A Versatile Gas Comes of Age – The Myriad Industrial Uses of Ozone
Ozone has come of age. This frequently misunderstood natural element is fast proving itself to be an indispensable gas, increasingly making its presence felt in all facets of industry.
While the conventional applications of ozone as a powerful disinfector and oxidant are well documented, industry is starting to open its eyes to a myriad of new possibilities for ozone and ozone technology, all of which point to a healthier and cleaner physical world.
A Closer Look at Ozone
Ozone is produced when oxygen (02) molecules are dissociated by an energy source into oxygen atoms and subsequently collide with an oxygen molecule to form an unstable gas, ozone (03); which is a pale blue gas with a pungent odour. Such is the instability of the ozone structure, that it has a half life of less than 20 minutes before decomposing back into normal oxygen.
Since its discovery in 1840, ozone has been the centre of debate in scientific circles, making the gas difficult to explain, isolate and classify. However, its usefulness was quickly recognised, and ozone was soon adopted as a means of treating water to drinking standards. The first water treatment plant to incorporate ozone was established in 1893 in the Netherlands.
But ozone lost its position at centre stage in the water purification industry during the First World War when the cheap manufacture of chlorine gas lead to a decline in interest in ozone. Chlorine disinfection lasted longer, was easier to transport and cheaper to manufacture. This was despite the fact that the by-products of chlorination were already known to be harmful to both people and the environment.
Now, ozone has re-emerged, demanding fresh attention as a viable, mainstream water and air treatment option.
The reasons for ozone’s coming full circle are varied, and include: improvements in ozone production technologies; the advances in ozone chemistry; the tightening on environmental legislations, and deteriorating water supplies.
A Fresh Look at Ozone
Industry is starting to take a fresh look at ozone in terms of potential applications and possibilities that have not yet been fully explored.
This list of potential applications of ozone technology is growing by the day, and ranges from organic synthesis reactions in the pharmaceutical industry, to the disinfection of chicken’s eggs in the hatchery business.
Going for Gold
One of the technologies coming to the fore, and very much applicable in the South African context, is the destruction through ozone of cyanide in gold mine tailing streams.
Air Products South Africa (Pty Ltd., in partnership with ITT, global specialists in water and wastewater management, have successfully demonstrated a system that will destroy cyanide from tailings levels as high as 120ppm down to less than 5pmm. Ozonation results in a very rapid and complete decomposition of cyanides, cyanates and thiocyanates; ultimately, given enough contact time, to carbon dioxide and nitrogen. This allows the tailings to be sent back underground as backfill without further treatment.
Changing Water Treatment Options
A further application of ozone technology, and one with increasing applicability to the South African market, is ozone treatment of cooling tower water. With the increases expected in the cost of water, as well as the degradation of our water sources, conservation and re-use of water are becoming very important.
By switching from conventional water treatment options in a cooling tower to using just ozone, companies cannot only save water but reduce the cost of treating effluent. Ozone treatment allows for a far higher recycle rate (cycles of concentration) of water within the cooling circuit before any water is blown down (if at all). Ozone is completely effective in the control of bacteria like Legionnaires’ disease. Ozone treatment also eliminates the handling and dosing of a variety of different chemicals to the tower.
Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP)
And then there is Advanced Oxidation Process (AOP), a system which greatly enhances the conventional application of ozone in drinking water. The combination of ozone and hydrogen peroxide forms the hydroxyl radical, an aggressive oxidant which reacts chemically with common taste and odour (T&O) compounds, a wide range of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and various other micro contaminants. This makes it ideal for drinking water and water re-use applications. Applications for AOP systems include:
- Control of taste/odour and colour of drinking water
- Destruction of volatile organic compounds in effluents and drinking water
- Disinfection for water reuse
- Removal of microcontaminants, such as endocrine disrupters
- Removal of a host of recalcitrant compounds
Environmentally-Friendly and Useful Ozone
Because ozone oxidizes cell walls, it reacts up to 3,500 times faster than chlorine, rapidly destroying all bacteria, endotoxins, mould and yeast spores, and even viruses. Moreover, micro-organisms cannot build up an immunity to ozone.
