Dry nitrogen generator NITROBERG®

UHPhigh-purityultra high-purity

Overview
NITROBERG® PSA nitrogen generators produce nitrogen from compressed air on site for electronics manufacturing duties including reflow, wave and selective soldering, cable curing and extrusion, assembly, test and dry storage. Purity is configurable from 97 % up to 99.999 % and generators are used where inert, dry and continuous gas supplies are required.

Key performance figures

• Purity configurable: 97 % to 99.999 %
• Residual oxygen achievable: down to 10 ppm (grade 5.0)
• Nitrogen output range across the NITROBERG® portfolio: 1.2 to 1,709.1 Nm³/h
• Conformity assessed to PED 2014/68/EU (notified body NB 2912)

What nitrogen does in electronics manufacturing
Nitrogen displaces oxygen in process atmospheres so that oxygen cannot oxidise molten solder, polymer melts or bare metal surfaces. An inert atmosphere improves wetting and spread in soldering, reduces dross in wave pots, keeps selective nozzles free of oxide and provides continuous, dry purge gas for assembly, test and dry storage.

Nitrogen soldering: reflow, wave and selective

• Reflow: a flooded tunnel atmosphere improves wetting/spread, reduces oxide skin on molten solder and widens the process window for low-residue no-clean fluxes (important for lead-free and fine-pitch components).
• Wave: an inerted pot and wave form far less dross, reducing solder loss and pot maintenance; hole fill and bridging improve.
• Selective: uses the least gas of the three; nitrogen at the nozzle keeps joints wetted and oxide-free.
• Specification driver: residual oxygen in the supply — set generator grade above the atmosphere target (e.g. 99.9 % = 1,000 ppm; 99.99 % = 100 ppm; 99.999 % = 10 ppm).

Nitrogen in cable production
Cable and extrusion lines use nitrogen for long continuous periods (curing, extrusion, compounding). Uses include continuous vulcanisation (to avoid steam-related microvoids), blanketing hoppers and dryers to prevent oxidation, and shielding/coating atmospheres on optical fibre lines. Continuous load profile and buffer sizing are key for these applications.

How to size a nitrogen generator for an electronics plant

• 1. Separate continuous from intermittent loads: build the base load from continuous consumers (reflow ovens while hot, curing/extrusion lines) and add intermittent consumers on top.
• 2. Set purity from the atmosphere you must hold: the most demanding process sets the generator grade; confirm against equipment specifications.
• 3. Decide on demand or from storage: using buffer storage can reduce generator and compressor size; 24/7 duty may prefer direct generation without large storage.
• 4. Check compressed air requirements: multiply nitrogen flow by the air factor for the chosen grade (air factors: ~3.4 at 99.9 %, 4.6 at 99.99 %, 6.4 at 99.999 %). NITROBERG expects compressed air to ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 1.4.1 at ~7 bar(g).

Nitrogen for semiconductor manufacturing
PSA generators cover back-end operations (die attach, wire bonding, moulding, package reflow, dry storage, purge/load locks and utility nitrogen). At 99.999 % (~10 ppm O₂) PSA is suitable for these duties. Front-end wafer fabrication uses ultra-high-purity gas (ppb oxygen/moisture) produced by cryogenic air separation, which PSA does not reach.

Why electronics plants generate nitrogen on site

• Configure purity to process needs (97 %–99.999 %).
• Predictable running cost driven by compressed air and electrical consumption (kWh-based OPEX).
• Standard, off-the-shelf wear parts (filters/consumables) avoid proprietary spare part dependency.
• Supply integrates into production planning with local buffering to cover short interruptions.
• Engineering and manufacture are described as Made in Germany; warranty typically three years standard (option to extend with service contract).

On-site generation vs cylinders and liquid supply
On-site generation replaces delivered cylinder bundles and liquid tanks with an installed capital item plus electricity. Cylinder rentals, deliveries, changeovers and floor space are avoided; liquid tanks solve flow but incur ongoing evaporation losses and delivery schedules. Payback depends on consumption profile and electricity price; on many sites payback is within two to three years. Higher purity choices multiply compressed air demand and may require upgrades to compressors/dryers.

FAQ highlights

• What nitrogen purity does soldering need? The required purity follows the residual oxygen the process must hold; choose a generator grade above that target.
• How much nitrogen does a reflow oven use? Consumption depends on oven design (tunnel length, apertures, gas curtains) and is continuous while the oven is hot; use manufacturer figures for sizing.
• Can one generator supply several processes? Usually yes, provided the most demanding process sets the purity and the capacity covers simultaneous consumers plus headroom.

Technical data / Specifications

• Product family: NITROBERG® PSA nitrogen generators
• Purity range: 97 % to 99.999 % (configurable)
• Residual oxygen at top grade: down to 10 ppm (grade 5.0)
• Nitrogen output range (NITROBERG® portfolio): 1.2 to 1,709.1 Nm³/h
• Compressed air requirement guidance: ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 1.4.1 recommended; nominal supply pressure ~7 bar(g)
• Air consumption multipliers: ~3.4 at 99.9 %, 4.6 at 99.99 %, 6.4 at 99.999 %
• Regulatory conformity: PED 2014/68/EU (notified body NB 2912) for applicable pressure equipment
• Manufacturing origin: Made in Germany
• Warranty: 3 years standard (extension possible with service contract)