US 12,662,379 B2
Process and apparatus to recover helium
Eric Freemantle May, Crawley (AU); Roman Weh, Crawley (AU); and Gongkui Xiao, Crawley (AU)
Assigned to The University of Western Australia, Crawley (AU)
Appl. No. 18/570,557
Filed by The University of Western Australia, Crawley (AU)
PCT Filed Jun. 16, 2022, PCT No. PCT/AU2022/050602
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 14, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/261715, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 22, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2021901823 (AU), filed on Jun. 17, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0217821 A1, Jul. 4, 2024
Int. Cl. C01B 23/00 (2006.01)
CPC C01B 23/0052 (2013.01) [C01B 2210/0014 (2013.01); C01B 2210/0028 (2013.01); C01B 2210/0031 (2013.01); C01B 2210/0046 (2013.01)] 33 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A non-cryogenic process for recovering high purity helium from a feed stream comprising a low helium content gas, the process comprising:
a) introducing the feed stream into a high pressure adsorption column or a low pressure adsorption column of a first dual reflux pressure swing adsorption (DRPSA) unit;
b) separating the feed stream by adsorption into a first reflux product and a first heavy product and circulating the first reflux product and the first heavy product in said first DRPSA unit to produce an intermediate helium-enriched stream;
c) withdrawing the intermediate helium-enriched stream from the first DRPSA unit and introducing the intermediate helium-enriched stream to a high pressure adsorption column or a low pressure adsorption column of a second DRPSA unit;
d) separating the intermediate helium-enriched stream by adsorption into a second reflux product and a second heavy product and circulating the second reflux product and the second heavy product in said second DRPSA unit to produce a high purity helium stream and a waste stream containing helium; and
e) withdrawing the waste stream containing helium from the second DRPSA unit and recycling thereof to one of a plurality of locations in the first DRPSA unit to increase helium recovery in the high purity helium stream produced in the second DRPSA unit.