Helium, with its unique properties including extremely low boiling point, low density and inertness, has become an indispensable strategic gas resource for national defense and high-tech development. It plays an irreplaceable role in defense, industrial and scientific fields such as semiconductors, optical fibers, megascience projects, leak detection, airships, and medical applications. Due to China's scarce strategic helium resources and prominent supply-demand contradictions, the development of high-tech industries is severely constrained. Therefore, developing domestic helium resources is of great strategic significance for ensuring domestic helium supply, promoting helium extraction technology development and improving economic benefits.

BOG提氦装置

氦液化器

Most of China's helium resources are obtained from natural gas, and the content is generally very low, not exceeding 0.2% by volume. The conventional helium extraction process requires multiple equipment, has long technical routes and high costs, lacking market competitiveness. Currently, through component testing of non-condensable gas generated during natural gas liquefaction and boil-off gas (BOG) from LNG vaporization (collectively referred to as BOG for simplicity), it was found that the helium content can reach about 3%. Based on this, helium extraction work has demonstrated good economic viability. Therefore, in existing natural gas liquefaction industry, using BOG as feedstock for helium extraction and developing co-production technology of high-purity helium (up to 99.999% gaseous helium or liquid helium) in LNG plants is of great significance for improving the economic performance of both LNG plants and helium extraction units.

Our independently developed LNG-BOG Cryogenic Helium Extraction Unit purifies and liquefies helium using cryogenic separation methods. The BOG helium extraction process consists of:

Feed gas metering and stabilization system

Catalytic dehydrogenation/dehydration system

Crude helium extraction system

Cryogenic purification system

Helium filling system

The helium-containing feed gas first undergoes pressure regulation and flow stabilization, then enters the catalytic dehydrogenation/dehydration system for hydrogen removal. The dehydrogenated gas is fed into the crude helium extraction system to obtain crude helium with ~95% purity. This gas then undergoes medium-pressure cryogenic adsorption purification for deep impurity removal, ultimately producing 5N high-purity helium meeting national standards. Meanwhile, our proprietary helium liquefier can liquefy high-purity helium into liquid helium products, significantly reducing transportation costs.

宁夏盐池液化天然气BOG提氦示范项目-提氦装置

Advantages of BOG Helium Extraction Unit for LNG Plants:

No impact on existing LNG plant production

Applicable to LNG plants with capacity ≥500,000 Nm³

Reduces operating costs of existing LNG plants

Excellent economic performance with short investment recovery period

Supports domestic helium resource supply

BOG提氦装置流程图示