[Chemical Knowledge]：The nature and use of oxygen, upstream and downstream raw materials, storage methods, the nature and use of oxygen video explanation

Oxygen Properties

Oxygen (O₂) is one of the most abundant elements on Earth, making up 21 percent of Earth's atmosphere. It is a colorless, tasteless, and odorless gas that is highly reactive, especially with elements such as hydrogen, carbon, and iron. Oxygen has a molecular weight of 32g/mol, a density of 1.429g/L (at standard conditions), a boiling point of -183°C, and a melting point of -218.8°C. Oxygen is a strong oxidant that supports combustion and participates in many chemical reactions to form oxides.

Oxygen Uses

Oxygen is widely used in all walks of life. In the medical field, oxygen is used to treat respiratory diseases, support surgery and first aid. In industry, oxygen is used in steelmaking, ironmaking and other metal processing processes to increase the combustion temperature as a combustion aid. Oxygen is used in chemical production to synthesize chemicals such as ethylene oxide and acrylic acid. Oxygen is also widely used in environmental protection, such as ozone generators in wastewater treatment and catalytic combustion in exhaust gas purification.

Oxygen upstream and downstream raw materials

The production of oxygen is mainly through air separation technology. There are two main methods of air separation: cryogenic distillation and membrane separation. Cryogenic distillation is the most common method to separate nitrogen, oxygen and other inert gases by liquefying air and stepwise distillation. Membrane separation separates oxygen from air through a selectively permeable membrane. The upstream raw material is mainly air in the atmosphere, and the equipment and technology for the production of oxygen are the key intermediate links. Downstream products include high purity oxygen, industrial oxygen, medical oxygen and so on.

Oxygen production process

Low temperature distillation is the main process of industrial oxygen production. The air is compressed and cooled, liquefied into liquid air, and then separated by the boiling point difference of different components to obtain high-purity oxygen. Membrane separation law relies on special membrane materials, through the pressure difference to make the oxygen molecules in the air through the membrane, so as to achieve the purpose of separation. With the progress of technology, the efficiency and cost advantages of membrane separation method have gradually emerged, and it has become a common method for small-scale oxygen production.

Oxygen storage method

The storage of oxygen requires special attention to safety, because oxygen is a strong oxidant and is easy to support combustion. Commonly used storage methods in the industry include high pressure gas cylinders and liquid oxygen tanks. High-pressure gas cylinders are usually used to store gaseous oxygen, and the pressure in the cylinder can reach 200-300 bar. The liquid oxygen tank is used to store low-temperature liquid oxygen at a temperature below -183°C. In order to prevent the evaporation of liquid oxygen, the storage tank usually adopts a double-layer structure and is filled with vacuum to play a role of heat insulation. During transportation and storage, safety regulations must be strictly observed to prevent leakage and explosion accidents.

Oxygen transport mode

There are two main modes of transport of oxygen: gaseous transport and liquid transport. Gaseous oxygen is usually transported by high-pressure gas cylinders, suitable for short-distance, small-scale needs. Liquid oxygen is transported by special low-temperature tankers or tankers, suitable for long-distance and large-scale supply. The advantages of liquid oxygen transportation are small size and high transportation efficiency, but it needs to be kept at a low temperature to prevent the evaporation of liquefied oxygen. In the process of oxygen transportation, it is necessary to strictly abide by relevant regulations and safety standards to ensure transportation safety.

Oxygen Market Demand and Supply

Oxygen market demand mainly comes from steel, chemical, medical and other industries. With the acceleration of industrialization and the improvement of medical and health standards, the demand for oxygen continues to grow. Especially in developing countries, the increase in industrial and medical demand has significantly driven the expansion of the oxygen market. On the supply side, the technical progress of air separation equipment and the improvement of production capacity have made the oxygen supply more stable and sufficient. The market is also facing challenges such as fluctuations in raw material prices and stricter environmental regulations.

Oxygen Industry Future Trends

In the future, the oxygen industry will develop in the direction of high efficiency, environmental protection and intelligence. With the deepening of the concept of energy conservation, emission reduction and sustainable development, low energy consumption and low emission oxygen production technology will be favored. The application of intelligent management and Internet of Things technology will improve the efficiency of oxygen production and supply chain management. Oxygen has broad application prospects in emerging fields such as aerospace, deep-sea exploration and hydrogen energy utilization, and is expected to become a new growth point in the industry.

Oxygen Industry's Key Challenges

The main challenges facing the oxygen industry include environmental pressure, production costs and safety risks. The energy consumption in the process of air separation is high, which has a great impact on energy and environmental protection. Reducing energy consumption and improving production efficiency is the key to industrial development. The investment in oxygen production and storage equipment is large, and cost control is another major challenge for enterprises. In terms of safety risks, oxygen is a strong oxidant, and the safety issues in its production, storage and transportation cannot be ignored. It requires a complete management system and strict operating procedures.

Summary

As an important industrial and medical gas, oxygen has a wide range of applications and huge market demand. Through advanced production processes and effective storage and transportation methods, oxygen supply can meet the needs of various industries. In the future, with technological advances and the development of new applications, the oxygen industry will continue to maintain steady growth. Enterprises need to face the challenges of environmental protection, safety and cost, and constantly innovate and optimize to achieve sustainable development.