HANGZHOU NUZHUO TECHNOLOGY GROUP CO.,LTD.

With the continuous increase in industrial demand, deep cryogenic air separation technology has become one of the core technologies in the field of industrial gas production. The deep cryogenic air separation unit processes the air through deep cryogenic treatment, separating the various components in the air, mainly including liquid oxygen (LOX), liquid nitrogen (LIN), and liquid argon (LAR). Among these gases, liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen are the most widely demanded, and are widely used in industries such as metallurgy, chemical engineering, electronics, medicine, and food. This article will conduct a comparative analysis of the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen in the deep cryogenic air separation process, and explore the influence of different factors on the production.

I. Overview of Cryogenic Air Separation Technology

Cryogenic air separation technology is a method that cools air to extremely low temperatures (below approximately -150°C) to liquefy it. Through this process, various gas components in the air (such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, etc.) separate due to their different boiling points at different temperatures, thus achieving separation. The working principle of a cryogenic air separation unit is to cool the air and use a fractionation tower for gas separation. The liquefaction temperatures of oxygen and nitrogen are -183°C and -196°C respectively. The production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen is usually dependent on the air flow rate, cooling efficiency, and operating conditions of the fractionation tower.

II. Differences in the Production of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Nitrogen

The differences in the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen are mainly determined by several factors: air composition, operating parameters, the structure of the fractionation tower, and production scale. In cryogenic air separation units, the production of oxygen and nitrogen is usually generated in a certain ratio. Generally, the production of liquid oxygen is relatively lower than that of liquid nitrogen, but the demand for liquid oxygen is also increasing continuously, especially in medical, steel smelting, and chemical industries.

The demand for liquid oxygen is mainly influenced by the oxygen concentration and the demand for oxygen in certain industrial applications. In some industrial applications, the increase in oxygen concentration directly leads to an increase in the demand for liquid oxygen. For example, oxygen enrichment technologies in the steel industry, high-oxygen combustion processes in glass manufacturing, etc., all require a relatively sufficient supply of liquid oxygen. The application of liquid nitrogen is more widespread, covering medical, electronics, aerospace, and other industries. In these industries, liquid nitrogen is widely used for cooling, storage, and liquefaction of liquid nitrogen gases.

III. Factors Affecting the Production of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Nitrogen

The production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen is not only affected by market demand but is also constrained by the operational efficiency of the cryogenic air separation unit, air flow rate, and cooling technology, among other factors. Firstly, air flow rate is one of the most critical factors affecting the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. The greater the air flow rate, the greater the total amount of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen produced. Secondly, the efficiency of the fractionation tower is also very important for the production. Factors such as the height of the fractionation tower, operating temperature, and gas reflux ratio all affect the separation efficiency of oxygen and nitrogen, thereby affecting the final production.

The design and operation efficiency of the cooling equipment directly affect the operating cost and production capacity of the cryogenic air separation unit. If the cooling system efficiency is low, the liquefaction efficiency of air will be greatly reduced, thereby affecting the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. Therefore, advanced cooling technologies and equipment are of great significance for improving production capacity.

IV. Optimization Measures for the Production of Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Nitrogen

To increase the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen, many enterprises optimize the operating parameters of the cryogenic air separation unit to achieve more efficient production. On one hand, increasing the air flow rate can enhance the overall gas production volume; on the other hand, improving the operational efficiency of the fractionation tower, optimizing the distribution of temperature and pressure within the tower, can also effectively improve the separation efficiency of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. In addition, in recent years, liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen production equipment has adopted more advanced cooling technologies, such as using multi-stage cooling systems, which can further improve the liquefaction efficiency and thereby increase the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen.

V. Market Demand for Liquid Oxygen and Liquid Nitrogen from Cryogenic Air Separation

The differences in market demand for liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen are one of the important factors for production comparison. The demand for liquid oxygen is usually significantly influenced by specific industries, especially in steel smelting, medical emergency, and electronics manufacturing industries, where the demand for liquid oxygen is stable and increasing year by year. For example, with the continuous development of the medical industry, the application of liquid oxygen in emergency treatment, therapy, and surgeries is becoming increasingly widespread, driving the growth of the liquid oxygen market demand. At the same time, the widespread application of liquid nitrogen in frozen food, liquid gas transportation, etc., has also led to the continuous growth of the demand for liquid nitrogen.

The supply capacity of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen is closely related to the equipment scale and operational efficiency of the production enterprises. Large-scale deep cryogenic air separation units usually offer higher production capacity, but they also require higher energy consumption and more rigorous equipment maintenance. On the other hand, small-scale equipment has advantages in flexibility and cost control, and can provide timely supply for some small-scale industrial applications.

From the above comparative analysis, it can be seen that the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen in the deep cryogenic air separation process is affected by various factors, including air flow rate, the operational efficiency of the fractionation tower, and the technical level of the cooling system. Although the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen usually shows a certain proportional relationship, the market demand, production efficiency, and continuous improvement of equipment technology still provide broad space for the optimization of the production of these two gases.

With the development of industry and technological progress, the deep cryogenic air separation technology is expected to achieve higher production capacity and lower energy consumption in the future. As two important industrial gases, the market prospects of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen remain broad. Through continuous technological improvement and increased production efficiency, the production capacity of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen will be more in line with market demand, providing more stable and efficient gas supply for all industries.

Anna Tel./Whatsapp/Wechat:+86-18758589723

Email :anna.chou@hznuzhuo.com