Page 18 - Grapevine NovDec 2021

In The Winery
may not be desired,” he says.
Fallon adds that nitrogen is also typically used
in blanketing, which functions just like it sounds.
Nitrogen, or argon, covers an area or container to
help protect the wine by keeping oxygen out.
O2 N2 Site Gas Systems
Giving wineries the option to generate nitrogen
in-house and on-demand is the expertise of O2
N2 Site Gas Systems. In business since 1987, the
Connecticut-based company provides a range of
generator options, including Membrane Nitrogen
Generators and Pressure Swing Adsorption
Nitrogen Generators. The company says that
adsorption is the physical separation of molecules,
not a chemical one.
The PSA generators produced by O2 N2 Site Gas
Systems separate nitrogen from oxygen in the air.
A PSA generator system performs this task using
a pressurized vessel containing either carbon or
zeolite. Nitrogen is trapped while oxygen is safely
released back into the atmosphere. According to
the company, this method provides 99.9995% of
nitrogen. Other cost-saving features include an
automatic standby mode when no gas is needed.
The generator will also continuously check the
pressure to make certain that the gas generated
matches nitrogen demand.
The company’s membrane technology also uses
pressurized air. That air is forced through mem-
branes that act like filters with tiny holes small
enough to allow oxygen molecules to pass through,
leaving the nitrogen molecules behind. The process
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continually generates nitrogen at the desired flow
and purity levels.
Chart Industries
Chart Industries is a global manufacturer offer-
ing a wide range of products for multiple nitrogen
applications in wineries. The company produces
equipment engineered to provide technologically
advanced solutions in virtually all areas of industrial
gas applications. Its portfolio of products includes
not only engineering but also service and repair.
Located in New Prague, Minnesota, the company
has a 160-year history of being at the forefront of
technological advances. In 2021, it acquired Cryo
Technologies, a leading manufacturer of cryogenic
systems that Chart Industries has worked with for
more than 20 years. The acquisition brings a team
of highly skilled, richly experienced engineers and
designers with a deep knowledge of cryogenic sys-
tem design.
Chart Industries manufactures liquid nitrogen dos-
ing systems for several industries, but its primary
focus for wineries is using nitrogen for cleaning
equipment and product storage. Richard Rosik,
Sales Manager for Chart Industries, describes how
the company’s products integrate well into wine
production, including applications for storage, bot-
tling and cleaning production lines.
“The cleaning of the equipment is very import-
ant to ensure a sterile environment as well as
line changes from product to product. The Chart
Nitrogen Doser is designed for use in these types of
environments. Our liquid nitrogen dosers are spe-
cifically used to displace oxygen in the headspace
by allowing the liquid to vaporize inside the bottle,
pushing out the oxygen and other impurities.”
Chart Industries also provides wineries with bulk
storage options that preserve wine by protecting it
from oxidation through the sparging process. Rosik
says the equipment is ideal for these functions.
“Because of Chart’s diversified portfolio, although
our nitrogen dosers aren’t specifically used in the
sparging process, our Storage and Vaporization
equipment is. Our liquid cylinders, MicroBulk and
bulk tank offerings are ideal for these applications.”
The company’s bulk tank products range in size
877-892-5332
10/26/21 3:43 PM