Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Services

Product Overview

Operation and Maintenance Services is a specialized outsourced service for vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen plants that delivers safer, more stable, and lower-cost oxygen production for industrial users. A VPSA oxygen plant is large in scale with complex composition, and its production and operation are highly specialized. Operation and maintenance require a high technical threshold because oxygen is a combustion-supporting gas and the oxygen system must remain stable and continuously online.

When oxygen demand exists, users can either invest in building a VPSA oxygen generation plant and operate it on their own, or entrust PKU Pioneer as a professional gas company to take charge of operation and maintenance. PKU Pioneer’s professional operation and maintenance management services enable users to use oxygen at a lower cost and comprehensively enhance the long-term stable online rate of the oxygen system to achieve the outcome of spending little but saving more.

Based on decades of engineering experience in VPSA and PSA gas separation, extensive deployment across industrial fields, and a mature digital operation framework, this service lets customers centralize human and technical resources on their main businesses to create more benefits and improve core competitiveness through maximum professionalism. With rising global demand for oxygen enrichment and increasingly refined industry division of labor, outsourced VPSA oxygen O&M is positioned for steady, long-term growth, supported by PKU Pioneer’s technological and administrative advantages.

Key Features & Specifications

Market Demand

Vacuum pressure swing adsorption oxygen plant is of large scale, with complex composition. The production and operation of the VPSA oxygen plant are highly specialized and professional, as the operation and maintenance of the plant have a high technical threshold, and the product oxygen is a combustion-supporting gas.

When there is oxygen demand, users can choose to invest in the construction of the VPSA oxygen generation plant and operate on their own, or entrust it to PKU Pioneer, the professional gas company, to take charge of its operation and maintenance. PKU Pioneer’s professional operation and maintenance management services enable users to use oxygen at a lower cost and comprehensively enhance the long-term stable online rate of the oxygen system to spend little but save more.

PKU Pioneer’s professional operation and maintenance make the users to centralize human and technical resources on their main businesses to create more benefits and improve the core competitiveness through maximum professionalism.

With the substantial increase in demand for oxygen enrichment in domestic and foreign industries and the increasingly refined divisions of labor, the market for professional outsourced operation and maintenance services of VPSA oxygen units is bound to expand gradually and grow steadily. PKU Pioneer, with its exclusive technological and administrative advantages, will come out on top and lead the development of subdivided industries.

Technological Advantages

With the advantages of specialized and scaled technologies and administration, preventive measures, systematic safety enhancement and comprehensive reduction of oxygen costs, PKU Pioneer’s operation and maintenance service for VPSA O2 equipment gives full play to the process advantages of the oxygen plant in safety, energy-saving and low energy consumption, flexibility in start-up and shut-down, fast production reaching, and strong stability. It has the following characteristics:

Fully Responsible for Operation and Maintenance

PKU Pioneer is responsible for the safety, operation and maintenance management of the oxygen production equipment, including production operation, equipment inspection, remote big data intelligent support, maintenance and repair, spare parts management and all other field service tasks, as well as for the energy consumption, starting up and shutting down and other performance indicators.

01 Comprehensive Equipment Management System

PKU Pioneer has set up a remote technology center to analyze and diagnose operation data, and built a big data system to sustain the leading technologies, safe operation and best performance of the oxygen system by intelligent management tools, so as to empower production practice with informatization, and comprehensively improve the operation and maintenance capability of the oxygen plants.

02 Reducing Production and Operation Cost

PKU Pioneer’s specialized and scaled technologies and management mode can reduce the failure rate of operation as a whole and enhance the operation rate to more than 98%, thus significantly lowering the maintenance cost and realizing the continuous efficiency increase by controlling the power consumption during operation and maintain it at a low level on a long-term basis.

