Process for recovering helium from a multi-component gas stream
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsJung S. Choe, Rakesh Agrawal, Steven R. Auvil
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention involves an efficient process for recovering helium from a gas mixture containing helium and at least one other component. Separation is effected by integrating a semi-permeable membrane-based unit with a non-membrane type separation unit.
Claims22
A process for recovering helium from a feed gas mixture comprising helium and at least one other component, said process comprising providing an additional degree of freedom for adjusting the process parameters by:
- (a) treating said feed gas mixture in a non-membrane separation unit to produce a helium-enriched stream and a helium-depleted stream;
- (b) withdrawing at least a portion of the helium-enriched stream from the non-membrane separation unit;
- (c) feeding said portion of said helium-enriched stream to a membrane separation unit, wherein said helium-enriched stream is separated to form a helium-rich stream and a helium-lean stream;
- (d) recycling the helium-lean stream to the non-membrane separation unit for further treatment and separation to produce a helium-depleted stream;
- and
- (e) recovering the helium-rich stream from the membrane separation unit.
A process for recovering helium from a feed gas mixture comprising helium and at least one other component, said process comprising providing an additional degree of freedom for adjusting the process parameters by:
- (a) passing said feed gas mixture through a first membrane separation unit to form a first helium-rich stream and a first helium-lean stream;
- (b) treating said helium-lean stream in a non-membrane separation unit to produce a helium-enriched stream and a helium-depleted stream;
- (c) withdrawing at least a portion of the helium-enriched stream from the non-membrane separation unit;
- (d) feeding said portion of said helium-enriched stream to a second membrane unit wherein said helium-enriched stream is separated to form a second helium-rich stream and a second helium-lean stream;
- (e) recycling the second helium-lean stream to the non-membrane separation unit for further treatment and separation to produce a helium-depleted stream;
- and
- (f) recovering both helium-rich streams.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.