On-Site Liquid Nitrogen Generators — StirLIN by Stirling Cryogenics
StirLIN is a family of on-site liquid nitrogen (LN₂) generators from Stirling Cryogenics. Each system takes in ambient air, separates nitrogen by pressure swing adsorption (PSA), liquefies it with a Stirling cryogenerator on a closed helium cycle and stores it in a built-in vacuum-insulated vessel. Output ranges from 60 to more than 3,000 litres per day depending on model and delivery pressure, and the whole system is controlled automatically by a PLC.
Production range
Compare all 8 StirLIN models
StirLIN comes in 8 models producing from 70 to over 2,300 litres per day — from a single laboratory to industrial use. The table shows output at 1 bar(g); the top figure in the headline (over 3,000 litres per day) refers to operation at higher pressure, for example StirLIN-8 produces 151 litres per hour at 5 bar(g).
| Model | Production (at 1 bar) | Production per day | Power | Built-in storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| StirLITE | 2.9 L/h | 70 L/day | 8 kW | 200 L |
| StirLIN-1 Economy | 5.8 L/h | 140 L/day | 11 kW | 300 L |
| StirLIN-1 Compact | 11.5 L/h | 275 L/day | 21 kW | 500 L |
| StirLIN-1 Extendible | 11.5 L/h | 275 L/day | 27 kW | 1,000 L |
| StirLIN-2 | 23 L/h | 550 L/day | 34 kW | 1,000–2,000 L |
| StirLIN-4 | 48 L/h | 1,150 L/day | 69 kW | 2,000 L |
| StirLIN-4 Extendible | 48 L/h | 1,150 L/day | 77 kW | 2,000 L |
| StirLIN-8 | 97 L/h | 2,300 L/day | 122 kW | 2,000 L |
How to choose
Low use — up to 150 L/day
StirLITE or StirLIN-1 Economy — for a single laboratory, sample storage, or sites moving away from dewar refills.
Medium use — 275–550 L/day
StirLIN-1 Compact/Extendible or StirLIN-2 — for university instrument centres, hospitals and industrial QC. Extendible models can add storage later.
High use — 1,150–2,300 L/day
StirLIN-4 / -4 Extendible or StirLIN-8 — for continuous industrial use, large research institutes, or supplying several departments on one site.
Worked example
Make it or buy it — an example cost comparison
Assume a site uses 150 litres of liquid nitrogen per week = 7,800 litres per year, and delivery trucks can reach it.
| Item | Bulk supply | On-site (StirLIN-1 Compact, 11 L/h) |
|---|---|---|
| Nitrogen | (assume 35 baht/L) × 7,800 = 273,000 baht/yr | — |
| Boil-off in storage (order 15% extra) | +40,950 baht/yr | — |
| Tank rental | (assume 4,000 baht/month) = 48,000 baht/yr | Included in the system |
| Equipment + installation (one-time) | — | (per actual model quotation) |
| Electricity | — | 21 kW × actual running hours × (assume 4.5 baht/kWh) |
| Maintenance + parts (annual average) | — | (per annual PM plan) |
| Total annual running cost | 361,950 baht/yr, rising with every gas-price increase | Fixed cost + equipment depreciation |
Operation
How a StirLIN system works
StirLIN is a complete, self-contained system that works in three stages — from the surrounding air to ready-to-use liquid nitrogen.
Produce nitrogen gas
Air passes through filters and an air dryer into a PSA (Pressure Swing Adsorption) unit, which separates pure nitrogen from the air.
Liquefy
The nitrogen gas is cooled until it becomes liquid by a Stirling cryogenerator using a closed helium cycle.
Store and dispense
Liquid nitrogen flows into the built-in vacuum-insulated storage vessel, ready to dispense through a flexible hose when you open the valve.
Applications
Where liquid nitrogen is used
Universities and research institutes
NMR, biological sample storage, cryo-EM, materials research, cooled detector systems
Medical and healthcare
Sample storage, cryotherapy, cell and tissue banking
Industry
Cryogenic treatment of metals, cryogenic grinding, electronics, process cooling
Food and beverage
Tunnel freezing, cryogenic spice grinding, modified-atmosphere packaging
Analytical laboratories
XRF/EDS detectors that require liquid-nitrogen cooling
The manufacturer
Stirling Cryogenics B.V.
Stirling Cryogenics B.V. (Netherlands) has designed and built liquid nitrogen systems since 1954 (originally part of Philips). More than 4,000 systems and over 6,000 Stirling cryogenerators are in operation worldwide, in every climate.