Oxygen removal from nitrogen
Deoxo Nitrogen Generator & Nitrogen Purifier
Gastek engineers Deoxo nitrogen purification units for industrial buyers who need ppm-level oxygen control after PSA or membrane nitrogen generation. Select palladium Deoxo when residual hydrogen is acceptable, or copper Deoxo when the final nitrogen must be hydrogen-free.
System role
Polishing stage after nitrogen generation
Outlet nitrogen
99.999%+
Configured around final O2 ppm, dew point, and residual H2 limits
Oxygen removal
ppm level
Sub-10 ppm and lower targets can be reviewed by application
Plant format
PSA + Deoxo
New nitrogen plants or retrofit polishing after existing systems
Best fit: oxygen-sensitive applications where normal nitrogen purity is not enough, but liquid nitrogen or cylinder dependence is costly or operationally risky.
Remove
Reduce residual oxygen from nitrogen where standard PSA purity is not enough for the process.
Protect
Protect hot surfaces, solder joints, sensitive materials, and process batches from oxidation.
Stabilize
Hold a repeatable low-oxygen nitrogen atmosphere for continuous production or batch operation.
Upgrade
Add a purifier stage to a nitrogen plant instead of relying on cylinders or liquid nitrogen.
What the purifier solves
When nitrogen purity has to be specified by oxygen ppm, not just percent purity
Standard PSA nitrogen is enough for many inerting duties. Deoxo becomes relevant when the process is sensitive to residual oxygen: hot metal surfaces, soldering, oxygen-sensitive chemistry, high-purity handling, or controlled atmosphere work where the final O2 ppm matters.
Deoxo is typically specified when:
The process needs nitrogen beyond normal PSA purity.
Residual oxygen causes oxidation, dross, scale, defects, or product instability.
The buyer wants to reduce dependence on liquid nitrogen or cylinders.
A new or existing nitrogen plant needs a final oxygen-polishing stage.
Hydrogen tolerance must be decided before choosing palladium or copper Deoxo.
Analyzer, dryer, and safety controls are part of the buying decision.
Working principle
How Deoxo removes oxygen from nitrogen
The system is not only a catalyst vessel. A reliable Deoxo package includes hydrogen dosing, reactor design, drying, analyzers, control logic, alarms, and off-spec protection.
Nitrogen generation
A PSA or membrane nitrogen generator produces the base nitrogen stream. The inlet purity and flow determine how much oxygen the Deoxo stage must remove.
Hydrogen dosing
A controlled hydrogen stream is added before the Deoxo reactor. The dosing is matched to residual oxygen, flow, analyzer feedback, and safety logic.
Catalytic oxygen removal
Inside the Deoxo reactor, oxygen reacts with hydrogen over the catalyst bed to form water vapor. The reaction is O2 + 2H2 -> 2H2O.
Cooling and drying
The water formed in the reaction is removed through cooling, separation, and drying so the final nitrogen meets the specified dew point.
Monitoring and delivery
Oxygen analyzer, hydrogen monitoring, dryer status, PLC logic, alarms, and off-spec isolation protect the downstream process.
Technology selection
Palladium Deoxo vs Copper Deoxo
The first question is not just final nitrogen purity. It is whether the downstream process can accept residual hydrogen. That decides the correct Deoxo route, safety package, and operating plan.
For nitrogen-hydrogen tolerant duties
Palladium Deoxo
Hydrogen reacts with residual oxygen over a palladium catalyst. This route is efficient for low-oxygen nitrogen where a small residual hydrogen level is acceptable or beneficial.
Best fit
Nitrogen: 99.999%+ project dependent
Oxygen: ppm-level target
Hydrogen: typically present or controlled by requirement
Dew point: specified with downstream dryer
A practical route when the process already uses reducing or protective atmospheres, or when residual hydrogen is not a product risk.
For hydrogen-free nitrogen requirements
Copper Deoxo
Copper-based purification is selected when the final gas stream must avoid both oxygen and residual hydrogen. The package is configured around regeneration and process continuity.
Best fit
Nitrogen: 99.999%+ project dependent
Oxygen: ppm-level target
Hydrogen: nil to ppm-level target
Dew point: specified with dryer and controls
Best when the buyer cannot tolerate residual hydrogen at the use point and needs an engineered polishing package.
