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Bulk Gases - Liquid Argon Gases Manufacturer, Supplier & Distributor
PRODUCTS / BULK GASES / LIQUID ARGON
Bulk Gases
Liquid Argon
Argon (Ar) is a monatomic, colorless, odorless, tasteless and nontoxic gas, present in the atmosphere at a concentration of just
under 1% (0.934%) by volume. Argon is a member of a special group of gases known as the "rare," "noble," or "inert" gases.
Other gases in this group are helium, neon, krypton, xenon and radon. They are monatomic gases with a totally filled outermost
shell of electrons. The terms "noble" and "inert" have been used to indicate that their ability to chemically interact with other
materials is extremely weak. All members of this group emit light when electrically excited. Argon produces a pale blue-violet light.
Pure & Carrier Gases
Argon's normal boiling point is a very cold -302.6°F (-185.9°C). The gas is approximately 1.4 times as heavy as air and is slightly
soluble in water. Argon's freezing point is only a few degrees lower than its normal boiling point, -308.8°F (-199.3°C).
Gas Mixtures / Calibration
Gas Mixtures
Argon is valued for its total inertness, in particular at high temperatures. Argon is used in critical industrial processes such as the
manufacturing of high quality stainless steels and production of impurity-free silicon crystals for semi-conductor manufacture.
Argon is also used as an inert filler gas for light bulbs and as a dry, heavier-than-air-or-nitrogen filler for the space between glass
panels in high-efficiency multi-pane windows.
Liquid Nitrogen
Rare Gases
Speciality Gases
Gas Handling Equipments
Argon is the most abundant of the truly inert or "rare" gases. It is produced, most commonly, in conjunction with the
manufacture of high purity oxygen using cryogenic distillation of air. Since the boiling point of argon is very close to that of
oxygen (a difference of only 5.3°F or 2.9°C) separating pure argon from oxygen (while also achieving high recovery of both
products) requires many stages of distillation.
For many decades, the most common argon recovery and purification process used several steps: 1) taking a "side-draw" stream
from the primary air separation distillation system at a point in the low-pressure column where the concentration of argon is
highest, 2) processing the feed in a crude argon column which returns the nitrogen to the low pressure column and produces a
crude argon product, 3) warming the crude argon and reacting the (typically about 2%) oxygen impurity in the stream with a
controlled amount of hydrogen to form water, 4) removing the water vapor by condensation and adsorption, 5) re-cooling the
gas to cryogenic temperature, and 6) removing the remaining non-argon components (small amounts of nitrogen and
unconsumed hydrogen) through further distillation in a pure argon distillation column.
With the development of packed column technology, which allows cryogenic distillations to be performed with low-pressure-drop,
most new plants now utilize an all-cryogenic distillation process for argon recovery and purification.
Argon may be referred to as "PLAR" (pure liquid argon) or "CLAR" (crude liquid argon), or by its chemical designation, "Ar". Crude
argon is usually thought of as an intermediate product in a facility that makes pure argon, but it may be a final product for some
lower capacity air separation plants which ship it to larger facilities for final purification. Some crude argon is also sold as a final
product for uses that do not need high purity oxygen (e.g. some steelmaking and welding applications).
Commercial quantities of argon may also be produced in conjunction with the manufacture of ammonia. Air is the ultimate source
of the argon, but in the traditional ammonia production process the route to argon recovery is quite different. Natural gas is
"reformed" with steam to produce a "synthesis gas" containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. "Secondary
reforming" with air and steam converts the CO to CO 2 and additional hydrogen, and adds the nitrogen necessary to make
ammonia (NH3). The mix of nitrogen and hydrogen (along with a small amount of argon) is then compressed to high pressure
and reacted with the aid of a catalyst. Argon, being non-reactive, accumulates in the ammonia synthesis loop, and it must be
removed in a purge stream to maintain production capacity and process efficiency. UIG offers equipment to process the purge
gas stream. Ammonia is removed and recovered while the hydrogen is removed and recycled to the synthesis gas feed to the
ammonia process to improve overall process efficiency. Methane, which is formed in the ammonia process, is recycled to fuel for
the fired heater providing heat to drive the synthesis gas generation process. Argon is recovered and purified for sale as a
commercial product.
Some newer ammonia plants do not use air as a direct feed to the ammonia production process, but process it through an air
separation unit, with the argon removed upstream of the ammonia synthesis loop. The high purity oxygen and nitrogen feed
streams produced by the air separation unit are individually fed to the hydrogen production and ammonia production portions of
the ammonia plant. This newer ammonia production approach avoids argon buildup in the ammonia synthesis loop, and allows
direct recovery of argon as a valuable co-product.
