A high-quality liquid nitrogen tank is essential if you’re looking for an efficient and reliable way to store and use liquid nitrogen in your lab. Whether used for cryopreservation or sample cooling, these tanks play an important role in scientific and industrial applications. In this blog, we’ll detail the benefits, key features, and safety tips for using liquid nitrogen tanks to help you find the best solution for your needs.

Definition:

Liquid nitrogen tank is a container made by vacuum adiabatic insulation technology. It is filled with liquid nitrogen to achieve long term cryopreservation of biological samples by making use of the principle that liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of -196°C at atmospheric pressure.

Composition of Liquid Nitrogen Tank

Components of the Liquid Nitrogen Tank

Composition of liquid nitrogen tank: shell, inner tank, sandwich, neck tube, cover plug, bucket, jacket.

  1. Shell: A liquid nitrogen tank is outside a layer for the shell, and the upper part of the tank is for the mouth.
  2. Inner tank: It is generally corrosion-resistant aluminum alloy. There is a base at the bottom of the inner tank for fixing the carrying tube, and liquid nitrogen and samples can be stored in the inner tank.
  3. Sandwich: Sandwich refers to the space between the inner and outer layers of the tank – a vacuum state.
  4. Neck Tube: The neck tube is usually made of glass fiber-reinforced plastic, which connects the inner and outer layers and maintains a certain length.
  5. Locking Cover: The cover plug is made of plastic with good adiabatic properties to prevent liquid nitrogen’s evaporation while fixing the lifting tube’s handle.
  6. Bucket: The bucket is placed in the tank tank, which can be stored in the fine tube. The barrel handle is hung on the neck and fixed with a cover plug.

Types of Liquid Nitrogen Tanks

By Use:

By application, liquid nitrogen tanks can be divided into liquid nitrogen storage tanks and liquid nitrogen transport tanks. Among them, liquid nitrogen storage tanks are suitable for stable storage of different capacities for a long time, and the tanks cannot be used for transport. A liquid nitrogen transport tank has a small volume and shock-absorbing structure design, suitable for transferring and storing small amounts of samples and short-distance transport.

According to liquid nitrogen status:

Liquid Nitrogen Tank can be divided into liquid phase liquid nitrogen tank and gas phase liquid nitrogen tank according to liquid nitrogen state. Liquid Nitrogen Tank has lower and more stable temperatures, can be stable at -196℃ for a long time, liquid nitrogen evaporation is slow, and the frequency of adding liquid nitrogen is low;
The temperature of a gas-phase liquid nitrogen tank is slightly higher, and the temperature can generally reach below -190℃. It has anti-cross-contamination advantages and is not easy to burst the tube, etc. It is suitable for sample storage in the construction of large-scale sample banks.

According to the specifications of the bucket:

According to the size of the bucket, it is divided into round bucket and square bucket. The round bucket is more flexible for storing cryopreservation tubes, which can be used for placing larger tissue samples or large-capacity cryopreservation tubes; the square bucket is mainly used for placing standard 2ml cryopreservation tubes, which are used for storing cells and so on.

Why invest in a liquid nitrogen tank?

  1. Cryopreservation: Liquid nitrogen tanks preserve the activity and integrity of biological samples such as tissues, cells and reproductive materials for long periods. This is vital for the conduct of experiments.
  2. Sample storage: Protect sensitive biological and chemical samples from degradation at ultra-low temperatures.
  3. Liquid nitrogen enables cryogenic grinding, making it easier to handle materials for analysis in pharmaceuticals and scientific research.
  4. Achieve and maintain cryogenic temperatures in various experimental devices, including superconducting magnets and cryostats.
  5. Cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen to treat abnormal tissues in medical research.

