What Does Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) Mean?
Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is a cryogenic fluid that is extremely cold, inert, colorless, odorless, nonflammable, and non-corrosive.
Liquid nitrogen (LN2) is a cryogenic fluid that is extremely cold, inert, colorless, odorless, nonflammable, and non-corrosive.
Our atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen by volume. Under high pressure, nitrogen becomes liquid nitrogen, a cryogenic liquid with a boiling point of -320.5°F (-195.8°C). Liquid nitrogen has a variety of uses in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. It must, however, be handled according to proper safety procedures since it is both a health hazard and can result in burns or extensive tissue damage.
Liquid nitrogen is used in various industries like aerospace, oil and gas, food and beverage, metal fabrication, and biotechnology.
In the pharmaceutical industry, liquid nitrogen is used to control the temperature in reactor cooling applications and to preserve biological samples.
In the medical industry, liquid nitrogen is used for various purposes, including:
Appropriate safety measures and personal protective equipment (PPE) should be used to ensure maximum safety while handling liquid nitrogen.
Some of the hazards related to cryogenic fluid include the following.
When vaporized, liquid nitrogen can expand 695 times in volume and displace oxygen in the atmosphere creating a risk of asphyxiation. When using cryogens indoors, the room should be well ventilated.
If cryogenic containers do not have adequate venting or pressure-relief devices, pressure can build upon cryogen evaporation.
Liquid nitrogen vapor can quickly freeze skin tissue and eye fluid, and produce effects similar to burns (called cold burns) on the skin. Items that are exposed to liquid nitrogen become extremely cold, and exposed flesh touching it can be torn.
When transferring liquid nitrogen, oxygen in the air surrounding a cryogen containment system can dissolve, creating an oxygen-enriched environment as the system returns to ambient temperatures. Since liquid oxygen evaporates slower than nitrogen, it can build up to levels that can cause flammability of surrounding materials like clothing.
The following measures can be taken for proper storage and handling of liquid nitrogen: