System for extracting helium and byproduct hydrogen by using geothermal water dissolved gas

Abstract

The utility model relates to the technical field of helium, and discloses a system for extracting helium by-product hydrogen from geothermal water dissolved gas. The system comprises a temperature adjusting module and a degassing module, wherein an inlet of the temperature adjusting module is externally connected with a ground hot water pipeline, and an outlet of the temperature adjusting module is communicated with an inlet of a helium collecting module; the system further comprises a helium collecting module and a helium purifying module, an inlet of the helium collecting module is communicated with the helium outlet of the degassing module, and an outlet of the helium collecting module is communicated with an inlet of the helium purifying module. The system for extracting helium and byproduct hydrogen from geothermal water-dissolved gas has the advantages of high helium recovery rate, small total investment and low energy consumption, can produce hydrogen as a byproduct, and can effectively solve the restriction problems of multiple water-dissolved helium resource wells, difficulty in utilization, low benefit and the like.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of helium extraction technology, specifically relating to a system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen as a byproduct from geothermal dissolved gas. Background Technology

[0002] Helium, a scarce strategic resource, is widely used in national defense, scientific research, aerospace, fiber optic manufacturing, and air conditioning leak detection. As a major manufacturing country, China has a large demand for helium but has long relied heavily on imports. Currently, helium extraction mainly comes from helium-containing natural gas, coalbed methane, and byproducts of air separation units. Helium exists in natural gas as a trace component; it has industrial value when the concentration in a natural gas reservoir reaches 0.05%–0.1%.

[0003] Water-soluble helium is an unconventional helium source that accumulates in groundwater, and its solubility increases with rising underground temperature and pressure. When groundwater is extracted to the surface, the associated helium dissolved in the water will precipitate due to the decrease in pressure and temperature. Typically, a single geothermal well can release approximately 60 m³ of water-soluble helium. 3 The average helium content is about 2% per hour. Water-soluble helium has the characteristics of high resource potential but low grade, making its development difficult and constrained by problems such as the difficulty in utilizing water-soluble helium and low efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0004] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this utility model provides a system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen as a byproduct from geothermal dissolved gas. This system can quickly purify helium from dissolved gas and produce hydrogen as a byproduct, thereby achieving the technical effect of developing and utilizing dissolved helium and improving the efficiency of helium extraction.

[0005] To improve the efficiency of helium extraction from dissolved water in the above-mentioned geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium by-product hydrogen system, this utility model provides the following technical solution:

[0006] A system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen byproducts from geothermal dissolved gas includes: a temperature regulation module and a degassing module. The inlet of the temperature regulation module is connected to a geothermal pipeline, and the outlet is connected to the inlet of a helium collection module. The system further includes: a helium collection module and a helium purification module. The inlet of the helium collection module is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the helium collection module is connected to the inlet of the helium purification module.

[0007] Furthermore, the temperature regulation module includes a heat exchanger.

[0008] Furthermore, the degassing module includes a pressure reducing device.

[0009] Furthermore, the pressure reducing device is a vacuum degassing tower.

[0010] Furthermore, the helium collection module includes: a refrigerated dryer and a first booster pump connected to it; the inlet of the refrigerated dryer is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the refrigerated dryer is connected to the first booster pump.

[0011] The helium collection module further includes a membrane separator and a filter connected to the membrane separator, wherein the inlet of the filter is connected to the outlet of the first booster pump.

[0012] Furthermore, the helium purification module includes: a first pressure swing adsorption tower, a second pressure swing adsorption tower, and a second booster pump connected to the second pressure swing adsorption tower. The inlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower is connected to the outlet of the membrane separator, the outlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower is connected to the inlet of the second pressure swing adsorption tower, and the outlet of the second pressure swing adsorption tower is connected to the inlet of the second booster pump.

[0013] Furthermore, the system also includes a high-pressure cylinder group, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the second booster pump.

[0014] Furthermore, the system also includes a hydrogen purification system, the inlet of which is connected to the impurity gas outlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower of the helium purification module.

[0015] Compared with the prior art, this utility model provides a system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen as a byproduct from geothermal dissolved gas, which has the following advantages: the combined helium extraction method of using membrane separation for preliminary concentration and pressure swing adsorption for crude helium purification has the advantages of high helium recovery rate, low total investment and low energy consumption. This utility model can also produce hydrogen as a byproduct, which can effectively solve the constraints of numerous wells, difficulty in utilization and low efficiency of water-soluble helium resources. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the system composition of this utility model.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a system flowchart of the present invention.

[0018] In the diagram: 1. Refrigerated dryer; 2. First booster pump; 3. Filter; 4. Membrane separator; 5. First pressure swing adsorption tower; 6. Second pressure swing adsorption tower; 7. Second booster pump; 8. High-pressure cylinder group. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present utility model, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present utility model, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of the present utility model.

