LAPSE:2023.27769
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.27769
Operational Costs of He3 Separation Using the Superfluidity of He4
April 4, 2023
Helium is the second most abundant element in the Universe after hydrogen. Considerable resources of helium-3 isotope (He3) are located mostly outside the Earth. He3 is very important for science and industry, especially for airport neutron detectors, lung tomography and helium dilution refrigerators. Besides, global warming is forcing the industry and governments to search for alternative energy sources, and He3 has the potential to be used as fuel in future nuclear fusion power plants. Unfortunately, the price of gaseous He3 has recently increased from $200 per liter to over $2750. The expected further increase in price and demands led us to present an analysis of the economic profitability for He3 separation process, which utilizes the properties of superfluid helium. This paper shows the arguments supporting the idea that extraction from natural sources is the only economically viable way of obtaining He3 isotope nowadays. The method could be relatively easily implemented into the production cycles of the low temperature natural gas purification plant.
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Keywords
He3 isotope, heat exchanger, separator
Subject
Suggested Citation
Niechciał J, Banat P, Kempiński W, Trybuła Z, Chorowski M, Poliński J, Chołast K, Kociemba A. Operational Costs of He3 Separation Using the Superfluidity of He4. (2023). LAPSE:2023.27769
Author Affiliations
Niechciał J: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland [ORCID]
Banat P: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland [ORCID]
Kempiński W: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland [ORCID]
Trybuła Z: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland
Chorowski M: Department of Cryogenic, Aeronautical and Process Engineering, Wrocław University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-560 Wrocław, Poland
Poliński J: Department of Cryogenic, Aeronautical and Process Engineering, Wrocław University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-560 Wrocław, Poland [ORCID]
Chołast K: Polish Oil and Gas Company—Odolanów, Krotoszyńska 148, 63-430 Odolanów, Poland
Kociemba A: Polish Oil and Gas Company—Odolanów, Krotoszyńska 148, 63-430 Odolanów, Poland
Banat P: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland [ORCID]
Kempiński W: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland [ORCID]
Trybuła Z: Institute of Molecular Physics, Polish Academy of Sciences, M. Smoluchowskiego 17, 60-179 Poznań, Poland
Chorowski M: Department of Cryogenic, Aeronautical and Process Engineering, Wrocław University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-560 Wrocław, Poland
Poliński J: Department of Cryogenic, Aeronautical and Process Engineering, Wrocław University of Technology, Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-560 Wrocław, Poland [ORCID]
Chołast K: Polish Oil and Gas Company—Odolanów, Krotoszyńska 148, 63-430 Odolanów, Poland
Kociemba A: Polish Oil and Gas Company—Odolanów, Krotoszyńska 148, 63-430 Odolanów, Poland
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
13
Issue
22
Article Number
E6134
Year
2020
Publication Date
2020-11-23
ISSN
1996-1073
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PII: en13226134, Publication Type: Journal Article
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LAPSE:2023.27769
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https://doi.org/10.3390/en13226134
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Apr 4, 2023
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