Helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system and regeneration method

Abstract

The present application relates to a kind of helium purification regeneration system field of high temperature gas cooled reactor nuclear power plant, specifically to a kind of helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system and regeneration method. Including: purification device and regeneration device, purification device and regeneration device are connected by first pipeline and second pipeline, and the fluid flow direction in first pipeline and second pipeline is opposite;First valve assembly, first valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering regeneration device from purification device when regeneration device works, second valve assembly, second valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering purification device from regeneration device when regeneration device works. Solve the helium leakage problem caused by the fact that there are many boundaries in helium purification regeneration system, helium gas molecules are small and permeability is strong when molecular sieve is regenerated, shorten the regeneration cycle of molecular sieve bed, improve the regeneration efficiency and effect of molecular sieve bed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of helium purification and regeneration systems for high-temperature gas-cooled reactor nuclear power plants, specifically to a molecular sieve bed regeneration system and regeneration method for a helium purification system. Background Technology

[0002] High-temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) nuclear power plants use helium as the coolant in the primary loop. During reactor operation, the reactor core (the core region of the nuclear reaction) contains impurities such as H2, O2, CO, CO2, H2O, CH4, and N2. Current technologies employ helium purification systems to remove these impurities from the helium in the core, meeting the reactor's requirements for helium impurity content in the primary loop. Molecular sieve beds, a crucial component of the helium purification system, consist of 1 / 16-inch, strip-shaped 5A molecular sieve particles. Helium flows upwards through the 5A molecular sieves, and at 10°C, H2O and CO2 in the helium are adsorbed by the 5A molecular sieves. When the 5A molecular sieves become saturated, they lose their adsorption capacity and require regeneration through heating and desorption. In current technologies, because HTGRs use a dual-reactor system with multiple reactors, the helium purification and regeneration system has numerous boundaries. During molecular sieve regeneration, the small size and high permeability of helium molecules make leakage from valve boundaries easy, leading to prolonged regeneration times and poor regeneration efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a molecular sieve bed regeneration system and method for a helium purification system, in order to solve the problem that the helium purification regeneration system has many boundaries, and during molecular sieve regeneration, due to the small size and high permeability of helium molecules, it is easy to leak from the valve boundaries, resulting in long regeneration time and poor regeneration effect of the molecular sieve bed.

[0004] Firstly, the present invention provides a helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system, comprising: The purification device and the regeneration device are connected by a first pipeline and a second pipeline, and the fluid flow directions in the first pipeline and the second pipeline are opposite. The first valve assembly is located on the first pipeline. When the regeneration device is working, the first valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering the regeneration device from the purification device. The second valve assembly is located on the second pipeline. When the regeneration device is working, the second valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium gas from entering the purification device from the regeneration device.

[0005] Beneficial effects: By setting up two pipelines with opposite fluid flow directions between the purification device and the regeneration device, a closed loop is formed in the internal flow between the purification device and the regeneration device. A first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are respectively installed on the first pipeline and the second pipeline. When the regeneration device is working, both the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly are closed, thereby forming a relatively closed space in the regeneration device. This prevents high-pressure helium from entering the regeneration device from the purification device, or vice versa. This effectively solves the helium leakage problem caused by the numerous boundaries of the helium purification and regeneration system and the small size and high permeability of helium molecules during molecular sieve bed regeneration in helium purification systems. It significantly shortens the regeneration cycle of the molecular sieve bed and improves the regeneration efficiency and effect of the molecular sieve bed.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the first valve assembly includes a first shut-off valve, a pressure reducing valve, and a second shut-off valve arranged in sequence, and the second valve assembly includes a third shut-off valve, a reverse pressure reducing valve, and a fourth shut-off valve arranged in sequence.

[0007] Beneficial effects: By setting two sets of valve assemblies on the input and output sides of the purification device, the shut-off valve and pressure reducing valve in the valve assembly are connected in series to achieve independent bidirectional pressure stabilization control of helium input and output, effectively isolating the fluctuation interference caused by upstream and downstream pressure, and improving the pressure stability and boundary sealing reliability of the molecular sieve bed regeneration process.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the purification device includes at least one copper oxide bed, at least one activated carbon bed, and at least one molecular sieve bed; the first pipeline includes a second main pipe and a plurality of second branch pipes connected to the second main pipe, the other ends of the plurality of second branch pipes being respectively connected to the copper oxide bed, the activated carbon bed, and the molecular sieve bed, and a first shut-off valve, a pressure reducing valve, and a second shut-off valve are sequentially arranged on the second branch pipes; the second pipeline includes a third main pipe and a plurality of third branch pipes connected to the third main pipe, the other ends of the plurality of third branch pipes being respectively connected to the copper oxide bed, the activated carbon bed, and the molecular sieve bed, and a third shut-off valve, a reverse pressure reducing valve, and a fourth shut-off valve are sequentially arranged on the third branch pipes.

