At the moment, there are two types of gaseous oxygen - this is medical and technical. Gaseous oxygen in industrial sectors is most often used for flame treatment of metals.
Technical oxygen: useful and dangerous
If we talk about such a substance as oxygen, then it has many different properties, and is also used for a lot of different procedures. It is important to say that this gas is non-toxic, non-combustible, and non-explosive. In addition, this substance is characterized in that it has neither taste, nor smell, nor color. The main property of technical gaseous oxygen is oxidation. It is because of this technical characteristic that it will be used in industry as an oxidizing agent in order to improve the combustion quality of other materials. Another very important parameter of this gas is the absence of harmful effects on the environment. However, if this substance reacts with any lubricating, combustible or organic component, then it is quite capable of spontaneous ignition or the creation of an explosive mixture. In some cases, after such a reaction, an explosion occurs immediately.
Basic properties and parameters of a gaseous substance
Among the technical characteristics of gaseous technical oxygen, the following points can be distinguished:
- Storage of oxygen in various containers, cylinders is permissible and is not dangerous for the environment or humans, since this gas in itself is not toxic or explosive.
- The main technical parameter of oxygen is its ability to act as an oxidizing agent that supports the combustion process. For the same reason, it is important to ensure that the substance does not enter an environment in which ignition is possible.
- It is also important to know that all cylinders, tanks, pipelines and other containers that are used to transport or store this gas cannot be used to work with any other gases.
- Another of the parameters is the need for air purification or ventilation in those rooms in which the content of gaseous technical oxygen is 23% or more.
- Since the gas is highly flammable, after being in an environment with a high content of this substance, it is necessary to refrain from getting any flammable component on clothing or skin over the next 30-60 minutes. It is also forbidden to smoke during this period of time.
Gas production and transportation
The main source of production of technical gaseous oxygen is atmospheric air. A low temperature distillation process is used to extract this substance. It is also worth noting that if this gas is cooled too much (to -183 degrees Celsius), then it will change its state of aggregation to a bluish-colored liquid. The density of the resulting liquid will be higher than the density of water, for example.
Gas transportation is carried out in steel cylinders. The pressure in these tanks should be from 14.5 to 15.5 MPa (150 kg / cm 2 ). The temperature during transportation should not exceed 20 degrees Celsius, and any vehicle can deliver. In addition, delivery can be carried out in special tanks, but for this it is necessary to follow all the rules for the transport of dangerous goods.
Varieties of oxygen
Currently, there are two varieties of technical gaseous oxygen. Separation into grades is carried out according to certain requirements, as well as in accordance with GOST. For the first grade, the volumetric oxygen content in the container as a percentage should be at least 99.7. For technical oxygen of the second grade, this indicator is at least 99.5%.
The second requirement is the volume fraction of water vapor. For oxygen of the first grade, the content of this substance shall not exceed 0.007%. For oxygen of the second grade, an indicator of not more than 0.009% is allowed. The volume fraction of hydrogen allowed for the first grade is not more than 0.3%. For the second grade, this figure is 0.5%.
The only indicator that is common for both types of oxygen, and also is not standardized, is the volume fraction of carbon dioxide in percent.
Oxygen cylinders
Technical gaseous oxygen in cylinders is currently used in a large number of different industries. It is used to enrich water bodies with oxygen. It is also actively used for the manufacture of various explosive substances. In addition, with the help of this substance ammonia, methane, methyl alcohol for flame cutting and metal welding are obtained. Technical oxygen in cylinders found its application even in the food industry, in which it is used as a propellant.
The sale of this substance is carried out in cylinders having a blue color, as well as an inscription in black without any additional stripes. The manufacturer of gaseous process oxygen is DP Air Gas. Deliveries are also made for the industrial sector, where this gas is most often used for the smelting and processing of various non-ferrous metals.
GOST gaseous technical oxygen
The state standard that governs all procedures, as well as the requirements for the quality of technical oxygen, is 5583-78. This document sets the rules for gas intake.
- The first thing that is said in the document is that the reception of this product is carried out only in bulk. A batch is any amount of gas that has the same characteristics and is issued under one quality certificate. However, if transportation is carried out in an auto-recipient or in a gasification unit, then each of these objects will be considered as a batch. If transportation is carried out by means of a pipeline, then the batch is the quantity that is received through the pipe within 8 hours.
Requirements for quality documents
Upon delivery of technical oxygen in batches, as well as each cylinder with this substance must be accompanied by a quality certificate, which must indicate the following data:
- The name of the manufacturer’s enterprise, as well as its trademark.
- It is necessary to indicate the name of the product, as well as its grade.
- Production date.
- The volume of technical gaseous oxygen in m3.
- It is also important to indicate the batch number for technical oxygen and the numerical details of the batch and cylinder for medical oxygen.
- The designation of this standard for the batch is required.
- It is necessary to attach the results of oxygen tests or paper with confirmation that the product meets all the requirements of this GOST.
Oxygen plants
In addition to the fact that you can purchase ready-made technical oxygen from the manufacturer, some companies offer to purchase equipment for the production of this gas. One such company is the Grasys company. For the production of gaseous substances, three types of plants are used: adsorption, cryogenic and membrane. It is these installations that this company offers to purchase.
These units allow you to produce the necessary gas in various industries in large quantities. In addition, the manufacturer assures that the plants not only have high performance, but are also completely safe. In order to obtain the necessary gas, cryogenic and adsorption plants are most often used. Using these units, you can get the necessary substance immediately in gaseous form.
Oxygen application
Technical gaseous oxygen can be used to enrich blast in production. Such use of gas increases the thermal power of open-hearth furnaces, and helps to improve fuel combustion processes. It is possible to use this gas to purge the bath. This opens up new possibilities for accelerating the oxidation of various impurities. This, in turn, makes it possible to increase the rate of oxidation and bring it closer to the speed of steel processing in converter production.
Technical gaseous oxygen is a powerful tool in the hands of designers, which can greatly improve the designs of fairly old open-hearth furnaces, as well as create steel-smelting furnaces of a fundamentally new type. These furnaces will use the full mechanization and automation of labor of the furnace and repair personnel. Also, the use of this gaseous technical substance provides the opportunity to carry out the latest technological processes for combining the advantages of open-hearth and converter steel production.