on air
C o v e r s t o r y
Messer supplies con-
struction companies with
concrete-cooling equip-
ment and know-how.
8
6
Ronan Morvan and
Jean-René Le Torrec
talk about MegaTop
cylinders.
No. 11 · April 2009 The magazine for industrial gases
14
Enrichment with oxygen
improves fish farming in
Belgium.
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 1
E
C o v e r s t o r y : 8 –11
2 : C o n t e n t s
on air 11 · 2009
Imprint
Published by:
Messer Group GmbH
Corporate Communications
Otto-Volger-Straße 3c
D–65843 Sulzbach
Editorial Team:
Diana Buss – Editor-in-Chief
Tel.: +49 6196 7760-361
Benjamin Auweiler, Thomas
Böckler, Christoph Erdmann,
Tim Evison, Michael Holy,
Anita Kötél, Monika Lammertz,
Angélique Renier, Joachim
Rohovec, Marlen Schäfer
Concept and Realisation:
Maenken Kommunikation GmbH
Von-der-Wettern-Straße 25
D–51149 Köln
Translation:
Context GmbH
Elisenstraße 4–10
D–50667 Köln
Many thanks to all our
contributors!
Photos courtesy of: Mareike Tocha
(cover picture and story); Frank
Beloncle (interview); PET to PET;
Syngenta; Böhler-Uddeholm AG
Go to www.messergroup.com
for comprehensive information
about on air, as well as the con-
tact details of the editorial team.
on air is published four times
a year in German, English and
Hungarian.
In our cover story, Jens Tauchmann, application technology industry manager at the Messer Group, describes possibilities of maintaining concrete at optimal processing temperatures by means of cryogenic gases.
Sorting out is the first step in recycling
Customer Chantiers Piriou uses the flexibleMegaTop welding-gas cylinder for shipbuilding
Fish farming at VitaFish in Belgium
E d i t o r i a l : 3
N e w s : 4 – 5
I n t e r v i e w : 6 – 7
Handling was like a minor revolution.
René Deux speaks to Ronan Morvan and
Jean-René Le Torrec about the use of MegaTop
in shipbuilding.
M e s s e r W o r l d : 1 2 – 1 3
Up-date on plant engineering
A look at the construction sites
Nitrogen generators under construction
On-site facilities
Two-fold saving of resources during
bottle manufacture
Messer assists recycling of PET-bottles in
Austria with CO2
Affirmation of quality and customer
satisfaction
New certifications in Spain and Serbia
G a s - o - t h e q u e : 1 4
Fish farming with O2 enrichment
VitaFish relies on oxygen in farming tilapia
G a s e t t e : 1 5
Tips, dates, key facts
Cryogenic treatment for hard substances
To maintain concrete at optimal processing temperatures between 5 °C and
25 °C, Messer offers efficient solutions incorporating cryogenic gases and supplies
the construction industry with the necessary equipment and know-how.
Photo
:PET
to P
ET
8090004_MESK_11-0209 28.04.2009 16:38 Uhr Seite 2
E d i t o r i a l : 3
on air 11 · 2009
If you take a closer look at your surround-
ings, you will notice that concrete is the
material used most often in construction,
whether in underground structures, buildings
or roads. Although this is not really anything
new, did you know, however, that concrete’s
processing properties and quality deteriorate
notably when it becomes too warm?
Cryogenic gases help keep this widely used
composite building material sufficiently cool
and prevent its temperature from exceeding
25 °C, particularly during the summer months.
In the cover story, our staff member and
author Jens Tauchmann provides an in-depth
description of cryogenic techniques employed as well as solutions and applications
developed by Messer to optimize the use of concrete in diverse construction projects.
Concrete is the preferred material of use in tunnel construction too. In the
Spanish metropolis Barcelona, however, Messer is contributing in an entirely differ-
ent way to the construction of a railway tunnel for the AVE high-speed train. Read
how our gases are used to help install and maintain a giant mechanical excavator
which actually digs the tunnel through the earth under Catalonia.
From land transport to waterways, more specifically, shipbuilding: Many of the
welding operations on steel ships, despite their enormous size, comprise small-scale
tasks in tiny and remote corners. This entails individual solutions which Messer
offers by means of its small MegaTop welding-gas cylinder, for instance. In our
interview, Ronan Morvan and Jean-René Le Torrec from the French shipyard
Chantiers Piriou explain why MegaTop is the ideal solution for shipbuilding.
