Liquid nitrogen is inert, colorless, odorless, noncorrosive, nonflammable, and extremely cold. Liquid nitrogen has a boiling point of –320°F (–196°C). The temperature difference between the product and the surrounding environment, even in winter, is substantial.
Keeping this surrounding heat from the product requires special equipment to store and handle cryogenic liquids. In its liquid state, nitrogen is used for food freezing, plastic and rubber deflashing and grinding, cooling, metal treating, biological sample preservation, pulverization, and other temperature-related applications.
Liquid argon is tasteless, colorless, odorless, noncorrosive, nonflammable, and extremely cold. It is monatomic and extremely inert, forming no known chemical compounds.. Liquid argon has a boiling point of –303°F (–186°C).
It is widely used in the lighting industry for filling bulbs and with combinations of other rare gases for the filling of special bulbs and tubes for special color effects. The welding industry uses argon as a shielding gas to protect metal from oxidation during welding. Argon is also used extensively in the semiconductor manufacturing process as a purge gas.
Oxygen is the second largest component of the atmosphere, comprising 20.8% by volume. Liquid oxygen is pale blue and extremely cold. Although nonflammable, oxygen is a strong oxidizer.
Liquid oxygen has a boiling point of –297°F (–183°C). Oxygen is commonly relied upon in health and medical applications.
Oxygen is widely applied in the metal industries in conjunction with acetylene and other fuel gases for metal cutting, welding, scarfing, hardening, cleaning and melting.
Carbon dioxide is nonflammable, colorless, and odorless in the gaseous and liquid states.
High flow rates or rapid depressurization of a system can cause temperatures approaching the sublimation point (–109.3°F [–78.5°C]) to be attained within the system.
Carbon dioxide will convert directly from a liquid to a solid if the liquid is depressurized below 76 psia (61 psig).