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Enhanced helium recovery

  • US 5,632,803 A
  • Filed: 08/21/1995
  • Issued: 05/27/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/21/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method for the separation of helium from an input gas stream containing helium and other gases comprising feeding said input gas from a source to a membrane separation unit at an elevated pressure, flowing a residue stream from said membrane separation unit, a first portion of said residue gas stream being flowed to the source of said input gas and flowing a permeate gas stream enriched in helium from said membrane separation unit to a first stage of a first stage and a second stage pressure swing adsorption unit and after processing said permeate gas in said first stage of pressure swing adsorption flowing the non-adsorbed portion of said permeate gas from said first stage of pressure swing adsorption to said second stage of pressure swing adsorption, said first stage of pressure swing adsorption and said second stage of pressure swing adsorption each containing a plurality of interconnected adsorbent beds, the first stage of pressure swing adsorption concentrating the helium in said input gas stream to greater than about 50 percent helium by volume and in said second stage of pressure swing adsorption concentrating said input gas stream to greater than about 95 percent helium by volume, a second portion of said residue gas stream being fed to said first stage of pressure swing adsorption as a processing gas.

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