Enjoy this issue.
Best regards,
Stefan Messer
Dear Readers,Editor-in-Chief:
The editorial team
DianaBuss
Corporate Office:
BenjaminAuweiler
MarlenSchäfer
Tim Evison
Application Technology:
ThomasBöckler
MonikaLammertz
Production & Engineering:
Dr. Christoph Erdmann
West Europe Region:
AngéliqueRenier
Central Europe Region:
MichaelHoly
JoachimRohovec
South-East Europe Region:
AnitaKötél
Stefan Messer
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 3
As Messer has collaborated successfully with Böhler-
Uddeholm AG in Austria, Germany, Slovakia and
Hungary, the enterprise, dealing in stainless steel
and other materials, recently also decided to appoint
Messer as a supplier of gases for its operations in
Romania, where Böhler needs liquid nitrogen for
heat treatment of its products and ammonia for
nitration processes as well as a cold chamber. Besides
producing steel and selling it on an individual basis
to customers via its branches, Böhler receives parts
produced and submitted by customers for the purpose
of heat treatment. The contract between Messer and
Böhler involves a delivery of 100,000 cubic metres of
nitrogen annually.
Paula Mocanu, Messer Romania
4 : N e w s
on air 11 · 2009
Construction of a high-speed rail tunnel
in the centre of Barcelona
Messer’s current projects include one situated below the Spanish city
of Barcelona. A 4.8 km-long tunnel is being built here for the Spanish
AVE high-speed train in order to link the Catalonian capital to the French
border. Three kilometres of this tunnel are being dug directly underground
by means of a tunnelling ma-
chine and Messer is responsible
for supplying the gases needed
to install, maintain and dis-
mantle the mechanical exca-
vator. Oxygen, acetylene and
the inert welding gas Ferromix
are used here. Construction of
the tunnel is to be completed
in two years.
Marion Riedel, Messer Ibérica
Messer helps install, maintain and dismantle this mechanical excavator in Barcelona.
Böhler is now also
a customer in Romania
Messer supplies Böhler with nitrogen for heat treatment of its steel products.
ThyssenKrupp Industrieservice GmbH is yet another renowned
customer to use the Messer Group’s dry-ice production concept.
At the end of November 2008, Asco installed an A120P dry-ice
pelletizer in Hagenbach near Karlsruhe (Germany). The 3-mm
pellets produced there are used by ThyssenKrupp exclusively
for dry-ice blasting. Asco also installed a CO2 tank facility
on location for the purpose of future holding of
liquid carbon dioxide from Messer Industriegase
GmbH. The production system is intended
initially as a pilot project whose outcome,
if positive, will be a cue for ThyssenKrupp to
establish further dry-ice production sites in
cooperation with Asco.
Angelina Donati, Asco
Asco wins an important partner
CO2 tank facility forThyssenKrupp in Hagenbach.
Weather-proof: helium
carries measuring devices into
the atmosphere
The German Meteorological Service in Stuttgart and Essen
uses helium from Messer to transport its measuring devices
into the atmosphere, with radiosondes being lifted to
heights of up to 35 kilometres by helium balloons. Sensors
measure air pressure, air temperature, humidity and upper
winds, and transmit the measurement signals to ground
stations which process the received information and relay
it to the meteorological service’s news centre where the
information can be directly utilized in accordance with a
wide range of requirements. The German Meteorological
Service operates eight aerological stations at present; the
radiosonde stations in Essen and Stuttgart run automati-
cally. Radiosondes are launched from about 800 points
worldwide, some of them on ships and maritime platforms.
Mario Tavano, Messer Industriegase
Photo
:Böhle
r-U
ddeh
olm
AG
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 4
N2Messer supplies nitrogen in Hungary for quality assurance of
non-alcoholic beverages and fruit juices. At its new site near Budapest,
the Hungarian company Gramex possesses a modern PET-bottle filling
system with a nitrogen purging station for which Messer annually supplies
over 700,000 cubic metres of nitrogen. The bottles are purged with gaseous
nitrogen prior to being filled. This process protects preserv-
ative free beverages from
spoiling by oxidation.
