The Gas Up

Middlesex gases explains how a lab can determine when it’sthe right time to progress from gas cylinders to dewers to a micro bulk or bulk system.

Read about Middlesex Gases ability to produce high-quality dry ice in-house for customers in the medical, health care, pharmaceutical, and life sciences industries.

In Middlesex Gases’ latest blog post, originally published through MassBio, we discuss the benefits of digital gauges and remote monitoring systems to monitor LN2 and CO2 gases when you’re away from your lab.

If you’re thinking about moving your lab or are in the process of building out a new lab already, our team shares why it is a good idea to get us involved sooner rather than later.

Middlesex Gases, a leading supplier of specialty, medical, and industrial gases in New England, now has the capability to manufacture medical-grade, FDA-approved CO₂ in-house at its Everett, Massachusetts, headquarters and filling plant.

At Middlesex’s new state-of-the-art laboratory, it produces high purity, ultra high purity, and research grade gases, as well as over 50 custom gas blends. Middlesex CEO Bo Martin said, “Our specialty gas customers are important to us and we have invested over one million dollars in a new fully automated plant so we can continue to guarantee precise and accurate results every time we fill a cylinder or tank

Pressure regulators (often just called regulators) are used in a gas system to reduce the pressure from a high pressure source, such as a compressed gas cylinder or a gas supply pipeline, to a safe level consistent with the pressure rating of the system to which the gas is being supplied. They provide positive control of the source pressure in a gas system. This control of pressure permits better control of flow rates and helps to provide a safer operation.

There are a number of gases that can be delivered in portable cryogenic vessels for gaseous or cryogenic use but for the purposes of this article we will be discussing the operation of a portable liquid nitrogen vessel.

We are all aware that the equipment in our labs and throughout the facility is highly dependent on the lab gases provided by the gas company. However, your comfort level should not lie solely on the ability of the gas company to deliver the critically important gases on time.

There are a number of gases that can be delivered in portable cryogenic vessels for gaseous or cryogenic use but for the purposes of this article we will be discussing the operation of a portable liquid nitrogen vessel. First, it is the responsibility of the end user to be thoroughly familiar with the operation of the vessel and the limitations of the vessel performance. This starts with ordering the vessel. Some vessels are intended for liquid use only, some will deliver gas and/or liquid and some are intended for higher pressure gas use.

Often a Specialty Gas representative is challenged by an end user regarding the appropriate specialty gas pressure regulators, manifolds valves, etc. that should be used with the specialty gases they are purchasing. I can assure you that after 27 years in the gas industry that there is an immense difference in the quality of industrial gas equipment and specialty gas equipment.

We hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday. If you were fortunate enough to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade then you no doubt were in awe of the magnificent balloons soaring five or six stories high. These balloons are, of course, filled with helium gas — 300,000 to 700,000 cubic feet (the equivalent of over 2,400 high-pressure cylinders) of the precious gas per balloon. The next time you see one of these balloons you may have different feelings knowing the cost of the gas to fill the balloon was in excess of $500,000 per balloon.

What exactly does your gas manifold do for you? Is it client friendly? Does it require interaction? Consider what a gas manifold should do for you.
A modern day gas manifold will switch automatically from one gas bank to another without interruption to gas supply but check out the

There are many occasions in the lab workplace for employees to take on the task of dispensing liquid nitrogen. There are some simple guidelines that should be followed when handling this hazardous product.
Liquid Nitrogen (LN2) is an inherently dangerous product to handle for a number of reasons but the most obvious one is its temperature. At -321 F this product will cause rapid frostbite upon contact with the skin. Splashing LN2 can cause serious and permanent eye injury.

In many labs, carbon dioxide (CO2) is used for varied purposes. In many cases, CO2 is used to feed incubators in an isolated room. The CO2 is commonly piped into the room from a liquid CO2 source located elsewhere. Caution should be used in this case as all too often an end user with the best of intentions will install an oxygen depletion monitor in this area presuming to detect a leak of CO2.