. As long as there is enough oxygen in the air -- which there will be as long as there is no inert gas leak -- the oxygen monitor will remain silent. 

When oxygen levels fall to the OSHA threshold, the oxygen monitor will flash lights and sound an alarm, providing instant notification to workers. Staff can take notice and evacuate before negative health outcomes occur. 

An oxygen analyzer measures the level of oxygen present in gas produced via nitrogen generator to ensure the purity of the gas for use in manufacturing. Oxygen analyzers are ideal for low level analysis and can measure from 0 to 1,000 ppm. Workers can check oxygen levels at a glance and ensure the nitrogen generator is working properly. When combined with the oxygen monitor for safety, the oxygen analyzer streamlines and safeguards the semiconductor manufacturing process. 

PureAire offers industry leading oxygen monitors and oxygen analyzers that can last for up to 10 years after installation with no maintenance needed. These products offer worker protection and peace of mind for manufacturers who want to remain cutting edge in their industry. Learn more about PureAire's products at https://www.pureairemonitoring.com.

Tunnel Freezing and Flash Freezing Food with Nitrogen: Oxygen Monitors and Why They May Required

New developments in cryogenic freezing are transforming the frozen food industry by making it easier to freeze all sorts of items quickly while retaining the highest nutritional value. Cryogenic and tunnel freezers are easy to use, yet they pose a hidden health risk. Learn why you may need an O2 monitor if your frozen food manufacturing facility relies on cryogenic freezers.

                                                              

How Cryogenic Freezers Work

Cryogenic freezers allow for continuous freezing of food, increasing output without requiring a large amount of space. Compared to mechanical freezers, which take longer to freeze products, they increase both the production and the quality with a low investment of capital.

In particular, cryogenic freezers are useful for freezing par-baked goods, which are partially baked before being frozen for storage. Par-baked items allow fast-food restaurants, supermarkets, sandwich shops, cafes, and other institutions to offer fresh, healthy baked goods without needing to bake from-scratch every day. For a commercial baking facility, investing in a cryogenic freezer is the best way to increase their output, grow their business, and become more profitable.

Cryogenic freezers work by using liquid nitrogen to quickly chill items to safe temperatures for frozen storage. As in any environment where liquid nitrogen is present, there is a danger of oxygen depletion and asphyxiation. Thus, it is always a good idea to have an O2 deficiency monitor present onsite to protect the health of employees.

One subset of cryogenic freezers, the tunnel freezer, uses a continuous freezing model of a conveyor belt, an injection system, and an exhaust system to vent gases. When the texture of the finished product is paramount, as in baked goods or seafoods, or when it's necessary to flash freeze hot foods quickly, a tunnel freezer is the best way to maintain quality in the end product.

Why an Oxygen Detector is Necessary with Cryogenic Freezers

As mentioned above, cryogenic tunnel freezers rely on an inert gas, nitrogen, to flash freeze food items. Nitrogen is perfectly safe when used in the closed-loop freezer system and properly vented from the facility. However, if the exhaust system were to develop a leak, nitrogen gas could enter the manufacturing facility and start to displace oxygen from the air. Since nitrogen is colorless and odorless, staff would not notice the leak. In a matter of minutes, ambient levels of oxygen could drop so severely that staff could become disoriented, lose consciousness, or die.

Simply by installing O2 monitors wherever nitrogen gas is used or stored, you can monitor levels of oxygen in the air and ensure there is no risk of oxygen displacement from a nitrogen leak. In the event that nitrogen leaks into the environment, the O2 deficiency monitor will sound an alarm and flash lights to let staff know that oxygen levels have fallen below the acceptable threshold set by OSHA. Staff can then evacuate before their health is compromised.

There are many styles of O2 monitors, but the one we recommend for flash freezing environments is the Sample Draw oxygen monitor. The style of O2 monitor can be placed outside the freezer and monitor levels of oxygen inside the freezer using a polyurethane tube. This ensures the sterility of the flash freezing environment while safeguarding workers. With a state-of-the-art zirconium oxide sensor, this style of oxygen detector can last without any maintenance for up to 10 years.