Anita Kötél,
Messer Hungarogáz
Messer has installed a new supply system in
Monthey, Switzerland, at the premises of Syngenta,
a leading global agricultural company. Monitoring
of process gases for six laboratories and supply
by Messer twice a week simplifies Syngenta’s or-
dering procedures and tracking of schedules while
reducing delivery costs. Developed jointly with the
customer and introduced in June 2008, this system
has earned Syngenta’s laboratory-gas team the
internal FAR award for reliable (Fiabilité), flexible
(Agilité) and fast (Rapidité) performance.
Pierre Vitali, Messer Schweiz
The Swiss company Josef Müller Gemüse
AG relies on know-how from Messer to
process freshly cut salads ready for con-
sumption. Since January of this year,
Messer has provided the necessary gases
and been responsible for the entire gas
supply system – including gas mixers –
required during production. In its present
state of expansion, the enterprise incor-
porates seven production lines, three of
which employ gas mixtures during packag-
ing of salads. While nitrogen is produced
directly on location by means of a gener-
ator, CO2 is supplied via a 10,000 litre
tank, and oxygen via cylinder bundles.
Because gases are not yet widely used
by the foodstuffs industries of Bosnia and
Herzegovina, Messer participated in a
symposium for bakers held there in the
autumn of 2008 in order to present the
food-related applications of gases. On this
occasion, the companies Sprinden and
Klas also decided to employ the advan-
tages of gases in packaging their prod-
ucts. These companies now use Gourmet
N70 and N90 comprising mixtures of N2
and CO2 for packaging sandwiches and
pastries.
Karlheinz Lauerbach, Messer Schweiz
Esma Djuzel, Messer Sarajevo Plin
N e w s : 5
Preserving quality with nitrogen
The company Josef Müller Gemüse AG relieson gases from Messer for packaging salads.
Syngenta engages in research for sustain-able agriculture.
A new supply system
for Syngenta
Photo
: Syn
gen
ta
Well-packaged in the east and west
Nitrogen for assuring the quality
of beverages in PET-bottles
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 5
6 : I n t e r v i e w
Introduced to the market five years ago, a small welding-gas cylinder
for mobile usage now trades under the name MegaTop. The French shipyard
Chantiers Piriou is a major procurer of this cylinder. Ronan Morvan and
Jean-René Le Torrec explain why they chose MegaTop.
René DeuxSales Engineer Messer France S.A.STel.: +33 (0) 240 95 29 [email protected]:
YOUR CONTACT: on air: Tell us briefly about your shipyard.
Ronan Morvan: We build and repair fishing boats such
as trawlers and longliners, as well as work boats such
as barges, ferries and tug boats up to 100 metres long.
We offer comprehensive solutions ranging from design
and construction to maintenance and overhauling of
boats. Piriou has acquired an international reputation
after having built more than 300 new ships in 40
years. To remain competitive, we operate shipyards not
only in Brittany, but also Nigeria, Vietnam and
Mauritius. We also have a planning office in Poland. In
Concarneau, 200 of our staff are engaged in shipbuild-
ing on a total area of 25,000 square metres, 15,000
of which comprise industrial buildings. 50 welders
under the supervision of Jean-René Le Torrec help con-
struct our steel and aluminium boats.
on air: What kind of boats are you building at present?
Jean-René Le Torrec: We won three important con-
tracts in 2009: A longliner for the South Pacific, a
tuna-fishing boat for the Indian Ocean, and a ferry for
use on the Gironde in southwest France. This promises
a growing demand for welding gases.
on air: What do you need the MegaTop cylinders for?
Jean-René Le Torrec: The workshops are supplied with
gases via the pipeline network from stationary tanks
filled centrally or by means of cylinder bundles.
“Handling was like a minor revolu t
In an interview with René Deux,
production managerRonan Morvan (right)
and welding super-visor Jean-René Le
Torrec (centre) fromthe French shipyard
Chantiers Piriouexplain their firm reli-
ance on MegaTopwelding-gas cylinders.
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 6
on air 11 · 2009
Because this is not possible on the boats, we need to
use mobile cylinders there.
on air: Why did you choose MegaTop?
