Is liquid nitrogen legal to buy in the UK?

Mr Mister

Mr Mister

Mr Mister

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Im thinking up a bit of a fun project involving some liquid nitrogen but wondered if it is actually legal to buy in the UK to use in the home. Also how long will it stay cold in a proper container for LN2?

Anyone know where a decent place to get some is? :D Not a competitor i dont think unless ocuk will be stocking LN2? :p
 
It's perfectly legal to buy it.

As to where, errr ..not sure really.

Maybe try your local liquid gas supplier? See if they can spare a few litres if you ask nicely and take a Thermos flask or 2 :D
 
I don't see why it would be illegal to use in the home but you'd better be pretty careful with it...all too easy to give yourself some nasty 'burns'. Fantastic for veruccas and warts though, just make sure you don't treat a larger part of your body than you intended or you may not grow it back :eek:

As for a supplier...Air Products? However, I can't see a reputable company wanting to sell a single cylinder of nitrogen to a Mr Mister whose occupation is "gangster"...I can see the headlines now......
 
hmmm, 25L. It does boil off pretty quick though...

What about dry ice then? Not quite as extreme but still just as fun. Anyone know a place to get that from?
 
I would ask over at xtremesystems.org Mr Mister, I'm sure some of the members there that use N2 are UK based.

Jokester

Edit:- Yeah it's not illegal to purchase, but the vendor will only likely sell it to you if you have the correct equipment to store it for safety reasons. You're looking at some sort of flask (can't remember the name) that is fairly expensive to buy if I remember correctly.
 
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Once a week where I currently live (in Uni Halls) a BOC tanker turns up around 8am and transfers a hell of a lot of LN to the Materials Science Building outside where I stay :) makes a hell of a noise with the hissing, but looks cool.

I'll get pictures next time, but it gets pumped into a huge steel vessel, with vapour pouring out of it and frosted pipes etc. :)
 
Mrchu_ said:
Thanks god hes not using liquid nitrogen.The stuff bubbles explosively(no fire)is ridiculously unstable and would make the sun headlines if you died.
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No it doesn't. I used to use it every day a year ago, and when its in its dewer it just sits there and slightly evepoates. If you pour it out it rapidly boils and freezes the air (thats the white smoke you see), its hardly explosive.
 
VaderDSL said:
Once a week where I currently live (in Uni Halls) a BOC tanker turns up around 8am and transfers a hell of a lot of LN to the Materials Science Building outside where I stay :) makes a hell of a noise with the hissing, but looks cool.

I'll get pictures next time, but it gets pumped into a huge steel vessel, with vapour pouring out of it and frosted pipes etc. :)
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Fancy bribing the driver for a bit in a special canister for me? :D
 
LN2 is pretty hard of to get hold of privately in the UK. I'd imagine the costs, mainly from transportation, would be rather hefty.

I'd go for some dry ice as it's much easier to get hold of, and much easier to ship. I'm just saving up for a nice chilly1 pot at the moment, so I hope to get some DICE runs done in the next few months.
 
I get LN2 deliveed at work in 35L volumes quite frequently from BOC. It costs me (well work) about 70quid. The dewar you need to keep it in though costs a small fortune, as does any vesel designed to hold this without shattering. That may be your bigger problem!
 
Kesnel said:
LN2 is pretty hard of to get hold of privately in the UK. I'd imagine the costs, mainly from transportation, would be rather hefty.

I'd go for some dry ice as it's much easier to get hold of, and much easier to ship. I'm just saving up for a nice chilly1 pot at the moment, so I hope to get some DICE runs done in the next few months.
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Yeah im with that mate, not really considered the LN2 option when Dry Ice is a lot more practical. Im sure -80 Dry ice will suffice me. :D
 
Aye i should have some pics up in a week or 2.

Yara seem a good place for Dry Ice its around £60 for 20kg whcich will last a weekend of continuous benching. That seems to be a pretty standard price as found out last month. Though you could try universities etc.

I've a spare Tube but needs a hold down making for it and i cba to make it :p

LN2 BOC is probably your best option but more often than not you'd need to buy your own dewar to transport it and thats pretty expensive.

If you buy the latest copy of Custom PC theres an article from a UK overclocking day with Bazx and boardy and thickbrit and a few others where they used LN2 which i keep meaning to get my hand on a copy. They got their P4 670 to 6.7ghz i think
 
sepulchre said:
I get LN2 deliveed at work in 35L volumes quite frequently from BOC. It costs me (well work) about 70quid. The dewar you need to keep it in though costs a small fortune, as does any vesel designed to hold this without shattering. That may be your bigger problem!
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Can use a pretty standard thermos flask for holding it while you pour it from the dewar to the tube though
 
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