High-Capacity Industrial Liquid CO2 Vaporization Solution

OKAY Energy supplied a customized 50 t/h steam-heated LCO2 vaporizer for a large-scale Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC) purification project.

Designed for continuous liquid CO2 vaporization, this industrial CO2 vaporizer handles up to 50,000 kg/h of LCO2 under high-pressure and low-temperature operating conditions.

The system combines circulating hot-water heating and steam heating to provide controlled heat transfer, stable gas outlet conditions and reliable continuous operation.

With an LCO2 inlet pressure of 4.0 MPa, inlet temperature of -35°C, heat duty of approximately 5,250 kW and maximum pressure drop of ≤0.1 MPa, this project demonstrates OKAY Energy’s capability to engineer and manufacture high-capacity liquid CO2 vaporizers for chemical processing applications.

Project Background: DMC Purification

The LCO2 vaporizer was developed for a 30,000 t/year Dimethyl Carbonate purification project.

Dimethyl Carbonate (DMC) is widely associated with advanced chemical and new-material applications. The project required a reliable source of gaseous CO2 for downstream processing.

The main challenge was to provide a high-capacity industrial CO2 vaporization system capable of continuously converting liquid carbon dioxide into gaseous CO2 while maintaining controlled operating conditions.

Instead of using a standard small-capacity CO2 vaporizer, the project required a customized solution with:

• 50 t/h CO2 vaporization capacity
• High-pressure LCO2 service
• Low-temperature liquid CO2 inlet
• Controlled gas outlet temperature
• Maximum pressure drop of ≤0.1 MPa
• Steam and circulating-water heating
• DCS control integration
• Vertical outdoor installation
• Continuous industrial operation

OKAY Energy provided the customized LCO2 vaporizer engineering and manufacturing solution from equipment design through fabrication, inspection and delivery.

50 t/h LCO2 Vaporizer Technical Specifications

High-Capacity Liquid CO2 Vaporizer

The core requirement of this project was a 50 t/h high-capacity liquid CO2 vaporizer.

Liquid carbon dioxide enters the vaporizer at approximately -35°C and 4.0 MPa.

The heating system transfers thermal energy to the LCO2, allowing the liquid CO2 to undergo controlled phase change and leave the vaporizer as gaseous CO2 at approximately 20°C.

The equipment is designed for a maximum pressure drop of ≤0.1 MPa, helping maintain stable downstream process conditions.

At 50,000 kg/h, the equipment belongs to the high-capacity industrial CO2 vaporization category and is suitable for process applications requiring a continuous supply of gaseous carbon dioxide.

Key technical parameters

• Capacity: 50,000 kg/h
• LCO2 inlet pressure: 4.0 MPa
• LCO2 inlet temperature: -35°C
• CO2 outlet temperature: 20°C
• Maximum pressure drop: ≤0.1 MPa
• Heat duty: 5,250 kW

These parameters also make the project a useful reference for customers evaluating a large-scale LCO2 vaporizer, high-pressure CO2 vaporizer or industrial liquid CO2 vaporization system.

Steam-Heated CO2 Vaporization System

Unlike ambient air CO2 vaporizers that rely primarily on environmental heat, this project uses a controlled steam-heated vaporization system.

The heating configuration consists of circulating hot water supported by steam heating.

The circulating-water side has a design flow rate of approximately 350 t/h, while the steam heating system has a flow rate of approximately 10.5 t/h.

The steam inlet conditions are approximately:

• Steam pressure: 0.55 MPa
• Steam temperature: 156°C
• Steam flow rate: 10.5 t/h

This configuration provides a controllable heat source for large-capacity industrial CO2 vaporization.

Advantages of the steam-heated design

• High vaporization capacity
• Stable heat transfer
• Controlled outlet temperature
• Low specified pressure drop
• Continuous-duty operation
• Suitable for large chemical plants
• DCS integration capability
• Flexible integration with plant utility systems

Industrial CO2 Vaporizer for Chemical Processing

Large-scale chemical plants often require a stable process-gas supply rather than intermittent CO2 delivery.