Jean-René Le Torrec: This cylinder’s primary advantage
is its low weight, which gives the welders greater
mobility and flexibility on location. Furthermore, the
cylinder can be used easily on stairs too, which is
important when working on board.
Ronan Morvan: Flexibility saves time and money.
on air: What else speaks in favour of MegaTop besides
its easy handling?
Jean-René Le Torrec: The integrated pressure reducer is
really useful. The displays allow us to monitor gas con-
tent in real time and avoid losses. Furthermore, the
integrated pressure reducer is better protected than
usual against damage in case the cylinder drops; this
provides good insurance against costs given our fre-
quent use of gas cylinders.
on air: What do you think of the MegaTop’s three pre-
defined flow rates?
Jean-René Le Torrec: The concept appeals to us. If the
flow rate is continuously adjustable, the welder tends
to set it to the maximum value, which usually just
increases consumption without improving welding
quality. The flow rate of 15 litres per minute is suitable
for most welding tasks. An excessive flow of gas can
also reduce the welded seam’s resistance to oxidation.
on air: Did MegaTop’s 300-bar technology play a role?
Jean-René Le Torrec: Most certainly. Though the
MegaTop cylinder weighs just 40 kilograms, it has
nearly the same capacity as a B50 cylinder which
weighs a full 85 kilograms. The new cylinder’s easy
handling is like a minor revolution, eliminating the
need for the hoisting gear we had to use on board
earlier in order to move heavy cylinders.
on air: Is the quality of the argon gas important?
Jean-René Le Torrec: Of course. We know that argon in
MegaTop cylinders has a quality of 4.5, i.e. a gas purity
of 99.995 percent by volume. Furthermore, the cylin-
ders are equipped with pressure-relief valves prevent-
ing impurities due to humidity.
Angélique Renier, Messer France
I n t e r v i e w : 7
u tion”Welding operations onships require a mobile
use of gas cylinders. Dueto its low weight, the
MegaTop cylinder is theideal solution here.
Jean-Luc MarchandSales EngineerMesser France S.A.S.Tel.: +33 (0) [email protected]:
YOUR CONTACT:
MegaTop is the new designation for a welding-gas cylinder ideal for mobile
use. The new name’s segments “Me” and “ga” stand for “Messer” and
“gas” respectively.
The small size of the B20 (20-litre) cylinder in conjunction with its practi-
cal grip makes for effortless and easy handling. Due to its relatively high
pressure of 300 bar, the cylinder has a
much larger capacity than usual, given
the same volume (six to seven cubic
metres, depending on the gas mix-
ture). An integrated pressure reducer
ensures maximum protection for
users. The pressure reducer’s three
calibrated outputs provide a choice of
fixed flow rates of 8, 15 and 20 litres
per minute to suit the application
involved.
MegaTop – ideal for mobile use
MegaTop permits welding in the most confined spaces.
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 7
8 : C o v e r s t o r y
Cryogenic treatment for
on air 11 · 2009
Messer supplies cryogenic gases to this cement cooling facility near Innsbruck (Austria).
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 8
hard substances
C o v e r s t o r y : 9
on air 11 · 2009
Concrete is undisputedly the principal building
material worldwide. According to the German Asso-
ciation of Cement Works (VDZ), 27 million tons of
cement were processed into roughly 90 million cubic
metres of concrete last year in Germany alone. This
quantity is enough to build 225 cathedrals each as
large as the Dom in Cologne. Concrete is capable of
bearing high loads, permits flexible processing, remains
stable for an eternity, and is available in many differ-
ent variants.
By modifying its formulation, concrete can be
tailored to meet diverse requirements posed by the
construction of underground structures, roads, and
buildings. Whether the requirement is to cast a storey
ceiling or tunnel wall, prefabricate load-bearing
elements for a market hall or produce watertight pipe
sections for public sewage systems: concrete can be
brought into every conceivable shape and processed,
in conjunction with adequate reinforcement such as
steel, to produce strong foundations, dams or bridge
piers. As a prerequisite, however, no faults must occur
Above a certain temperature, concrete becomes more difficult to process. To
prevent this, concrete and its additives can be cooled by means of cryogenic
gases. Messer supplies the construction industry with the necessary equip-
ment and know-how.
at any stage of processing. Fresh concrete should
ideally be processed at between 5 °C and 25 °C, as
temperatures outside this range spoil the quality of
the concrete. Based directly on the chemistry of
cement, this aspect is explained by considering the
relevant details. Concrete has three essential ingre-
dients: (1) aggregate such as sand, gravel, crushed
stone or chippings, (2) water and (3) cement. Cement
is a mixture of limestone, clay, sand and iron ore burnt
at 1450 °C and subsequently ground. In its dry state,
grey cement powder is completely non-reactive.
