Air separation

How air separation works

For Messer, air is a raw material from which its constituent gases, oxygen, nitrogen, argon and other rare gases can be extracted in pure form. The constituents of air are used in many industrial processes and ensure that these processes are more environmentally friendly. Air is thus a source for many environmental applications.

The pure gases are extracted in air separation units. The air is compressed, liquified and separated in columns. Liquefaction only occurs at extremely low temperatures of down to –196℃. Since the various components of air boil at different temperatures, they can be separated by distillation. These does not make the air we breathe any "thinner" or harder to breathe. The amount of air on earth is so great that such activities have next to no effect on the oxygen content, for example. Most of the gas eventually finds its way back into the atmosphere through various processes.