The application of oxygen, nitrogen and argon in steel industry

Oxygen
The processes of puddling and steel-making need much oxygen.
Oxygen top blowing converter steel-making
Blast furnace rich oxygen blast
Electric furnace steel-making
COREX steel-making
Steel processing, continuous casting flame cutting, cleaning and so on, tonnage oxygen consumption is 10 ~ 12Nm3
Nitrogen
Nitrogen is mainly used in metallurgical works for sealing gas, conveying gas, protecting gas, stirring gas, blowing gas, instrument gas, etc.
At present, the consumption ratio of oxygen and nitrogen in metallurgical plants is about 1:1, and the nitrogen consumption is also increasing. The nitrogen production should be properly reserved on design.
Argon
Argon is used for stainless steel smelting, steel ladle argon lowing, conticaster steel ladle and tundish nozzle sealing, protecting gas, etc.
At present, the energy consumption of argon in metallurgical plants is not very large, about 3 ~ 4.5Nm cubed per ton of steel, usually after the total amount is extracted, spare parts are sold.

(source:http://www.airseparation-plant.cn/the-application-of-oxygen-nitrogen-and-argon-in-steel-industry/)