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US 2021/0069633 A1Published application
Method and system for extracting pure helium
AssigneeLinde Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsTobias KELLER, Martin BAUER, Patrick SCHIFFMANN
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AssigneeLinde Aktiengesellschaft
InventorsTobias KELLER, Martin BAUER, Patrick SCHIFFMANN
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a method (200-400) for extracting pure helium using a first membrane separation stage (1), a second membrane separation stage (2), and a third membrane separation stage (3), in which a first helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the first membrane separation stage (1), a second helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the second membrane separation stage (2), and a third helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the third membrane separation stage (3), and in which a first permeate and a first retentate are formed in the first membrane separation stage (1), a second permeate and a second retentate are formed in the second membrane separation stage (2), and a third permeate and a third retentate are formed in the third membrane separation stage (3). According to the invention, the first feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of a helium-containing starting mixture, the second feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of the first permeate, the third feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of the second retentate, the second permeate is at least partially processed by pressure-swing adsorption in order to obtain the pure helium and a remaining mixture, and at least one portion of the third permeate and/or at least one portion of the third retentate is guided back into the method (200). The invention also relates to a corresponding system.
Method (100-400) for extracting pure helium using a first membrane separation stage (1), a second membrane separation stage (2), and a third membrane separation stage (3), wherein a first helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the first membrane separation stage (1), a second helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the second membrane separation stage (2), and a third helium-containing feed mixture is supplied to the third membrane separation stage (3), and wherein a first permeate and a first retentate are formed in the first membrane separation stage (1), a second permeate and a second retentate are formed in the second membrane separation stage (2), and a third permeate and a third retentate are formed in the third membrane separate stage (3), wherein the first feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of a helium-containing starting mixture, that the second feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of the first permeate, that the third feed mixture is formed using at least one portion of the second retentate, that the second permeate is at least partially processed by pressure switch adsorption in order to obtain the pure helium and a remaining mixture, and that at least one portion of the third permeate and/or at least one portion of the third retentate is guided back into the method, wherein at least one portion of the remaining mixture is used in the formation of the second feed mixture, and at least one portion of the third permeate is used in the formation of the second feed mixture,
System (200-400) for extracting pure helium, having a first membrane separation stage (1), a second membrane separation stage (2), and a third membrane separation stage (3), wherein means are provided which are configured to supply a first helium-containing feed mixture to the first membrane separation stage (1), a second helium-containing feed mixture to the second membrane separation stage (2), and a third helium-containing feed mixture to the third membrane separation stage (3), wherein the first membrane separation stage (1) is configured to form a first permeate and a first retentate, wherein the second membrane separation stage (2) is configured to form a second permeate and a second retentate, and wherein the third membrane separation stage (3) is configured to form a third permeate and a third retentate, wherein a means is provided which are configured to form the first feed mixture using at least one portion of a helium-containing starting mixture, to form the second feed mixture using at least one portion of the first permeate, to form the third feed mixture using at least one portion of the second retentate, to process the second permeate at least partially in order to obtain the pure helium and a remaining mixture through pressure-swing adsorption, and to guide at least one portion of the third permeate and/or at least one portion of the third retentate back into the method (200), wherein at least one portion of the remaining mixture and at least one portion of the third permeate are guided back into the first permeate, and wherein the remaining mixture, the third permeate are combined with the first permeate and subjected to carbon dioxide removal after they are combined, characterized in that the carbon dioxide removal is an adsorption process in which at least one rinsing and displacement gas is introduced, and wherein at least one portion of the second or third retentate is introduced as the or one of the rinsing and displacement gases in the adsorption process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.