Oxygen Plant Application

Oxygen Gas Plants that can also be referred as Oxygen Generating Systems ranges from small portable units to large tonnage plants. These units primarily operate according to the PSA (Pressure swing adsorption); VPSA (Vacuum pressure swing adsorption) and VSA (Vacuum swing adsorption) technology, however, the selection of technology is determined by specification of the application.

One can either opt for a portable oxygen plant or an on-site plant, which eliminates the need for costly deliveries and transpiration fees. Application of Oxygen plant mainly consists of steel industry, pulp and paper industry, glass industry, chemical industry, potable water supply industry, waste water treatment (either public or private), biotechnology industry, etc.

Primarily an Oxygen plant comes with a capacity that fluctuates between 20 to 500m3/Hr and is perfect for producing industrial and medical oxygen up to 99.9% purity. The various applications of Oxygen Plants can be classified into the following: -

For Combustion Purpose
Oxygen Plants can primarily be spotted at places where combustion is required for industrial usage, as all fuel combustion processes use oxygen (normally the 21 percent concentration in air is sufficient).

The Chemical Industry
In the chemical industry Oxygen Plants find a special place. Oxygen is considered to be an essential raw material, as it plays a significant role in synthesis process of several important chemicals and is often used to debottleneck chemical processes.

At Petroleum Refineries
In these refineries oxygen is used to debottleneck various sulfur recovery units. These Oxygen Plants are also used for increasing the capacity and conversion of a Fluid Catalytic Cracker in a refinery.

The Metal Industry
Oxygen Plants are used in the metals industry for steel making and metal-cutting applications. Oxygen injection is used to an increasing extent in various kinds of furnaces to enhance their capacity and reduce energy requirements. Large quantities of oxygen are also used to make other metals, such as copper, lead, and zinc.

The Pulp and Paper Industry
Oxygen plants are significant in this industry as a bleaching chemical. Also, usage of oxygen prior to the bleaching plant reduces the amount of lignin used to bind the fibers together. In a chemical pulp mill, oxygen added to the combustion air increases the production capacity of the soda recovery boiler and the lime-reburning kiln.

Glass Manufacturing Industry
In the production of glass and related products, Oxygen Plants are employed to convert the combustion system using air as fuel into a system that uses oxygen as a fuel. It ensures improvement in heating patterns, high furnace efficiency and lower fuel consumption.

HealthCare Industry
Oxygen Plants also discovered their life-giving aspect in the medical field. It is a known fact that oxygen is recognized for its respiratory aid attributes. It is supplied to hospitals and through bulk tank installations, or Oxygen Cylinders.

Environment
Oxygen Plants are used to provide ample oxygen to living systems that may be short of oxygen under normal atmospheric conditions. For e.g., biological treatment of wastewater, injecting of oxygen into sewers which results in reduction of hydrogen sulfide formation, etc.