Separation of Hydrogen–Helium Mixtures by a Membrane Sorption Method

We have studied gas separation by the membrane sorption method, exemplified by hydrogen–helium mixtures, with the use of silica microspheres. A two-stage process for membrane sorption separation of hydrogen–helium mixtures has been modeled experimentally and numerically. Experimental modeling of the two-stage process for hydrogen–helium mixture separation at a temperature of 22°C has shown an increase in the volume fraction of helium from 10.5% in the starting mixture to 57.8 and 93.3% in the enriched mixture after the first and second stages of the gas separation process. The amount of the lean mixture in the adsorber before the beginning of the desorption process has been shown to have the main effect on the final volume fraction of helium in the enriched mixture.