Author: Fred

Some winemakers are dedicated to producing wine through artisan techniques however, nitrogen generators help create great wine making this new technology hard to overlook. The shift to automation can propel a winemaker to the next level, especially when dealing with so many modern challenges such as labour shortages and climate change.

Technology is available for automating the process from vineyards to wineries, requiring less manual intervention, but what do you need to guarantee the quality of the end product? A constant supply of nitrogen is the key to preservation, dispensing, freshness and extending shelf life, says Oxair Gas Systems Ltd.

Oxidation, bacteria and spoilage are a winemaker’s worst enemies, threatening profits and sales – and of course, reputation. One bad experience may not deter a consumer, but more than that? That’ll be one customer buying a competitor’s wine next time. Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) nitrogen generators and membrane systems help prevent oxidation, which occurs when wine is exposed to too much oxygen. The use of nitrogen throughout the winemaking process helps preserve colour, flavour and aroma of any wine prior to corking or capping the bottle.

Having this colourless and odourless gas on tap 24/7 does not cause discoloration to bottles or have a negative impact on the product’s taste. With a zero tolerance for error, nitrogen generators are ideal for flushing during transfer and bottling of any wine to help minimise waste, save money, increase employee safety and reduce environmental impact.

The costs associated with setting up on-site nitrogen generation equipment are just a drop in the ocean when compared with payback that can be achieved many times over in the long term. Nitrogen can prevent wine from leaving a sour taste in the mouth during the three specific stages of the production process – flushing, sparging and blanketing.

Winemakers of all sizes can benefit from cutting down on waste caused by oxidation and spoilage. Nitrogen generating technology ensures the product leaves the winery in the best possible condition and tastes as intended a few months, years or even decades later! Using the gas squeezes oxygen out of the entire production process from fermentation to bottling and storage.

A nitrogen generator provides self-sufficiency as well as cost benefits against handling of liquid nitrogen tanks, allowing producers to turn supplies on and off as and when required. This means they can accommodate seasonal or fluctuating production schedules, such as the surge in demand seen during pandemic lockdowns and the effects of climate change on wine-growing regions.

Oxair provides solutions that are tailor-made for wine producers anywhere in the world. Process temperature control makes PSA generators very stable. This technology ensures reliable supplies of pure nitrogen, while a compact, robust design makes the equipment ideal where space in the winery is limited.

Self-contained nitrogen membrane systems also meet the needs of large-volume users. Flexible, cost-effective and cheaper to run compared to liquid nitrogen tanks, high-flow membrane nitrogen systems are up and running within minutes of installation. Along with a quick start-up they offer a smaller footprint and minimise power consumption.

Switching to nitrogen generating equipment is an efficient and cheaper way to ensure wines from the cellar meet customer expectations. Nitrogen generators and membrane units are safe, reliable, easy to operate and never run out of gas.

Oxair Director David Cheeseman, sums up: “Nitrogen generators and membrane units give winemakers complete control of a permanent supply of nitrogen rather than being at the mercy of deliveries, which can be affected by poor transport connectivity and extreme weather events. Using the equipment eliminates oxygen ensuring fabulous tasting wine from every harvest.”

A potential worldwide shortage of medical oxygen supplies due to the coronavirus pandemic could be alleviated by installing Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) systems in healthcare facilities, says Oxair, a global manufacturer of advanced gas process systems.

Ensuring a reliable supply of oxygen during the Covid-19 crisis is proving challenging due to the rising demand from healthcare services across the world desperate to have the life-saving Oxygen for ventilators and masks to keep their growing number of patients alive, as well as to aid their recovery from the virus.

Australia-based Oxair and its manufacturing facility in both Australia and India can turn around orders for ready-to-use Oxygen PSA units in about 8 to ten weeks for the Asia/Pacific (APAC) and African regions, depending on local lockdown laws or travel restrictions. These are high quality, robust medical devices designed to last and deliver consistent, high purity oxygen on tap to hospitals and healthcare facilities even in the remotest locations around the world.

Medical facilities are often forced to rely on outsourcing this life-giving gas, with failing supplies a potential catastrophe for hospitals, not to mention the problems associated with the storage, handling and removal of traditional oxygen cylinders. PSA Oxygen offers better patient care with a permanent flow of high-quality oxygen – in this case a plug and play system with output pressure of four bars and a flow rate of 160 litres per minute, capable of piping oxygen around the hospital to every department as needed. It’s a highly cost-effective and hygienic alternative to the inconvenience and uncertainty of cylinders.

