Medical CO2 Purification System

USP CO₂ is medical-grade carbon dioxide commonly used in healthcare and laboratory applications. While final product qualification is the customer’s responsibility, typical industry characteristics include:

Typical Characteristics

• High purity ≥99.0%
• Colorless, odorless, nonflammable
• Slightly acidic
• Heavier than air

Common Medical Uses

• Surgical insufflation
• Cryotherapy
• Respiratory therapy
• Laboratory and analytical processes
• Dermatological treatments

Final product compliance is determined by the customer’s own testing and procedures.

How the System Works

• CO₂ vapor is drawn from a beverage/industrial grade bulk tank or microbulk.
• Vapor is routed through controlled automation
• Vapor enters a separate dedicated USP CO2 bulk tank and/or microbulk, which contains an internal refrigeration coil
• As the gas “vapor” cools, it condenses into a liquid
• Once a sufficient volume of purified liquid CO2 has accumulated, the system halts transfer.
• The stored CO2 is analyzed and documented to ensure it meets USP standards before being distributed.
• The validated USP CO2 can then be transferred to liquid dewars or pumped into high-pressure cylinders for medical applications.

This batch-based process provides structure, traceability, and control.

Performance Considerations TO Keep In Mind:

• This is a Batch system (not continuous production)
• Production rate governed primarily by refrigeration coil capacity and refrigeration unit
• Typical batch timelines range from a couple days to under two weeks
• Filling rates align with existing pump/fill capabilities once product is approved

Why Weldcoa’s Approach Is Different

Many systems attempt to improve CO₂ quality using inline filtration alone. Weldcoa’s system leverages phase-change purification, where separation occurs during condensation.

The Theory of Operation is as follows:

The purification system operates based on controlled phase transition and selective impurity removal. The heavy impurities remain in the liquid phase of the Beverage Grade tank and only the CO2 vapor is transferred to the USP tank. When CO2 vapor is cooled and condensed back into a liquid, impurities that do not condense at the same temperature are separated and left behind. This method is significantly more effective than inline filtration because it eliminates contaminants at the liquid phase, ensuring only high-purity CO2 is retained. The process leverages automated controls and monitoring to optimize efficiency and maintain compliance with USP standards.

This proven approach supports true purification — not just filtration.

KEY Technical Advantages Over Competing Systems

Superior Impurity Removal: Unlike inline purification systems that rely on carbon filtration (which may not remove all harmful impurities), this method effectively traps contaminants in the liquid phase, preventing them from reaching the medical-grade supply.

Scalability: The system can accommodate different bulk tank sizes, allowing flexibility based on production demands.

Automated Operation: The HMI touchscreen interface simplifies control and monitoring, reducing manual intervention.

Regulatory Compliance: System operation supports FDA and USP validation requirements, streamlining compliance processes for customers.

Compliance and Validation Support: Customers can leverage third-party expertise (such as Asterisk) to assist with FDA documentation, validation, and qualification procedures.

Who This System Is For

Ideal for:

• Gas distributors or production facilities entering or expanding medical CO₂ supply
• Facilities seeking stronger supply independence and/or lower procurement costs
• Operations focused on consistent quality control over their medical CO2 supply

Not ideal for:

• Facilities without an existing beverage-grade CO2 supply
• General industrial CO2 purification outside of medical applications
• Customers requiring inline purification without a secondary bulk tank.
• Customers unwilling to support batch processing
• Facilities requiring Weldcoa to provide FDA-compliant data logging software

Flexible System Configurations

Because every site is different, Weldcoa offers a modular solution tailored to the facility.

Common scenarios include:

• Facilities with Existing Weldcoa Pump Controls (add-on integration)
  • Specifically for customers who already have a Weldcoa PPC (Pump Control Center) with a Q-series processor and compatible CO2 pump/fill set-up.
  • Offering typically includes: add-on Medical CO2 remote pump interface automation aka RPI box, additional valving, process piping, and a dedicated USP CO2 valve package added onto an existing fill station (using the existing scale/indicator/frame controls where applicable).
• Facilities with Existing Weldcoa Equipment but No Pump Protection / No Automated Pump Controls (control upgrade + integration)
  • Includes site locations that have a CO2 pump and fill station but lack Weldcoa PPC pump protection and automation.
  • Offering typically includes: a “Pump Control” system (with Q-series processor + VFD motor control) for pump control, plus the CO2 RPI box/valving/piping additions, and a dedicated USP valve package.
  • Installation is more involved as it requires adding the “brains” to the existing hardware.
• Facilities with No Existing Weldcoa Equipment
  • Hybrid environments are evaluated on a case-by-case basis
  • Many elements within this type of system (especially when dealing with non-Weldcoa systems) are not “cookie cutter”, therefore require a custom assessment and detailed understanding.

Each system is engineered around the customer’s equipment and goals.

What Customers Can Expect from Weldcoa

Depending on configuration, Weldcoa typically provides:

• Automation and process controls
• Medical CO₂ valve and isolation packages
• Pressure and level monitoring
• Touchscreen operator interface
• Proper cylinder and/or dewar preparation
• Cylinder and/or dewar filling equipment
• On-site commissioning and training

Commissioning focuses on:

• Confirming correct operation
• Validating purge timing and separation
• Onsite training, ensuring operators understand the process

Customer Responsibilities

Successful USP CO₂ programs require customer participation. Customers are responsible for:

• Two dedicated CO₂ storage sources; one being a CO2 tank with an internal refrigeration coil
  • Pressure builder for the Industrial/Beverage CO2 tank
  • Refrigeration unit for the USP CO2 tank
• Ongoing product analysis capabilities and testing
• Compliance documentation

This keeps ownership of compliance with the customer while Weldcoa focuses on equipment integrity.

Interested in Learning More?

Because every facility is different, the next step is a conversation.

Our team will review:

• Your current storage setup
• Pump and fill configuration
• Production goals
• Facility infrastructure

Contact Weldcoa at solutions@weldcoa.com today to begin the evaluation.