Liquid nitrogen storage systems hold biological material at minus 196 degrees Celsius, cold enough to effectively halt all metabolic activity, which is why cell lines, stem cells, embryos, and tissue samples kept in liquid nitrogen can remain viable indefinitely rather than degrading over time. Biobank managers, cell and gene therapy manufacturers, fertility clinics, and research laboratories rely on this equipment wherever a sample is simply too valuable or too irreplaceable to risk on standard freezing. Browse new and used liquid nitrogen storage systems from verified sellers on Machinery Masters.

What Are Liquid Nitrogen Storage Systems?

A liquid nitrogen storage system keeps biological material at cryogenic temperature using liquid nitrogen itself as the cooling source, rather than a compressor and refrigerant, the way an electric freezer does. That distinction matters most during a power outage, since a liquid nitrogen system can hold its temperature for days without electricity as long as the nitrogen supply is topped up, while an electric ultra-low-temperature freezer depends entirely on continuous power. Dewars are the simplest format, an insulated vessel that holds liquid nitrogen and the samples stored within it, while larger cryogenic storage tanks and automated systems scale that same basic principle up to hold thousands of samples with organised, trackable storage.

How a sample sits inside the system also matters. Liquid-phase storage submerges vials directly in liquid nitrogen, which gives the most consistent temperature but carries a small risk of cross-contamination between samples if a vial seal isn't perfect, since a shared liquid can carry material between imperfectly sealed containers. Vapour-phase storage instead holds samples in the cold nitrogen gas sitting above the liquid rather than submerged in it, avoiding that shared-liquid risk while still maintaining a temperature cold enough for long-term viability, which has made it the preferred method for a great deal of modern biobanking and cell therapy storage.

Liquid Nitrogen Storage Systems Brands

Taylor-Wharton (Worthington Enterprises), known for its cryogenic liquid nitrogen storage vessels and dewars
Chart Industries, known for bulk cryogenic storage tanks and liquid nitrogen supply systems
Cryofab, known for liquid nitrogen dewars and cryogenic storage and transfer equipment
MVE (now part of Cryoport), known for biological cryogenic storage systems used in biobanking and cell therapy
Custom Biogenic Systems (CBS), known for its vapour-phase isothermal freezers and liquid nitrogen vapour shippers
Thermo Fisher Scientific, known for its CryoPlus range of liquid nitrogen storage systems
Brooks Life Sciences, known for its BioStore automated cryogenic biobanking storage platforms
Statebourne Cryogenics, known for its Cryostor tank range and Cryolab dispensing systems
Planaer, known for its Kryo controlled-rate freezers and cryogenic storage vessels
Air Liquide, known for cryogenic freezers, dewars, and dry shippers through its healthcare equipment range

Please verify this brand list against current Machinery Masters marketplace inventory before publishing, as available stock changes over time.

Liquid Nitrogen Storage Systems Product Types

Liquid nitrogen storage equipment divides into a handful of formats depending on scale, storage method, and how much automation a facility needs.

Liquid Nitrogen Dewars

Dewars are the simplest and most widely used format, an insulated vessel that holds liquid nitrogen along with the samples stored inside it. Research laboratories rely on this format for straightforward, moderate-capacity storage without the complexity of a larger automated system.

Vapour-Phase Cryogenic Freezers

Vapour-phase cryogenic freezers hold samples in cold nitrogen gas above the liquid nitrogen surface rather than submerging them directly, eliminating the cross-contamination risk that shared liquid can introduce between imperfectly sealed vials. Biobanks and cell therapy manufacturers increasingly favour this format for exactly that reason.

Liquid-Phase Cryogenic Storage Tanks

Liquid-phase storage tanks submerge vials directly in liquid nitrogen, giving the most consistent and uniform temperature of any storage method. This format suits applications where absolute temperature stability matters more than the small cross-contamination risk that submersion carries.

Automated Cryogenic Storage Systems

Automated cryogenic storage systems track and manage thousands of individual samples, handling retrieval, inventory, and chain-of-custody documentation without staff manually searching through racks. Large biobanks and cell and gene therapy manufacturers rely on this format to manage sample volumes that a manual system simply couldn't keep organised.