[0009] Beneficial effects: By using a main pipe in conjunction with multiple branch pipes in parallel, each adsorption bed (i.e., copper oxide bed, activated carbon bed, and molecular sieve bed) can independently receive intake air precisely regulated by shut-off valves and pressure reducing valves, as well as exhaust air independently controlled by reverse pressure reducing valves and shut-off valves. This enables differentiated and precise regeneration control of different adsorption bed layers. At the same time, the branch lines of each bed layer are isolated from each other and can be put into operation or cut off for maintenance without affecting the overall system operation, which greatly improves the operational flexibility, regeneration uniformity, and maintenance convenience of the purification device.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the regeneration device includes a cooler, a gas-liquid separator, an auxiliary molecular sieve bed, at least one membrane press, and at least one heater connected in sequence. The cooler, gas-liquid separator, auxiliary molecular sieve bed, at least one membrane press, and at least one heater are all located on a second main pipe. A pressure measuring device and a regulating valve are also provided between the cooler and the second shut-off valve. A first main pipe is provided between the at least one membrane press and the at least one heater. The first main pipe is connected to a vacuum pumping device through a first branch pipe.

[0011] Beneficial effects: By connecting the cooler, gas-liquid separator, and auxiliary molecular sieve bed in series, the regeneration gas can be fully cooled, dehydrated, and deeply dried, effectively preventing high-temperature and high-humidity gas from entering the downstream membrane press and heater, which could cause equipment damage or a decrease in regeneration efficiency. The cooperation between the pressure measuring device and the regulating valve enables real-time monitoring and precise adjustment of the regeneration inlet pressure, ensuring that the gas pressure entering the regeneration unit remains stable within the optimal operating range. The combination of the membrane press and heater can pressurize and heat the regeneration gas, meeting the requirements of the high-temperature and high-pressure regeneration process of molecular sieves. Simultaneously, the first main pipe is connected to the vacuum device through the first branch pipe, allowing for vacuum pretreatment of the system before or during regeneration, further removing residual impurities in the pipelines and adsorption bed, and improving the thoroughness of regeneration. Overall, the regeneration unit has a compact layout and reasonable process, combining multiple functions such as cooling and drying, pressure regulation, temperature activation, and vacuum assistance, significantly improving regeneration efficiency, equipment operational safety, and the recovery rate of adsorption capacity after regeneration.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the heater includes a first heater, a second heater, and a third heater. The first heater is connected to the second heater sequentially via a fifth main pipe and a fifth branch pipe. The first heater is also connected to the third heater sequentially via a fifth main pipe and a sixth branch pipe. The end of the second heater furthest from the first heater is connected to the third main pipe via a seventh branch pipe. The end of the third heater furthest from the first heater is connected to the third main pipe via an eighth branch pipe. The fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth branch pipes are respectively equipped with a fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth stop valve. The fifth stop valve is connected to the second heater, and the eighth stop valve is connected to the third heater via a ninth branch pipe. The sixth stop valve is connected to the third heater, and the seventh stop valve is connected to the second heater via a tenth branch pipe. The ninth and tenth branch pipes are respectively equipped with a ninth and a tenth stop valve.

[0013] Beneficial Effects: Through the multi-stage series-parallel layout of the first, second, and third heaters, combined with the on / off control of the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth branches and their corresponding shut-off valves, selective flow of regenerated gas can be flexibly achieved under different heater combination paths. This enables staged heating or multi-stage relay heating, meeting the differentiated temperature requirements of regenerated gas under various operating conditions. Simultaneously, the cross-connection design of the ninth and tenth branches with the ninth and tenth shut-off valves allows for rapid bypass isolation of any heater in case of failure or maintenance. This enables the regenerated gas to bypass to other heaters to continue operation, ensuring uninterrupted regeneration. Overall, this heater piping layout not only achieves flexible and precise multi-stage temperature control in the helium purification system's molecular sieve bed regeneration system but also significantly improves the redundancy and operational reliability of the system, preventing the entire regeneration system from shutting down due to a single unit failure.

[0014] In one possible implementation, a first temperature measuring device is provided on the fifth header, and / or a second temperature measuring device is provided on the third header, and / or the control circuit of at least one heater is connected to a regenerative heating timing device.

[0015] Beneficial effects: By installing a first temperature measuring device on the fifth header, the initial temperature of the regeneration gas before entering the heater can be monitored in real time, providing a front-end reference for adjusting the heating power. By installing a second temperature measuring device on the third header, the temperature of the regeneration gas entering the purification device after heating can be monitored in real time, ensuring that the regeneration temperature accurately meets the process setting requirements and avoiding damage to the molecular sieve due to excessively high temperatures or incomplete regeneration due to excessively low temperatures. Simultaneously, connecting the heater's control loop to the regeneration heating timing device enables automated and precise control of the heating time, automatically starting and stopping heating according to the preset time, avoiding overheating or underheating caused by human error. Overall, this temperature measurement and timing control scheme achieves dual-point monitoring of the regeneration temperature and automated management of the heating time, effectively improving the controllability, consistency, and safety of the regeneration process.

[0016] In one possible implementation, two membrane presses, two copper oxide beds, two activated carbon beds, and two molecular sieve beds are connected in parallel.