Service Specifications

Item	Value
Service name	Operation and Maintenance Services
Applicable equipment	VPSA O2 equipment and VPSA oxygen plants
Core customer decision options	Self-build and self-operate, or entrust PKU Pioneer for operation and maintenance
Responsibility scope	Safety, operation and O&M management of oxygen production equipment
Included field activities	Production operation, equipment inspection, maintenance and repair, spare parts management, all other field service tasks
Digital support	Remote big data intelligent support through remote technology center and big data system
Performance indicators managed	Energy consumption, starting up and shutting down, other performance indicators
Operational availability target	Operation rate enhanced to more than 98%
Operational approach	Preventive measures, systematic safety enhancement, comprehensive reduction of oxygen costs
Process advantages emphasized	Safety, energy-saving and low energy consumption, flexibility in start-up and shut-down, fast production reaching, strong stability
Installed-base reference	More than 300 sets of VPSA and PSA oxygen generators constructed for various industrial fields
Non-ferrous metallurgy references	More than 40 sets of VPSA oxygen-generating systems built for nonferrous metal smelting
Iron and steel references	More than 50 iron and steel enterprises equipped with VPSA oxygen equipment and integrated oxygen enrichment solutions before the blast furnace blower
Cement oxyfuel pathway target	Flue gas CO2 content over 75% at the outlet of the preheater in the described process
Waste incineration oxygen enrichment target	Oxygen content enriched to 25% to 30% for secondary air in the described process

Application Scenario

PKU Pioneer has constructed more than 300 sets of VPSA and PSA oxygen generators for various industrial fields, and the product oxygen is directly delivered to industrial furnaces for oxygen-enriched combustion, which not only saves energy but also increases the output and efficiency obviously. The common application scenarios are introduced as follows:

Non-Ferrous and Secondary Metallurgy

It is a major technical measure to adopt oxygen-enriched air instead of ambient air for combustion in the process of non-ferrous metallurgy, which helps to strengthen productivity, reduce energy consumption and increase economic benefits. PKU Pioneer’s VPSA oxygen-generating technology can provide a stable and reliable oxygen source for the smelting of copper, lead, nickel, zinc, tin, gold and other non-ferrous metals to promote energy saving and optimization of the oxygen-enriched combustion process.

Providing VPSA oxygen-generating units for users with multiple adjustable levels can significantly reduce the cost of oxygen. VPSA oxygen units can be equipped for furnaces including bottom, side and top blowing furnaces, and PKU Pioneer has built more than 40 sets of VPSA oxygen-generating systems for nonferrous metal smelting.

Glass and Fiberglass Furnaces

Oxygen-enriched combustion technology is an effective method to reduce energy consumption in glass and fiberglass kilns. With the decreasing cost of oxygen production, oxygen-enriched and oxy-fuel combustion technology, composed of oxygen and fuel, is replacing the conventional combustion method of air and fuel in glass melting kilns. PKU Pioneer’s VPSA oxygen production technology is able to deliver a stable and reliable oxygen supply to the oxyfuel oxygen-enriched combustion section of glass and fiberglass kilns.

Considering the kilns have high requirements for the stability and continuity of oxygen supply, PKU Pioneer provides industrial kiln users with equipment leasing or operation maintenance services to ensure the safety and stability of clients’ oxygen supply.

Oxygen Enrichment for Blast Furnaces

Among iron and steel enterprises based on long-process production processes, more and more choose VPSA oxygen generation technology to provide enriched oxygen for the blast furnace.

Firstly, the oxygen needed for ironmaking is enriched oxygen instead of pure oxygen, and mixing the oxygen generated by the VPSA oxygen unit and air can meet the requirements. Secondly, the cost of VPSA oxygen production is lower. Thirdly, convenient startup, shutdown and load regulation can be used as auxiliary means to adjust the oxygen supply of the whole factory to reduce the oxygen dissipation.

With mature oxygen generation technology and oxygen mixing system before the blast furnace blower with unique structure and process, PKU Pioneer has equipped more than 50 iron and steel enterprises with VPSA oxygen equipment and integrated solutions of oxygen enrichment before the blower.

Cement Kilns

Oxyfuel technology is considered to be the most economical technical solution for achieving effective carbon capture in the cement industry.