When mixed with water, however, cement forms a
kind of glue which gradually hardens or “sets”, as a
construction engineer would say.
The right temperature range
Cement sets in a chemical reaction with water (hydra-
tion) accompanied by a release of heat energy (hydra-
tion energy). In this process, the cement’s ingredients
form mainly stable, needle-shaped crystals which grad-
ually grow and mesh together. The sand, gravel andcontinued on page 10
Gottfried Hatz from MesserAustria briefs a customer on operation of the cement cooling system.
Jens TauchmannApplication Technology Industry ManagerMesser GroupTel.: +49 (0) 2151 [email protected]:
YOUR CONTACT:
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:46 Uhr Seite 9
10 : C o v e r s t o r y
on air 11 · 2009
spoiling fresh concrete’s fluidity and processability.
Moreover, the heat generated by hydration proves sig-
nificant especially in the case of bulky components.
Thermal expansion of concrete can cause strain, re-
sulting in cracks extending deep into the concrete core.
Air and moisture can pervade these cracks and attack
the concrete as well as its enclosed reinforcements.
The requirements define the cooling
technique
To maintain fresh concrete’s temperature in summer
within the optimal processing range of 5 °C to 25 °C,
Messer offers efficient solutions incorporating
cryogenic gases: liquid nitrogen (LN2) or liquid carbon
dioxide (LCO2).
reinforcement steel, i.e. all basic materials intended to
increase concrete’s durability and strength, are bonded
together firmly as a result.
For hydration to yield satisfactory results, it is
necessary to set certain basic conditions such as a
temperature of at least 5 °C during processing of fresh
concrete; below this temperature, the cement loses
some or all of its bonding capability. Measures to
ensure that the building material hardens properly,
especially in winter, include pre-heating the additives
or using thermally-insulated formwork. Whereas the
tempering effect of hydration is beneficial in winter,
it can pose problems during the warm summer season.
At high temperatures, say above 30 °C, the concrete’s
additives start to lose their liquefaction capability, thus
In simple terms (accounting for a certain degree of fuzziness), heat release during
the reaction between cement and water is equivalent to reversal of the combus-
tion of ground cement additives in the furnace, where a supply of large quantities
of heat breaks up the crystalline constituents and evaporates the water they con-
tain. What remains is the capability to grow into a crystal again. This happens
during hydration, i.e. binding with water. The amount of hydration energy
released depends on the water-binding power. A taut bowstring serves as an
analogy here: the greater the tension produced by muscular force, the further
the arrow flies. Similarly, the greater the tendency of the cement’s ingredients to
bind water, the higher the resultant hydration energy.
Hydration energy
Comparison between the hydration heat characteristicsof cooled and uncooled B45 concrete
Messer supplies not only cryogenic gases but also itsentire know-how related to
cement cooling, including tech-nology for monitoring cement
cooling facilities.
Temperature in °C
max.
cooled B45
uncooled B45
Time in hrs
8090004_MESK_11-0209 28.04.2009 16:38 Uhr Seite 10
C o v e r s t o r y : 11
on air 11 · 2009
Gottfried Hatz advises customer BauBeton’s mixingforeman on location.
Messer supplies cryogenic gases for cooling cement at thishydroelectric power plant construction site in Bulgaria.
The temperature of concrete requir-
ing processing might need to be
reduced by 1 °C to 20 °C, depending
on weather conditions. About 80 kilo-
grams of cryogenic, liquid nitrogen
(LN2) are needed to cool one cubic
metre of concrete by an average of
5 °C if lances on a truck mixer are
employed at the construction site.
Though this method utilizes most of
the nitrogen’s capacity to cool by evap-
oration, the cooling potential of the
cryogenic gas is not fully exploited. If
instead of the concrete, however, the
cement is cooled in the mixer, the
cold content of the cryogenic gas is
put to use too. Consequently, cement
usually requires only half (!) as much
cooling as concrete cooled by lances
on a truck mixer.
