Full Extraction Cryogenic Air Separation Unit
In high-end industrial gas separation, the full extraction cryogenic air separation unit is becoming the backbone for projects that demand not just oxygen and nitrogen, but also argon, neon, helium, krypton, and xenon. Unlike conventional ASUs, a full extraction design recovers rare gases step by step, turning atmospheric air into a multi-revenue stream. Shenger Gas focuses on practical, field-proven cryogenic solutions-from process principles to custom engineering.
How It Works – Cryogenic Distillation, Simplified
The principle is straightforward: use boiling point differences at low temperatures to separate air components via distillation.
A full extraction cryogenic air separation unit typically follows four steps:
- Compression & purification – Air is compressed and sent through molecular sieve adsorbers to remove water, CO₂, and hydrocarbons.
- Cooling & liquefaction – Purified air enters the main heat exchanger, cooled by returning cryogenic streams to around -170°C.
- Rectification (double or triple columns) – The lower column pre-separates oxygen-rich liquid air and liquid nitrogen. The upper column produces 99.6%+ oxygen and 99.999% nitrogen.
- Rare gas extraction – Argon is drawn from the upper column, then purified to 99.999% in crude and pure argon columns. Neon, helium, krypton, and xenon are recovered from the main condenser and liquid oxygen side streams.
Cold balance is everything – expansion turbines provide the refrigeration, while vapor-liquid contact inside the columns does the fine separation.
Key Technical Specifications (Industrial Range)
|
Parameter |
Typical Range / Value |
|---|---|
|
Oxygen purity |
99.6% ~ 99.8% (with rare gas recovery) |
|
Nitrogen purity |
99.999% |
|
Liquid argon purity |
≥99.999% |
|
Rare gas recovery rate |
Ar ≥90%, Ne/He ≥85%, Kr/Xe ≥70% |
|
Air compressor discharge pressure |
0.5 ~ 0.8 MPa (low-pressure cycle); 5~7 MPa (medium/high pressure) |
|
Operating temperature range |
Ambient: -30°C ~ 45°C; Column zone: -196°C ~ -170°C |
|
Cooling water temp. (if water-cooled) |
Inlet ≤32°C, return ≤42°C |
|
Start-up time |
Cold start: 12~24 hrs; warm start (within 24 hrs): 4~6 hrs |
Values are for industrial reference; final specs depend on the process design package.
Energy Consumption – Real-World Benchmark
For a full extraction cryogenic air separation unit, power consumption is dominated by the main air compressor, booster turboexpander, and water pumps.
Typical specific power (per Nm³ of oxygen)
|
Product scheme |
Power (kWh/Nm³ O₂) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Oxygen + nitrogen only |
0.38 ~ 0.42 |
No argon extraction or crude argon only |
|
Oxygen + nitrogen + liquid argon |
0.43 ~ 0.48 |
Added crude and pure argon columns |
|
Full extraction (incl. Ne/He/Kr/Xe) |
0.48 ~ 0.55 |
Additional low-temp adsorption & distillation |
Key energy-saving measures – High-efficiency isothermal compressors, brazed aluminum plate-fin heat exchangers, and AI-based load forecasting can cut power by 8–12%.
Detailed Technical Data (Model SE-3500 Example)
|
Parameter |
Value / Description |
|---|---|
|
Oxygen output |
3500 Nm³/h |
|
Oxygen delivery pressure |
15 ~ 30 kPa (booster option to 0.8 MPa) |
|
Nitrogen output |
5000 Nm³/h |
|
Liquid argon output |
120 Nm³/h |
|
Ne/He mix output |
~2.5 Nm³/h (purity ≥98%) |
|
Kr/Xe concentrate |
~0.3 m³/year (at STP) |
|
Circulating water flow |
380 m³/h |
|
Instrument air consumption |
50 Nm³/h @ 0.5 MPa |
|
Cold box dimensions (L×W×H) |
12m × 5.5m × 18m |
|
Total weight (incl. packing) |
~145 tons |
|
Installation type |
Skid-mounted + on-site welding (full-skid option) |
Industrial Applications – Where Full Extraction Makes Sense
A full extraction cryogenic air separation unit solves two common headaches in steel, petrochemical, electronics, photovoltaic, and merchant gas markets:
-
Purity vs. cost – PSA/VPSA can't deliver 5N nitrogen and liquid argon simultaneously. Cryogenic remains the only practical route.
-
Unlocking hidden value – Neon is used in semiconductor lithography, xenon in satellite thrusters and medical anesthesia, helium in cooling and leak detection. Full extraction turns vented tails into sellable products.
Typical deployment scenarios:
-
Filling stations needing liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, and liquid argon (1000–10000 Nm³/h per single train)
-
Electronic specialty gas plants requiring Ne/He/Kr/Xe refining
-
Metallurgy sites combining oxygen enrichment with rare gas recovery retrofits
(No real customer cases shown here – we provide blank suitability analysis per your site.)
Custom Engineering & Service Capabilities
At Shenger Gas, customization doesn't mean redrawing a standard P&ID. We design from your local power tariff, cooling water temperature, liquid product ratio, and gas selling price.
What we can customize
|
Item |
Options / Range |
|---|---|
|
Oxygen capacity |
300 ~ 50,000 Nm³/h |
|
Rare gas recovery package |
Ar only / Ar+Ne+He / Full (Ar+Ne+He+Kr+Xe) |
|
Product phase |
All gas / all liquid / gas-liquid mix (flexible LOX/LIN/LAr ratio) |
|
Cold box construction |
On-site random packing / modular pre-filled (faster install) |
|
Control system |
Manual / DCS / fully auto with adaptive load control + remote access |
|
Driver type |
Electric / steam turbine (for sites with excess steam) |
|
Environmental adaptation |
High altitude (＞2000m), high humidity & heat, extreme cold (-45°C) |
Service commitment
- Deliverables: Process Design Package (PDP), cold box stress analysis, installation supervision, 72-hour performance test.
- Three-year spare parts list and storage recommendations for key equipment (turboexpander, cryogenic pumps).
- On-site response: within 48 hours (domestic); remote diagnosis within 2 hours.
Ready for a preliminary estimate?
Contact Shenger Gas engineering team directly. Provide your feed air conditions and target product specs – we'll return a mass & energy balance summary within 72 hours.
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