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The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Patent No.:

US 10036590 B1

PDFFull Text
Date of Patent:
Jul. 31, 2018

Filed:

Nov. 01, 2016

Helium recovery from streams containing helium, carbon dioxide, and at least one of nitrogen and methane

Applicant:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);

Inventors:

Jason Michael Ploeger, Perkasie, PA (US);

Jin Cao, Orefield, PA (US);

Paul Higginbotham, Surrey, GB;

Assignee:

Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);

Attorney:

Amy Carr-Trexler

Primary Examiner:

Frank M Lawrence, Jr

Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B01D 53/047 (2006.01); F25J 3/00 (2006.01); F25J 3/02 (2006.01); B01D 53/22 (2006.01); B01D 63/02 (2006.01); B01D 63/10 (2006.01); B01D 69/14 (2006.01); B01D 69/10 (2006.01); B01D 53/00 (2006.01); F25J 3/06 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
F25J 3/029 (2013.01); B01D 53/002 (2013.01); B01D 53/047 (2013.01); B01D 53/228 (2013.01); B01D 63/02 (2013.01); B01D 63/10 (2013.01); B01D 69/10 (2013.01); B01D 69/141 (2013.01); F25J 3/0209 (2013.01); F25J 3/0266 (2013.01); F25J 3/061 (2013.01); F25J 3/067 (2013.01); F25J 3/069 (2013.01); B01D 2053/224 (2013.01); B01D 2256/18 (2013.01); B01D 2257/102 (2013.01); B01D 2257/504 (2013.01); B01D 2257/7025 (2013.01); F25J 2200/02 (2013.01); F25J 2200/40 (2013.01); F25J 2205/02 (2013.01); F25J 2205/04 (2013.01); F25J 2205/30 (2013.01); F25J 2205/40 (2013.01); F25J 2205/60 (2013.01); F25J 2205/80 (2013.01); F25J 2205/82 (2013.01); F25J 2210/04 (2013.01); F25J 2230/80 (2013.01); F25J 2235/80 (2013.01); F25J 2245/02 (2013.01); F25J 2270/02 (2013.01); Y02C 10/12 (2013.01);
Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for recovering helium from a feed comprising helium, carbon dioxide, and at least one of nitrogen and methane. The feed is separated in a first separator to form helium-enriched stream and a CO-enriched stream. The helium-enriched stream is separated in a pressure swing adsorption unit to form a helium-rich product stream and a helium-lean stream. At least a portion of the helium-lean stream is recycled to the first separator with the feed. In some embodiments, a membrane separation unit is used to enhance helium recovery.

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