Industrial Blanketing 

What is Industrial Blanketing?

Another controlled atmosphere application is the O2Low Blanketing Systems -system used to eliminate bacteria, mold and rust risks. When filling a tank with any product, there may be an unfilled space in its upper part. If the space is left empty, this may cause organic changes in the stored product, such as evaporation, bacteria/mold development and rust formation. To avoid these processes, a nitrogen blanketing is used. With this system, the hollow space where there is no product in the tank is filled with nitrogen (N2), which is an inert gas. This process prevents the products from coming into contact with the air as well as with the walls of the tank, thus stopping the natural organic processes. 

Industrial Blanketing Systems is widely used in: 

• Wine industry
• Hot water systems
• Bunkers
• Silos

Examples of Nitrogen blanketing applications:

– In the heating system. The water in a greenhouse heating system expands due to heating, so the buffer tank of such a system is never completely filled. To keep the empty space at the top of the tank from rusting, it is filled with nitrogen. The desired pressure of nitrogen above the water can be adjusted. As the water in the buffer heats up, the pressure increases. When the maximum pressure is exceeded, the safety valve opens and the excess of nitrogen is removed from the tank. On the other hand, if the pressure drops below the minimum value, the nitrogen generator automatically adds nitrogen. This system may also be referred to as an expansion system.

– In the beverage industry. An example is the storage and bottling of wine. In this case, the tanks with wine can also be filled with nitrogen to prevent the wine itself from oxidizing. CO2 is an alternative, but it carbonizes liquids and is for that reason not always beneficial. CO2 also cannot be produced locally and is therefore much more expensive than nitrogen. 

– Blanketing of extra virgin olive oil as well as other drinks such as beer; 

– MAP packaging (fresh food, meat); 

– More animal-friendly stunning before slaughter (poultry).