Praxair (Ecorse, Michigan)

 Upload a photo

Praxair is the largest industrial gases company in North and South America, and one of the largest worldwide. Praxair began operations in Ecorse in 1960 and currently operates six air separation plants and a hydrogen production facility at the complex. It produces atmospheric gasses( Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon) and specialty gasses (C02, Helium, Hydrogen). Ambient air is captured and processed into the individual components using purification, compression, cooling, distillation, and condensation. Praxair uses centrifugal air compressors to compress ambient air. The compressed ambient air is then cooled using heat exchangers. Water vapor and carbon dioxide are removed using a molecular sieve pre purification unit. This system also removes other contaminants. Heat transfer is used to cool the air to cryogenic temperatures. Distillation columns are then used to separate the air into desired products.

Ninety percent of the gases produced at the Ecorse complex are delivered to customers via pipelines, with the remainder distributed in liquid form by truck to hospitals, metal processors and other industrial companies supplying the automobile industry