For these applications, the vaporizer must be selected according to the actual process conditions rather than simply the nominal gasification capacity.

Important selection parameters include:

1. CO2 vaporization capacity
2. LCO2 inlet pressure
3. LCO2 inlet temperature
4. CO2 outlet pressure
5. CO2 outlet temperature
6. Allowable pressure drop
7. Heating medium
8. Heat duty
9. Installation conditions
10. Material requirements
11. Control requirements
12. Applicable design standards

This project demonstrates how these parameters can be incorporated into a customized industrial CO2 vaporizer design.

Vertical LCO2 Vaporizer Design

The equipment adopts a vertical outdoor configuration.

The heat-transfer tube bundle is installed inside the main vessel to provide the required heat-transfer surface for large-scale LCO2 vaporization.

The vertical configuration allows the equipment to be integrated into the process and utility area of a chemical plant while supporting a high vaporization capacity.

The supplied equipment and associated components include:

• Main vaporizer body
• Heat-transfer tube bundle
• Support structure
• Condensate separation components
• Insulation supports
• Fire protection supports
• Grounding components
• Nameplate
• Special fasteners
• Foundation template
• Water pump package

Heat Transfer Tube and Material Selection

The main equipment body uses Q345R pressure-vessel steel, while the heat-transfer tubes use S30408 stainless steel according to the project specification.

Material selection is particularly important for a high-pressure liquid CO2 vaporizer, where the equipment must accommodate the specified LCO2 operating conditions and heat-transfer requirements.

The heat-transfer tube bundle is the key component responsible for transferring thermal energy from the circulating-water side to the LCO2 side.

The customized design therefore considers:

• Operating pressure
• Operating temperature
• Heat-transfer duty
• Flow conditions
• Pressure drop
• Material compatibility
• Fabrication requirements

DCS Control for Industrial CO2 Vaporization

The steam-heated LCO2 vaporizer is designed for integration with the customer’s Distributed Control System (DCS).

DCS integration allows the vaporizer to become part of the overall plant process-control architecture.

Depending on the final control configuration, relevant operating parameters can be monitored and controlled through the plant control system.

For large industrial CO2 vaporization systems, centralized monitoring can improve operational visibility and coordination between the vaporizer, heating system and downstream process equipment.

CO2 Vaporizer Engineering and Manufacturing

OKAY Energy provided the engineering and manufacturing scope for this customized industrial liquid CO2 vaporizer.

The project scope included:

Engineering

• Process data review
• Thermal design
• Mechanical design
• Equipment design
• Engineering drawings
• Technical documentation

Manufacturing

• Material procurement
• Pressure-vessel fabrication
• Heat-transfer tube fabrication
• Tube-bundle assembly
• Equipment assembly
• Support fabrication

Inspection

• Raw-material verification
• Material certificate review
• Welding inspection
• Dimensional inspection
• Heat-transfer tube inspection
• Assembly inspection
• Pressure/leak testing
• Final factory inspection

This integrated approach allows OKAY Energy to provide a complete custom CO2 vaporizer solution rather than supplying only a standard vaporizer unit.

50 t/h CO2 Vaporizer Project Highlights

50,000 kg/h Vaporization Capacity

The project provides a design capacity of 50,000 kg/h, suitable for high-volume industrial CO2 requirements.

4.0 MPa LCO2 Inlet Pressure

The vaporizer is designed for LCO2 entering at approximately 4.0 MPa.

-35°C Low-Temperature Inlet

The LCO2 enters the vaporizer at approximately -35°C, requiring an appropriate low-temperature heat-transfer design.

5,250 kW Heat Duty

The system provides approximately 5,250 kW of heat duty for the required vaporization process.

≤0.1 MPa Pressure Drop

The maximum specified pressure drop is ≤0.1 MPa, supporting stable downstream operation.

Steam + Hot-Water Heating

The system combines steam heating and circulating hot water to provide a controllable heat source.

