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Specialty gas recovery membranes

Product overview
Membrane modules for helium recovery separate and enrich helium from helium-bearing natural gas and other helium-containing streams by exploiting permeation-rate differences between helium and heavier components. Modules deliver a helium-enriched permeate as a pre-concentration step for downstream purification. A membrane module alone does not guarantee final high-purity helium; additional stages or polishing units are often required depending on feed and product targets.

Separation principle
Driven by partial-pressure differences, helium typically permeates faster than methane and nitrogen in suitable membrane materials, resulting in an enriched permeate stream. If the feed contains faster-permeating gases such as hydrogen or CO2, further separation or purification may be needed. Accurate feed analysis is essential for reliable process design.

Typical applications

• Helium-bearing natural gas Separate and concentrate helium from natural-gas streams to provide a helium-enriched feed for downstream treatment.
• Natural gas processing Integrate membrane stages into natural-gas processing to recover helium or adjust helium content in product gas.
• Helium pre-concentration Increase helium concentration ahead of cryogenic or adsorption-based purification units.
• Helium-enriched stream preparation Produce an enriched permeate stream for subsequent compression, cryogenic processing or adsorption polishing without assuming final purity.

Process considerations

• Feed helium content and coexisting components (methane, nitrogen, CO2, H2, etc.) determine separation performance and downstream needs.
• Operating conditions (flow, inlet pressure, temperature) and presence of condensables, droplets or particles require appropriate pretreatment.
• Evaluate product concentration and recovery targets together with energy use, membrane stage count, recycle strategy and downstream purification methods.

Information required

• Complete feed composition with helium content and variation range
• Feed flow rate, inlet pressure and temperature
• Target helium-enriched stream composition and planned downstream purification
• Allowed helium losses or required recovery rate

Technical specifications

• Function: Separation and enrichment of helium from helium-bearing natural gas and other helium-containing streams.
• Separation mechanism: Permeation driven by partial-pressure differences; helium typically permeates faster than methane and nitrogen.
• Product role: Provides a helium-enriched permeate as a pre-concentration step; not a standalone high-purity helium plant.
• Potential downstream requirements: Multiple membrane stages, compression, recycle, cryogenic processing or adsorption polishing depending on feed and product targets.
• Key design considerations: Feed composition, flow rate, inlet pressure and temperature, presence of condensables/droplets/particles, energy use, stage count, recycle strategy and downstream purification method.