Commodity Production Costs Report
Nitrogen Production
Nitrogen Gas Operating Costs & Plant Construction Costs
This report provides an economic analysis of a typical cryogenic distillation process for Nitrogen production in the United States, using atmospheric air as the starting material. Nitrogen main product and oxygen by-product are produced as high-pressure gases.
The report provides a comprehensive study of Nitrogen Gas production and related Nitrogen Gas production cost, covering three key aspects: a complete description of the Nitrogen Gas production process examined; an in-depth analysis of the related Nitrogen Gas plant capital cost (Capex); and an evaluation of the respective Nitrogen Gas plant operating costs (Opex).
The Nitrogen Gas production process description includes a block flow diagram (BFD), an overview of the industrial site installations, detailing both the process unit and the necessary infrastructure, process consumption figures and comprehensive process flow diagrams (PFD). The Nitrogen Gas plant capital cost analysis breaks down the Capex by plant cost (i.e., ISBL, OSBL and Contingency); owner's cost; working capital; and costs incurred during industrial plant commissioning and start-up. The Nitrogen Gas plant operating costs analysis covers operating expenses, including variable costs like raw materials and utilities, and fixed costs such as maintenance, labor, and depreciation.
Key reference(s): ?

The process under analysis comprises three major sections: (1) Purification; (2) Refrigeration; and (3) Rectification.
Purification. Initially, the air is purified from dust particles, carbon dioxide and water. This is accomplished by compressing the air, passing it through a heat exchanger (causing water condensation) and then through an adsorbent bed of molecular sieve for the removal of water, carbon dioxide and traces of other impurities
Refrigeration. At this point the purified air is cooled down/liquefied, as required for rectification steps downstream. This step is conducted in a plate-fin heat exchanger, using refrigeration values contained in the products (oxygen, nitrogen) and waste (nitrogen) streams.
Rectification. The last step consists in submitting the cooled/liquified air to a fractional distillation carried out in two columns for nitrogen-oxygen separation, operating at different pressures, in such a way that nitrogen is distilled as a vapor and Oxygen is obtained as a liquid. In addition, while Oxygen and argon have close boiling points, a third column is used exclusively for the removal of that contaminant, vented to the atmosphere.
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Professional report based on Q3 2024 economic data, ensuring timely evaluations.
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Content Highlights
Plant Capital Cost Summary
Summary outlining the capital cost required for building the Nitrogen Gas production plant examined.
Plant Capital Cost Details
Detailing of fixed capital (ISBL, OSBL & Owner’s Cost), working capital and additional capital requirements.
Plant Cost Breakdowns
Breakdown of Nitrogen Gas process unit (ISBL) costs and infrastructure (OSBL) costs; plant cost breakdown per discipline.
Operating Costs Summary
Summary presenting the operating variable costs and the total operating cost of the Nitrogen Gas production plant studied.
Operating Cost Details
Detailing of utilities costs, operating fixed costs and depreciation.
Plant Capacity Assessment
Comparative analysis of capital investment and operating costs for different Nitrogen Gas plant capacities.
Production Process Information
Block Flow Diagram, descriptions of process unit (ISBL) and site infrastructure (OSBL).
Process Consumptions
Raw materials and utilities consumption figures, by-products credits, labor requirements
Process Diagrams
Process flow diagrams (PFD), equipment list and industrial site configuration
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Other Related Production Cost Reports

Gaseous Oxygen from Air (Vacuum Swing Adsorption Process)
This report presents a feasibility analysis of Oxygen production in the United States, using atmospheric air as the starting material. In this case, a typical vacuum swing adsorption process is applied for the production of low purity Oxygen. In this process, switching beds, each containing two strata, absorb water, carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the air, yielding low purity oxygen.
Details: 40 MM Nm3/y United States-based plant | Q3 2024 | 107 pages | Issue C | From $799 USD
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