Diving into the heart of Air Liquide's Air Separation Unit at Montoir-de-Bretagne

Published on August 22, 2025

2 minutes

Air is a precious mixture of gases, essential to many industries. At Air Liquide, we have mastered the art of separating these components thanks to our Air Separation Units (ASUs).

By moving around using the arrows at the top left of the screen, follow our reporter and discover this fascinating process through a 360° video tour of our Montoir-de-Bretagne production unit, in western France. For a better viewing experience, set the video's parameters to 2060 4K quality.

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How an ASU works: precision engineering

An ASU is a complex installation designed to separate the main components of atmospheric air: nitrogen, oxygen and argon. The process is based on the different boiling points of these gases. The air is first filtered to remove impurities, then compressed and cooled to the point of liquefaction. The gases are then separated and purified by precise cryogenic distillation. The video will give you a detailed view of the various stages in this process, from filters to distillation columns, and help you understand the ingenuity of our Montoir-de-Bretagne facilities.

Montoir-de-Bretagne: a strategic site serving industry

The Air Liquide site in Montoir-de-Bretagne plays a key role in the supply of industrial gases in the region. Thanks to its state-of-the-art ASU, it produces high-purity oxygen and nitrogen for various sectors such as steelmaking, chemicals, food processing and healthcare. Immerse yourself in this dynamic industrial environment, and discover the know-how of our teams.