Cryotherapy Machine Types: Electric Chambers, Nitrogen Cryosaunas and Localized Units
Short answer: "cryotherapy machine" covers three kinds of equipment. A localized unit is a wheeled blower that an operator aims at one area. A nitrogen cryosauna is a single-user cabin cooled with liquid nitrogen. An electric chamber is a cabin cooled by refrigeration compressors, with no nitrogen. They differ less in what they look like than in what they need from your building: a nitrogen supply, a three-phase electrical service, a water connection, or simply floor space and a trained operator. All three kinds are in our cryotherapy equipment collection.
The three machine types at a glance
| Type | What it is | Cooling supply | What the site must provide | Who runs it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Localized unit | Mobile blower with a hose and nozzle | Liquid nitrogen from a Dewar tank, on the example below | Floor space, nitrogen storage and ventilation | An operator, for every use |
| Nitrogen cryosauna | Single-user cabin | Liquid nitrogen | Nitrogen delivery and storage, ventilation, oxygen monitoring | An operator |
| Electric chamber | Cabin cooled by compressors | Electricity; some models also need cooling water | The electrical service and any plumbing the manufacturer specifies | As the manufacturer instructs |
Terms are not standardised. One manufacturer's "cryosauna" is another's "chamber", so compare machines by the supply and site lines above, not by the name.
Localized units
A localized unit produces a stream of cold air or vapour that an operator directs through a hand-held nozzle. It is built to be wheeled between rooms.
As an example of what to read on a specification, the Cryomed CryoFan CF-05 in our range comes with a 35-litre Dewar tank, a 2-metre flexible hose and 7 mm and 9 mm nozzles, on wheels, according to the manufacturer's product sheet. The sheet also describes laser distance control and a skin temperature sensor with a readout at the nozzle. That tells you two things about ownership: you will be buying and storing liquid nitrogen, and the machine is designed to be operated by a trained person, not used alone.
Ask: the Dewar size and how it is refilled, the electrical requirement, the machine's weight, and what operator training the manufacturer provides.
Nitrogen cryosaunas
A nitrogen cryosauna is a cabin for one person, cooled by vaporised liquid nitrogen. The Cryomed Mini in our range is an example. Its manufacturer, which now names the model CryoMe Mini, states on its specification page that a three-minute session uses 2.48 litres of liquid nitrogen and that pre-cooling uses a further 3.25 litres. It also lists an electric lift that sets the user's position in the cabin, an open-door sensor, and delivery packed on one pallet.
The machine is only half of the installation. The other half is the nitrogen: who delivers it, where the tank sits, and how the room is ventilated.
Nitrogen gas is not toxic, but it displaces the oxygen in air and gives no warning. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board's bulletin Hazards of Nitrogen Asphyxiation explains the risk. OSHA defines an oxygen-deficient atmosphere as one below 19.5 percent oxygen by volume (29 CFR 1910.134). Storage and handling of cryogenic fluids are addressed in NFPA 55. Follow the manufacturer's ventilation and oxygen-monitoring instructions exactly, and ask your local fire authority what applies to your premises.
Ask: nitrogen use per session, tank size and connection, the ventilation and oxygen-monitoring requirement in the manual, and the machine's footprint and weight.
Electric chambers
An electric chamber needs no nitrogen. It moves the requirement from gas supply to building services. The Antarctica whole-body electric chamber in our range shows how much. Its manufacturer, Vacuactivus, states in its specification that the chamber needs three-phase power (400V/50Hz or 208V/60Hz) and special installation. It is offered in air-cooled, water-cooled and water-chiller versions, each with its own room or plumbing requirement. Ask which version you are being quoted.
Three-phase power is not available at every address, so confirm it with your electrician and your utility before anything else. Electrical work must follow the code adopted where you are, which in the United States is based on NFPA 70, the National Electrical Code.
Ask: voltage, phase and amperage; whether cooling water and a drain are needed; where heat is rejected; installed dimensions and weight; and who is authorised to install and service it.
How to narrow it down
- Start with the building. Three-phase power available? A place for a nitrogen tank with proper ventilation? A water supply and drain near the machine?
- Then the address. If the machine is going into a private house, work through our home site checklist for cryotherapy machines first.
- Then the route. Door widths, stairs and floor loading between the delivery point and the room.
- Then staffing. Who will be trained to operate it, and what does the manufacturer require?
- Then service. Who installs it, who repairs it, and what the warranty requires of you. Our warranty and serviceability checklist lists the questions.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a cryosauna and a cryotherapy chamber?
The terms are used loosely. Many manufacturers use "cryosauna" for a single-user nitrogen-cooled cabin and "chamber" for an electrically cooled cabin, but not all do. Check how the machine is cooled.
Do all cryotherapy machines use liquid nitrogen?
No. Electric chambers use refrigeration compressors and no nitrogen. The nitrogen cryosauna and the localized unit described above use liquid nitrogen.
What power does a cryotherapy machine need?
It varies widely. One electric chamber in our range requires three-phase power, according to its manufacturer. Always read the manufacturer's voltage, phase and amperage and have an electrician confirm them.
Can one person run a cryotherapy machine alone?
Follow the manufacturer's operating instructions. The localized unit and nitrogen cryosauna described above are designed to be run by an operator.