Technical scope
Deoxo nitrogen purifier specification points
The final package should be specified around the actual use point. Percent purity alone is not enough; buyers should define residual oxygen, dew point, pressure, flow, hydrogen tolerance, and analyzer requirements.
Complete system package
What should be included in a Deoxo nitrogen system
Oxygen removal is only reliable when the upstream nitrogen plant, catalyst system, dryer, analyzers, and controls are engineered together.
Base nitrogen plant
PSA or membrane system sized for flow, pressure, inlet air quality, and the oxygen load entering the purifier.
Hydrogen dosing train
Regulated hydrogen addition matched to residual oxygen and protected by analyzer logic and interlocks.
Deoxo reactor
Catalyst vessel selected for duty, oxygen removal target, operating temperature, and continuity needs.
Cooling and drying
Moisture formed during oxygen removal is removed before final nitrogen reaches the process.
Analyzer package
Oxygen analyzer, optional hydrogen monitoring, alarms, and off-spec diversion for process protection.
Controls and safety
PLC/HMI, purge logic, ESD interface, pressure protection, and commissioning support for site operation.
Applications
Where Deoxo nitrogen is specified
Deoxo is low-volume but high-intent. The page keeps the applications in one place and links only to the two dedicated Deoxo industry pages that already exist.
Low-oxygen soldering atmosphere
Electronics, SMT, and PCB manufacturing
Deoxo nitrogen for reflow ovens, wave soldering, selective soldering, PCB assembly, and component protection where lower oxygen improves wetting and reduces oxidation.
Common duties
- SMT and reflow soldering
- Wave soldering and dross control
- PCB and component protection
Sizing basis
Line count, oven or hood flow, O2 ppm target, pressure, duty cycle, and hydrogen tolerance
Bright surfaces and furnace atmospheres
Heat treatment and metal processing
Low-oxygen nitrogen for annealing, brazing, sintering, furnace purging, and metal processing where scale, oxidation, or surface discoloration must be controlled.
Common duties
- Bright annealing support
- Brazing and sintering
- Furnace atmosphere control
Sizing basis
Furnace volume, purge rate, material, surface finish target, dew point, and atmosphere recipe
High-purity handling and packaging
Pharmaceutical and API manufacturing
Nitrogen polishing for blanketing, packaging, API handling, oxygen-sensitive intermediates, and controlled production points where ordinary nitrogen purity is not enough.
Common duties
- API and reactor blanketing
- Packaging and vessel purging
- Oxygen-sensitive materials
Sizing basis
O2 target, documentation needs, use-point pressure, batch or continuous demand, hydrogen limit
Wafer, package, and clean production support
Semiconductor and precision electronics
Ultra-high purity nitrogen support for selected semiconductor, LED, sensor, and precision electronics processes where trace oxygen affects yield or product reliability.
Common duties
- Wafer and package handling
- LED and sensor manufacturing
- Clean process nitrogen
Sizing basis
Tool demand, O2 ppm target, dew point, filtration, backup philosophy, and uptime target
Oxygen-sensitive chemistry
Chemical and specialty material processing
Deoxo nitrogen for monomers, polymers, additives, catalysts, resins, and specialty materials where oxygen exposure affects stability, color, or reaction behavior.
Common duties
- Tank and reactor blanketing
- Catalyst and additive protection
- Product stability
Sizing basis
Process risk, oxygen tolerance, vessel volumes, transfer rates, operating hours, and gas purity
Research and controlled atmospheres
Laboratory, glove box, and optical fiber use
Point-of-use or plant-level nitrogen purification for research, glove boxes, analytical support, optical fiber production, and other low-oxygen environments.
Common duties
- Glove box support
- Analytical and research gas
- Optical fiber production
Sizing basis
Instrument or enclosure flow, oxygen limit, dew point, pressure, and continuity requirement
Safety and quote basis
The enquiry should define oxygen target, hydrogen tolerance and analyzer package together.
Deoxo projects involve nitrogen purification, hydrogen dosing, catalyst performance and dryer duty. A serious proposal should define residual oxygen, dew point, off-spec handling and safety logic before reducing the discussion to a purifier capacity.