The short lifespan of an ozone molecule means that it quickly reverts back to oxygen, leaving behind no chemical residues or harmful by-products.
In an age where environmental concerns top the priority list in both government and industry, ozone is poised to come into its own as an environmentally-friendly and versatile industrial gas.
Published on January 20, 2011 in Company News |
Gas Leadership in the Mining Sector: Air Products Provides Pivotal Gas Solutions to Top Mining Companies
Air Products South Africa, with more than 40 years’ experience in gas production and supply in this country, has been making ever deeper inroads into the local mining industry.
Because gas, in many forms, forms a vital component in a variety of mining processes, the company has established ongoing supply relationships with a number of Southern African mining operations, including some of the biggest gold, platinum and iron ore producers in the country.
This is according to Rob Richardson, Air Products’ General Manager: On-site, who asserts that the spectrum of gases applicable to mining is as wide as the variety of applications and mining processes themselves. “Gas affects almost every aspect of mining operations, including human safety, quality control of the metals, productivity and environmental health”,
Richardson continues: “The gases used in mining include an assortment of both industrial and specialty (or high purity) gases. Industrial gases used on a daily basis are oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, but also include dissolved acetylene, LPG (liquid petroleum gas), carbon dioxide and argon.”
Richardson explains that oxygen, which forms the main part of Air Products’ Bulk Gases supply to the mining industry, has three important functions when it comes to metal extraction: Firstly, because it effects faster reactions, its presence in the leaching, ,roasting or smelting processes both increases yield, and reduces the processing time, thus improving overall productivity. Secondly, oxygen is used to remove impurities (such as sulphur and carbon) in metals; and thirdly, the use of oxygen provides environmental benefits by decreasing the volume of emissions, thereby making them easier to treat or recover.
Nitrogen is also used frequently in mining operations, most commonly to extinguish underground fires, but also in hot metal processes, to control oxidation, as well as to control furnace atmospheres.
Apart from these base gases, Air Products also supplies a variety of specialty blended welding gases to the industry, and recently, the company has had a great deal of success with the use of ozone in the destruction of cyanide, used in the gold leaching process.
Taking special care of its customers’ individual requirements, and focusing on an uninterrupted supply, Air Products prides itself on its market-leading supply modes. Liquid and gaseous product is distributed using a modern fleet of cryogenic tankers and cylinder trucks to provide reliable supplies of gases to customers, including gold, uranium and ferro-chrome mines.
Where high volumes of gas product are required, special on-site plants are built for the continuous supply of gas via pipe-line.
Air Products is particularly strong in the platinum sector, where Air Products supplies the three major platinum producers in South Africa with oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen via pipe-line. The company has in recent years also established a strong presence in the Zambian copper belt, having established five oxygen plants to feed copper and cobalt mines in that region.
Richardson explains that the On-site business model is based on the principle of building/owning/operating a plant on behalf of a customer. “It is important to ensure a high level of reliability when it comes to on-site gas supply”, he says. “We focus strongly on technical excellence when it comes to operations and maintenance, and consult closely with our customers to design dependable backup systems.”
One such system, commonly used at on-site plants, is to store gases in liquid form at extremely low temperatures, and then vaporise the relevant gases if and when needed.
Another system used is an on-line programme called Telalert, which assesses a customer’s requirements for bulk and cylinder gas in real time. Richardson explains: “The system helps us to understand exactly where our mining customers are at, in terms of their gas supply. It alerts us well before the critical stage, so we can plan our supply options timeously.”
Air Products, at the forefront of innovation when it comes to the latest gas products and technologies, is proud to have become the largest supplier in the on-site and pipeline market in South Africa, as well as a leader in the bulk, cylinder, specialty gas and chemicals supply market.
“We are especially proud that so many of the big mining players in this region have come to rely on us for both expert supply solutions and quality gas products to enhance their operations”, he concludes.
Published on January 12, 2011 in Company News |
BEE Certificate
Click to download Air Products BEE 2011 Certificate
Published on January 11, 2011 in BEE |
Air Products – Top of the Class in Environmental Health, Safety and Quality
Air Products South Africa, a leading manufacturer and distributor of industrial and specialty gas products and chemicals, has recently celebrated 40 years in the industry. The company has thus much to offer when it comes to expertise, experience and insight, not only in terms of its own operations, but also in the wider industry context.
