Argon Recycling
Tried & Tested
GR2L is the global leader in point of use argon recycling with more than 100 systems shipped worldwide. These systems are continuously recycling over 360,000m3 a day of argon, saving customers millions of pounds per year.
Why Point of Use?
Point of Use system
- Point of Use (POU), or distributed systems, have a small footprint and are located in the sub-basement alongside the vacuum pumps etc. No additional external buildings and services are required.
- POU systems do not require Argon buffer tanks or any additional process gases e.g., hydrogen.
- The ArgonØ installation and commissioning can be phased in over a period of time to suit factory startup and ensure optimum returns on investment.
- Centralised systems operational costs are 5x to 10x higher than the ArgonØ.
- The ArgonØ approach gives the lowest effective long-term cost of argon
ROI is typically 18 to 30 months
One ArgonØ installation, located in Asia, is connected to 60 CZ pullers and has been operating for over 5 years with no reported downtime. The system was retrofitted into the facility with minimal disruption to production schedules. The ArgonØ has reduced the facilities argon spend by 96% giving savings that run into the millions, each and every year.
Instant reduction in Scope 3 CO2 footprint
Reduction CO2 footprint
Liquifying air and separating out the 1% argon it contains is a very energy intensive process and results in a bought in carbon footprint of up to 5Kg – CO2 equivalent per 1m3 of argon gas. In a typical ingot production cell of 4 CZ Pullers the argon purge gas will contribute an equivalent CO2 footprint of about 130 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year (this is approximately the emissions from an average household car driving over a million miles).
By recycling the argon purge gas, the ArgonØ recycle system reduces these emissions by over 90%, a reduction of a least 32.5 tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year for every CZ Puller in the facility.
Manufactured in the UK
GR2L was founded by Dr Rob Grant FRSC and jointly developed with Cambridge University, entering into a partnership with UK Gas Technologies to bring ArgonØ to market in 2010.
Low maintenance costs and high up-time
The ArgonØ not only recycles 15% more argon than centralised systems, but those centralised systems also require additional gases - O₂ (to combust H₂, CO & hydrocarbons) and H₂ (for removal of excess O₂)
Recycles ≥95% of available Argon
The ArgonØ will recycle all of the argon recovered using ~1.5% internally of purge out of the reactors during regeneration. The factory rate will typically be 93 to 97% and reflects the argon losses from the pullers during re-charge and crucible replacement. The ArgonØ not only recycles 15% more argon than centralised systems, but those centralised systems also require additional gases - O₂ (to combust H₂, CO & hydrocarbons) and H₂ (for removal of excess O₂)
Get in touch
To discuss how GR2L can decrease your carbon footprint and vastly improve your bottom line, get in touch.