[0017] Beneficial effects: By using two units in parallel for each of the membrane press, copper oxide bed, activated carbon bed, and molecular sieve bed, the following advantages are achieved: First, during normal operation, both units can work simultaneously to increase throughput and meet the needs of high-flow purification and regeneration, or they can operate alternately with one in operation and the other on standby to extend the service life of each unit. Second, if a single unit malfunctions or requires maintenance, the faulty unit can be isolated by switching valves, allowing the other unit to independently handle the entire workload, ensuring uninterrupted operation of the purification and regeneration devices. Third, the two parallel units can serve as backups for each other, significantly improving the reliability and availability of the entire system. This avoids downtime of the entire helium purification system and molecular sieve bed regeneration system due to a single unit failure, thus reducing production efficiency and minimizing the impact of equipment maintenance on production plans.

[0018] In one possible implementation, the device further includes a gas storage device, a first gas radioactivity monitoring device, and a second gas radioactivity monitoring device. The gas storage device is connected to the first main pipe via a fourth main pipe, and the first gas radioactivity monitoring device is connected to the fourth main pipe via a fourth branch pipe. The first main pipe and the second gas radioactivity monitoring device are connected via an eleventh branch pipe.

[0019] Beneficial effects: The gas storage device is connected to the first main pipe via the fourth main pipe, and a first gas radioactivity monitoring device is installed on the fourth main pipe via the fourth branch pipe, while a second gas radioactivity monitoring device is installed on the first main pipe via the eleventh branch pipe. The first gas radioactivity monitoring device monitors the gas radioactivity level in the gas storage device and the area of ​​the fourth main pipe in real time. When the meteorological conditions meet the emission requirements and the test is qualified, the gas is directly discharged to the vacuum device. When the meteorological conditions do not meet the emission requirements, the excess gas is temporarily stored in the gas storage device, effectively preventing the regeneration system from overpressure due to the inability to discharge in time. After the meteorological conditions meet the requirements, the gas is discharged after being tested and qualified by the second gas radioactivity monitoring device, ensuring system pressure safety and emission compliance. At the same time, through the logic interlock setting, when the detection result of the first gas radioactivity monitoring device or the second gas radioactivity monitoring device exceeds the limit, the corresponding shut-off valve is automatically locked to prevent the unplanned discharge of primary loop coolant with excessive radioactivity. This technical solution achieves adaptive control of gas emissions based on meteorological conditions, safe buffering and temporary storage of excess gas, dual-point radioactivity monitoring, and automatic interlocking control for exceeding limits. It balances the operational pressure safety of the regeneration system, radioactivity safety management, and environmental compliance with emissions, significantly improving the system's operational flexibility and safety under complex operating conditions. In one possible implementation, the output side of the purification device is connected to a sampling device.

[0020] Beneficial effects: By connecting a sampling device to the output side of the purification unit, the purified gas can be sampled and tested in real time at the output end to verify whether the purification effect meets the process requirements, and to promptly detect abnormalities such as performance degradation or penetration failure of the purification unit, thus preventing unqualified gas from entering the downstream system or emission stage. At the same time, the sampling device facilitates regular offline and accurate analysis of the purified gas, providing reliable data support for evaluating the adsorption capacity decay trend of the molecular sieve bed, activated carbon bed, and copper oxide bed and determining the regeneration timing, thereby realizing full-process quality control and closed-loop management of the molecular sieve bed regeneration system of the helium purification system.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention provides a method for regenerating a molecular sieve bed using the above-mentioned helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system, comprising the following steps: When the regeneration unit is operating, the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly between the regeneration unit and the purification unit are closed to prevent high-pressure helium gas from entering the regeneration unit from the purification unit, or from entering the purification unit from the regeneration unit.

[0022] Beneficial effects: By closing the first and second valve assemblies between the regeneration and purification devices when the regeneration unit starts up, the regeneration and purification devices are completely isolated during the regeneration process, forming an independent and closed regeneration loop. This effectively prevents high-pressure helium from the purification device from flowing back into the regeneration device under low-pressure regeneration conditions, interfering with the stability of the regeneration gas pressure and flow rate, and avoiding deterioration of the regeneration effect. On the other hand, it prevents impurity-containing regeneration tail gas from flowing back into the purification device, avoiding secondary contamination of the already purified adsorption bed. At the same time, the isolation provided by the dual valve assemblies further reduces the leakage paths of helium between the two systems due to pressure difference, reduces helium loss, and ensures the safe, stable, and efficient operation of the regeneration process. Attached Figure Description

