Technical gases

Facilitating optimisation

In industrial production, technical gases are as important as water and electricity. Their specific properties and the way in which they are used ensure greater efficiency, safety and cost-effectiveness in many processes. Industrial gases also play a crucial role in terms of product quality.

The most widely used industrial gases include acetylene, argon, carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen. Messer also offers many of these gases as mixtures for special applications.

Technical gases used in welding

Welding technology comprises over 100 distinct methods (according to DIN EN 4063). Messer markets its range of shielding gases in a clearly structured system under standardised corporate brand names based on the raw material being processed:

Ferroline - Shielding gases for plain and low-alloy steels　
Inoxline - Shielding gases for high-alloy steels　
Aluline - Shielding gases for aluminium and non-ferrous metals

More information

Acetylene

Acetylene is a high-performance fuel gas produced traditionally through the reaction of calcium carbide with water.　

Acetylene has a huge range of applications: e.g. oxyfuel technology, welding, cutting, flame cleaning, flame spraying or flame gouging. For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Acetylene technical
• Acetylene 2.6

Argon

Argon’s most important chemical property is its inertness, which makes it an ideal protective gas – even at the high temperatures that are commonly encountered in metallurgy and arc welding.

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Welding argon
• Argon 5.0
• Argon 6.0

Helium

Helium’s special properties make it indispensable for many applications – for example, as a lifting gas for balloons and airships, as a shielding gas for welding, as a tracer gas for leak detection or as a carrier gas in gas chromatography.

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Helium 4.6 - 6.0

Carbon dioxide

The special properties of carbon dioxide include its inertness and its high solubility in water. Carbon dioxide gives beverages their sparkling freshness, is used in the treatment of drinking water and provides an alternative to aggressive acids for wastewater neutralisation. In cryogenic, liquid and solid form, CO₂ turns into dry ice, which is suitable for use as a refrigerant or as a cleaning medium (for dry ice blasting).

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Carbon dioxide technical
• Carbon dioxide

Oxygen

The most important property of oxygen is its reactivity. There are very few elements with which oxygen will not react. Oxidation and combustion processes are speeded up significantly in an oxygen-enriched atmosphere, when compared with normal air. This property makes oxygen indispensable for the metabolism of many organisms, which is why it is used in a large number of water treatment and environmental technology applications.

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Oxygen technical
• Oxygen 3.5
• Oxygen 5.0

Nitrogen

In industry and research, N₂ is used as a coolant or as an inert gas. After use, it is returned to the atmosphere unchanged.

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Nitrogen technical
• Nitrogen 5.0
• Nitrogen 6.0

Hydrogen

Hydrogen is used as a fuel gas for special applications and as a protective gas in heat treatment, food technology and the electronics industry. Hydrogen’s high thermal conductivity also makes it suitable for use as a cooling gas – for example, for power generators. However, by far the greatest part of hydrogen production is required for the synthesis of ammonia and methanol. The chemical industry also uses it for numerous hydrogenation processes. Hydrogen is also being discussed as an alternative energy source for the future.

For further information about selected products, please check our product data sheets:

• Hydrogen technical
• Hydrogen 5.0
• Hydrogen 6.0