Articles & Issues
- Language
- English
- Conflict of Interest
- In relation to this article, we declare that there is no conflict of interest.
- Publication history
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Received November 19, 2025
Revised January 10, 2026
Accepted January 28, 2026
Available online July 25, 2026
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This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/bync/3.0) which permits
unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
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Application of an Intelligent Optimization Method Based on Aspen Adsorption in the Purification Process of Helium Via Pressure Swing Adsorption
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11814-026-00669-4
Abstract
Helium, a non-renewable strategic resource, demands efficient purification technologies to safeguard national resource
security. To address the technical challenges of helium extraction from liquefied natural gas boil-off gas (BOG), this
study developed a novel pressure swing adsorption (PSA) process using Aspen Adsorption software. Through systematic
adsorbent screening, the CMS-5000-A carbon molecular sieves (CMS) with a pore size rangez,2 of 0.5~0.7 nm was
selected, whose surface oxygen-containing polar functional groups enhanced interactions with the quadrupole moment of
N2, achieving an exceptional N2/He adsorption selectivity of 87.5:1. A multi-scale coupled model integrating mass, energy,
and momentum conservation equations was established to systematically investigate the effects of operational parameters
on separation performance. An extended two-column PSA scheme incorporating pressure equalization and vacuum desorption
steps was proposed. For the first time, Bayesian algorithm-enabled multi-parameter co-optimization of six key operational
parameters (feed flow rate, pressure, bed height, porosity, packing density, temperature) was realized, overcoming
the limitations of traditional single-factor optimization in handling parameter coupling effects. Bayesian algorithm-enabled
multi-parameter optimization revealed that an adsorption pressure of 0.3~0.4 MPa increased helium recovery by 15%,
while a 1.0~1.1 m adsorption bed height ensured product purity≥99.999% with energy consumption maintained at 0.36
kWh/m3
. Compared to the single-column system, the two-column configuration improved helium recovery by 5.06%.
Notably, the novel PSA process reduces energy consumption by up to 60% compared to conventional methods, providing
a data-driven and quantifiable design paradigm for lean helium purification and presenting an efficient and energy-saving
technical solution for industrial-scale helium purification.