[0023] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of region A in the middle; Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 1. Purification device; 101. Copper oxide bed; 102. Activated carbon bed; 103. Molecular sieve bed; 2. Regeneration device; 201. Cooler; 202. Second main pipe; 203. Second branch pipe; 204. Pressure reducing valve; 205. Second shut-off valve; 206. Pressure measuring device; 207. Regulating valve; 208. Heater; 209. Third main pipe; 210. Third branch pipe; 211. Reverse pressure reducing valve; 212. Gas-liquid separator; 213. Auxiliary molecular sieve bed; 214. Membrane press; 215. First main pipe; 216. First branch pipe; 217. Vacuum pump; 218. Gas storage device; 219. First gas radioactivity monitoring device; 220. Second gas radioactivity monitoring device; 221. Fourth main pipe; 222. Fourth branch pipe; 22 3. Eleventh branch pipe; 224. First heater; 225. Second heater; 226. Third heater; 227. Fifth main pipe; 228. Fifth branch pipe; 229. Sixth branch pipe; 230. Seventh branch pipe; 231. Eighth branch pipe; 232. Ninth branch pipe; 233. Tenth branch pipe; 234. First temperature measuring device; 235. Sampling device; 236. First shut-off valve; 237. Third shut-off valve; 238. Fourth shut-off valve; 239. Fifth shut-off valve; 240. Sixth shut-off valve; 241. Seventh shut-off valve; 242. Eighth shut-off valve; 243. Ninth shut-off valve; 244. Tenth shut-off valve; 245. Second temperature measuring device. Detailed Implementation

[0025] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0026] The following is combined with Figure 1 and Figure 2 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in one aspect, the present invention provides a helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system, comprising: Purification device 1 and regeneration device 2 are connected by a first pipeline and a second pipeline, and the fluid flow directions in the first pipeline and the second pipeline are opposite. The first valve assembly is located on the first pipeline. When the regeneration device 2 is working, the first valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium gas from entering the regeneration device 2 from the purification device 1. The second valve assembly is located on the second pipeline. When the regeneration device 2 is working, the second valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium gas from entering the purification device 1 from the regeneration device 2.

[0028] refer to Figure 1 Purification device 1 is used to purify and remove dust from helium, while regeneration device 2 is used to regenerate the molecular sieve bed that has absorbed water and carbon dioxide, enabling recycling. The first and second pipelines can be arranged in parallel to form a closed-loop flow path for helium. The first and second valve assemblies can be opened and closed as needed. When regeneration device 2 is operating, both valve assemblies are closed to block the helium flow path; after purification device 1 has completed the purification of the helium, the first and second valve assemblies need to be opened to allow for helium circulation.

[0029] By setting up two pipelines with opposite fluid flow directions between the purification device 1 and the regeneration device 2, a closed loop is formed in the internal flow between the purification device 1 and the regeneration device 2. A first valve assembly and a second valve assembly are respectively installed on the first pipeline and the second pipeline. When the regeneration device 2 is working, both the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly are closed, thereby forming a relatively closed space in the regeneration device. This prevents high-pressure helium from entering the regeneration device 2 from the purification device 1 or from entering the purification device 1 from the regeneration device 2. This effectively solves the helium leakage problem caused by the numerous boundaries of the helium purification and regeneration system and the small size and strong permeability of helium molecules during molecular sieve regeneration. It significantly shortens the regeneration cycle of the molecular sieve bed 103 and improves the regeneration efficiency and effect of the molecular sieve bed 103.

[0030] In one embodiment, the first valve assembly includes a first shut-off valve 236, a pressure reducing valve 204, and a second shut-off valve 205 arranged in sequence, and the second valve assembly includes a third shut-off valve 237, a reverse pressure reducing valve 211, and a fourth shut-off valve 238 arranged in sequence.

[0031] The first shut-off valve 236, the second shut-off valve 205, the third shut-off valve 237, and the fourth shut-off valve 238 are all shut-off valves of the same specifications. The pressure reducing valve 204 and the reverse pressure reducing valve 211 can also be of the same specifications, except that the fluid inlet and outlet directions are opposite. Alternatively, they can be flexibly selected according to requirements, without specific restrictions.

[0032] By setting two sets of valve assemblies on the input and output sides of the purification device 1, and by connecting the shut-off valve and the pressure reducing valve 204 in the valve assembly in series, independent bidirectional pressure stabilization control of helium input and output is achieved, effectively isolating the fluctuation interference caused by upstream and downstream pressure, and improving the pressure stability and boundary sealing reliability of the molecular sieve bed 103 regeneration process.

[0033] In one embodiment, the purification device 1 includes at least one copper oxide bed 101, at least one activated carbon bed 102, and at least one molecular sieve bed 103; the first pipeline includes a second main pipe 202 and a plurality of second branch pipes 203 connected to the second main pipe 202, the other ends of the plurality of second branch pipes 203 being respectively connected to the copper oxide bed 101, the activated carbon bed 102, and the molecular sieve bed 103, and a first shut-off valve 236, a pressure reducing valve 204, and a second shut-off valve 205 being sequentially arranged on the second branch pipes 203; the second pipeline includes a third main pipe 209 and a plurality of third branch pipes 210 connected to the third main pipe 209, the other ends of the plurality of third branch pipes 210 being respectively connected to the copper oxide bed 101, the activated carbon bed 102, and the molecular sieve bed 103, and a third shut-off valve 237, a reverse pressure reducing valve 211, and a fourth shut-off valve 238 being sequentially arranged on the third branch pipes 210.

