ATLAS Copco has unveiled its latest range of c OGP+ Oxygen Generators that it says produces oxygen (O2) on-site, requiring only a supply of dry compressed air.
Oxygen is a critical gas for a vast number of industries including wastewater treatment, food & beverage, pulp & paper, steel, medical, pharmaceutical, bioenergy, metallurgical, glass and aquaculture. According to Zandra van der Westhuizen, Business Line Manager at Atlas Copco Compressor Technique, the on-site production or generation of oxygen as opposed to purchasing this gas from a vendor presents a highly cost-effective, safe, space-saving and convenient solution.
“With our OGP+ Oxygen Generators, professional oxygen users can become oxygen producers. To switch from sourcing the gas from a vendor to producing oxygen on-site is easy. All that is required is a compressed air system plus a gas generator and the plug-and-play machine is ready to produce oxygen on-site.”
She went on to list several benefits of on-site oxygen production. “Our Atlas Copco OGP+ generators are 30% more efficient at full load compared to a traditional generator. Moreover, thanks to the machines’ innovative Variable Cycle Saver technology, the OGP+ generators offer up to 70% in additional energy savings when oxygen demand is low. This all adds up to a lower cost per cubic meter of oxygen, delivering unparalleled cost savings.”
Generating oxygen in-house also ensures a dependable and continuous supply source, mitigating potential stoppages due to stock shortages.
“Reliance on a third-party supplier is eliminated. The user is in complete control, generating the exact amount of oxygen when needed at the correct and guaranteed purity required for the particular application. If more oxygen is required, simply run the generator a little longer. Bottom line – users only pay for the gas they need and use.”
Van der Westhuizen said that the purity of purchased oxygen is usually over-specified for most application requirements. “An on-site generator not only achieves this high purity more cost-efficiently, but it also offers additional savings. Because generating oxygen of the highest purity uses more energy, the ability of on-site generators to set the correct purity for a particular application will significantly reduce the user’s operational costs.”
Yet another advantage offered by on-site oxygen production is that there is no need for a facility to store oxygen cylinders or to install a large liquid oxygen tank.
Producing oxygen on-site also removes the hassles of long-term contracts, logistics and safety concerns that accompany the ordering and handling of third-party oxygen cylinders. “There is no need to move pressurised cylinders around the plant thus avoiding the potential risk of employee injuries.
“And finally, the elimination of oxygen transport and delivery reduces the user’s carbon footprint.”