What remains to be clarified is
which cryogenic gas provides users
with the greatest advantages: liquid
nitrogen (LN2, usable for cooling
down to minus 196 °C) or liquid car-
bon dioxide (LCO2, usable for cooling
down to minus 79 °C). Both gases are
inert and can be used to cool dry
cement. However, LCO2 offers two
special advantages: firstly, liquid
CO2 contains about 10 per cent more
cooling energy.
Secondly, the role of the evap-
orating gas is much less significant,
thus also lowering the size and cost
of the necessary filters: when one
kilogram of LN2 evaporates, about
0.9 cubic metres of nitrogen gas are
released. The same weight of LCO2
gives rise to just 0.5 cubic metres of
gas, i.e. slightly more than half the
volume.
In numerous experiment series, the company’s special-
ists investigated a variety of now proven techniques
for cooling concrete and its additives.
To cool small and medium quantities of concrete
by a few degrees, for instance, LN2 is introduced via
lances on the truck mixer into the building material.
Termed lance cooling, this rapid process can be execut-
ed directly at the construction site.
A much more efficient method, however, especially
at high ambient temperatures, is to instead cool the
cement (we have named this method cryoment). Two
variants are available here: firstly, the cement’s tem-
perature can be adjusted to the required level directly
during storage in the local silo (we have named this
method cryoment-flow). Secondly, it is possible to cool
the cement just in time, i.e. immediately before pro-
cessing. Advantage: no need for storing cold cement,
so that cooling losses are lowered at all events.
Which of these methods is more suitable for a
particular application depends significantly on the
quantity of concrete requiring cooling as well as the
anticipated cooling period and rate. The necessary
fine adjustments are determined in meetings between
Messer’s experts and the customer.
Jens Tauchmann, Messer Group
Lower cost and higher efficiency with a different cooling method
8090004_MESK_11-0209 28.04.2009 16:38 Uhr Seite 11
on air 11 · 2009
1 2 : M e s s e r W o r l d
E
Nitrogen generators under constructionEurope: Besides large-scale air separation systems,
Messer is also constructing relatively small, on-site
facilities for producing gaseous nitrogen.
These include three cryogenic nitrogen generators:
one for Bosch in Hatvan/Hungary with a capacity
of 500 standard cubic metres per hour (to be com-
missioned in July 2009), one for ABB in Lenzburg/
Switzerland with a capacity of 570 standard cubic
metres per hour (to be commissioned in August 2009)
and one for Spolchemie in Ústí nad Labem/Czech
Republic with a capacity of
870 standard cubic metres per
hour (to be commissioned in
October 2009). Messer is also
Construction of new facilities underwaySiegen (Germany):
Assembly of all components is in full swing.
Commissioning is expected to take place on
schedule in September 2009.
Salzgitter (Germany):
Construction work for Salzgitter AG has begun.
First of all, a flat-bottomed tank for liquid
oxygen with a capacity of two million litres
will be installed.
Zenica (Bosnia):
Summer 2009 will see
the installation of a
new main air compress-
or which will notably
reduce the specific
energy consumption of
the air separator put
into operation by our
customer ArcelorMittal
Steel in the autumn of
2008.
Rybnik (Poland):
Commissioning was successfully completed
in April 2009. The air separator now supplies
our customers in Poland and neighbouring
countries with liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen
and liquid argon.
Visp (Switzerland):
Messer has already cooled down the facility;
production of up to 12,000 standard cubic
metres of gaseous oxygen per hour and 20,000
standard cubic metres of nitrogen per hour for
our customer Lonza is to be commenced in
May 2009. A liquefier to produce cryogenic air
gases for Messer’s customers in Switzerland
and Italy will be started up in summer.
Nantes (France):
Construction is in its final phase, assembly
of the main components is being prepared at
the moment.
Resita (Romania):
There is a great deal of activity at the
construction site right now, installation of
pipelines and electric cables is the busiest
phase for staff.
Messer is presently installing cryogenic nitrogen generators of this kind in Hungary, Switzerlandand the Czech Republic.
currently installing a membrane facility for DuPont
in France. With a capacity of 640 standard cubic
metres per hour, this facility is designed to permit
very economical responses to an extraordinarily
dynamic demand curve. The customer’s demand
might drop at times to 80 standard cubic metres per
hour, with the resultant specific energy consumption
only being slightly higher compared with peak capac-
ity utilization.