[0034] During normal operation of the purification device 1, high-pressure helium gas flows sequentially through the copper oxide bed 101, the activated carbon bed 102, and the molecular sieve bed 103 to remove impurities. At this time, all valves on the first and second pipelines remain closed to ensure effective isolation between the purification device 1 and the regeneration device 2. When the molecular sieve bed 103 needs regeneration, the first and second shut-off valves 236 and 205 on its corresponding second branch pipe 203 are opened. Regeneration gas flows from the molecular sieve bed 103 through the second branch pipe 203, sequentially passing through the first shut-off valve 236, pressure reducing valve 204, and second shut-off valve 205 into the second main pipe 202. From the second main pipe 202, it is then sent to the regeneration device 2 for heating and activation treatment, causing the water and carbon dioxide adsorbed by the molecular sieve bed to be released. Simultaneously, the third and second shut-off valves 237 and 205 on the corresponding third branch pipe 210 are opened. The four shut-off valves 238 allow the desorbed impurity gas containing water and carbon dioxide to be distributed from the regeneration unit 2 to the third branch pipe 210 via the third main pipe 209. The gas then returns to the molecular sieve bed 103 sequentially through the fourth shut-off valve 238, the reverse pressure reducing valve 211, and the third shut-off valve 237, completing the purging and replacement process and removing the desorbed impurities from the molecular sieve bed 103. After regeneration, cooling helium is introduced into the molecular sieve bed 103 through the first pipe, and the high-temperature gas is discharged to the cooler 201 through the second pipe, forming a closed loop for rapid cooling. During this process, the shut-off valves and pressure reducing valves 204 connected in series on the first pipe jointly prevent high-pressure helium from leaking from the purification unit 1 to the regeneration unit 2. Similarly, the shut-off valves and reverse pressure reducing valves 211 connected in series on the second pipe jointly prevent high-pressure helium from leaking back from the purification unit 1 into the regeneration unit 2, ensuring that even if one valve fails, there is still a backup isolation layer, thus safely completing the regeneration operation of the molecular sieve bed. By using a main pipe in conjunction with multiple branch pipes in parallel, each adsorption bed (i.e., copper oxide bed 101, activated carbon bed 102, and molecular sieve bed 103) can independently receive intake air precisely regulated by a shut-off valve and a pressure reducing valve 204, as well as exhaust air independently controlled by a reverse pressure reducing valve 211 and a shut-off valve. This enables differentiated and precise regeneration control of different adsorption bed layers. At the same time, the branch lines of each bed layer are isolated from each other and can be put into operation or cut off for maintenance without affecting the overall system operation, which greatly improves the operational flexibility, regeneration uniformity, and maintenance convenience of the purification device 1.

[0035] In one embodiment, the regeneration device 2 includes a cooler 201, a gas-liquid separator 212, an auxiliary molecular sieve bed 213, at least one membrane press 214, and at least one heater 208 connected in sequence. The cooler 201, the gas-liquid separator 212, the auxiliary molecular sieve bed 213, the at least one membrane press 214, and the at least one heater 208 are all located on a second main pipe 202. A pressure measuring device 206 and a regulating valve 207 are also provided between the cooler 201 and the second shut-off valve 205. A first main pipe 215 is provided between the at least one membrane press 214 and the at least one heater 208. The first main pipe 215 is connected to a vacuum pumping device 217 through a first branch pipe 216.

[0036] By connecting the cooler 201, the gas-liquid separator 212, and the auxiliary molecular sieve bed 213 in series, the regeneration gas can be fully cooled, dehydrated, and deeply dried, effectively preventing high-temperature and high-humidity gas from entering the membrane press 214 and heater 208 at the rear end, which could cause equipment damage or a decrease in regeneration efficiency. The cooperation between the pressure measuring device 206 and the regulating valve 207 enables real-time monitoring and precise adjustment of the regeneration inlet pressure, ensuring that the gas pressure entering the regeneration device 2 remains stable within the optimal operating range. The combination of the membrane press 214 and the heater 208 can pressurize and heat the regeneration gas to meet the requirements of the high-temperature and high-pressure regeneration process of molecular sieves. At the same time, the first main pipe 215 is connected to the vacuum device 217 through the first branch pipe 216, which can perform vacuum pretreatment of the system before or during regeneration to further remove residual impurities in the pipeline and adsorption bed, thereby improving the thoroughness of regeneration. Overall, the regeneration device 2 has a compact layout and reasonable process, and combines multiple functions such as cooling and drying, pressure regulation, temperature rise and activation and vacuum assistance, which significantly improves regeneration efficiency, equipment operation safety and the recovery rate of adsorption capacity after regeneration.

[0037] In one embodiment, heater 208 includes a first heater 224, a second heater 225, and a third heater 226. The first heater 224 is connected to the second heater 225 sequentially via a fifth main pipe 227 and a fifth branch pipe 228. The first heater 224 is also connected to the third heater 226 sequentially via a fifth main pipe 227 and a sixth branch pipe 229. The end of the second heater 225 furthest from the first heater 224 is connected to the third main pipe 209 via a seventh branch pipe 230. The end of the third heater 226 furthest from the first heater 224 is connected to the third main pipe 209 via an eighth branch pipe 231. The fifth branch pipe 224... 28. The sixth branch pipe 229, the seventh branch pipe 230, and the eighth branch pipe 231 are respectively equipped with a fifth stop valve 239, a sixth stop valve 240, a seventh stop valve 241, and an eighth stop valve 242. The fifth stop valve 239 is connected to the second heater 225, and the eighth stop valve 242 is connected to the third heater 226 through the ninth branch pipe 232. The sixth stop valve 240 is connected to the third heater 226, and the seventh stop valve 241 is connected to the second heater 225 through the tenth branch pipe 233. The ninth branch pipe 232 and the tenth branch pipe 233 are respectively equipped with a ninth stop valve 243 and a tenth stop valve 244.

