A method for recovering a helium product or intermediate product, wherein a first natural gas stream containing helium is supplied to a first natural gas processing unit and at least one second natural gas stream containing helium is supplied to at least one second natural gas processing unit, at least the first natural gas processing unit comprising helium recovery means via which the helium product is formed from at least a part of the first natural gas stream. At least temporarily a helium transfer from the at least one second natural gas stream to the first natural gas stream by means of a helium transfer arrangement comprising a membrane unit is performed before the first natural gas stream is provided to the first natural gas processing unit and before the at least one second natural gas stream is provided to the at least one second natural gas processing unit.

Process for the combined production of a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen, and of carbon monoxide by cryogenic distillation and cryogenic scrubbing, wherein a methane-rich liquid is introduced at a first intermediate level of a scrubbing column as first scrubbing liquid and at least one nitrogen-rich liquid is introduced at a level higher than the first level of the scrubbing column as second scrubbing liquid and a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen is drawn off as overhead gas from the scrubbing column.

In a helium purification process, a stream containing at least 10% of helium, at least 10% of nitrogen in addition to hydrogen and methane is separated to form a helium-enriched stream containing hydrogen, a first stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane and a second stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane, the helium-enriched stream is treated to produce a helium-rich product and a residual gas containing water, the residual gas is treated by adsorption (TSA) to remove the water and the regeneration gas from the adsorption is sent to a combustion unit (O).

Recovering helium from a gaseous stream includes contacting an acid gas removal membrane with a gaseous stream to yield a permeate stream and a residual stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the residual stream to yield a first acid gas stream and a helium depleted clean gas stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the permeate stream to yield a second acid gas stream and a helium rich stream, and removing helium from the helium rich stream to yield a helium product stream and a helium depleted stream. A helium removal system for removing helium from a gaseous stream including hydrocarbon gas, acid gas, and helium includes a first processing zone including a first acid gas removal unit, a second processing zone including a second acid gas removal unit, a third processing zone, and a helium purification unit.

In a method for separating a synthesis gas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a synthesis gas flow from a synthesis gas source is compressed in a compressor and separated into at least three gaseous products. If there is insufficient synthesis gas, at least three separation products are recycled in the compressor in order to separate said products.

Xenon is contained within articles of manufacture such as light bulbs. Described herein are an apparatus, system, a method to capture and collect the xenon contained in articles of manufacture such as defective light bulbs for recovery and/or reuse.

In a helium purification process, a stream containing at least 10% of helium, at least 10% of nitrogen in addition to hydrogen and methane is separated to form a helium-enriched stream containing hydrogen, a first stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane and a second stream enriched in nitrogen and in methane, the helium-enriched stream is treated to produce a helium-rich product and a residual gas containing water, the residual gas is treated by adsorption (TSA) to remove the water and the regeneration gas from the adsorption is sent to a combustion unit (O).

The present invention relates to an adsorption process for xenon recovery from a cryogenic liquid or gas stream wherein a bed of adsorbent is contacted with a xenon-containing liquid or gas stream selectively adsorbing the xenon from said stream. The adsorption bed is operated to at least near full breakthrough with xenon to enable a deep rejection of other stream components, prior to regeneration using the temperature swing method. After the stripping step, the xenon adsorbent bed is drained to clear out the liquid residue left in the nonselective void space and the xenon molecules in those void spaces is recycled upstream to the ASU distillation column for increasing xenon recovery. The xenon adsorbent bed is optionally purged with oxygen, followed by purging with gaseous argon at cryogenic temperature (160 K) to displace the oxygen co-adsorbed on the AgX adsorbent due to higher selectivity of argon over oxygen on the AgX adsorbent. By the end of this step, the xenon adsorbent bed is filled with argon and xenon. Then the entire adsorbent bed is heated indirectly without utilizing any of the purge gas for direct heating. Operating the adsorption bed to near full breakthrough with xenon and displacing the adsorbed oxygen and other residues with argon, prior to regeneration, along with indirect heating of the bed, enables production of a high purity product 40 vol % xenon from the adsorption bed and further enables safely heating without any purge gas and ease for downstream product collection, even in cases where hydrocarbons are co-present in the feed stream.

The present invention is an apparatus and method for continuously separating, removing and purifying the solid residue, resulting from the conversion of hydrocarbons into carbon and hydrogen, from the homogeneous phase of different density contained in a cracking reactor with which said solid residue is not soluble, and where the separation of the solid carbon occur at two subsequent moments: a first separation occurs inside the reactor between the reaction products, including carbon, and the melting bath; a second separation then occurs outside the reactor between the carbon and the gas produced in a separation system (1) of the solid phase from the gas phase, where said separation system (1) also includes carbon purification.

Recovering helium from a gaseous stream includes contacting an acid gas removal membrane with a gaseous stream to yield a permeate stream and a residual stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the residual stream to yield a first acid gas stream and a helium depleted clean gas stream, removing a majority of the acid gas from the permeate stream to yield a second acid gas stream and a helium rich stream, and removing helium from the helium rich stream to yield a helium product stream and a helium depleted stream. A helium removal system for removing helium from a gaseous stream including hydrocarbon gas, acid gas, and helium includes a first processing zone including a first acid gas removal unit, a second processing zone including a second acid gas removal unit, a third processing zone, and a helium purification unit.