Dr. Christoph Erdmann, Messer Group
Air separator for Mittal Steel in Zenica,Bosnia-Herzegovina
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:47 Uhr Seite 12
M e s s e r W o r l d : 1 3
on air 11 · 2009
Austria: Situated in Müllendorf, the company PET
to PET Recycling Österreich GmbH recovers basic
materials for new PET beverage bottles from old
PET bottles. With a newly established production
site there, PET to PET makes an important con-
tribution to the modern recycling economy.
The company observes recycling principles internally
too. A case in point is the repeated use of process
water which PET to PET first purifies at its own biologi-
cal purification plant and then conditions by means of
modern membrane filtration systems. This makes it
possible to return up to 75 per cent of the process
water to the production cycle.
For the reverse osmosis plant to operate reliably,
the water’s pH-value must be lowered and kept con-
stant at 7. For this purpose, PET to PET employs a pH-
control mechanism supplied by Messer and making use
of carbon dioxide which reacts like a weak acid in
water. Totally uncomplicated in terms of handling and
storage, the gas prevents increases in concentrate sa-
linity and is more cost effective than using chemicals.
Nicole Pichler, Messer Austria
Two-fold saving of resources during
bottle manufacture
Affirmation of
quality and customer satisfactionSpain/Serbia/Romania: Messer’s heavy emphasis on
product quality and customer satisfaction is reflected
by the following certifications.
Messer in Spain has been certified according to UNE
EN ISO 9001 since as early as 1995. Governing quality
management and customer satisfaction,
this certificate covers all production
areas as well as sales and marketing
of all products. Last year, the com-
pany was also able to obtain certifica-
tion according to ISO 14001 in the area
of environmental protection. Moreover,
Messer is now authorized to manufacture and fill
medical gases not only at the production site and the
filling plant in Vilaseca, but also in El Morell. Messer in
Spain is presently preparing for an audit in OHSAS
(Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Services). In
Serbia, Messer Tehnogas has been certified according
to ISO 9001 since 2004, ISO 14001 since 2005, and
HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) since
2006. Messer Tehnogas also holds the European
GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) certificate
for the medical, liquid oxygen (LOX) it produces
in Smederevo, and the medical nitrous oxide
(N2O) produced in Belgrade. This GMP certifi-
cate was issued by the Romanian health autho-
rities, since Messer in Serbia also supplies its affiliate
in Romania via the air separator in Smederevo (LOX)
and the factory in Rakovica (N2O).
Benjamin Auweiler, Messer Group
C
ert
ified
QUALIT
Y
Old PET (polyethy-lenterephtalate) bottlesare used by PET to PETto recover basic materi-als for new bottles.
Photo
:PET
to P
ET
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:47 Uhr Seite 13
Fish farming with O2 enrichmentBelgium: Engaged in indoor farming of tilapia, the Belgian company
VitaFish is able to produce 4000 tons of fish annually. For this purpose,
VitaFish relies on gases supplied by Messer.
Organized on the principle of “vertical farming”
VitaFish unites all relevant aspects under one umbrel-
la: a giant building complex houses not only the breed-
ing and spawning areas for the tilapia, but also the
processing and packaging lines.
Originating from Africa and the region around
the river Jordan (in Israel and Jordan), tilapia accord-
ingly thrive at 28 degrees Celsius. To minimize as-
sociated energy and water costs in Belgium’s climate,
the warm water is maintained in a cycle where it is
cleaned regularly by large bio-filters. Among indoor
producers, VitaFish has the world’s largest water
conditioning system.
Healthy growth with air and 02
During conditioning, the purified water is also enriched
with air and pure oxygen, one aim here being to en-
sure a constant supply of oxygen for the fish. This main-
tains the quality of fish at the highest possible level
while achieving high stock densities and fast growth.
Due to the high proportion of nitrogen in air (78 per
cent N2, 21 per cent O2), a conventional ventilation
system would not be able to attain the oxygen con-
centrations needed by VitaFish. Simply increasing
the throughput of such a system would increase not
only the water’s oxygen content, but also its nitrogen
content, thus posing a danger of the feared gas-bub-
ble illness.