DCS Integration

The vaporization system is designed for integration with the customer’s plant DCS.

Industrial Applications of Liquid CO2 Vaporizers

Customized liquid CO2 vaporizers can be used wherever stored liquid carbon dioxide needs to be converted into gaseous CO2 for a downstream process.

Potential applications include:

• Chemical processing
• DMC purification
• Petrochemical processing
• Advanced-material production
• Industrial gas supply
• CO2 process-gas supply
• CO2 utilization
• Food and beverage processing
• Welding gas supply
• Gas distribution systems

For large-scale chemical applications, vaporizer selection should be based on actual process data rather than capacity alone.

How to Select a Liquid CO2 Vaporizer

When selecting an LCO2 vaporizer manufacturer or equipment supplier, buyers should provide the following technical information:

1. Required CO2 Flow Rate

The vaporization capacity determines the required heat-transfer area and equipment configuration.

2. LCO2 Inlet Pressure

The equipment must be designed according to the actual liquid CO2 pressure.

3. LCO2 Inlet Temperature

Low-temperature operating conditions directly affect the thermal design.

4. Required CO2 Outlet Conditions

Outlet pressure and temperature determine the required vaporization duty.

5. Allowable Pressure Drop

Pressure drop should be considered together with the downstream process requirements.

6. Heating Medium

Typical options can include:

• Ambient air
• Hot water
• Steam
• Electricity
• Other customized heating sources

7. Installation Conditions

Indoor/outdoor installation, vertical/horizontal configuration and available footprint should be considered during equipment design.

8. Control Requirements

For chemical plants, integration with PLC or DCS systems may be required.

Why Choose OKAY Energy as an LCO2 Vaporizer Manufacturer?

OKAY Energy provides customized industrial gas equipment and vaporization solutions for international customers.

Our product range includes:

• LCO2 Vaporizers
• Liquid CO2 Vaporizers
• Steam-Heated CO2 Vaporizers
• Industrial CO2 Vaporizers
• LNG Vaporizers
• LPG Vaporizers
• Natural Gas Vaporizers
• Water-Bath Vaporizers
• Ambient Air Vaporizers
• Gas Pressure Regulation Systems
• Gas Mixing Skids
• SNG Systems
• CNG Systems

Our engineering team can develop customized equipment according to:

Capacity + Pressure + Temperature + Heating Medium + Heat Duty + Pressure Drop + Material + Installation + Control Requirements

This makes OKAY Energy a suitable equipment partner for customers seeking a custom industrial CO2 vaporizer manufacturer rather than a standard off-the-shelf unit.

Customized CO2 Vaporization Solutions

Every industrial CO2 project has different process conditions.

OKAY Energy can evaluate the customer’s process data and develop a customized LCO2 vaporization system based on the required operating parameters.

Typical information required for preliminary design includes:

• CO2 flow rate
• LCO2 inlet pressure
• LCO2 inlet temperature
• Gas outlet pressure
• Gas outlet temperature
• Allowable pressure drop
• Heating medium
• Heat duty
• Installation location
• Material requirements
• Control requirements
• Applicable standards

Customers can provide their process datasheet or technical specification for preliminary equipment evaluation.

Project Summary

The 50 t/h steam-heated LCO2 vaporizer for DMC purification demonstrates OKAY Energy’s capability to engineer and manufacture customized high-capacity CO2 vaporization equipment.

The project combines:

50,000 kg/h capacity + 4.0 MPa LCO2 inlet pressure + -35°C inlet temperature + 5,250 kW heat duty + ≤0.1 MPa pressure drop + steam/hot-water heating + DCS integration

for a large-scale chemical processing application.

For companies searching for a liquid CO2 vaporizer manufacturer, LCO2 vaporizer supplier, industrial CO2 vaporizer manufacturer, high-capacity CO2 vaporizer, or customized steam-heated CO2 vaporizer, OKAY Energy can provide engineering support and customized equipment solutions.

Submit your CO2 process data to OKAY Energy for a customized LCO2 vaporizer solution.