The system delivers constant oxygen of 94-95 percent purity through PSA filtration, a unique process that separates oxygen from compressed air. The gas is then conditioned and filtered before being stored in a buffer tank to be used directly by the end user on demand.

David Cheeseman of Oxair explained: “We are ready to step up supplies and prepared to do whatever is necessary to help healthcare services during the current coronavirus crisis – and beyond – by providing this life-saving oxygen equipment wherever it is needed. The design of these PSA systems as ‘plug-and-play’ means that they are literally ready to start working as soon as they are delivered and plugged in – with voltage adapted to the country of delivery. So hospitals can rely on technology which is tried and tested over many years, coupled with almost instant access to vital oxygen supplies.”

For further information on Oxair’s products and services visit: www.oxair.com.au

Ensuring a reliable supply of medical oxygen to hospitals in remote and warn-torn locations proves a constant challenge when faced with poor infrastructure, limited resources and haphazard road conditions.

Medical facilities are often forced to rely on outsourcing this life-giving gas, with failing supplies a potential nightmare for hospitals, not to mention the problems associated with the storage, handling and removal of traditional oxygen cylinders.

Heal Africa hospital in Goma, The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had been relying on tanker deliveries of medical oxygen supplies from a neighbouring state, but staff found that patients were being left at risk due to faulty equipment which upon testing, was discovered to be supplying just 60 percent oxygen purity compared with the standard 93 percent needed for medical grade applications.

It was decided that a new oxygen system was vital and the hospital was able to overcome its supply difficulties by having an Oxair OA450 system installed, piping oxygen around the hospital to every department as needed, providing a cost-effective and hygienic alternative to the inconvenience of ordering in traditional carbon steel cylinders which are prone to corrosion.

High purity oxygen is essential for the health and safety of patients and the Oxair system delivers constant oxygen of 95 percent purity through PSA filtration. PSA is a unique process that separates oxygen from compressed air. The gas is then conditioned and filtered before being stored in a buffer tank to be used directly by the end user on demand.

Oxair agreed to provide a charitable rate for the installation and monies were raised through the Heal Africa charitable trust, which provides healthcare and wider community support, treating some of the most difficult cases in a region which has experienced extreme violence, mass population displacement and a collapse of public health services.

Jim Newell of Oxair commented: “Oxair can happily provide a charitable rate for organisations with a bona fide charitable status and the staff at Heal Africa are absolutely delighted with the new OA450 system. It really was our pleasure to be able to participate in such a worthy cause.”

A global manufacturer of advanced gas process systems, Oxair’s PSA units are quality medical devices designed to last and deliver consistent, high purity oxygen to hospitals and healthcare facilities even in the remotest locations around the world. Oxair’s designs are focused on meeting exacting customer requirements, reliability, ease of maintenance, safety, and plant self-protection.

For further information on Oxair’s products and services visit: www.oxair.com.au

Nitrogen-filled tyres are used in rugged activities like construction, mining, motor racing and the aerospace industry and are becoming more popular with ordinary cars because they remain inflated for longer and are more tolerant of heat.

However, whether rolling out a Formula One car, a jet aircraft a dumper truck or a Ford car, tyre suppliers can avoid the hassle of having to outsource their gas from conventional cylinders by switching to gas on tap through a nitrogen generator.

Being at the mercy of the supply chain for bottled nitrogen, especially in extreme locations where conditions are challenging, is costly and can be difficult to transport, not to mention the health and safety risks for staff manually moving cylinders from one place to another says Oxair, an Australian specialist in the supply of gas generation equipment to international markets.

However, it is imperative that tyres are inflated with nitrogen in many sectors to reduce the risk from critical air leaks when the vehicle’s tyres are under pressure. Nitrogen-filled tyres are more resistant to hot climates and from freezing at high altitudes – India is considering making nitrogen-filled tyres mandatory on its roads to reduce the chances of tyres bursting due to excessive heat*.

That makes tyres inflated with nitrogen an excellent choice for vehicles and heavy-duty equipment where precise or constant pressure is vital. Unlike compressed air, nitrogen is an inert gas that does not react with other materials, so is resistant to corrosion and therefore provides an extra tier of safety where critical applications are involved – this is where Oxair’s nitrogen generators can assist.