[0038] Molecular sieve bed 103 utilizes heated flowing helium gas to carry away H2O and CO2 adsorbed by the molecular sieve particles and transfer them to gas-liquid separator 212 and auxiliary molecular sieve bed 213. Therefore, the reliable operation of heater 208 is crucial for the regeneration of molecular sieve bed 103. (Reference) Figure 2The second heater 225 and the third heater 226 are connected in parallel and then connected in series with the first heater 224. Due to the setting of multiple branch pipes and shut-off valves among the three, the number and position of the heaters 208 connected to the system can be flexibly selected.

[0039] Through the multi-stage series-parallel layout of the first heater 224, the second heater 225, and the third heater 226, combined with the on / off control of the fifth branch pipe 228, the sixth branch pipe 229, the seventh branch pipe 230, the eighth branch pipe 231, and their corresponding shut-off valves, selective flow of regenerated gas under different heater 208 combination paths can be flexibly realized, thereby achieving staged heating or multi-stage relay heating to meet the differentiated temperature requirements of regenerated gas under different working conditions. At the same time, through the cross-connection design of the ninth branch pipe 232, the tenth branch pipe 233, the ninth shut-off valve 243, and the tenth shut-off valve 244, when any heater 208 fails or needs maintenance, the heater 208 can be quickly bypassed and isolated by switching the valve on / off state, allowing the regenerated gas to bypass to other heaters 208 to continue working, thereby ensuring that the regeneration process is not interrupted. Overall, the 208 piping layout of the heater not only enables flexible and multi-level precise temperature control of the molecular sieve bed regeneration system of the helium purification system, but also significantly improves the redundancy backup capability and operational reliability of the molecular sieve bed regeneration system of the helium purification system, avoiding the shutdown of the entire regeneration system due to the failure of a single device.

[0040] In one embodiment, a first temperature measuring device 234 is provided on the fifth main pipe 227, and / or a second temperature measuring device 245 is provided on the third main pipe 209, and / or the control circuit of at least one heater 208 is connected to a regenerative heating timing device.

[0041] By installing a first temperature measuring device 234 on the fifth header 227, the initial temperature of the regeneration gas before entering the heater 208 can be monitored in real time, providing a front-end reference for adjusting the heating power. By installing a second temperature measuring device 245 on the third header 209, the temperature of the regeneration gas entering the purification device 1 after heating can be monitored in real time, ensuring that the regeneration temperature accurately meets the process setting requirements and avoiding damage to the molecular sieve due to excessively high temperature or incomplete regeneration due to excessively low temperature. At the same time, connecting the control loop of the heater 208 to the regeneration heating timing device enables automated and precise control of the heating time, automatically starting and stopping heating according to the preset time, avoiding overheating or underheating caused by human operation errors. Overall, this temperature measurement and timing control scheme realizes dual-point monitoring of regeneration temperature and automated management of heating time, effectively improving the controllability, consistency, and safety of the regeneration process. The regenerative heating timing device starts timing when the inlet temperature of the molecular sieve bed 103 reaches the operating temperature, and continues until the operating time reaches the set operating time. If the inlet temperature of the molecular sieve bed 103 deviates from the set temperature at this time, it can be suspected that the heater 208 is faulty. At this time, the regenerative heating timing device issues an alarm indication to remind the staff to check the status of the heater 208 and switch the valve to start other heaters 208.

[0042] In one embodiment, two membrane presses 214 are connected in parallel, two copper oxide beds 101 are connected in parallel, two activated carbon beds 102 are connected in parallel, and two molecular sieve beds 103 are connected in parallel.

[0043] refer to Figure 1 A copper oxide bed 101, an activated carbon bed 102, and a molecular sieve bed 103 form a purification device 1. Therefore, in this embodiment, two purification devices 1 are set up independently. Since the two purification devices are set up independently, mutual interference can be reduced, so that the system can turn on one or two purification devices according to actual needs.

[0044] By using two units in parallel for each of the membrane press 214, copper oxide bed 101, activated carbon bed 102, and molecular sieve bed 103, the following advantages are achieved: First, during normal operation, both units can work simultaneously to increase throughput and meet the needs of high-flow purification and regeneration, or they can operate alternately with one in use and the other on standby to extend the service life of a single unit. Second, if a single unit malfunctions or requires maintenance, the faulty unit can be isolated by switching valves, allowing the other unit to independently handle the entire workload, ensuring uninterrupted operation of purification unit 1 and regeneration unit 2. Third, the two parallel units can serve as backups for each other, significantly improving the reliability and availability of the entire system. This avoids downtime of the entire helium purification system and molecular sieve bed regeneration system due to a single unit failure, thus reducing production efficiency and minimizing the impact of equipment maintenance on production plans.

