Core Principle: Exploiting the Difference in Boiling Points Between Nitrogen and Oxygen：
Air is primarily composed of nitrogen (approximately 78.1%), oxygen (approximately 20.95%), and argon (approximately 0.93%). All three gases have low boiling points, and their boiling points differ significantly (at standard atmospheric pressure):
Nitrogen (N₂) boiling point: -195.8°C
Oxygen (O₂) boiling point: -183.0°C
Argon (Ar) boiling point: -185.7°C
Because nitrogen has a lower boiling point (easily vaporizing) and oxygen has a higher boiling point (easily liquefying), nitrogen and oxygen can be gradually separated in a low-temperature environment through a "vaporization-condensation" cycle in a distillation tower. Nitrogen preferentially vaporizes and exits the liquid air, while the oxygen concentration in the remaining liquid continuously increases, ultimately yielding oxygen-enriched air or pure oxygen.
Oxygen-enriched ASU Key Features：
High-Purity Oxygen Production:
Capable of producing oxygen with purities exceeding 99.6%, it is suitable for demanding applications such as metallurgy, combustion processes, and chemical synthesis.
Safe and Robust Design:
Key components, such as heat exchangers, utilize stainless steel or copper-based alloys to prevent combustion risks associated with high-pressure oxygen processing.
Explosion-proof geometry and thick-walled channels minimize the hazards of oxygen-metal reactions.
Energy-Efficient Operation:
Cryogenic technology and a heat exchange system reduce energy consumption during liquefaction and compression.
Environmental Benefits:
Supports clean energy processes, oxy-combustion to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and aids wastewater treatment by improving oxidation efficiency.
Application：
Chemical Manufacturing: Enhances oxidation reactions in petrochemical and pharmaceutical production.
Metallurgy: Supports oxygen-enriched combustion in furnaces, improving efficiency and reducing fuel consumption.
Used in wastewater treatment, it degrades organic pollutants and improves water quality.
Integrated with hydrogen production and carbon capture systems, it provides clean energy solutions.
| Quality Index: | |||
| Product | Oxygen / Liquid oxygen | Nitrogen / Liquid nitrogen | Liquid argon |
| Purity | ≥99.6% | ≥99.9% | ≥99.999% |
FAQ
1. Applications of ASUs
The core purpose of an ASU (air separation unit) is to separate high-purity oxygen and nitrogen from air. It can also extract rare gases such as argon. In industry, oxygen is used in steelmaking (to aid combustion and increase furnace temperatures), chemical oxidation reactions, and medical emergency care (to maintain breathing). Nitrogen is used in food preservation (to isolate oxygen and prevent oxidation), in the electronics industry (to protect the chip manufacturing environment), and in oil production (nitrogen injection for oil recovery). Argon is primarily used as a shielding gas for welding and in semiconductor manufacturing. ASUs achieve gas separation through technologies such as cryogenic distillation and pressure swing adsorption, making them key equipment supporting production in multiple industries.
2. What is an oxygen-enriched atmosphere?
An oxygen-enriched atmosphere refers to an atmosphere with an oxygen volume fraction higher than that of normal air (approximately 21%), typically ranging from 23% to 95% (higher being pure oxygen). Rarely found in nature, oxygen is often artificially generated. For example, low-concentration oxygen enrichment (25%-30%) is used in the medical field to alleviate symptoms of hypoxia, while high-concentration oxygen enrichment (above 40%) is used in industry to aid combustion and save energy (e.g., in boiler combustion).
3. ASUs in Oil and Gas
In the oil and gas industry, ASUs are primarily used to produce oxygen and nitrogen. Oxygen can be injected into oil wells to aid combustion and participate in the oxidation process during natural gas processing. Nitrogen, due to its inertness, is used for well control (preventing blowouts) during oilfield drilling, pipeline purging (removing impurities), and blanketing and protecting oil and gas storage (isolating the air to prevent explosions). They are crucial equipment for ensuring safe and efficient oil and gas extraction and processing.
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