The 99.99% pure liquid argon used in smelting can be purified to 99.999% purity using an argon purifier, meeting the gas requirements of spectrometers.What are the advantages of using argon this way for spectrometer users?

This steel company has three OBLF spectrometers and uses 99.99% standard-purity liquid argon in its smelting process. The laboratory spectrometers require high-purity argon, but the plant's safety management advised against using high-pressure cylinders.

Because the customer's spark emission spectrometer also needs to perform nitrogen analysis, the purity of the argon used directly in the smelting process did not meet the spectrometer's requirements.

Argon purifiers use metal getters to remove nitrogen from the argon. If the incoming argon is too low-purity, it will quickly deplete. After discussing with laboratory management, we recommended using two argon purifiers in series per spectrometer to ensure the spark emission spectrometer's nitrogen analysis requirements.

Long-term argon cost analysis shows that investing in an argon purifier is significantly less expensive than purchasing 99.999% pure gas cylinders directly from an off-site facility.

Liquid argon from the customer's facility is piped directly to the laboratory and connected to an argon purification unit to meet the spectrometer's gas needs. This move offers the following advantages:

1. Using pipeline argon directly from the facility reduces the need for multiple cylinders and the cost of renting or purchasing cylinders. This reduces transportation, handling, and installation, further saving time and costs.

2. We no longer rely on purchasing 99.999% high-purity argon from outside the factory, reducing argon costs.

3. No need to regularly replace gas cylinders, or worry about gas leaks from loose or deformed pressure reducing valve inlet and outlet connections or piping. No more worrying about fluctuations in cylinder argon purity. Our own pipeline argon provides an unlimited and uninterrupted supply, and after passing through the gas purification unit, its purity is even more stable.