One of the operational areas where Air Products sets the benchmark is in the field of Environmental Health, Safety (EH&S) and Quality, a hot topic in industry globally.
Air Products‟ safety philosophy is summed up as follows: “Nothing is more important than safety, not production, not sales, not profits.”
In line with this ongoing drive for optimum EH&S management, Air Products has earned top accolades. In September, the company was awarded the Top 100 Company in the commercial category for best international company on the NOSA integrated five star system.
This is according to Sue Janse van Vuuren, Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) and Quality Manager at Air Products SA. She explains that the company adheres strictly to its global EH&S standards, which have been written and developed over many years by industry experts, based on best practices, legislation and experience.
“We consider the Air Products global standards as our minimum standard”, notes Janse van Vuuren, “however where South African legislation is more stringent we obviously comply to this through our local standards”
In addition, Air Products South Africa has implemented the NOSA (National Occupational Safety Association) 5 Star Integrated System.
“NOSA is an external accreditation body which uses specific criteria to measure how effectively you have implemented your procedures. The highest honour is to be “Noscar-rated”, says Janse van Vuuren, “and we are proud that currently six of our facilities are Noscar-rated, while three are 5 Star NOSA Platinum rated. Each year we have been able to improve our grading and overall scores.”
A key part of the drive to continually improve safety practises at Air Products is the careful recording of each and every incident. This helps the company to identify the root causes in order to prevent a recurrence of the same, or more serious incidents, as well as to monitor the company‟s safety performance and trends.
Air Products also reports all incidents (be it a „near miss‟ or a recordable injury) to its parent company overseas. Likewise, its overseas counterparts will communicate any of their own recordable incidents with the local company, particularly where important learning may emerge.
Communicating about safety issues extends to the customer: if a customer experiences an incident or „near miss‟, this learning is communicated to other customers as a preventative measure.
In fact, prevention is an important component of the EH&S ethos at Air Products. The company uses APT (Accident Preventative Technique) in order for staff, across the board, to be able to identify potentially unsafe conditions or behaviours. “It is all about getting people involved and taking ownership of the situation”, Janse van Vuuren says. “That is why we believe that EH&S is a line management function: instead of having dedicated EH&S personnel in all areas, we prefer to make each employee accountable and therefore responsible for their own safety and for that of their colleagues.”
Thus, the issue of safety has become embedded in the culture of the organisation. Furthermore, to keep it relevant and topical, the company rolls out incentive initiatives from time to time. One such initiative is Best Safety Practices (BSP), which is all about getting employees involved on a consistent basis.
“There are certain activities and responsibilities which are allocated throughout the organisation, such as leadership site inspections and safety contacts,” Janse van Vuuren explains. “These activities are concrete ways of keeping channels of communication open, and keeping safety at the top of the priority list.”
Another initiative is called „Count on Me‟, which is an internal safety awareness campaign currently being run at all Air Products‟ facilities. As part of this campaign, various safety topics are communicated to everyone in the organisation. “It is about keeping safety at the forefront of everyone‟s minds”, says Janse van Vuuren, “and making it everybody‟s responsibility, whether in a plant, or in the office.”
“We also ensure a responsible approach to environmental issues,” Janse van Vuuren adds. ”We have ISO 14001 certification at all of our ASU plants”
The key environmental issue in the gas manufacturing processes is the extensive use of natural resources. As Janse van Vuuren points out, large gas plants use significant amounts of electricity, so the company examines very closely how to optimise the management of its plants. “The same goes for water consumption”, she says, “although much of our process water is recycled on site.”
She goes on to describe how any waste is disposed of in a considered way, and how one of Air Products‟ by-products (lime sludge from the acetylene plants) is recycled into fertiliser.
Air Products is currently improving its personnel health management by conducting ongoing risk assessments and standardising its medical surveillance programme. “The medical surveillance programme, contracted to an external specialist company, is based on both risk and job requirements”, says Janse van Vuuren. “We make sure our people have the appropriate tests, for example hearing tests, and then ensure they are wearing the correct hearing protection.”
