OSGS Nitrogen membrane

Summary

On-Site Gas Systems is an Australian company specializing in nitrogen and oxygen generation systems and air treatment solutions. Their process begins with compressed air passing through a series of filtration stages, including cyclonic separators, micron filters, and activated carbon filters to remove bulk liquid, particulates, and oil. The air is then heated to optimize air separation before entering the nitrogen membrane modules. These modules efficiently separate nitrogen from oxygen, delivering high-purity nitrogen up to 99%, customized to meet specific customer requirements.

Takeaways

• 😀 On-Site Gas Systems is an Australian-based company that specializes in designing and manufacturing nitrogen, oxygen generation systems, and air treatment packages.
• 😀 The nitrogen membrane system works by compressing air to the required flow and pressure before passing it through a water separator to remove bulk liquid.
• 😀 The water separator uses cyclonic action and, in some systems, a demist pad to remove up to 99% of bulk water.
• 😀 The compressed air undergoes a two-stage filtration process, using a 1-micron filter and a 0.01-micron filter, to achieve class 1 air quality with minimal oil carryover.
• 😀 Compressed air is then heated to a temperature between 40 and 50°C to increase the efficiency of air separation and prevent water vapor condensation.
• 😀 Both electric-powered and glycol-based heating options are available to meet system requirements.
• 😀 After heating, the air passes through an activated carbon filter to remove oil carryover down to 0.003 mg per cubic meter.
• 😀 The pre-treated compressed air enters the nitrogen membrane modules, where it is separated into nitrogen and oxygen based on the size of the molecules.
• 😀 The membrane modules consist of thousands of hollow fibers that allow smaller oxygen molecules to exit, while larger nitrogen molecules pass through.
• 😀 The system delivers nitrogen purities of up to 99%, with the nitrogen flow directed to the customer's process as required.

Q & A

What is the main focus of On-Site Gas Systems?

On-Site Gas Systems is an Australian-based company that specializes in the design and manufacturing of nitrogen and oxygen generation systems, as well as air treatment packages.

How does the water separator work in the air treatment process?

The water separator uses cyclonic action and sometimes a demist pad to remove bulk liquid from the airstream, effectively eliminating up to 99% of bulk water.

What filtration stages are involved in the air treatment process?

The air treatment process includes a two-stage filtration: first, a 1-micron filter, followed by a 0.01-micron filter. These stages ensure air is treated to a maximum particle size of Class 1 with minimal oil carryover.

What is the purpose of heating the compressed air in the treatment process?

Heating the compressed air helps to raise the process temperature, with the target outlet temperature being between 40 and 50°C. This increases the efficiency of air separation and prevents water vapor from condensing in the downstream process.

What heating options are available for the air treatment process?

On-Site Gas Systems offers both electric-powered and glycol-based heating options for the air treatment process.

How does the activated carbon filter contribute to the air treatment?

The activated carbon filter removes oil carryover from the compressed air, reducing it to as low as 0.003 mg per cubic meter of air.

What happens after the air passes through the filtration and heating stages?

After filtration and heating, the pre-treated compressed air flows to the nitrogen membrane modules where it undergoes further processing to separate nitrogen from oxygen.

How do the nitrogen membrane modules function?

The nitrogen membrane modules consist of thousands of hollow fibers with tiny holes. Compressed air is forced through these fibers, allowing smaller oxygen molecules to pass through the walls and vent to the atmosphere, while larger nitrogen molecules move through to the end of the fiber bundle.

What nitrogen purity levels can the membrane modules deliver?

The membrane modules can reliably separate air to deliver nitrogen with purities of up to 99%, which meets the specific requirements of the customer process.

How does the compressed air travel through the system before reaching the membrane modules?

The compressed air passes through the system piping and flows to the inlet of the nitrogen membrane modules, where it undergoes the separation process.