[0045] In one embodiment, the device further includes a gas storage device 218, a first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219, and a second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220. The gas storage device 218 is connected to the first main pipe 215 through a fourth main pipe 221, and the first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219 is connected to the fourth main pipe 221 through a fourth branch pipe 222. The first main pipe 215 and the second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220 are connected through an eleventh branch pipe 223.

[0046] During the regeneration operation of the molecular sieve bed 103, the H2O and CO2 adsorbed by the 5A molecular sieve particles are released, causing the operating pressure of the regeneration system to rise. Excess gas needs to be discharged to maintain the system pressure at 0.5-0.7 MPa. Because the discharge must meet meteorological requirements for radioactive effluent management, the system gas cannot be discharged at any time, necessitating the shutdown of heater 208. This results in uncontrollable regeneration time for the molecular sieve bed 103. Furthermore, to prevent unplanned discharge of primary loop gas, a first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219, a second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220, and a gas storage device 218 are designed. In this embodiment, the gas storage device 218 may be, but is not limited to, a gas storage tank.

[0047] The gas storage device 218 is connected to the first main pipe 215 via the fourth main pipe 221. A first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219 is installed on the fourth main pipe 221 via the fourth branch pipe 222, and a second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220 is installed on the first main pipe 215 via the eleventh branch pipe 223. The first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219 monitors the gas radioactivity level in the area of ​​the gas storage device 218 and the fourth main pipe 221 in real time. When the meteorological conditions meet the emission requirements and the test is qualified, the gas is directly discharged to the vacuum device 217. When the meteorological conditions do not meet the emission requirements, the excess gas is temporarily stored in the gas storage device 218 to effectively prevent the regeneration system from overpressure due to the inability to discharge in time. After the meteorological conditions meet the requirements, the gas is discharged after being tested and qualified by the second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220, ensuring system pressure safety and emission compliance. At the same time, through the logic interlock setting, when the detection result of the first gas radioactivity monitoring device 219 or the second gas radioactivity monitoring device 220 exceeds the limit, the corresponding shut-off valve is automatically locked to prevent the unplanned discharge of primary loop coolant with excessive radioactivity. This technical solution achieves adaptive control of gas emissions based on meteorological conditions, safe buffering and temporary storage of excess gas, dual-point radioactivity monitoring, and automatic interlocking control for exceeding limits. It balances the operational pressure safety of the regeneration system, radioactivity safety management, and environmental compliance with emissions, significantly improving the system's operational flexibility and safety under complex operating conditions. In one embodiment, the output side of the purification device 1 is connected to the sampling device 235.

[0048] The sampling device 235 can be a sampling bottle, with its inlet connected to the second mother tube 202.

[0049] By connecting the sampling device 235 to the output side of the purification device 1, the purified gas can be sampled and detected in real time at the output end to verify whether the purification effect meets the process requirements, and to promptly detect abnormalities such as performance degradation or penetration failure of the purification device 1, thus preventing unqualified gas from entering the downstream system or emission stage. At the same time, the sampling device 235 facilitates regular offline precise analysis of the purified gas, providing reliable data support for evaluating the adsorption capacity decay trend of the molecular sieve bed 103, activated carbon bed 102 and copper oxide bed 101 and determining the regeneration timing, thereby realizing full-process quality control and closed-loop management of the molecular sieve bed regeneration system of the helium purification system.

[0050] After the molecular sieve bed 103 is regenerated, it is heated to over 200°C, while its operating temperature is below 10°C. At this temperature, its internal heat capacity is large, making it unable to perform adsorption. By further configuring a cooling circuit for the molecular sieve bed 103, connecting it to the regeneration device, and filling it with helium at a pressure of 0.6 MPa, two membrane presses 214 drive the helium circulation, carrying away the heat from the molecular sieve bed 103 and transferring it to the cooler 201. This achieves rapid cooling of the molecular sieve bed 103 and effectively reduces its regeneration cycle.

[0051] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in another aspect, the present invention also provides a method for regenerating a molecular sieve bed in a helium purification system using the above-described helium purification system molecular sieve bed regeneration system, comprising the following steps: When the regeneration device 2 is working, the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly between the regeneration device 2 and the purification device 1 are closed to prevent high-pressure helium gas from entering the regeneration device 2 from the purification device 1, or from entering the purification device 1 from the regeneration device 2.

[0052] By closing the first and second valve assemblies between regeneration device 2 and purification device 1 when regeneration device 2 starts working, regeneration device 2 and purification device 1 are completely isolated during the regeneration process, forming an independent and closed regeneration circuit. On the one hand, this effectively prevents high-pressure helium gas in purification device 1 from flowing back into regeneration device 2 under low-pressure regeneration conditions, interfering with the stability of regeneration gas pressure and flow, and avoiding deterioration of regeneration effect. On the other hand, it prevents regeneration tail gas containing impurities from flowing back into purification device 1, avoiding secondary contamination of the purified adsorption bed. At the same time, the shut-off and isolation of the dual valve assemblies further reduces the leakage path of helium gas between the two systems due to pressure difference, reduces helium gas loss, and ensures the safe, stable, and efficient operation of the regeneration process.