The process uses enriched oxygen and high-concentration CO2 flue gas circulating in the system as combustion-supporting air to fully burn the fuel and obtain flue gas with a CO2 content of over 75% at the outlet of the preheater, followed by the PSA technology to capture and purify the CO2, which can be used for mineralization maintenance, modified materials, and also be captured and stored for utilization.

Waste Incineration

The principle of applying oxygen-enriched combustion to waste burning is to enrich the oxygen in the air so that the oxygen content reaches 25% to 30% and send it to the incinerator as a secondary air, which increases the overall or partial oxygen content in the furnace and reduces the integral air excess coefficient.

At the same time, the increased oxygen elevates the ignition conditions and makes the combustion more complete by smelting the slag and reducing it to nearly none, so as to ensure the complete decomposition and combustion of dioxins and other toxic organic gases at high temperatures. Therefore, adopting PKU Pioneer’s oxygen-enriched combustion technology in the waste incineration field can not only save energy and reduce consumption but also have significant environmental benefits.

Image Descriptions

• Market Demand banner image showing a VPSA oxygen plant context for outsourced operation and maintenance in industrial oxygen supply.
• Technological Advantages banner image highlighting specialized and scaled O&M management for safety, energy saving, and stable oxygen production.
• Application Scenario image illustrating industrial furnaces and plant environments where product oxygen is delivered for oxygen-enriched combustion.
• Supporting gallery images showing industrial oxygen plant and furnace application visuals associated with non-ferrous metallurgy, glass and fiberglass kilns, blast furnace enrichment, cement kilns, and waste incineration.

Key Benefits & Competitive Advantages

• Lower total oxygen cost through specialized and scaled technologies and administration that target comprehensive reduction of oxygen costs and long-term power consumption control.
• Higher oxygen system online stability by enhancing long-term stable online rate and improving operation rate to more than 98%.
• Reduced operational risk for combustion-supporting gas supply by assigning safety, operation, and maintenance responsibility to a professional provider with systematic safety enhancement and preventive measures.
• End-to-end accountability because PKU Pioneer manages production operation, equipment inspection, maintenance and repair, spare parts management, and all field service tasks plus energy consumption and performance indicators.
• Faster recovery after abnormal conditions enabled by remote big data intelligent support, operation data diagnosis, and structured troubleshooting through a remote technology center.
• Improved production continuity in oxygen-enriched combustion applications where stable oxygen supply directly affects furnace efficiency, output, and product quality.
• Resource focus for customers by centralizing human and technical resources on main businesses and improving core competitiveness through maximum professionalism.
• Proven industrial applicability supported by construction of more than 300 VPSA and PSA oxygen generators across industrial fields, including more than 40 systems in non-ferrous smelting and more than 50 blast furnace enrichment integrations.

Application Scenarios & Use Cases

Scenario	Industry	Key Benefit	Why This Product
Outsourced O&M for VPSA oxygen plants feeding oxygen-enriched combustion	Multi-industry furnaces	Stable oxygen supply with lower operating cost	Full responsibility model manages safety, uptime, energy consumption, and performance indicators with remote big data support
Oxygen supply for copper, lead, nickel, zinc, tin, and gold smelting furnaces	Non-ferrous metallurgy	Higher productivity and reduced energy consumption	Stable oxygen source plus adjustable levels, compatible with bottom, side, and top blowing furnaces and supported by proven smelting references
Continuous oxygen support for glass and fiberglass kiln oxygen-enriched and oxy-fuel zones	Glass and fiberglass	Improved energy efficiency with stable oxygen continuity	O&M and leasing options designed for kilns requiring high stability and continuity of oxygen supply
Oxygen enrichment integration before blast furnace blower	Iron and steel long process	Lower cost enriched oxygen and reduced oxygen dissipation	Mature oxygen generation and unique oxygen mixing system before blower with convenient startup, shutdown, and load regulation
Oxyfuel pathway oxygen supply enabling carbon capture readiness	Cement	High CO2 concentration flue gas support	Described cement process reaches over 75% CO2 at preheater outlet with downstream PSA-based CO2 capture and purification
Oxygen-enriched secondary air management for waste burning	Waste incineration	More complete combustion and environmental benefits	Enrichment to 25% to 30% oxygen reduces excess air coefficient and supports decomposition of toxic organics at high temperature
Recovery-focused O&M for plants with frequent load changes	Multi-industry	Reduced failures and improved availability	Specialized scaled management reduces failure rate and sustains operation rate over 98% with long-term efficiency improvement
O&M outsourcing for enterprises building internal oxygen plants but lacking expertise	Manufacturing and process industries	Lower staffing burden and faster stable operation	Professional provider handles inspections, maintenance, spares, and performance control while customer focuses on core production

