Helium reclamation and recycling filtration system and method for analytical instrumentation

A helium recycling process for a gas chromatograph comprising:

• a. diverting at least a portion of a gas stream from a split vent of said gas chromatograph;
• b. filtering said gas stream through a mini particulate filter;
• c. filtering said gas stream through a molecular sieve filter;
• d. filtering said gas stream through a finishing filter;
• e. maintaining a pressurized system throughout said recycling process at 80-100 psi;
• and
• f. reusing a resultant pure helium output gas.

A method of reclaiming helium from a gas chromatograph comprising:

• a. diverting at least a portion of contaminated gas from at least a split vent of said gas chromatograph via a plurality of tubing;
• b. subjecting said contaminated gas to pressurization by utilizing a pump and a controller to maintain a constant flow rate of said contaminated gas;
• c. wherein said controller selectively activates and deactivates said pump to create, monitor, and maintain a pressure level between 80 and 100 psi;
• d. said contaminated gas filtered through a mini particulate filter through said plurality of tubing;
• e. wherein said mini particulate filter comprises one or more filter members to remove gases selected from the group consisting of:
• water;
• hydrocarbons;
• volatile aromatic compounds;
• and combinations thereof,
• f. thereafter, said contaminated gas filtered through a molecular sieve filter, comprising removable end caps and a filter member comprising at least one pore three or four angstrom in size, through said plurality of tubing;
• g. wherein said molecular sieve filter removes at least one of non-condensable gas and permanent gas selected from the group consisting of:
• oxygen;
• nitrogen;
• carbon monoxide;
• carbon dioxide;
• and combinations thereof,
• h. thereafter, said contaminated gas filtered through a finishing filter, comprising indicators to indicate filter saturation and at least one filter member selected from the group consisting of:
• a molecular sieve filter;
• an activated alumina filter;
• an activated carbon filter;
• a zinc oxide filter;
• and combinations thereof, through said plurality of tubing to produce a pure helium output gas;
• i. wherein said finishing filter removes trace contaminants selected from the group consisting of:
• oxygen;
• water;
• carbon monoxide;
• carbon dioxide;
• sulfurs;
• halogens;
• alcohols;
• phenols;
• and combinations thereof;
• and
• j. wherein said pure helium output gas stream is transported to an input gas stream of said gas chromatograph or to a storage medium connected to said plurality of tubing.