(19)
(11) EP 3 205 964 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
13.12.2017 Bulletin 2017/50

(43) Date of publication A2:
16.08.2017 Bulletin 2017/33

(21) Application number: 17155442.1

(22) Date of filing: 09.02.2017
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC): 
F25J 3/06(2006.01)
F25J 3/08(2006.01)
 F25J 3/02(2006.01)
(84) Designated Contracting States:
AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR
Designated Extension States:
BA ME
Designated Validation States:
MA MD

(30) Priority: 11.02.2016 US 201615041305

(71) Applicant: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC.
Allentown, Pennsylvania 18195 (US)

(72) Inventors:
  • WHITE, Vincent
    Ashtead, Surrey KT21 1SE (GB)
  • HIGGINBOTHAM, Paul
    Guildford, Surrey GU1 2SY (GB)
  • PALAMARA, John Eugene
    Macungie, PA Pennsylvania 18062 (US)
  • BERGER, Alan
    North Wales, PA Pennsylvania 19454 (US)

(74) Representative: Beck Greener 
Fulwood House 12 Fulwood Place
London WC1V 6HR
London WC1V 6HR (GB)

   


(54) RECOVERY OF HELIUM FROM NITROGEN-RICH STREAMS


(57) Overall power consumption in a cryogenic distillation process for recovering helium from nitrogen-rich gases comprising helium may be reduced if the feed to the distillation column system is at least substantially condensed by indirect heat exchange against a first bottoms liquid at first pressure, and a second bottoms liquid at a second pressure that is different from the first pressure.







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