Peak Scientific | Nitrogen and Hydrogen Generator Products

What is the cost of N2 gas in Australia?

ROI for 35 LPM (2.1 m3/hr)

A nitrogen cylinder delivery contract may seem like the easiest way to manage your laboratory budget, however, the purchase of a nitrogen gas generator is a more cost-effective way to secure ongoing nitrogen gas supply. While the initial outlay for cylinders is low, contracts are often subject to regular price increases, as well as hidden costs such as regulator maintenance, delivery, fuel and cylinder & pallet rental charges, which can soon add up. A gas 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 the costs associated with ordering 450 cylinders:

Typical 3 year cylinder supply costs for one LC-MS
  Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total

Cost of gas

(450 cylinders)

$22,500

$22,500

$22,500

$67,500

Cost of cylinder rental

($50/months)

$600

$600

$600

$1,800

Delivery Cost

($75 per weekly delivery)

$3,900

$3,900

$3,900

$11,700

Total spend over 3 years

$81,000

Compare this with the cost of purchasing PEAK Scientific’s Genius XE 35 standalone nitrogen generator where you can save 50% over 3 years, and even more if your lab has more than one LC-MS.

Typical 3 year Genius XE 35 generator supply costs for one LC-MS
  Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total

generator, delivery, installation and user training

$35,945

$0

$0

$35,945

Annual Service PM

warranty Period

$3,384

$3,384

$6,768

Power Consumption (8h per day @ 1.3 kWh for 5 days/ week) 

$811

$811

$811

$2,433

Total spend over 3 years

$45,146

ROI for 70 LPM (0.07 m3/min)

For higher flow gas requirements such as higher-end LC-MS, NMR, turbo evaporators, fume hoods, small lab reticulated gas supply, wine making/bottling, micro-breweries & food packaging, liquid nitrogen is a common method for supplying nitrogen. However, consider the following, gas usage for a facility requiring gas on demand 24 hours per day, 7 days a week needing 70 LPM (0.07 m3/min) is equal to 36, 792,000 litres of gas per annum. This equates to 0.105 L N2/min of liquid N2 boil off requirement. Deliveries to the facility for adequate operation would mean a minimum of 63,387 L per year of liquid nitrogen to produce the boil off gaseous nitrogen to meet the facility’s nitrogen demand.

Typical 3 year liquid nitrogen supply costs for 70 LPM (4.2 m3/h)
  Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total

Cost of liquid nitrogen per year

$63,387

$63,387

$63,387

$190,161

Cost of dewar rental per annum 

$5,000

$5,000

$5,000

$15,000

Delivery cost ($75 per weekly delivery)

$3,900

$3,900

$3,900

$11,700

Total spend over 3 years

$203,361

NB: reticulation/ liquid N2 may require additional set up costs including dewar placement, oxygen analysers, pipework to application, OHS training and additional safety precautions.

Compare this with the cost of purchasing PEAK Scientific’s Genius XE 70 standalone nitrogen generator where you can save 60% over 3 years, and even more if your lab requires more than 70 LPM.

Typical 3 year Genius XE 70 generator supply costs for 70 LPM (4.2 m3/h)
  Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Total

generator and installation 

$51,939

$0

$0

$51,939

Anual Service FPPM

warranty Period

$4,838

$4,838

$9,676

Power Consumption (24/7 day @ 2.53 kWh)

$6,649

$6,649

$6,649

$19,946

Total spend over 3 years

$81,561

The Genius XE comes supplied with sufficient tubing to supply directly to the application without additional set up costs – complete plug-and-play solution. (15 Amp power socket requirement). (Pricing in AUD ex GST calculations approximated based on average cylinder and liquid Nitrogen pricing quotations– can vary on state and location, energy calculated at 30.0 c/kWh).

Cost comparison chart of Dewars vs generators

Genius XE Nitrogen Generator

PEAK's Genius Series

PEAK Scientific’s Genius series is a compressor-based nitrogen generator based on more than a decade’s worth of research and design. Developed for LC-MS applications, the Genius range of nitrogen generators provide a dependable and consistent high purity flow of nitrogen, your gas supply will be available on-demand, 24/7.

Producing your own nitrogen gas with a Genius generator will earn a quick return on investment for your one-time nitrogen generator costs with its low service fees and maximum uptime. Gone will be the days of planning and paying for the delivery, installation and replacement of your cylinder.

On top of the cost savings and convenience, PEAK's Genius generators also offer peace of mind, as safety concerns are mitigated by the extremely low pressure and volume storage, along with inbuilt leak detector technology.

Traditional methods of gas supply have proven to be cumbersome and inconvenient, not only for financial reasons, but also for safety concerns, logistical planning and unreliability in terms of supply and purity. This means the nitrogen generator costs you pay offers unparalleled value for not just your budget, but also for optimum workflow.

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