Key Features of High Quality Liquid Nitrogen Tanks

  1. Consider the following features when choosing a liquid nitrogen tank for your laboratory:
  2. Ensure minimal heat transfer to maintain the low temperatures required for liquid nitrogen storage.
  3. Made from high-strength materials such as stainless steel or aluminum to withstand the rigors of cryogenic storage.
  4. Features a locking lid to secure samples stored inside the liquid nitrogen tank.
  5. Liquid nitrogen tanks are equipped with a pressure relief valve to safely release any excess pressure.
  6. Handle, wheels, and ergonomic design for easy transport and maneuverability within the laboratory.
  7. Available in a wide range of sizes to suit different laboratory needs.

Applications of Liquid nitrogen tanks

Liquid nitrogen tanks are widely used in biology, medicine, animal husbandry, etc.

  1. Active preservation of animal semen: It is mainly used to preserve semen of cattle, sheep and other excellent breeding stock and precious animals, as well as long-distance transport and storage.
  2. The activity of biological samples preservation: in biomedical vaccines, bacteria, poison, cells, and human and animal organs can be immersed in a liquid nitrogen tank storage for long-term activity preservation.
  3. Deep-cooling treatment of metal materials: Using liquid nitrogen stored in liquid nitrogen tanks for deep-cooling treatment of metal materials. This can change the metallurgical organization of metal materials and significantly improve the hardness, strength, and wear resistance of metal materials.
  4. Precision parts of the deep-cold assembly: precision parts after liquid nitrogen deep-cold treatment for assembly improve the quality of parts assembly to improve the performance of the equipment or instrument.
  5. Medical and health care industry refrigeration and freezing, medical and surgical refrigeration.
  6. Embryo cryopreservation technology

Precautions for using liquid nitrogen tanks

  1. Safety is critical when using liquid nitrogen. Follow these tips to ensure a safe environment:
  2. Train and wear protective equipment: Ensure that all personnel handling liquid nitrogen are trained in the safe use of liquid nitrogen and emergency procedures. Always use cryogenic gloves, masks, and lab coats to prevent cold burns and frostbite.
  3. Ensure proper ventilation: Rooms storing liquid nitrogen for long periods should be ventilated by opening windows and changing the air. Prevent asphyxiation hazards caused by nitrogen build-up.
  4. Handle with care: Liquid nitrogen tanks should be handled gently when moving them to avoid accidents.
  5. Correct storage: Store the liquid nitrogen tank upright in a cool and dry place, away from heat sources and direct sunlight.
  6. When filling liquid for the first time, the thermal equilibrium time is long; you can first fill a small amount of liquid medium to pre-cool (about 20L) and then fill it up slowly (so as not to form ice blockage easily).
  7. To reduce the loss when filling liquid in the future, please refill the liquid nitrogen tank when there is still a small amount of liquid in the tank or refill the liquid within 48 hours after using up the liquid.　
  8. If the liquid nitrogen tank is not used for a long time, please drain the liquid medium inside the tank and blow it dry, then close all the valves and seal it.

Cleaning methods for liquid nitrogen tanks

When the liquid nitrogen tank is not used, it should be rinsed with clean water. After draining the water, blow it dry with a blower and leave it at room temperature for use. Specific brushing methods are as follows:

  1. Firstly, take out the liquid nitrogen tank inside the lifting cylinder, remove the liquid nitrogen, and place it for 2-3 days.
  2. Wait until the temperature inside the tank rises to about 0℃, then pour warm water of about 30℃ and scrub with a cloth. (If individual melted substances are found sticking to the bottom of the inner liner, scrub them carefully.)
  3. Rinse with water several times, then invert the liquid nitrogen tank and place it in a safe place indoors where it should not be tipped over, and dry it naturally or use a blower to dry it.

Note that in the whole process of scrubbing, the action should be gentle and slow, the temperature of pouring water should not exceed 40 ℃, and the total weight should not exceed 2kg.

Conclusion

Investing in high-quality liquid nitrogen tanks is a smart decision for any laboratory aiming to improve efficiency. Liquid nitrogen tanks can provide a reliable long-term storage solution for temperature-sensitive samples and ensure consistent cooling for a variety of experimental procedures. At the end of the day, a liquid nitrogen tank is more than just a storage solution; it’s also an important tool that can improve the quality and accuracy of your scientific research.