Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-11-12 Origin: Site
Carbon dioxide is one of the most widely used industrial gases in the world. Beverage bottlers, breweries, dry ice producers, welding shops and greenhouses all depend on a steady supply of clean liquid CO2. At the same time, many plants – breweries, ethanol and fermentation units, boilers and chemical processes – release large volumes of CO2 into the atmosphere every day. A CO2 recovery plant closes this loop: it captures that raw gas and turns it into high-value ISBT food-grade liquid CO2 with purity ≥ 99.9%.
Fermentation off-gas from breweries, distilleries and bio-ethanol plants – usually the cleanest and most economical source.
Flue gas from boilers, kilns and combustion processes.
Natural CO2 wells and by-product gas from chemical plants.
Because every source carries different impurities, a complete raw-gas analysis is the first step of any project. It decides which purification stages are needed and how the plant is sized.
Raw gas collection – CO2 is collected from the source at low pressure.
Scrubbing & compression – a water wash removes water-soluble impurities and dust, then a two-stage oil-free compressor raises the pressure without contaminating the gas with oil.
Desulfurization – dedicated adsorbent beds remove H2S and other sulfur compounds, bringing total sulfur below 0.1 ppm. This is critical for beverage use, because even traces of sulfur cause off-taste.
Purification & drying – activated carbon removes odors and hydrocarbons, while molecular-sieve dryers reduce moisture to ≤ 20 ppm.
Liquefaction – a refrigeration cycle cools the dry CO2 until it condenses into liquid at around -20 to -25 °C.
Rectification – a rectification column strips out non-condensable gases such as O2 and N2. Jinhua uses internal reflux, so no auxiliary heat source or extra fuel is required.
Storage & filling – the finished liquid CO2 (1.6–2.1 MPa) goes to an insulated storage tank, then into tankers, cylinders or dry ice machines.
The International Society of Beverage Technologists (ISBT) sets the quality guideline that most beverage producers use for CO2. A plant designed to this standard typically delivers:
Parameter | Typical Specification |
|---|---|
CO2 purity | ≥ 99.9% (v/v) |
Total sulfur | < 0.1 ppm |
Moisture | ≤ 20 ppm |
Oxygen | ≤ 30 ppm |
NOx / hydrocarbons | Within ISBT limits |
Beverage carbonation – soft drinks and sparkling water.
Brewing & distilling – tank purging, counter-pressure filling and beer carbonation; many breweries recover their own fermentation CO2 and stop buying it.
Dry ice production – pellets and blocks for cold-chain logistics and dry ice blasting.
Welding & fabrication – shielding gas for MIG/MAG welding.
Greenhouses – CO2 enrichment to raise crop yield.
Oil & gas – CO2 injection for enhanced oil recovery (EOR).
Lower operating cost – a plant that already produces CO2 as a by-product can replace purchased liquid CO2 and even sell the surplus.
Supply security – no dependence on outside suppliers or seasonal CO2 shortages.
Lower emissions – CO2 that would be vented is captured and reused, supporting sustainability targets.
Zhejiang Jinhua Air Separation Equipment Co., Ltd. applies more than 25 years of cryogenic engineering experience to CO2 recovery. Our plants are skid-mounted (everything except the storage tank), controlled by PLC + DCS for unattended 24-hour operation, and customized from 50 Nm³/h upward to match your source gas and required output. Skid fabrication, cold-box assembly and pressure-vessel manufacturing are all done in-house, and our engineers can support installation and commissioning on site.
Learn more about our Food-Grade Liquid CO2 Recovery Plant, or send us your source-gas analysis and required capacity – our engineers will prepare a tailored proposal for your project.