Oxair’s nitrogen generators are efficient and compact, an ideal solution for tyre depots, motor racing establishments, airlines, garages, mining and construction sites. They offer a continuous flow of gas extracted from the atmosphere and are an environmentally friendlier way of delivery by reducing the carbon footprint associated with having cylinders transported from an off-site facility and then the return journey when they are empty.

The company also uses Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) or membrane technology, cost-effective filtration methods for onsite nitrogen production for a wide range of high purity and flow requirements, to be used directly by the end user on demand.

Chief Engineer, David Cheeseman, said: “At Oxair we manufacture nitrogen plants for the tyre industry which are cheap to run and once installed require minimum maintenance. They are built to last and operator friendly, making them crucial where tyres may be difficult to change or service due to the remoteness of the location or application.”

Companies will stock cylinders of nitrogen as emergency back-up vessels to meet specific needs, however customers moving to onsite generation can trust the kit from Oxair, a leading supplier of equipment noted for being among the most reliable, safest and efficient source of gas delivery.

Oxair’s designs are focused on meeting exacting customer requirements, reliability, ease of maintenance, safety, and plant self-protection. It is a world leading manufacturer of gas process systems, for shipboard and land-based use to suit any requirement.

For further information on Oxair’s products and services visit: www.oxair.com.au

*https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/government-mulling-making-nitrogen-filled-tyres-mandatory-413422

Hyderabad is a hotbed of cricket with the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium being a popular venue in the Indian Premier League (IPL), but it is the Sunrise Hospital that is onto a winner after installing a cost-saving Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system, manufactured by Oxair Gas Systems, to supply its oxygen.

Oxair’s advanced medical equipment has transformed the oxygen set-up, saving the Hyderabad hospital around 1700 Australian dollars a month by reducing its dependence on cylinders. The facility was going through cylinders at a costly rate of up to 16 a day, not to mention the risk to staff from loading, unloading and changing the cumbersome containers.

Serving the southern India state capital of Telangana, the Sunrise enlisted Oxair’s India agent Agastya to install an OA 160 PSA system, significantly improving the oxygen run rate compared to the supply time of traditional cylinders which, when outsourcing, can also be at the mercy of poor transport connectivity and extreme weather events.

Saving lives as well as money, Oxair’s PSA system helps the multi-specialist hospital eliminate possible future interruptions to its oxygen supply chain and reduces the requirement for staff to handle cylinders, guaranteeing constant, high purity oxygen directly on tap, with immediate back-up when needed. As one of the world’s major healthcare markets, there is an increasing trend among hospitals in India to discard the conventional method of importing oxygen cylinders in favour of an automated system. PSA delivery equipment offers a sustainable alternative with constant purity of up to 93-94%.

PSA is a unique process that separates oxygen from compressed air. The gas is then conditioned and filtered before being stored in a buffer tank to be piped directly to the end user on demand. This system offers better patient care with a permanent flow of high-quality oxygen.

Ashok Seshasayee of Oxair’s agent Agastya said: “Everyone at Sunrise is very happy with the equipment and the service we provided. The owner is happy because the hospital is saving money which can be redirected to improving other services, while the staff are happy because they don’t have to exert time and energy in handling cylinders.”

Oxair’s PSA units are quality medical devices designed to last and deliver consistent, high purity oxygen to hospitals and healthcare facilities in even the remotest locations around the globe. As well as India, hospitals worldwide are benefiting from Oxair’s PSA units which have also been installed in Africa, the Philippines, Tonga, and Indonesia to provide a reliable and sustainable supply of oxygen.

Find out more here: https://www.oxair.com.au/markets/medical/

With fisheries around the world close to or beyond sustainable limits, and current health recommendations advising an increased intake of oily fish to help protect against heart disease, governments are warning that that the only way to satisfy consumer demand is the continued growth of aquaculture.*

The good news is that fish farms can increase stocking densities and improve yields by up to one third by specifying PSA oxygen applications from gas separation specialist Oxair, which can introduce oxygen to fish tanks in its pure form. The benefits of oxygen generation are well known within the aquaculture industry: fish require at least 80 percent oxygen saturation in the water for optimal growth. Insufficient oxygen levels cause poor digestion in the fish, so that they require more food and the risk of illness also increases.

