A Technological Method for Optimizing the Integrated Resource- and Energy-Saving Factor in the Membrane Recovery of Helium from Stripped High-Pressure Natural Gas

Abstract

A comparative analysis of flowcharts for helium recovery from high-pressure natural gas using modern gas separation membranes has been performed. Options have been investigated in one class of two-stage flowcharts with one interstage compressor and a single-step helium extraction process in the first stage. The results of numerical optimization for minimizing the total energy costs, including the resource-saving factor for the methane component, are presented, and recommendations on the engineering design of the membrane unit are given.