Consequently, VitaFish relies on a combination
of atmospheric and pure oxygen. The two-stage pro-
cess employed here fully utilizes the higher partial
pressure of pure oxygen, hence ultimately raising the
concentration of oxygen in the water. This is vital for
the fish, making it possible to easily fulfil peak demand
for oxygen immediately after feeding, for instance. As
a result, the fish undergo less stress and grow faster.
VitaFish also uses gaseous oxygen for producing ozone
(O3) for the purpose of disinfection.
Oxygen input
Oxygen is input on the counterflow principle which
increases the period of contact between oxygen bub-
bles and the water. As a result, more oxygen from the
bubbles is dissolved in the water, hence optimizing the
oxygen’s cost-effectiveness.
Denis Reydams and Steven Wante, Messer Benelux
To grow optimally inaquaculture, tilapia need sufficient oxygen in addition to warmthand nutrition.
Tilapia stem from Africa and the region around the river Jordan (in Israeland Jordan). Also known as St. Peter’s fish, theybelong to the family of chiclids and, by virtue oftheir origin, like high temperatures.
Advantages
at a glance:> Optimized feed quotient
> Rapid fish growth
> High stock densities
possible
> Optimized oxygen control
> High immunity of
fish to illness
> Less need for fresh water
1 4 : G a s - o - t h e q u e
on air 11 · 2009
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:47 Uhr Seite 14
on air 11 · 2009
G a s e t t e : 1 5
Simply find the page containing the full
photo whose excerpt is shown here, and
e-mail the page number to:
C O M P E T I T I O N
C O N T R I B U T I O N F O R T H E H U N G A R I A N R E D C R O S SMesser he lps a b lood donat ion serv ice
. . . a Messer model t ruck with a sca le of 1:50
A D O L F M E S S E R P R I Z EOutstanding research on molecu les
Congratulations to Tom Ossieur, Lantmännen-Knibake Benelux (Belgium) who submitted the right answer, “Page 4”,
for issue 10 and can look forward to receiving the book “Cryo Cooking” by Kristof Coppens.
The Adolf Messer Foundation’s prize worth EUR 50,000
goes to chemist Dr. Christina Thiele. The 33-year-old
researcher working for the Clemens Schöpf Institute
for Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry at Darmstadt
Technical University has received this award for her re-
search efforts to determine the structure of organic
compounds with residual, di-polar couplings. The im-
portance of this fundamental research is due, for
instance, to its potential in improving the effec-
tiveness of pharmaceuticals and the activity of
catalysts. To specifically sponsor young scientists
and their research, the Adolf Messer Foundation
has awarded two prizes annually since 1994: one
for researchers at Darmstadt Technical University,
the other for researchers at Johann Wolfgang
Goethe University in Frankfurt/Main.
* Messer staff and theirfamilies are excluded
from the competition.
Closing date:
15th June 2009
Win . . .
Messer in Hungary supports the blood donation service of the Red Cross. Last December, Johann
Ringhofer, Managing Director of Messer in Hungary, submitted a cheque worth five million forints
(about EUR 17,000) to the President of the Hungarian Red Cross, György Habsburg. This money
went to the purchase of mixer scales for mobile blood donation trucks.
A mixer scale constantly stirs and mixes blood with anti-coagulants and
sugar solution, while determining the mixture’s exact weight. Thanks to
Messer’s support, the Red Cross has been able to procure four more
mixer scales for its mobile laboratories.
www.adolf-messer-stiftung.de>
Prize winner Dr. Christina Thiele
Johann Ringhofer(Messer Hungary, right) and GyörgyHabsburg at the con-tribution ceremony.
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:47 Uhr Seite 15
Coming up in the next issue:
Laser technology has become indispensable in many areas of production, research and medicine. However, selection of the right laser and working gases is essential foroptimized deployment of this technology. The solutions and applications offered byMesser to customers are described in the next issue.
Sulphuric acid is the most important, basic inorganic chemical worldwide. In cooper-ation with a partner company, Messer has developed a technique of raising sulphurmanufacturing capacity by up to 60 per cent.
8090004_MESK_11-0209 27.04.2009 16:47 Uhr Seite 16