[0053] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A molecular sieve bed regeneration system for helium purification, characterized in that, include: Purification device (1) and regeneration device (2) are connected by a first pipeline and a second pipeline, and the fluid flow directions in the first pipeline and the second pipeline are opposite. A first valve assembly is provided on the first pipeline. When the regeneration device (2) is working, the first valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering the regeneration device (2) from the purification device (1). The second valve assembly is located on the second pipeline. When the regeneration device (2) is working, the second valve assembly is closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering the purification device (1) from the regeneration device (2).

2. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first valve assembly includes a first shut-off valve (236), a pressure reducing valve (204), and a second shut-off valve (205) arranged in sequence. The second valve assembly includes a third shut-off valve (237), a reverse pressure reducing valve (211), and a fourth shut-off valve (238) arranged in sequence.

3. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The purification device (1) includes at least one copper oxide bed (101), at least one activated carbon bed (102), and at least one molecular sieve bed (103); the first pipeline includes a second main pipe (202) and a plurality of second branch pipes (203) connected to the second main pipe (202), the other ends of the plurality of second branch pipes (203) being respectively connected to the copper oxide bed (101), the activated carbon bed (102), and the molecular sieve bed (103), and the first shut-off valve (236), the pressure reducing valve (204), and the second The shut-off valve (205) is sequentially arranged on the second branch pipe (203); the second pipeline includes a third main pipe (209) and a plurality of third branch pipes (210) connected to the third main pipe (209). The other ends of the plurality of third branch pipes (210) are respectively connected to the copper oxide bed (101), the activated carbon bed (102) and the molecular sieve bed (103), and the third shut-off valve (237), the reverse pressure reducing valve (211) and the fourth shut-off valve (238) are sequentially arranged on the third branch pipe (210).

4. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The regeneration device (2) includes a cooler (201), a gas-liquid separator (212), an auxiliary molecular sieve bed (213), at least one membrane press (214), and at least one heater (208) connected in sequence. The cooler (201), the gas-liquid separator (212), the auxiliary molecular sieve bed (213), at least one membrane press (214), and at least one heater (208) are all located on the second main pipe (202). A pressure measuring device (206) and a regulating valve (207) are also provided between the cooler (201) and the second shut-off valve (205). A first main pipe (215) is provided between at least one membrane press (214) and at least one heater (208). The first main pipe (215) is connected to a vacuum pumping device (217) through a first branch pipe (216).

5. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heater (208) includes a first heater (224), a second heater (225), and a third heater (226). The first heater (224) is connected to the second heater (225) sequentially through a fifth main pipe (227) and a fifth branch pipe (228). The first heater (224) is connected to the third heater (226) sequentially through a fifth main pipe (227) and a sixth branch pipe (229). The end of the second heater (225) away from the first heater (224) is connected to the third main pipe (209) through a seventh branch pipe (230). The end of the third heater (226) away from the first heater (224) is connected to the third main pipe (209) through an eighth branch pipe (231). The fifth branch pipe (228), the... The sixth branch pipe (229), the seventh branch pipe (230), and the eighth branch pipe (231) are respectively equipped with a fifth stop valve (239), a sixth stop valve (240), a seventh stop valve (241), and an eighth stop valve (242). The fifth stop valve (239) is connected to the second heater (225), and the eighth stop valve (242) is connected to the third heater (226) through a ninth branch pipe (232). The sixth stop valve (240) is connected to the third heater (226), and the seventh stop valve (241) is connected to the second heater (225) through a tenth branch pipe (233). The ninth branch pipe (232) and the tenth branch pipe (233) are respectively equipped with a ninth stop valve (243) and a tenth stop valve (244).

6. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The fifth main tube (227) is provided with a first temperature measuring device (234), and / or the third main tube (209) is provided with a second temperature measuring device (245), and / or the control circuit of at least one of the heaters (208) is connected to a regenerative heating timing device.

7. The molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to claim 4, characterized in that, Two membrane presses (214) are connected in parallel, two copper oxide beds (101) are connected in parallel, two activated carbon beds (102) are connected in parallel, and two molecular sieve beds (103) are connected in parallel.

8. A molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, It also includes a gas storage device (218), a first gas radioactivity monitoring device (219), and a second gas radioactivity monitoring device (220). The gas storage device (218) is connected to the first main pipe (215) through the fourth main pipe (221), and the first gas radioactivity monitoring device (219) is connected to the fourth main pipe (221) through the fourth branch pipe (222). The first main pipe (215) and the second gas radioactivity monitoring device (220) are connected through the eleventh branch pipe (223).

9. A molecular sieve bed regeneration system for a helium purification system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The output side of the purification device (1) is connected to the sampling device (235).

10. A method for regenerating a molecular sieve bed in a helium purification system, applied to the molecular sieve bed regeneration system of any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: When the regeneration device (2) is working, the first valve assembly and the second valve assembly between the regeneration device (2) and the purification device (1) are closed to prevent high-pressure helium from entering the regeneration device (2) from the purification device (1) or from entering the purification device (1) from the regeneration device (2).

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