It contains no moisture so rims won't corrode. Nitrogen doesn't leak away like compressed air, which can cause a 1.5-psi drop per month. Nor does nitrogen react with rubber the way oxygen in compressed air does. This oxidizing reaction can cause premature tire wear and blowouts. And nitrogen prevents hot, flammable gases from building up inside tires. It also brings up to a 25% increase in tire life to the bottom line. In a fleet of 50 trucks, that translates into $100,000 over the life of the tires.
A nitrogen generator from Parker Hannifin Corp.'s Filtration Group, (www.parker.com), brings these benefits to fleet managers and others who want to take advantage of nitrogen inflation. The Ballston Nitrogen Tire Inflation System uses membrane technology to separate nitrogen from compressed air. The membrane divides air into two streams: one of relatively pure nitrogen and the other an oxygen-rich mixture with carbon dioxide and other trace gases. It produces up to 70 scfh at 99.5% pure or 3,200 scfh at 95% pure. The system has virtually no moving parts, is quiet, and requires only simple, annual maintenance.