Dry Shippers

Dry shippers absorb liquid nitrogen into an internal material that releases only the cold vapour rather than the liquid itself, allowing samples to travel at cryogenic temperature without any liquid nitrogen sloshing around during transport. This format is standard for shipping cell therapy products and biological samples between facilities.

Liquid Nitrogen Storage Systems: Applications and Uses

Liquid nitrogen storage systems support long-term preservation across biobanking, cell and gene therapy manufacturing, fertility treatment, and general biological research.

Cell Line and Stem Cell Banking

Research laboratories and biobanks store cell lines and stem cells in liquid nitrogen indefinitely, protecting valuable and often irreplaceable material that would be lost if a standard freezer failed or lost power.

Cell and Gene Therapy Manufacturing and Distribution

Cell therapy products, including CAR-T cells and other engineered cell preparations, need liquid nitrogen cryopreservation throughout manufacturing and distribution, with dry shippers carrying the product at cryogenic temperature right through to the point of patient administration.

Embryo and Reproductive Cell Cryopreservation

Fertility clinics rely on liquid nitrogen storage to preserve embryos, eggs, and sperm for future use, an application where sample security and long-term viability carry enormous personal significance for patients.

Tissue and Biological Specimen Banking

Clinical and research biobanks store tissue samples, blood components, and other biological specimens in liquid nitrogen to support retrospective studies and future research programmes that depend on the archived material remaining usable for years or decades.

Biological Sample Transport

Dry shippers and portable liquid nitrogen vessels transport biological samples between facilities at cryogenic temperature, maintaining an unbroken cold chain during transit that a standard cold pack or dry ice shipment couldn't match for temperature-sensitive material.

How to Choose a Liquid Nitrogen Storage System

A handful of practical factors determine which liquid nitrogen storage system suits an organisation's needs.

Decide between vapour-phase and liquid-phase storage, choosing vapour-phase to minimise cross-contamination risk between samples and liquid-phase where absolute temperature consistency matters most.
Match capacity and automation to your sample volume, since a simple dewar suits smaller collections while an automated system suits large biobanks tracking thousands of individual samples.
Confirm your nitrogen supply and refill logistics can support the system's holding time, since running dry poses a real risk to irreplaceable samples.
Consider transport needs separately, since a dry shipper is purpose-built for moving samples between facilities and isn't a substitute for stationary storage equipment.
For used equipment, request a documented service history, confirm the vessel shows no signs of vacuum failure or corrosion, and check that any automated tracking system remains fully functional before buying.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between vapour-phase and liquid-phase liquid nitrogen storage?

Liquid-phase storage submerges vials directly in liquid nitrogen for the most consistent possible temperature, while vapour-phase storage holds samples in the cold nitrogen gas above the liquid, avoiding the small cross-contamination risk that shared liquid can carry between imperfectly sealed vials. Many modern biobanks and cell therapy manufacturers now favour vapour-phase storage specifically to eliminate that risk.

How long can liquid nitrogen storage systems hold their temperature without power?

Liquid nitrogen storage systems can hold cryogenic temperatures for days without electricity, since the nitrogen itself provides the cooling rather than a compressor, as long as the nitrogen supply is topped up before it runs out. This makes liquid nitrogen storage considerably more resilient to a power outage than an electric ultra-low-temperature freezer.

What is a dry shipper used for?

A dry shipper absorbs liquid nitrogen into an internal material that releases only cold vapour rather than liquid, allowing biological samples to travel at cryogenic temperature without any liquid sloshing during transport. Cell therapy manufacturers and biobanks use dry shippers to move samples between facilities without breaking the cold chain.

What is the difference between new and used liquid nitrogen storage systems?

New liquid nitrogen storage systems come with a manufacturer warranty and full vacuum integrity, while used systems offer meaningful cost savings and suit organisations that can confirm the vessel's condition and service history. It is worth requesting evidence of recent vacuum and holding-time performance before relying on a used system for irreplaceable samples.

How can I find liquid nitrogen storage systems on Machinery Masters?

Browse the Machinery Masters marketplace for new and used liquid nitrogen storage systems from verified sellers, and use the filters to narrow results by brand, storage method, and capacity. Contact a seller directly to confirm specifications, service history, and pricing before you buy.