Competitive Comparison

Feature or Aspect	This Product	Typical Alternative
Responsibility for oxygen plant safety and performance	✓ Fully responsible for safety, operation, and O&M management	✗ Fragmented responsibility across internal teams and multiple vendors
O&M scope	✓ Production operation, inspection, maintenance, repair, spares, field tasks, energy consumption, start-up and shutdown	✗ Limited to reactive repair or partial maintenance scope
Digital operations capability	✓ Remote technology center plus big data system and intelligent management tools	✗ Minimal remote diagnostics and limited data-driven optimization
Operational availability target	✓ Operation rate enhanced to more than 98%	✗ Uptime depends on in-house staffing and inconsistent processes
Cost control approach	✓ Long-term power consumption control and continuous efficiency improvement	✗ Energy performance not systematically optimized
Safety management	✓ Preventive measures and systematic safety enhancement	✗ Safety controls vary by site and may be less standardized
Start-up and shutdown flexibility	✓ Emphasized flexibility, fast production reaching, strong stability	✗ Slower response and greater variability during transitions
Suitability for oxygen-enriched combustion furnaces	✓ Proven delivery to industrial furnaces across multiple sectors	✗ Limited cross-industry experience and fewer reference integrations
Industrial references supporting scalability	✓ More than 300 oxygen generators constructed across fields	✗ Fewer large-scale references and narrower deployment base

Technology & Design Highlights

Built for High-Threshold VPSA Oxygen Plant Operations

A VPSA oxygen plant is large and complex, and oxygen is a combustion-supporting gas that requires disciplined safety and performance management. The service framework is designed around this operational reality by combining preventive measures, systematic safety enhancement, and performance indicator ownership under one professional team.

Specialized and Scaled O&M Management Model

Specialized and scaled technologies and administration reduce overall failure rate and raise operational stability. This is paired with structured inspection regimes, maintenance planning, spare parts management, and performance monitoring that collectively improve the oxygen system long-term stable online rate.

Remote Big Data Intelligent Support

A remote technology center analyzes and diagnoses operation data to support fast troubleshooting, safer operation, and best performance. Intelligent management tools and a big data system sustain leading technologies, safe operation, and optimal oxygen system performance, enabling continuous improvement in real operating conditions.

Energy-Saving and Low Energy Consumption Operations

Cost optimization is anchored in controlling power consumption during operation and maintaining it at a low level on a long-term basis. By linking energy consumption management to O&M routines, the service drives continuous efficiency improvement rather than one-time optimization.

Integrated Fit with Oxygen-Enriched and Oxyfuel Applications

O&M service is designed around real furnace and kiln consumption patterns where start-up and shut-down flexibility, fast production reaching, and strong stability matter. The application references span non-ferrous metallurgy, glass and fiberglass kilns, blast furnace oxygen enrichment, cement oxyfuel carbon-capture-oriented pathways, and waste incineration oxygen enrichment.

Industry Compliance & Quality Assurance

PKU Pioneer is a state-recognized high-tech enterprise established in 1999 that specializes in research and development of VPSA and PSA gas separation and energy-saving and environmental protection technologies, as well as the design, manufacture, and engineering construction of complete sets of equipment. The company has multiple subsidiaries, an R&D center, a pilot base, adsorbent and catalyst production bases, and a Beijing key Laboratory of Engineering, providing the organizational backbone needed for safe and consistent oxygen plant operation services.

