Cradle to Gate
Identity ID
f4672ba9-6b27-4638-b3cd-d1fefdce2eaa
Materials
Associated ID
b587a863-52fe-4161-80cf-ba185176ecc0
Included activities starts
Included activities ends
Description
Argon is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless noble gas. It is highly stable and inert, making it resistant to reactions with other substances. Industrially, argon is widely used in gas shielded welding, where it provides an inert atmosphere during the welding process to prevent metal oxidation and improve welding quality. Additionally, argon finds applications in semiconductor manufacturing, laser technology, and gas chromatography. In cooling systems, argon is commonly used as a coolant due to its good thermal conductivity at low temperatures. In medicine, argon is also used in certain surgical procedures, such as laser surgery and ophthalmic surgery, to maintain a clean surgical area and provide adequate visibility. The data inventory is formed by consolidating data from multiple sources. Energy and material consumption, as well as by-product and emission data, are allocated according to the Product Category Rules (PCR) for 'cryogenic air separation gases' published by the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) EPD platform.
Activity Description
Air, after compression and pretreatment, is separated into oxygen, nitrogen, and argon through cryogenic distillation in an air separation unit, encompassing data on energy and material consumption, as well as by-products, waste, and emissions associated with the air separation process.
Process Description
Argon is a colorless, odorless, and non-toxic noble gas. It is highly stable and inert, showing little tendency to react with other substances. Industrially, argon is widely used in gas-shielded welding, where it provides an inert atmosphere during the welding process to prevent metal oxidation and improve weld quality. Additionally, argon finds applications in semiconductor manufacturing, laser technology, and gas chromatography. In cooling systems, argon is commonly used as a coolant due to its favorable thermal conductivity at low temperatures. Medically, argon gas is also used in certain surgeries, such as laser surgery and ophthalmic surgery, to maintain a clean surgical area and provide an appropriate field of view.
Time period
2021
2026
Geography
China
Macroeconomic value
Business-as-Usual
Data validation
Yes
Technology
Current Technology
Technology comment
Air is compressed and pre-treated to remove moisture, carbon dioxide, and other impurities. The compressed air is then cooled to a temperature close to its liquefaction point, where the different components in the air liquefy at different temperatures due to their distinct boiling points. Through a multi-stage distillation process in a fractionating column, nitrogen and oxygen are effectively separated. Nitrogen, which liquefies at a higher temperature, tends to rise up the column before oxygen. After a series of fractionation steps, high-purity nitrogen can be obtained.