Vehicle safety is high on the agenda too, and to this end Air Products ensures that its drivers are medically fit and attend driver training programmes.
The final part of the equation is quality, and here Air Products has a very well established Quality Management system which not only complies to ISO 9001 but also ISO 22 000 (for food safety management) and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) for food and medical gases.
“This ensures that our products and processes are monitored and controlled throughout the entire supply chain, at every step. We do not just focus on the quality of the end product,” says Janse van Vuuren.
She adds: “We also measure levels of customer satisfaction both internally and externally by conducting regular customer satisfaction surveys, in order to identify areas for improvement in order for us to meet and exceed our customers‟ expectations.”
Finally, in a relatively small industry such as the South African gas industry, the main players join forces through the Southern Africa Compressed Gases Association (SACGA), in order to establish safety and technical standards in the local context and identify areas for improvement.
Referring to the company‟s recent EH&S industry awards, Janse van Vuuren concludes: “It is great to get recognition in the industry for what we do, and it is a useful benchmarking tool.
However, there is always more to be done. We can never afford to lose sight of our key goal which is to ensure the health and safety of our employees, and also that of customers, contractors, visitors and the general public.”
Published on January 10, 2011 in Company News |
The Strongest Link: How A Flexible, Robust Supply Chain Ensures Industry Leadership
Air Products South Africa is a leading manufacturer, supplier and distributer of industrial and specialty gas products to the local market. The company has operated in South Africa since 1969, and has become a force to be reckoned within the on-sites, bulk, cylinder, specialty gas and chemicals supply markets, priding itself on an innovative culture and industry leadership.
When it comes to key managerial functions, the company places a key emphasis on effective supply chain management. In fact, the company sees its supply chain methodology as integral to success in maintaining its leading market position within the gas industry in South Africa.
This is according to Nalen Alwar, Supply Chain Manager of Air Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd. “Supply chain practice and methodology within Air Products has become a key focus area,” he explains. “However, we have become increasingly aware over the years that an effective, well-integrated supply chain is fundamental to the success of a company, both from an operational and a strategic perspective.”
“At Air Products, we aim to be both lean and agile in our approach, or „leagile‟, and that ethos forms the basis of our supply chain methodology.”
He continues: “The two main objectives for us are, firstly, to be efficient, and secondly, effective. It is an interesting balance, and sometimes – of necessity – there is a trade-off between these two objectives.”
Alwar explains that efficiency, in simple terms, is about keeping costs down, while effectiveness relates to how the company pursues its overarching strategic goals. “In pursuing those goals, it is necessary to become both adaptive (responsive) and resilient, and therefore effective in a dynamic, ever-changing environment.”
Donovan O‟Grady, Distribution Manager for the Bulk division of Air Products SA, explains that, from an operational point of view, the use of the best available technology plays a pivotal role, notably in distribution.
Continuing on the theme of being lean and agile, O‟Grady says: “In distribution, we use specialised software to ensure proper route planning and logistical efficiency. The programme predicts the delivery schedule, creating the optimal route in order to save on mileage and fuel.
“We also manage our vehicles by the use of GPS and tracking devices, which has a number of functions, including ensuring safe driving practices.”
Air Products uses a telemetry system, which is key to managing supply and demand. “The system monitors our customers‟ supply levels, and alerts us when replenishing is required. This is extremely effective in enabling us to plan, and to always be ahead of the game,” O‟Grady says.
Technology is also an enabling factor, as it provides key feedback mechanisms, says Alwar. “Technology allows for analysis in order to examine our own efficiency levels”, he maintains.
“The data provides very useful feedback for analysing costs and to what extent a transaction brings value to the company.”
While predictive software and enabling technology provides useful feedback mechanisms, Alwar warns of the dangers of relying heavily on historical data.
“For example, tank levels change all the time according to the changing needs of a company. In addition, there is the wider environment which fluctuates constantly,” he says, citing the example of the recent economic downturn. “That is why the supply chain is referred to as a Complex, Adaptive System – demand fluctuates at different rates, it is a living system, which is why a company needs to respond and be able to adapt accordingly.”
