Industrial gas

IN THE air

Air Products. Industrial gas is used in most manufacturing industries and reliability of locally produced supply is important, reports GARETH GRIFFITHS

An important regional supplier, Air Products is part of an established international company specialising in the provision of a range of industrial and speciality gas products to multiple users. “Air Products manufactures and supplies many gases such as argon, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, welding mixtures and high-purity speciality gases”, says Arthi Govender, marketing and communications executive for Air Products.

Major industrial gas products are used industrywide, making its local production a critical component of manufacturing

From a gas manufacture and supply perspective, some of Air Products’ innovations to mining and heavy industry have proved benefi cial. For example, the 120km gas pipeline that was installed to supply hydrogen gas to Impala Platinum and PG Building Glass.

Later, installations in the petrochemical industry included a new air separation unit to supply oxygen at Sasol Infrachem. Recently, the company responded to an increased need in the supply of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) by investing R100-million in a signifi cant CO 2 expansion and refurbishment project at its Newcastle facility in KwaZulu-Natal and an upgrade to the CO 2 supply at the National

“Our national footprint and well-established supply chain and distributor network further allow the efficient distribution of products to customers nationally.” – Arthi Govender, marketing and communications executive, Air Products

at WIKA South Africa, con rms careful monitoring. “South Africa that a fair amount of the has a robust industrial gas instrumentation for industrial gas market in general, but for SF 6 handling is manufactured locally. speci cally, the market is small

“Only electronic pressure measuring compared to the global market. instruments are imported since these But it is no less important, require high-level clean rooms for because for high-voltage manufacture,” he says. switchgear there is no real

Rusznyak says that sulphur hexa uoride replacement for SF 6 as an (SF 6 ) is a good example of a highly arc-quenching gas,” he explains.

A SELF-HEALING GAS

Sulphur hexa uoride (SF 6 ) is an odourless industrial gas, much heavier than air. It is used as an insulator in heavy-duty switchgear and other electrical equipment. It’s a “self-healing” gas.

Arcs of electricity (like lighting) occur inside switchgear, decomposing the SF 6 gas, which then rapidly reforms itself. But there is more to this gas than industry.

Doctors use SF 6 in sophisticated eye surgery, where it acts as a “tamponade” to prevent haemorrhaging in retinal detachment repair operations. Petroleum Refi ners of South Africa facility in Sasolburg. In step with global environmental trends, a dissolved acetylene plant in Midvaal was launched as a world-class environmentally Arthi Govender sensitive and safe facility in 2018. “Air Products is also a market leader in terms of on-site, bulk, pipeline, cylinder and speciality gas products. We are a frontrunner in terms of customer service, product quality and our gas range for industrial applications,” explains Govender.

The company manufactures the majority of its products locally. “Our national footprint and well-established supply chain and distributor network further allow the effi cient distribution of products to customers nationally,” she says.

WIDELY USED PRODUCT

Industrial gas products are used in industry sectors such as agriculture, electronics and packaging, analytical laboratories, construction, oil, food and beverage, glass and minerals, healthcare/ pharmaceuticals, leisure and recreation, metals/mining, biotechnology, plastics, transportation, and water.

Handle with care

Greg Rusznyak, marketing manager specialised gas that needs

Source: Air Products

Source: WIKA South Africa

“SF 6 needs special handling. It is a greenhouse gas with about 23 000 times more impact than carbon dioxide. It’s listed in the Kyoto Protocol and usage is governed by EU regulation 517/2014 in Europe and other regional equivalents. Great care is taken in the operation of

Greg SF 6 -insulated switchgear Rusznyak and the procurement, transport, commissioning, and recovery of the gas.”

WIKA also offers the training and certi cation of technicians who will work with this gas and others.

“This is the reason for the importance of SF 6 gas density monitoring in switchgear in the  rst place. But other equipment for  lling, recovery, leak detection, and gas quality measurement is also vital,” he concludes.