A process to purify helium from a feed gas stream containing a mixture of at least nitrogen, methane and helium including introducing the feed gas stream into a first helium membrane separation unit, thereby producing a first helium membrane permeate and a first helium membrane residue; introducing at least part of the first residue into a first nitrogen membrane separation unit thereby producing a first nitrogen membrane permeate stream; introducing a stream derived from the first helium membrane permeate into a hydrogen PSA unit thereby producing a helium rich product stream. Wherein a stream derived from the first nitrogen membrane permeate stream exits the system as a fuel gas product stream. Wherein the feed gas stream has a higher heating value, and wherein the first nitrogen membrane permeate stream has a higher heating value at least 5% higher than the higher heating value of the feed gas.

A system and method for separating Kr gas from Xe gas utilizing natural clinoptilolite. The method includes separating Kr gas from Xe gas by selectively adsorbing Kr gas. The method includes providing a vessel comprising a Kr adsorbent bed comprising a natural clinoptilolite adsorbent. A feed gas comprising Kr gas and Xe gas is exposed to the Kr adsorbent bed for a residence time to selectively adsorb sufficient Kr gas from the feed gas to form a Xe enriched gas raffinate product. The Xe enriched gas raffinate product is removed from the vessel. Thereafter, the Kr adsorbent bed is regenerated to release a Kr enriched gas extract product.

Provided is a waste gas treatment device including a waste gas inlet configured to introduce waste gas discharged from a semiconductor processing chamber and an adsorption unit configured to adsorb competitive adsorption gas from the waste gas flowing from the waste gas inlet, and configured to adsorb xenon (Xe) from the waste gas from which the competitive adsorption gas has been removed, and recover the adsorbed xenon. Also provided are waste gas treatment methods, and waste gas adsorption and recovery systems including the present waste gas treatment devices.

System for purifying argon by cryogenic distillation, comprising a single column surmounted by a top-end condenser, a fluid inlet in the lower part of the column, a fluid outlet in the upper part of the column, and N distillation sections where N4, of which at least the two uppermost sections of the column are equipped respectively with a first liquid distributor and with a second liquid distributor, the second distributor being capable of performing a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the distributor, each of the first and second distributors being positioned above the respective section and of which the two lowermost sections of the column are respectively equipped with a (N1)th and an Nth liquid distributor capable of performing a function of mixing together liquids that fall onto the distributor, and which is arranged above the respective section, the first, second, (N1)th and Nth distributors each being dimensioned to contain a maximum height of liquid head, that (those) of the first and second distributors being greater than that (those) of the (N1)th and Nth distributors.

A system and method of optimizing the production of argon in a cryogenic air separation unit using a temperature profile of a distillation column or distillation column section obtained via fiber optic temperature measurements on the exterior surface of the distillation column or the distillation column section is provided. The temperature profiles are used to determine the vertical location and/or spatial movement of the maximum argon concentration in the distillation column or the distillation column section. Distillation column operation is then adjusted such that the vertical location or spatial movement of the maximum argon concentration is aligned proximate with the location of an argon-rich draw from the distillation column.

The present invention relates to a cryogenic process to produce crude helium from pretreated natural gas. The pretreated natural gas is processed in two flash stages using the helium free process stream as a stripping agent, and a distillation column with the identified operating conditions and process scheme to ensure 100% helium recovery with reduced capital and operating cost for producing the crude helium. The integration of the cryogenic process with the already known purification system to produce pure helium is demonstrated to ensure high helium recovery in a hybrid process.