"Argon is a by-product of large scale air separation mainly for production of steel. It is used, in increasing volumes, in many high technology applications to ensure an inert atmosphere around/within a processing environment, for example, in the production of Silicon Ingots for Photovoltaics and Semiconductor devices, 3D printing of Metal Components, Heat Treatment of turbine blades etc. Historically the argon is used in a single pass and then vented to the atmosphere; it represents a significant cost to manufacture of 5-10%. While argon recovery and recycle may present particular technical challenges, the economic case for it is very attractive as supply is not keeping track with demand, for example the cost of argon to the Chinese Solar PV industry has quadrupled (LONGi Green Energy Technology Co.) in the last 3 years.

GR2L has responded to this opportunity by developing the Argon0 argon recycle system, initially, focused on the Solar PV Wafer Fabrication industry. However, our solution cannot remove nitrogen originating from air leaks from the recovered argon, limiting our ability to expand into other high technology markets, such as Semiconductor Wafer Fabrication, Powdered Metal additive manufacture of titanium and aluminium components for aerospace and specialist heat treatment applications. All of which have sensitivity to nitrogen with requirements varying from ppm to ppb levels. In closed loop recycle even small air leaks quickly build to high nitrogen concentrations in the 1,000s to 10,000ppm level which are not acceptable. The Nitro0 project aims to develop a demonstrator system that will remove nitrogen contamination from recovered argon and enable the recycle of argon for these high technology industries."