Conventional oxygenation methods based on the addition of air alone quickly reach their limits because, in addition to the 21 percent oxygen that air contains, air also contains other gases, in particular nitrogen. Applying the same technology as that used in medical facilities, Oxair’s gas generators use Pressure Swing Adsorption to introduce pure oxygen directly into the water. This enables the production of much greater quantities of fish in a comparatively small volume of water and causes the fish to grow larger as well. This enables even small enterprises to farm considerably more biomass, making it easier for them to assert themselves in the economic environment.

James Newell, Oxair’s CEO, explained: “We supply PSA equipment for many facilities around the world, from aquacultures in Singapore to the University of Tasmania’s research facility. Our installation at a barramundi farm in Darwin has shown that for every 1kg of oxygen pumped into the water, 1kg of fish growth results. Our generators are currently being used to farm salmon, eels, trout, prawns and snapper among other varieties, at a global level.”

More efficient to run than traditional paddlewheel equipment, Oxair’s generators increase the partial pressure and thus the natural saturation limit in the water by a factor of 4.8 compared to aeration with mere air. A steady supply of oxygen is vital, especially since the majority of fish farms are located in remote areas. Using Oxair’s equipment, fish farms can maintain a reliable in-house supply of oxygen rather than depending upon tanker deliveries which, if delayed, could compromise the quality of a fish farm’s entire stock.

Farms can make further savings as fish health and metabolism are improved, so less feed is needed. As a consequence, salmon farmed in this way contain a higher concentration of Omega 3 fatty acids and develop an improved flavour. As the quality of the water determines the quality of the fish, Oxair’s equipment can also be used to create the ozone needed in water recycling reactors to sterilise the used water – which is then treated with UV light before being recirculated into the tank.

Oxair’s designs are focused on meeting exacting customer requirements, reliability, ease of maintenance, safety, and plant self-protection. The company is a world leading manufacturer of gas process systems, for shipboard and land-based use to suit any requirement.

For further information on Oxair’s products and services visit: www.oxair.com.au

*https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/635209/Future_of_the_sea_-_trends_in_aquaculture_FINAL_NEW.pdf

Oxair Gas Systems was called in by a hospital in the Bijapur district of the bustling Indian state of Karnataka to transform its oxygen supply set-up, after ventilators supporting patients’ breathing had been idle for almost two years.

Piping issues were the cause of the problem for Choudhary Hospital, which was also reliant on outsourcing oxygen cylinders. Oxair’s India agent Agastya restored the pipes to bring the ventilators back into operation before installing an Oxair Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) system to ensure a permanent supply of oxygen.

More and more medical facilities in India are installing PSA equipment to ensure cost-effective supplies of the life-saving gas rather than being at the mercy of deliveries of traditional cylinders, which can be affected by poor transport connectivity and extreme weather events.

To help eliminate possible future interruptions to its oxygen supply chain and reduce the requirement for staff to manhandle cylinders, the multi-specialty hospital switched to a PSA system from Oxair to guarantee constant, high purity oxygen on tap, with immediate back-up when needed.

Oxair is making inroads in what is one of the world’s major healthcare markets, convincing many hospitals in India to discard the conventional method of importing oxygen cylinders in favour of an automated system. PSA delivery equipment offers a sustainable alternative directly where it’s needed with constant purity of up to 93-94%.

PSA is a unique process that separates oxygen from compressed air. The gas is then conditioned and filtered before being stored in a buffer tank to be piped directly to the end user on demand or to refill cylinders already in circulation.

General Surgeon, Dr Ravikumar K Choudhary, who founded Choudhary hospital in 2005, said: “The PSA system from Oxair is supporting eight patients through two ventilators. We can now release staff from the burden of shifting cylinders around and offer better patient care with a permanent flow of high-quality oxygen directly where it’s needed.”

Choudhary is following in the footsteps of other hospitals in the Indian medical fraternity that have realised the benefits of having their own source of oxygen, rather than counting on outside sources and the handling of cylinders.

Oxair’s PSA units are quality medical devices designed to last and deliver consistent, high purity oxygen to hospitals and healthcare facilities in even the remotest locations around the globe. As well as India, hospitals worldwide are benefiting from Oxair’s PSA units which have also been installed in Africa, the Philippines, Tonga, and Indonesia to provide a reliable and sustainable supply of oxygen.

Find out more here: https://www.oxair.com.au/markets/medical/