[0020] A system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen as a byproduct from geothermal dissolved gas includes: a temperature regulation module and a degassing module. The inlet of the temperature regulation module is connected to a geothermal pipeline, and the outlet is connected to the inlet of a helium collection module. The degassing module is used to reduce the pressure of the geothermal water through a pressure reducing device (such as a vacuum degassing tower), thereby causing the dissolved helium, hydrogen, and other impurity gases to be released from the liquid phase.

[0021] The geothermal dissolved gas extraction system for helium and hydrogen production byproducts further includes a helium collection module and a helium purification module. The inlet of the helium collection module is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the helium collection module is connected to the inlet of the helium purification module. The helium collection module is used to remove acidic helium (such as H2S and CO2) from the released helium, and the helium purification module is used to obtain high-purity helium.

[0022] In a preferred embodiment, the temperature regulation module includes a heat exchanger, which is used to adjust the geothermal water temperature and optimize the helium release efficiency according to subsequent process requirements.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the degassing module includes a pressure reducing device, which is a vacuum degassing tower that functions to create a vacuum to achieve oil-water separation.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the helium collection module includes: a refrigerated dryer 1 and a first booster pump 2 connected thereto. The inlet of the refrigerated dryer 1 is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the refrigerated dryer 1 is connected to the first booster pump 2. The refrigerated dryer 1 is used to remove moisture from the helium coming out of the gas-liquid separator, and the first booster pump 2 is used to create a negative pressure to extract the gas phase portion in the gas-liquid separator and increase the pressure of the helium at the inlet of the membrane separator.

[0025] The helium collection module further includes: a membrane separator 4, and a filter 3 connected to the membrane separator 4. The inlet of the filter 3 is connected to the outlet of the first booster pump 2, and is used to remove particulate matter and large-diameter liquid from the helium at the outlet of the booster pump. The outlet of the filter 3 is connected to the inlet of the membrane separator 4. The membrane separator 4 concentrates and purifies the helium, and other components are discharged from the tail gas end.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment, the helium purification module includes: a first pressure swing adsorption (PSA) tower 5, a second PSA tower 6, and a second booster pump 7 connected to the second PSA tower 6. The inlet of the first PSA tower 5 is connected to the outlet of the membrane separator 4, the outlet of the first PSA tower 5 is connected to the inlet of the second PSA tower 6, and the outlet of the second PSA tower 6 is connected to the inlet of the second booster pump 7. The second booster pump 7 is used to pressurize the concentrated and purified crude helium to 10-15 MPa before storage.

[0027] Furthermore, the geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium by-product hydrogen system also includes: a high-pressure cylinder group 8, the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the second booster pump, and the high-pressure cylinder group 8 is used to store helium that has been concentrated, purified and pressurized by the second booster pump 7.

[0028] Furthermore, the geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium by-product hydrogen system also includes a hydrogen purification system, the inlet of which is connected to the impurity gas outlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower (5) of the helium purification module.

[0029] It should be noted that, in this document, relational terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish one entity or operation from another, and do not necessarily require or imply any such actual relationship or order between these entities or operations. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes said element.

[0030] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and alterations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A system for extracting helium and producing hydrogen as a byproduct from geothermal dissolved gas, characterized in that: include: The temperature control module and the degassing module are provided, wherein the inlet of the temperature control module is connected to an externally grounded hot water pipe, and the outlet is connected to the inlet of the helium collection module. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium by-product hydrogen system further includes: a helium collection module and a helium purification module. The inlet of the helium collection module is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the helium collection module is connected to the inlet of the helium purification module.

2. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The temperature control module includes a heat exchanger.

3. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The degassing module includes a pressure reducing device.

4. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 3, characterized in that: The pressure reducing device is a vacuum degassing tower.

5. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The helium collection module includes: a refrigerated dryer (1) and a first booster pump (2) connected thereto. The inlet of the refrigerated dryer (1) is connected to the helium outlet of the degassing module, and the outlet of the refrigerated dryer (1) is connected to the inlet of the first booster pump (2). The helium collection module further includes a membrane separator (4) and a filter (3) connected to the membrane separator (4), wherein the inlet of the filter (3) is connected to the outlet of the first booster pump (2).

6. The helium extraction and hydrogen production system for geothermal dissolved gas according to claim 5, wherein the helium purification module comprises: The system comprises a first pressure swing adsorption tower (5), a second pressure swing adsorption tower (6), and a second booster pump (7) connected to the second pressure swing adsorption tower (6). The inlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower (5) is connected to the outlet of the membrane separator (4), the outlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower (5) is connected to the inlet of the second pressure swing adsorption tower (6), and the outlet of the second pressure swing adsorption tower (6) is connected to the inlet of the second booster pump (7).

7. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 6, further comprising: High-pressure gas cylinder group (8), the inlet of which is connected to the outlet of the second booster pump (7).

8. The geothermal dissolved gas extraction helium and by-product hydrogen system according to claim 6, characterized in that: The system also includes a hydrogen purification system, the inlet of which is connected to the impurity gas outlet of the first pressure swing adsorption tower (5) of the helium purification module.

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