Natural hydrogen provides a clean and environmentally friendly alternative to industrial hydrogen. However, it frequently contains impurities such as nitrogen and methane, necessitating purification to achieve high-purity hydrogen. Interestingly, helium, which shares a similar size to hydrogen, is also commonly found alongside natural gas deposits. Consequently, the purification processes for hydrogen and helium exhibit similarities.
This project aims to develop hybrid membrane and adsorption processes for natural hydrogen and helium production, building upon our successful demonstration of the adsorption process for helium purification from a previous FEnEx project (22.RP1.0135). The membrane component of the process is critical because both the natural hydrogen and helium feed gases are under high pressure. A membrane system concentrates the hydrogen and helium while simultaneously maintaining the pressure of other gases, such as methane, thus preventing the loss of potential energy due to pressure reduction in the methane. The key focus of this project lies in selecting appropriate membrane materials, designing and modelling the membrane process, and determining the optimal integration point with the adsorption process. By achieving this synergy, we can create an efficient overall process.
Our research findings will contribute fresh insights to engineering science, facilitating the exploration of synergies between various separation processes and enabling precise control for optimal performance. Additionally, this work will stimulate new research avenues directly applicable to the Australian energy sector, preparing the workforce for the future of gas processing technologies.
Partners: The University of Western Australia, Oilfield Production Technologies Pty Ltd, Mineral Resources Limited
Project Leader: Prof. Eric May
Duration: 1 year