Process for helium enrichment

US5089048A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Bergwerksverband GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Karl Knoblauch
• Erwin Pilarczyk · Bottrop, DE
• Klaus D. Giessler · Menlo Park, US
• Hans Bukowski · Essen, DE
• Joseph S. D'Amico · Russellville, US
• Herbert E. Reinhold, III · Annapolis, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 17, 1989
• Grant date: Feb 18, 1992
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02P20/156
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A method is provided for extracting helium from a relatively helium poor gas mixture through a pressure swing adsorption process which adhieves an enriched product gas containing over 50% helium. The gas mixture to be enriched is fed cyclically to four adsorber vessels ranged in parallel which successively pass through a pressure build-up, an adsorptive and a pressure relief phase, with pressure build-up and relief being in part brought about by pressure compensation with any one of the other adsorbers. The pressure-build up and relief phases include a series of three and four, respectively, steps involving alternating pressure levels. As a preliminary treatment, the process may include an initial step wherein the unenriched gas mixture is first fed through a series of pre-filters filled with activated carbon for removing higher hydrocarbons.