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Properties
Normal Boiling
Point (1 atm)
English Units
Gas Phase Properties
@ 32°F & @1 atm
Temp.
Latent
Heat of
Vaporization
Specific
Gravity
Specific
Heat
(Cp)
Density
Substance
Chemical
Symbol
Mol.
Weight
°C
kJ/kg
Air = 1
BTU/ lb°F
lb/cu ft
Argon
Ar
39.95
-302.6
69.8
1.39
0.125
0.11135
Liquid Phase
Properties
@ B P& @ 1 atm
Specific
Gravity
Specific
Heat
(Cp)
Water = 1 BTU/ lb°F
1.4
0. 2575
Triple Point
Temp.
°F
-308 .8
Argon (Ar) Applications and Uses
Metric Units
Boiling Point
Gas Phase Properties
Liquid Phase
Properties
@ 101.325 kPa
@ 0° C & @ 101.325 kPa
@ B.P & @ 101.325
Triple Point
kPa
Temp.
Latent
Heat of
Vaporization
Specific
Gravity
Specific
Heat
(Cp)
Density
Substance
Chemical
Symbol
Mol.
Weight
°C
kJ/kg
Air = 1
kJ/kg °C
kg/m3
Argon
Ar
39.95
-185 .9
162 .3
1.39
0.523
1.7837
Specific
Gravity
Specific
Heat
(Cp)
Water = 1 kJ/kg ° C
1.4
1.078
Temp.
°C
-189.3
Multi-Industry Uses of Argon
Argon is the most abundant, and least expensive, truly inert gas. It is used where a completely non-reactive gas is needed.Pure
argon, and argon mixed with various other gases, is used as a shield gas in TIG welding ("tungsten inert gas" or gas tungsten arc
welding) which uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode, and in MIG ("metal inert gas", also called gas metal arc welding, or
wire feed welding) which employs a consumable wire feed electrode. The function of the shielding gas is to protect the
electrode and the weld pool against the oxidizing effect of air. Pure argon is often used with aluminium. A mixture of argon and
carbon dioxide is often used for MIG welding of ordinary structural steel. Plasma-arc cutting and plasma-arc welding employ plasma
gas (argon and hydrogen) to provide a very high temperature when used with a special torch.
Metals Manufacturing Uses of Argon
When steel is made in a converter, oxygen and argon are blown into the molten metal. The addition of argon reduces chromium
losses and the desired carbon content is achieved at a lower temperature. Argon is used as a blowing gas during manufacture of
higher quality steels to avoid the formation of nitrides. Argon is also used as a shield gas in casting and stirring of ladles. Argon is
used as an inert gas in the manufacture of titanium to avoid oxidation and reaction with nitrogen (titanium is the only metal that
will burn in a 100% nitrogen atmosphere). Argon is used in the manufacture of zirconium.
Manufacturing and Construction Uses of Argon
Argon is used as a filler gas in fluorescent and incandescent light bulbs. This excludes oxygen and other reactive gases and
reduces the evaporation rate (sublimation rate) of the tungsten filament, thereby permitting higher filament temperature. Most
common of the mixtures is 93% argon and 7% nitrogen at a pressure of 70 kPa (10.15 psig).
It is used as a filler gas between the glass panels of high-efficiency thermo pane windows, as it is not only dry and colorless, but a
relatively heavy gas that minimizes heat transmission between panels by slower convective movement of the filler gas between
the glass panels in the window.
Electronics Uses
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Argon is used with methane as a filler gas, and as a high purity inert shield gas in the manufacture of silicone and germanium
crystals used in the semiconductor industry.
Food and Beverages Uses
Argon is used in winemaking to displace oxygen in barrels and thus prevent the formation of vinegar. Similarly, it is used in
restaurant, bar and home wine dispensing units to allow storage of opened bottles without degradation of the contents.
Health Care Uses
Argon is used to perform precise cryosurgery, which is the use of extreme cold, to selectively destroy small areas of diseased or
abnormal tissue, in particular on the skin. Very cold argon is created at the site by controlled expansion of argon gas, and directed
to the treatment point using a cryoneedle. This provides better control of the process than earlier techniques employing liquid
nitrogen. A similar technique, cryoablation, is used to treat heart arrhythmia by destroying cells which interfere with the normal
distribution of electrical impulses.
Miscellaneous Uses
Argon is used to provide a protective atmosphere for old documents to prevent their degradation in storage and while on display.
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