Carbon Foam Lab Cuts Costs with Nitrogen Generation

A West Virginia research lab turned to Diversified Air for an on-site nitrogen system that ensured purity, uptime, and over $200K in annual savings.

Challenge

A manufacturer’s R&D facility, located in West Virginia’s coal country, researches applications for advanced carbon products from coal, including carbon foam used as tooling in the aerospace industry. Traditional molds and tooling materials expand and contract when exposed to heat, causing undesirable dimensional changes in carbon fiber aerospace parts. Their carbon foam provides a thermally stable, machinable mold that expands much less during curing, making it ideal for constructing aero- and outer-space components, such as wings and structural parts, and the booms used on NASA’s Advanced Composite Solar Sail System (ACS3).

At the same time, the lab wanted to pioneer new, sustainable uses for coal—reimagining it as a feedstock for carbon products instead of fuel—helping sustain jobs in coal mining communities.

As part of a DOE/NETL-funded R&D project (DE-FE0031992), the R&D lab sought to produce carbon foam at atmospheric pressure using a continuous belt kiln. This process required a reliable, high-purity nitrogen supply. However, liquid nitrogen delivery was not feasible at their chosen facility due to truck access, infrastructure, permitting requirements, and high long-term costs.  

Solution

MCE’s compressed air experts worked with the lab’s R&D Director of New Technology to design and implement a nitrogen generation system. The unit supplied continuous high-purity nitrogen (~99.99%) for kilns, while allowing operators to dial purity levels up or down for R&D studies—something impossible with bulk delivery.

Despite widespread supply chain delays during the COVID pandemic, MCE delivered the Mikropor MNG 2050 nitrogen generator and ancillary equipment on time, provided remote support, and enabled in-house technicians to complete installation. This generator provides 56 SCFM of Nitrogen @ 99.990% Purity @ 93 PSIG, allowing the lab to launch their project without the uncertainty and logistical burdens of dewar delivery.

Results

• On-Demand Supply: Nitrogen was always available, eliminating risks of delayed deliveries or shortages. A small volume of nitrogen tanks were kept on hand for managing a power outage.
• Purity Flexibility: Operators could run experiments at different purities, lowering costs while validating performance.
• Operational Continuity: The system supported 24/7 kiln campaigns that would stretch from one week to months at a time without interruption.
• R&D Breakthroughs: Findings from the project led to new patents and applications.
• Sustainable Future for Coal: Demonstrated how coal can be transformed into advanced carbon products rather than burned for energy, a pathway that could preserve and create jobs in coal-mining regions.

Ways the Carbon Foam Laboratory Saved Money

While liquid nitrogen delivery was not an option for this lab due to logistics, nitrogen generation significantly reduced operating costs compared to delivered liquid:

• Lab’s Nitrogen Usage: 3,200–3,600 cu ft per hour
• Maximum Annual Operation: ~8,000 hours
• Maximum Annual Nitrogen Need: 25.6–28.8 million cu ft

Cost Comparison*

• Liquid delivery estimate (~$1.09/100 cu ft): $279,100–$314,000 per year (not including tank lease and cost to install)
• Nitrogen generator estimate (~$0.20/100 cu ft): $51,200–$57,600 per year
• Potential Annual Savings: $227,900–$256,400

By eliminating delivery risks and logistics costs, the research lab realized substantial direct savings while also gaining the indirect benefit of uninterrupted production and reduced administrative headaches and overhead.

Conclusion

The partnership between the manufacturer’s research lab and Diversified Air enabled a successful R&D project that not only advanced carbon products manufacturing but also highlighted a sustainable, higher-value use for coal. By using onsite nitrogen generation instead of delivered liquid, the lab gained operational independence, flexibility in purity control, and potential savings of over $200,000 annually. Diversified Air’s reliable support made the project possible and positioned the manufacturer for future innovation in carbon foam products.

* Cost Comparison Calculations:  

Liquid Nitrogen Delivery: N2 liquid delivery can cost over $1.00 per hundred cubic feet (CCF), which can be 40 times the production cost. Even bulk liquid nitrogen—often perceived as the most cost-effective option—can have up to 15% loss to boil-off before it’s even used. On top of that, tank rental fees and delivery charges tied into long-term contracts (often lasting three to 10 years) can lock businesses into annual price increases of 15% or more.

Onsite Nitrogen Generation: Businesses eliminate the need for tank rentals, delivery fees, and surcharges, cutting costs by 50% to 90% with N2 generators compared to traditional supply methods. Depending on cost of the generator and annual maintenance, compressed air and electricity usage, plus purity requirements, the average cost of generated nitrogen is much cheaper, averaging $0.08 – $0.15 per CCF.