Process for the purification of a cryogenic fluid by filtration and/or adsorption
AssigneeL'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
InventorsDaniel Gary, Rene Lardeau, Philippe Fraysse, Frederic Castellanet
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Abstract
Process and apparatus for the purification of a cryogenic fluid in liquid, diphase, gaseous or supercritical state, having a boiling point Pe, with at least one of its impurities having a boiling point Pe', with Pe'>Pe. The process includes at least one step selected from the group comprised by: a filtration step of at least one impurity in solid state, and an adsorption step of at least one impurity in liquid or gaseous state; and in which there is recovered at least one portion of the cryogenic fluid at least partially purified.
Claims11
Process for the purification of helium in liquid, diphasic, gaseous or supercritical phase by removal of its carbon dioxide and water impurities, and at least one other of its impurities selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, neon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, argon, krypton, xenon, and hydrocarbons, the process comprising the steps of:
- filtering at least one impurity in solid state;
- adsorbing at least one impurity in liquid or gaseous state;
- and
- recovering at least a portion of purified helium, said purified helium containing no more than 1 ppb of said impurities.
Apparatus for the purification of helium in liquid, diphasic, gaseous or supercritical phase by removal of its carbon dioxide and water impurities, and at least one other of its impurities selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, neon, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, oxygen, argon, krypton, xenon, and hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:
- a source of polluted helium;
- a purification zone fluidly connected to said source of polluted helium;
- said purification zone comprising at least one mechanical filter and at least one adsorbent bed;
- and
- recovery means fluidly connected to said purification zone for recovering at least a portion of purified helium, containing no more than 1 ppb of said impurities, from said purification zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.