PureAire has over 15 years of experience, and is an industry leader in oxygen detector technology. To learn more about the Sample Draw oxygen monitor, please visit www.PureAireMonitoring.com.

A Nitrogen Culinary Experience and How to Remain Safe with Use of Oxygen Monitors

As modernist cuisine has become more popular, restaurant and home chefs alike are turning to liquid nitrogen to create spheres, gels, foams, and even ice cream. While liquid nitrogen can be safely used in a range of culinary applications, there are important safety risks to be aware of when working with this substance. 

The Hidden Dangers of Liquid Nitrogen in the Kitchen

Nitrogen can help chefs freeze alcohol, which doesn't freeze under freezer temperatures. Nitrogen also creates a very rich ice cream, since it makes superfine ice crystals. By using liquid nitrogen to freeze foods, chefs can keep more flavor in the food and preserve higher amounts of the food's nutrients.

It's important to note that nitrogen is used only to alter the state of food. The nitrogen itself is not consumed.
While it is no wonder that nitrogen has become so popular in the kitchen, the substance can pose a health hazard.  

Liquid nitrogen is extremely cold. If the substance were to spill on your clothing or get in your eyes, it could cause severe burns. Thus, many culinary workers wear an extra layer of clothing (such as an apron) to prevent nitrogen from causing skin burns. Special gloves protect the hands, and safety goggles prevent the eyes from nitrogen burns.

While many are aware of the burn danger from liquid nitrogen, there is a more insidious hazard. When liquid nitrogen meets the air, it starts to evaporate and turns into nitrogen gas. Nitrogen gas is a known oxygen displacer, so the more gas that escapes, the less oxygen the air has. Quickly, nitrogen gas can deplete the air to low enough levels of oxygen that respiratory problems and death via asphyxiation are cause for concern. While you may see the smoke or fog from liquid nitrogen, actual nitrogen gas has no color or odor. Thus, if you miss the fog of liquid nitrogen, you may not know the atmosphere is oxygen deficient until it is too late. 

The human brain requires a continual supply of oxygen to work properly. Without this steady oxygen supply, the brain begins to shut down. Confusion and mental fog occur, along with symptoms of respiratory distress, including nausea and vomiting. Due to the severity of these symptoms, an individual in an oxygen-deficient environment has little chance of rescuing themselves before dying. 

How an Oxygen Monitor Protects Safety 

If you plan to use liquid nitrogen, take the necessary precautions to protect skin and eyes from burns. Then take the extra step to install an oxygen deficiency monitor or oxygen analyzer. 

The oxygen deficiency monitor mounts on the wall in the area where nitrogen is stored and used. The device constantly checks the levels of oxygen in the air. As long as the air is safe to breathe, the monitor remains silent yet alert. If liquid nitrogen evaporates and begins displacing oxygen, the O₂ monitor tracks the falling levels. Should oxygen drop such that the air is no longer safe to breathe, the O₂ monitor will flash a visual and audio alert telling staff to get out of the kitchen. 

The monitors are designed to alert when oxygen levels fall below the limits set by OSHA of 19.5 percent. When oxygen levels are between 19.5 and 15 percent, symptoms of oxygen deficiency begin to occur. Health hazards arise when levels fall below 6 percent. So, the analyzer gives staff enough time to safely evacuate and avoid a health risk. 

If you want to use nitrogen in the kitchen, while reducing the safety risks for your kitchen staff, invest in an oxygen monitor. Oxygen monitors from PureAire come with hardy zirconium oxide sensors, which require no maintenance and have a 10-year life span. They are an effective, efficient way to circumvent nitrogen's hidden dangers. See PureAire's line of oxygen monitors and oxygen analyzers at www.pureairemonitoring.com