Invisible Gases, Visible Successes: How Linde Makes the World More Productive

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In addition, CO₂ is also in demand as a partner for the renaturation of open-cast mines, explains Kaltenegger. When it comes to the renaturation of former coal mines, flooding alone is not enough as sulfates from the ground leach into pit lakes via pressurized groundwater and cause reacidification of the water. For this reason, neutralizing substances like limestone meal, caustic soda or sodium carbonate are often injected into the water. This does improve the pH quickly, but unfortunately it is not a lasting effect. Much better to use CO₂: If the gas is dissolved in lake water before the lime is added then water-soluble hydrocarbonates form. In the lake, the solution buffers the water over long periods of time and keeps the pH level in the desired range. And the best bit: The procedure only needs to be repeated at significantly longer intervals in order to stabilize the lake in the long term. In some cases, this means that an exhaust gas can perform great services to the environment, as Kaltenegger emphasizes: After all, CO₂ can be easily produced from the waste streams of industrial production processes.

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Micro-pollutants in Sight: Does Ozone Bring the 4^th Stage of Water Treatment?

But what about micropollutants or trace elements, which can be almost impossible to deal with using the standard three-stage water treatment processes? In this context, the introduction of an additional purification stage is being discussed in Germany. Germany’s neighbors are already one step further: In Switzerland, a fourth stage is already required by law for plants with a population equivalent of 80,000. If a corresponding ruling was to be introduced in Germany as well then the demand would be enormous.

Consequently, the gas experts are already busily working on fourth-generation technology. One method of choice: ozone. This gas is one of the most powerful oxidizing agents and is already used in water treatment. In addition, it is comparatively cheap and does not need to be separated and regenerated, unlike activated carbon. As a result, ozone could help to effectively and economically remove organic substances even from highly-polluted wastewater. But while “ozonization” of wastewater is extremely efficient, the same cannot necessarily be said for the production of the gas. Typically, only a small portion of the oxygen is converted into O₃ — up to 90 % often remains unused. Linde has demonstrated that there is a better solution with the OZORA oxygen recovery system, with which up to 60 % of the oxygen can be recovered — with significant and noticeable savings effects.

Full Throttle for the Future: That's How the New Linde Wants to Set Milestones

Solutions today for the water treatment of tomorrow. Typical Linde: in the future, the gas specialists plan to continue delivering major milestones in the production, supply and application of these volatile enablers. With the best developments of the former companies Linde and Praxair combined under a single roof, the world market leader for gases is renewing itself completely.

Regardless of whether ozonization does establish itself in sewage treatment plants of the future or hydrogen enables zero-emissions trains powered by fuel cells to run on the tracks — gases will make the future possible!

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