Two new oxygen plants, with a joint production capacity of 600 tons/day, are being installed in the Venezuelan steel complex.

Sidor, the most important steel producer in Venezuela and a subsidiary of Ternium, invests US$ 28 million in the installation of two new plants within its industrial area. In fact, Sidor is carrying out the assembly of two gas separation plants which will enable the steel producer to go on consolidating its development plans achieving higher performance and productivity from the existing industrial equipment due to higher production levels of direct reduction iron (DRI) and liquid steel.

The installation process of these two new plants is executed by the Brazilian subsidiary Praxair, the leading industrial gas company in Latin America, after winning the contract through a tender process which involved the most world-wide well-known companies specialized in this sector.

Both plants base their technology on cryogenic systems of gas production from air and are flexible, reliable and efficient facilities with lower operating costs than conventional systems. They have a booster-type air compressor system, an air pre-purification system, a tower cryogenic system, a phase separating column, a cooling tower, control and instrumentation systems and feed and back-up electric systems.

The project is executed under the turnkey method and includes installation, assembly and launching of the new plants, for which contracting firms from the Venezuelan area where Sidor operates have been hired. In addition, the Venezuelan steel producer undertakes the building works of the respective auxiliary facilities. The project provides direct and indirect jobs for around 250 people.

Both plants are expected to be launched by mid-year and produce an average of 600 tons per day of oxygen, nitrogen and argon in gas and liquid forms.

Thus, the two new industrial facilities will complement the two gas separation plants available at Sidor and enable to fulfill current and future industrial gas demands of the steel complex located in the South of Venezuela.