Part of a company‟s capacity to adapt to change is dependent on what Alwar calls their “regenerative resource” – people. “For a great supply chain, which really works, you need broad-thinking people, people who think flexibly and efficiently, always keeping in mind the overall interests of the company. In an intra-firm situation, it is easy to focus on individual business units, and lose sight of the bigger picture,” he cautions.
Alwar continues: “Air Products encourages knowledge-sharing behaviour, which is critical when keeping in mind the overall company strategy. Communication on all levels is key, in order to gauge what is happening in the market. Thus, the Marketing function forms a pivotal part of the supply chain, as do other ways of information-sharing, such as regular, informal meetings and external and internal surveys, which Air Products conducts on a regular basis,” Alwar says.
Air Products‟ successful supply chain methodology is in part due to progressive and innovative leadership, according to O‟ Grady. He attributes the company‟s „thinking-out-the-box‟ approach to “visionary” leadership. “You need to be stay one step ahead, in supply chain management”, he maintains,“ which requires flexible, creative thinking in a dynamic environment.”
Alwar agrees, adding the importance of being able to „stretch‟ in terms of capacity, as demand requires, but also being able to retract in „leaner‟ times.
“No longer is supply chain seen as an isolated, linear process. It is a highly complex management function that requires a company to constantly adapt to a changing environment in order to maintain the leading edge,” he concludes.
Published on January 10, 2011 in Company News |
Air Products – ensuring security of supply, anywhere, anytime.
Air Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd. has proudly served Southern Africa’s industrial gas consumers for 41 years. The company manufactures, supplies and distributes a wide variety of industrial and speciality gas products to an equally extensive range of local industries. With an innovative mindset, Air Products is constantly looking for new ways to provide optimum service and appropriate solutions to its customers.
A subsidiary of Air Products and Chemicals Inc., the company has used its world-class production and distribution facilities to become the largest supplier in the over-the fence gas supply and pipeline market, as well as a formidable participant in the bulk, cylinder, speciality gas and chemicals supply markets in South Africa.
Air Products’ expertise and resources benefit, among others, the steel, food processing, mining, petrochemical, engineering and automotive industries.
In any of these industries, the concern is to keep production constant, and down-time to a minimum. In many cases, continuous production is reliant on an uninterrupted supply of gas. An intermittent or unreliable gas supply could mean significant losses. This is why Air Products ensures that security of supply is a priority.
Sachin Kulkarni, Air Products’ National Sales Manager for the Bulk Division explains: “We simply have to make sure that our product is available all the time. So we make sure that we have appropriate storage and delivery plans.” He emphasises the importance of adequate storage, in the event of some kind of transport delay. “We want to avoid the risk of an emergency situation,” he says, “and so we always ensure there is site specific and adequate storage capacity at our plants, as well as at our customers’ facilities.”
Air Products’ two larger manufacturing and storage facilities are located at Vanderbijlpark in Gauteng and at Newcastle in KZN. The Newcastle plant has recently undergone a multi-million rand refurbishment and expansion. This very major upgrade was in response to the demand for a continuous supply of oxygen to a steel-processing plant in the region.
Regional Sales Manager for KZN, Jasper Allardice, explains that the greatly enhanced capacity at Newcastle has gone a long way to ensure security of supply for Air Products’ customers in KZN. But he explains that there are other factors which are just as important, such as the availability of road tankers for transporting the gas: “We have a dedicated fleet which operates 24 hours a day, and we make sure that there is enough flexibility in our fleet to allow for uninterrupted distribution.”
In addition, as Kulkarni explains, Air Products keeps its fingers on the pulse by holding regular supply-chain meetings. “At these weekly meetings, we look at dynamic trends in the market as well as at customers’ needs in terms of storage, and then we plan for the following week accordingly.” All important role players, including Sales, Onsites Operation, Packaged Gas Production and Distribution participate in these meetings. “If, for instance, we see demand shifting in a certain area, we have the flexibility in our facilities and storage management planning, and can quickly make the necessary adjustments,” says Kulkarni. “All three departments interact, in order to act effectively when our customers require it.”
Air Products also makes sure it remains in touch with its customers’ needs via the company’s innovative Telalert on-line telemetry system. Kulkarni describes this system as “a key component in managing both supply chain risk and security of supply.”
