Industry
VPSA Oxygen Solutions for Pulp Bleaching & Paper Production
VPSA oxygen technology applied in more than 30 pulp mills — delivering 93% purity oxygen for delignification, bleaching, and wastewater treatment at industry-leading energy efficiency.
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30+Pulp Mills Served
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93%+Oxygen Purity
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0.30 kWh/Nm³Energy Consumption
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50%Chemical Reduction
The Industry at a Glance
The global pulp and paper market was valued at USD 351.7 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 416.56 billion by 2035. There has been a growing interest in oxygen bleaching in the global papermaking industry in view of the stricter requirements for environmental protection. As ECF/TCF clean bleaching becomes the industry standard, VPSA oxygen supply is now a critical infrastructure investment for pulp mills worldwide.
Where Our Products Are Used
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1
Oxygen Delignification
The amount of bleaching agent and wastewater in the latter sections can be reduced by 50% after oxygen delignification.
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2
ECF/TCF Pulp Bleaching
VPSA oxygen plant delivers 93% oxygen purity, fully able to meet the requirements of pulp bleaching process for chlorine-free production.
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3
Mill Wastewater Treatment
Oxygen supports the growth of microorganisms that break down organic matter in the wastewater, reducing BOD/COD levels for regulatory compliance.
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4
Recycled Paper De-inking
The de-inking process benefits from oxygen’s ability to improve the flotation process, ensuring higher quality recycled paper.
Pain Points & Solutions
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The Challenge
Cryogenic air separation has high investment and energy consumption as well as mass operation and maintenance tasks, making it impractical for medium-scale pulp mills.
Our SolutionThe energy consumption of VPSA oxygen systems is ~0.30 kWh/Nm³, which is 30% lower than that of cryogenic air separation units.
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The Challenge
Chlorine-containing bleaching waste liquids include not only COD and BOD, but also other highly toxic substances — tightening regulations demand cleaner processes.
Our SolutionReplacing the traditional CEH three-stage pulp bleaching method with TCF or ECF bleaching is an effective solution to the environmental pollution of the pulp and paper industry.
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The Challenge
Liquid oxygen procurement creates supply chain dependency, volatile pricing, and logistical burdens for remote mill locations.
Our SolutionPKU Pioneer’s VPSA-O₂ technology boasts the advantages of lower investment cost, lower power consumption, simpler operation and more flexible control — producing oxygen on demand.
Why Choose Us
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VPSA oxygen technology applied in more than 30 pulp mills in China and extended to global paper enterprises
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Energy consumption of ~0.30 kWh/m³ (O₂~100%), among the lowest around the world
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Proprietary high-efficiency lithium-based VPSA-O₂ adsorbent PU-8 with unique airflow distribution technology
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Exported VPSA-O₂ technology to papermaking enterprises in Russia, Thailand, and Indonesia
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A leading supplier undertaking the most oxygen production projects in operation for more than 10 years in China with excellent indicators
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Full-cycle service: design consultation, engineering, commissioning, O&M, and equipment leasing
Success Snapshot
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Leading Pulp & Paper Group
Deployed a 3,000 Nm³/h VPSA-O₂ system for the ECF bleaching line. Achieved 50% reduction in chlorine-based chemical usage and annual oxygen cost savings exceeding $200,000 versus liquid oxygen supply.
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Major Paper Mill
PKU Pioneer exported VPSA-O₂ technology to a papermaking enterprise in Thailand where the device has operated stably for many years, supporting oxygen delignification with 93% purity and uninterrupted 24/7 supply.
Trusted by Industry Leaders
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“We switched from liquid oxygen to PKU Pioneer’s VPSA system and cut our bleaching oxygen costs by over 30%. The equipment has run continuously for 8 years with no unplanned downtime.”
Mr. W
Chief Engineer
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“The oxygen supply gave us full control over our ECF bleaching process. The team’s responsiveness during commissioning was exceptional.”
Ms. K
Operations Director
FAQ
Engineered Solutions Built for Performance
Typical Cases
12,500 Nm³/h VPSA Oxygen Plant for Changjiang Steel
PKU Pioneer successfully commissioned a 12,500 Nm³/h VPSA oxygen plant for Changjiang Steel, helping reduce liquid oxygen dependence and significantly lower blast furnace oxygen enrichment costs. The project was completed in just 73 days and delivers daily savings exceeding $14,285, further strengthening energy efficiency and cost competitiveness for large-scale steel production.
12,500 Nm³/h VPSA Oxygen Plant for Copper Smelting
PKU Pioneer successfully commissioned a 12,500 Nm³/h VPSA oxygen plant for Wuxin Copper, helping eliminate oxygen supply bottlenecks and improve oxygen-enriched smelting efficiency. The project significantly reduced oxygen production costs, enhanced automation capabilities, and supported the customer’s capacity expansion and green metallurgy upgrade.
Blast Furnace Oxygen Enrichment PSA Project
PKU Pioneer successfully commissioned a second-phase 14,000 Nm³/h PSA oxygen plant for Chifeng Yuanlian Iron & Steel, expanding total oxygen generation capacity to 28,000 Nm³/h. The project significantly reduced oxygen production costs, improved operational flexibility, and supported the steel mill’s energy-saving and low-carbon transformation goals.
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