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Meeting dissolved gas control needs of industrial production
Dissolved oxygen (DO) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in boiler feed water, process water, and industrial fluids may accelerate corrosion of pipework and system components, shorten equipment service life, and reduce ion exchange efficiency in ultrapure water (UPW) systems. Dissolved gas concentrations in semiconductor process fluids and beverages can directly impact product quality. Oxygen ingress can produce off-notes in beverages and impact shelf life. For electronics manufacturing, low levels of dissolved gases are required to help ensure a smooth, efficient process that reduces the risk of defects. Legacy technologies, including vacuum towers and oxygen scavengers, may require significant footprint and chemical handling and could struggle to meet the dissolved gas specifications required at an acceptable operating cost.
Dissolved gas control solutions by industry
Thermo Scientific Liqui-Cel Membrane Contactors can address dissolved gas control requirements across a range of industrial production sectors.
Dissolved oxygen should be addressed in boiler feed water and process water prior to use in steam generation cycles. Oxygen in feed water may accelerate corrosion of boiler tubes, heat exchangers, and steam system components. With growing demand for power generation capacity, operations managers can face increasing pressure to maintain system efficiency and limit unplanned downtime.
Compact membrane contactor-based deaeration offers a practical alternative to conventional vacuum deaerators with a reduced installation footprint, no chemical oxygen scavenger requirements, and rapid start-up. Managing dissolved CO₂ alongside oxygen may also improve ion-exchange efficiency by reducing the regeneration frequency and associated costs.
Dissolved gas control in beverage production may encompass both dissolved gas removal and dissolved gas addition. Deoxygenation helps protect against oxidative degradation during processing, blending, and packaging. Decarbonation prepares base water for downstream processing steps.
For carbonated and nitrogenated products, in-line membrane contactors can add CO₂ or N₂ to achieve consistent dissolved gas levels in finished beverages without the variability associated with conventional pressure tank carbonation approaches. Operating continuously rather than in batch cycles, and without sparging, contactors can support tighter product specifications and scalability across carbonated soft drinks, sparkling water, wine, and other beverages.
Dissolved oxygen in boiler feed water, injection water, and process fluids can present a corrosion and integrity risk to pipework, vessels, and offshore production equipment. Regulatory requirements and environmental standards further constrain how dissolved gases are managed across these operations.
Applications include boiler feed water deoxygenation, oil washing processes, and water flooding for enhanced oil recovery. A compact footprint and lower equipment weight of membrane contactor systems offer practical installation advantages over vacuum towers and conventional deaeration equipment.
Operations managers also evaluate the total cost of ownership, including installation, transportation, and maintenance requirements.
Ammonia in wastewater effluent may be subject to increasingly stringent regulatory discharge limits. Responsible ammonia management helps protect downstream sewage systems, treatment plants, and receiving water bodies from nitrogen loading. It also helps facilities meet municipal water treatment discharge requirements.
TransMembrane ChemiSorption (TMCS) can offer a compact, single-step approach to ammonia abatement. Ammonia gas is stripped from the wastewater stream through a hollow fiber membrane and absorbed directly into a reactive acid solution on the shell side, thereby removing it from the effluent and recovering it as an ammonium salt that could be reused or sold. This approach addresses both compliance objectives and sustainability goals by converting a waste stream into a recoverable resource.
Dissolved gas control capabilities
Dissolved gas control requirements across industrial production may be addressed through four technical capability areas. These capabilities share the same hollow fiber membrane contactor platform, which can be configured and deployed differently depending on the liquid stream, target dissolved gas level, and throughput requirements.
Explore products for dissolved gas control
Each membrane contactor can be used in-line and help address different requirements across production scale, process chemistry, and application type.
Product links on this page currently direct to Solventum.com. Product information will soon be available on Thermofisher.com as part of our ongoing integration.
Frequently asked questions
Dissolved gas control is the management of dissolved gas concentrations in liquid streams through the addition or removal of specific gases. Key gases addressed include dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and ammonia. Principal applications include ultrapure water production, boiler feed water treatment, beverage carbonation and deoxygenation, and industrial wastewater treatment. Membrane contactor technology offers a chemical-free approach to dissolved gas control at an industrial production scale.
In a hollow fiber membrane contactor, the liquid stream flows on one side of a microporous membrane while a sweep gas or vacuum is applied to the shell side. Dissolved gases may diffuse across the membrane down the concentration gradient and are withdrawn from the liquid without direct contact between the two phases. The large membrane surface area can achieve efficient gas transfer within a compact module footprint, with no chemical additives required.
Industries applying dissolved gas control include microelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing, electrochemical deposition, power and steam generation, beverage production, oil and gas production and refinement, and industrial wastewater treatment. Dissolved gas control is also applied in pharmaceutical water, ink and coatings production, and laboratory analytical instrumentation. Requirements may vary by application; connecting with a Thermo Fisher Scientific specialist is recommended for application-specific information.
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Intended use of the products mentioned on this page vary. For specific intended use statements, please refer to the Instructions for Use for the product.