He explains that Telalert enables Air Products to closely monitor an individual company’s demand patterns. “The system helps us to understand our customers’ gas usage patterns better. It alerts us well before the critical stage, so we can plan our supply options timeously.”
“In the gas industry, it is all about putting the customer first and winning their trust,” says Allardice. “We aim to be as flexible as possible in our approach, so that we can offer, not only the best quality gas products, but also the safest and most reliable service,” he concludes.
Published on January 10, 2011 in Company News |
Bulk gases in South African mining – a vital link in the process
Air Products South Africa has been supplying gas to South African industry for more than 40 years. The company supplies both industrial and speciality gas to a vast array of industries, from steel to paper and pulp, petrochemical to engineering. And nowhere is gas more vital to industrial processes than in mining.
Air Products has established ongoing supply relationships with a number of mining operations in Southern Africa. These operations include gold, platinum, uranium, iron ore and coal mines. In some cases, such as platinum processing, Air Separation Plants are established on site, due to the large volumes of oxygen required.
However, when it comes to the supply of bulk gas to a gold mine, for instance, the liquefied oxygen is transported to the mine in one of Air Products‟ cryogenic tankers, before going through an on-site vaporising process.
Sachin Kulkarni, Air Products‟ National Sales Manager for Bulk Gases, explains that leaching is the main application for oxygen in minerals beneficiation. “Oxygen plays a hugely important role in the leaching of gold, platinum and uranium,” he says.
“In gold processing, the injection of oxygen into the leaching tanks increases yield and reduces the processing time. So obviously there is a huge incentive for gold processing operations to include oxygen in the equation,” he says.
In one of the uranium leaching processes, oxygen is used in autoclaves, where acid leaching takes place under extreme pressure and temperatures. This demands a reliable supply of large volumes of oxygen at high pressure.
Air Products is involved with yet another application of bulk gas in the mining industry – again with positive results for the environment. The company has had a great deal of success with the use of ozone in the destruction of cyanide in gold tailings slurry.
By adding ozone, the cyanide in the slurry is effectively broken down, allowing the tailings to be safely re-introduced underground to be used as backfill. This has significant benefits to the mine in terms of reducing the quantity of tailings sent to surface dumps and allowing water draining from the talings to be recycled back into the mine‟s system. The overall benefit is the minimising of the release of heavy metals and cyanide compounds into the environment. Kulkarni explains that when it comes to dealing with cyanide tailings, Air Products offers a complete solution for its customers. While the process is operated by the customer, the system is owned and maintained by Air Products.
“This is a tailored, value-add to our customers: we look after the system and maintain it, making it easy for the customer and giving him complete peace of mind,” he adds.
Apart from oxygen, which forms the main part of Air Products‟ bulk gas supply to the mines, nitrogen also plays an important role – in the blanketing of fuel in storage tanks, tyre filing and in the extinguishing of underground fires.
Part of Air Products‟ success in the supply of its bulk gases to the mining industry rests in its security of supply strategy.
In mining, as indeed in any industry reliant on gas for its processes, it is critical that interruptions in supply are avoided. Air Products has a sophisticated and multi-pronged process in place to ensure continuous supply. A key component in the strategy is an on-line programme, ‟Telalert„, which assesses a customer‟s requirements in real-time. Nalen Alwar, Supply Chain Manager explains: “The system constantly keeps us updated about the quantities of gas remaining in our customer‟s tanks. It alerts us well before the critical stage, so we can plan our supply options timeously.” He goes on to explain that the on-line Telalert system provides information to both supplier and customer, so that both parties have a good understanding of the customer‟s gas inventory.”
Nalen continues: “Air Products‟ underlying strategy is to make sure that our product is available all the time. Telalert is just one side of the coin: we also have to make sure that we have proper delivery and storage plans in place, so we can forestall of any kind of supply problem. We strive to avoid any emergencies, and so we always ensure there is effective and sufficient storage capacity at our plants, as well as at our customers‟ facilities.”
Air Products‟ Bulk Gas division aims to provide complete peace of mind for its mining customers. “We ensure that our customers can depend on us at all times, not only for the best quality bulk gas, but also for optimum service and security of supply,” concludes Kulkarni.
Published on January 10, 2011 in Product News |