Air separation unit:
The process of separating atmospheric air into its main elements such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon and other noble gases.
The most common method of air separation (ASU) is cryogenic distillation. Other non-cryogenic methods, such as adsorption, chemical process, and membrane separation, are also used in commercial units to separate a component from ordinary air.
Oxygen, nitrogen, and argon, which are used in manufacturing of semiconductor devices, can be produced cryogenically.
Cryogenic Process of Liquids
In air Separation process, the air is cooled to liquefaction, then these liquids enter the distillation column with different boiling temperatures. This process can produce high purity gas, but it is an energy-depleting process. The refrigeration separation process requires special heat exchangers and high efficiency separation columns. All refrigeration energy is supplied by air compressors at the inlet. This separation method is currently one of the most costly and efficient methods of producing high oxygen, nitrogen and noble liquefied petroleum gas in the industry. Separation units use several columns of distillation to produce high purity liquefied gases from compressed air. In this technology, pure nitrogen is produced as a by-product.
All industrial units such as oil and gas industries, petrochemical industries and refineries need utility units to carry out their process operations. Instruments, hot water supply, pressurized water supply, oxygen production, measuring stations, wastewater treatment, and etc. are all utility units that can be used in process units
Industrial gases are a group of chemical compounds that are widely produced and used in various industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, power plants, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, steel industries, food industries and nuclear industries. Some of these gases, such as oxygen and nitrogen, are abundant in the air and are produced by separation from the air. Other parts of these gases are produced from natural gas or gases of oil wells, and some others are produced by processing in special units.
Oxygen is the third most widely used chemical in terms of production and is present in many industrial units as one of the required elements. Oxygen is used in industries such as steel, metallurgy, non-ferrous metal production, welding, metal cutting, cement, ceramics, oil refining, petrochemicals and paper making, etc.
Air separation is the process of separating the constituent gases from the air. Respiratory air is mainly composed of two elements, nitrogen 78% and oxygen 21%. Also, elements such as neon, argon, xenon, krypton and helium in small amounts and compounds such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane and Some hydrocarbons, and nitrogen and sulfur oxides, which play a major role in polluting the air, are found in small amounts in the air.
According to these data, air can be considered a suitable source for the industrial production of nitrogen, oxygen and other gases.
