Nitrogen cylinder costs for a delivery contract may seem like the easiest way to manage your laboratory budget, however, the purchase of a nitrogen generator is a more cost-effective way to buy nitrogen.
While the initial outlay for nitrogen cylinder costs is low, contracts are often subject to regular price increases, as well as hidden fees such as regulator maintenance, delivery, fuel and cylinder and pallet rental charges, which can soon add up. A nitrogen generator offers a more economical solution, typically offering savings versus cylinder supply, within the first year of ownership. One LC-MS instrument running 8 hours a day, 5 days a week that requires 32 L/min of nitrogen will consume around 4 million liters of nitrogen per year, that is equivalent to approximately 450 cylinders of nitrogen. The table below is a break down of nitrogen cylinders costs vs. nitrogen generator costs based on ordering 450 cylinders without factoring inflation: