When the German physics professor Carl von Linde erected the first air separation plant near Munich in 1902 he did not enjoy the advantage of any off-the-shelf components or standardised modules; instead, each part was custom made ‘in-house’.
Despite this disadvantage it was not long before the rate of oxygen extraction approached 1000 cu ft per hour. This was the start of a long-term growth trend in the demand for atmospheric gases that continues to average around 5% per annum, even in mature markets.
During the past century, first in the industrialised countries and more recently across developing industries like Malaysia, China and India, an impressive network of equipment manufacturers has evolved around the gas industry.
These companies now provide equipment ranges that have been optimised for industrial gas service, are made from materials that are suitable for operating under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure, and are designed to provide long maintenance free service. Quality assurance is of paramount importance in the production of all gas distribution equipment and almost without exception manufacturers are ISO 9001 accredited.
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