Helium Production Process

Abstract

Development of large-scale helium production operations in the United States over the period from World War I to the present is an interesting chapter in the history of the chemical industry. Of particular interest is the method of production whereby helium is extracted from certain helium-bearing natural gases by processing at very low temperatures and relatively high pressures. Most of the helium has been produced by a method developed and used by the Federal Bureau of Mines. Other methods have been proposed1, 2, 3, 4 but are not known to have been used extensively or for large-scale production. The Bureau of Mines process has been described only in a general way in the past ^{5, 6, 7, 8, 9}. It is the purpose of this paper to give additional information, including some details of the process cycles and equipment used.

Reprinted by permission from Chemical Engineering Progress, Vol. 44, No. 7, 567–572 (1948).