Critical design inputs
Residual oxygen target and analyzer range
Hydrogen source, dosing logic, and residual H2 tolerance
Dryer duty, dew point target, and off-spec gas handling
Ventilation, purge logic, interlocks, alarms, and safe venting
Quote inputs
Useful before enquiry
Required nitrogen flow rate and peak demand
Target residual oxygen in ppm
Outlet pressure and use-point pressure drop
Required dew point and drying package
Whether residual hydrogen is acceptable
Existing nitrogen plant data if this is a retrofit
Operating hours, duty cycle, and backup requirement
Site hydrogen source, safety constraints, and installation location
These inputs help Gastek decide whether the project needs palladium Deoxo, copper Deoxo, a complete PSA + Deoxo plant, or a retrofit purifier after an existing nitrogen generator.
Questions buyers ask before specifying a Deoxo nitrogen purifier
When does a nitrogen plant need a Deoxo purifier?
A Deoxo purifier is considered when ordinary PSA or membrane nitrogen still has too much residual oxygen for the process. Typical triggers include bright heat treatment, soldering, oxygen-sensitive chemistry, high-purity blanketing, or any duty where the final gas must be specified by O2 ppm rather than only by nitrogen percentage.
Can Deoxo be retrofitted to an existing PSA nitrogen generator?
Yes, a Deoxo stage can often be reviewed as a retrofit after an existing PSA or membrane nitrogen plant. The existing plant flow, outlet pressure, residual oxygen, dryer condition, controls, available utilities, and downstream oxygen target must be checked before confirming the purifier design.
What inlet nitrogen purity is required before Deoxo?
The required inlet purity depends on the final O2 target, flow rate, catalyst package, hydrogen dosing and operating cost. Deoxo is usually used as a polishing stage after the nitrogen generator, so the upstream plant still needs to be sized properly instead of relying on the purifier to correct an unsuitable base nitrogen stream.
When should copper Deoxo be selected instead of palladium Deoxo?
Palladium Deoxo is suitable when residual hydrogen is acceptable or useful in the final nitrogen. Copper Deoxo is selected when the process must avoid both oxygen and residual hydrogen, such as hydrogen-sensitive blanketing, selected pharmaceutical duties, specialty chemical handling, or analytical gas use.
Does Deoxo add moisture to nitrogen?
In palladium Deoxo systems, oxygen reacts with hydrogen to form water vapor. That moisture must be removed through cooling, separation and drying, so the dryer package and dew point specification are part of the Deoxo design rather than an optional add-on.
How is hydrogen dosing controlled safely in a Deoxo system?
Hydrogen dosing should be controlled around nitrogen flow, inlet oxygen, analyzer feedback, purge logic, pressure protection, ventilation, alarms and interlocks. The exact safety package depends on the installation, hydrogen source, operating pressure and site requirements.
What happens if outlet oxygen goes off-spec?
A serious Deoxo package should include oxygen monitoring and control logic for alarms, shutdown or off-spec diversion based on the process risk. The right response depends on whether the nitrogen is feeding a furnace, packaging line, reactor, instrument, glove box or storage system.
Can Deoxo nitrogen replace liquid nitrogen for high-purity use?
It can be evaluated when the application needs continuous or frequent high-purity nitrogen and the site wants to reduce dependence on delivered liquid nitrogen or cylinders. The comparison should include flow, O2 ppm, dew point, uptime, power, hydrogen supply, maintenance and backup philosophy.
What information does Gastek need to size a Deoxo nitrogen purifier?
Useful inputs include required nitrogen flow, inlet oxygen content, target oxygen ppm, outlet pressure, dew point, hydrogen tolerance, application, operating hours, existing nitrogen plant details if any, site utilities and installation location.
Next step
Share your Deoxo nitrogen requirement and get a purifier route based on the oxygen target.
Tell us the nitrogen flow, inlet oxygen, target oxygen ppm, outlet pressure, dew point, hydrogen tolerance, operating hours, application and installation location. Gastek can review whether palladium Deoxo, copper Deoxo, or a different nitrogen package is the right route.
O2-led sizing
Flow, inlet oxygen, target ppm, dew point and pressure are reviewed before selecting the purifier.
Analyzer and controls package
Oxygen analyzer, hydrogen monitoring, alarms, purge logic and off-spec protection are scoped together.
New plant or retrofit route
Gastek can review a complete PSA + Deoxo plant or a purifier stage after an existing nitrogen system.