Relying on the College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Peking University and a jointly established R&D platform, the company maintains a highly efficient R&D team, rich engineering experience, and a sophisticated service system. The complete set of units developed based on proprietary adsorbents and catalysts supports industrial gas applications across iron and steel, chemical industry, non-ferrous metallurgy, glass and fiberglass, new energy, solid waste, paper making, waste incineration, and water treatment.

Across over 400 designed and constructed large and medium VPSA gas separation and purification plants and projects, performance indicators are stated to have reached the international advanced standard. This engineering depth, combined with remote diagnostics and structured field execution, supports a trustworthy O&M delivery model focused on safety, availability, and long-term cost performance.

Global Reach & Target Markets

Operation and Maintenance Services is suited for industrial regions where reliable oxygen supply is critical to furnace, kiln, and combustion process performance, and where specialized operations expertise can materially reduce cost and operational risk. With extensive successful case studies and rich experience across major industrial fields, PKU Pioneer supports localization requirements including plant safety practices, operational documentation norms, and environmental performance expectations.

With a proven track record of over 400 gas separation and purification projects and more than 300 VPSA and PSA oxygen generators constructed for industrial use, the service model is designed for scalability across multiple regions and industries. Localization-ready remote monitoring and data diagnosis capabilities help standardize performance across sites and provide consistent operating discipline regardless of region-specific workforce constraints.

Target Region	Customer Types	Industry Focus	Our Advantage
East Asia	Steel producers, non-ferrous smelters, glass and cement manufacturers, EPC firms	Blast furnace oxygen enrichment, non-ferrous metallurgy, glass and fiberglass kilns, cement and waste burning	Extensive reference base with integrated oxygen enrichment solutions and data-driven O&M support for stable long-term online operation
Southeast Asia	Industrial manufacturers, engineering contractors, industrial parks	Glass and fiberglass, non-ferrous metallurgy, waste incineration and thermal systems	Strong fit for outsourced O&M where specialized staffing is limited, supported by remote technology center and standardized management
South Asia	Steelmakers, metals processors, EPC firms, large industrial groups	Blast furnace enrichment, industrial furnaces, cement	Specialized scaled O&M approach targets lower oxygen cost and higher uptime through preventive measures and performance control
Middle East	EPC firms, industrial investors, government-backed industrial projects	Cement oxyfuel readiness, metals processing, large combustion systems	Systematic safety enhancement and stable oxygen supply management aligned with high availability requirements and performance-driven operations
Europe	Retrofit specialists, process manufacturers, engineering firms	Glass and fiberglass, metals processing, environmental performance programs	Mature O&M discipline with digital diagnostics supports continuous efficiency improvement and reliable oxygen-enriched combustion performance

Customer Success & Experience

Operation and Maintenance Services is built on hands-on experience managing industrial oxygen plants that feed oxygen-enriched combustion in demanding production environments. The service is grounded in extensive engineering delivery across over 400 VPSA gas separation and purification plants and projects and an installed base of more than 300 VPSA and PSA oxygen generators constructed for various industrial fields, providing practical operational learning that improves stability, safety, and efficiency over time.

Customers choose this service when oxygen supply is essential but not a core business capability. Typical deployments include non-ferrous smelting operations requiring stable oxygen for productivity improvement, glass and fiberglass kilns where oxygen continuity is critical, blast furnace enrichment integrations where oxygen supply must match production plans, cement operations exploring oxyfuel pathways with carbon capture readiness, and waste incineration plants that benefit from improved combustion completeness and environmental performance.

Repeat engagement is driven by measurable outcomes: operation rate enhanced to more than 98%, reduced maintenance cost through scaled management, and continuous efficiency improvement achieved by long-term power consumption control. Remote data diagnosis and intelligent management tools strengthen after-sales capability by enabling faster troubleshooting, higher safety assurance, and sustained best-performance operation across multiple sites and regions.