DANBURY — Praxair has signed a long-term agreement to purchase by-product carbon dioxide from US Nitrogen LLC, a subsidiary of Austin Powder Company, a provider of industrial blasting products and services.
Praxair will build, own and operate a carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction facility at US Nitrogen’s recently constructed ammonia plant in Tennessee, which is part of a larger vertical integration project. Praxair’s facility will purify by-product carbon dioxide and produce beverage-quality liquid carbon dioxide for distribution and use by customers throughout the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.
Expected to start up in late 2017, the facility further expands Praxair’s carbon dioxide sources. The company expects to start-up a previously announced carbon dioxide purification plant in late 2016 at a refinery in Delaware. In the Eastern region of the U.S., Praxair operates additional carbon dioxide purification and liquefaction facilities in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.
“Through agreements such as this, we continue to position ourselves to serve growing customer requirements, particularly in the food and beverage segment,” said Todd Lawson, vice president, east region for Praxair’s U.S. industrial gases business. “We have a diverse portfolio of carbon dioxide sources in the eastern region of the U.S. and this project, when completed, will create more density and efficiency in Praxair’s supply network.”
US Nitrogen Plant Manager Andy Velo said, “Praxair’s carbon dioxide liquefaction facility is a welcome addition to our site. Praxair’s presence will capitalize on the substantial investment in local infrastructure made by US Nitrogen over the last several years with the support of both Austin Powder and state and local economic development agencies.”
