Nitrogen Generators for Aluminum Extrusions are used to reduce or prevent oxide that would form on the surface of the dies used for the extrusion. By preventing the formation of oxide on the dies you increase the life of the die. This in turn prevents imperfections on the new extruded forms. If oxides formed on the die, imperfections would be transferred to the extruded pieces from the damaged dies.
The process of aluminum extrusion typically uses an aluminum billet that is heated to almost 1,000 deg. F. The billet is then forced through a die that has been engineered to produce precise extrusions. The advantage of this process is a low-cost final product of high strength, conductivity, and resistance to corrosion.
Nitrogen gas generators are ideal for aluminum extrusion. They offer a low-cost alternative to delivered bulk nitrogen. Providing the customer with a lower cost of operation thus resulting in a final cost of product that is more competitive than suppliers running Liquid nitrogen.
The average payback on a nitrogen generator for aluminum extrusion is 12 to 14 months. Systems are available in any purity, flow, and pressure configuration required. The purity of nitrogen required for this process is generally considered very low. We have seen ranges from 98% to 99.5%. Depending on the local cost of power this purity of gas can be generated for as low as $0.05 to $0.10 per CCF (One Hundred Cubic Feet).