Device and process for extracting helium from natural gas

Abstract

The invention discloses a device for extracting helium from natural gas. The device comprises a frame, a combustion module, an alkali liquor spraying module, a molecular sieve drying module, a filtering module, a heat exchange module, a refrigeration separation module and a magnetic suspension high-speed centrifugal separation module, wherein the combustion module, the alkali liquor spraying module, the molecular sieve drying module and the filtering module are sequentially arranged from bottom to top; the combustion module is connected with the alkali liquor spraying module; the alkali liquorspraying module is connected with the molecular sieve drying module; the molecular sieve drying module is connected with the filtering module; the filtering module is connected with the heat exchangemodule; the heat exchange module is connected with the refrigeration separation module; and the refrigeration separation module is connected with the magnetic suspension high-speed centrifugal separation module. According to the method, only helium and a small amount of hydrogen are left in the helium-containing natural gas tail gas through the steps of combustion, spraying, drying, filtering, pre-cooling and condensation separation, and then the helium and the small amount of hydrogen are introduced into the magnetic suspension high-speed centrifugal separation device to be effectively separated, so high energy consumption of a traditional cryogenic method is avoided, and helium extraction cost is greatly reduced.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to the technical field of helium extraction, in particular to a device and process for extracting helium from natural gas. Background technique [0002] Helium is an important rare strategic resource and also a non-renewable resource. Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, neutron accelerators, missile satellites, low-temperature superconductivity research, gas detection and leak detection, helium aircraft, optical fiber manufacturing, medical treatment, and semiconductor manufacturing are all inseparable from helium. [0003] Helium-containing natural gas is still an important source of industrial production of helium. my country's helium resources are not only poor in quantity, but also low in content, and the cost of mining helium simply by cryogenic method is relatively high. [0004] The remaining hydrogen and nitrogen after conventional separation are the most difficult to separate, because the boiling points of hydrogen and ...

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Problems solved by technology

[0004] The remaining hydrogen and nitrogen after conventional separation are the most difficult to separate, because the boiling points of hydrogen and nitrogen are extremely low and close to each other. If the cryogenic method is used for separation, the energy consumption will be large, which does not meet the goal of energy saving and emission reduction.

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