Conceptual design and modeling of novel‐integrated process configurations for helium extraction and natural gas liquefaction is investigated. Mixed fluid cascade (MFC) refrigeration system is considered for providing the needed refrigeration in the natural liquefaction section. Using an absorption refrigeration system as the precooling cycle is investigated in one of the introduced processes. Integrated flash and distillation method is used for helium extraction. Purity of the extracted crude helium is 50% (mole). Process streams operational condition and specifications of the devices are presented and explained. Composite curves of the heat exchangers demonstrate that thermal design has been done properly. Ratio of the power consumption to the produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) of the MFC process is 0.265 kWh per kg LNG and applying absorption refrigeration system instead of the pre‐cooling cycle decreases it to 0.1849 kWh per kg LNG. For the modified process with absorption refrigeration system helium extraction rate and power consumption ratio are 0.951 and 132.9 (kWh/[kgmole Helium]) respectively. Exergy method is applied on the under consideration processes. The results show that the compressors have the highest rate of exergy destruction among the other process equipment. An extensive economic analysis is done on the proposed processes. The results show that prime cost of the product (US$/kg LNG) for MFC and modified MFC processes are 0.1939 and 0.2069, respectively. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is done based on the economic factors such as electrical energy price and prime cost of the product.

中文翻译：

---

利用吸收式制冷和余热的新型集成氦提取和天然气液化工艺配置

研究了用于氦气提取和天然气液化的新型集成工艺配置的概念设计和建模。考虑使用混合流体级联（MFC）制冷系统在自然液化段中提供所需的制冷。在介绍的方法之一中，研究了使用吸收式制冷系统作为预冷循环。集成的闪蒸和蒸馏方法用于氦气提取。提取的粗氦的纯度为50％（摩尔）。介绍并说明了设备的工艺流程操作条件和规格。换热器的复合曲线表明热设计已正确完成。MFC工艺的功耗与所产生的液化天然气（LNG）之比为0。每公斤液化天然气265千瓦时，采用吸收式制冷系统代替预冷循环，将其降低到每公斤液化天然气0.1849千瓦时。对于带有吸收式制冷系统的改进工艺，氦气的抽出率和功耗比分别为0.951和132.9（kWh / [kgmole氦气]）。火用方法应用于考虑中的过程。结果表明，在其他工艺设备中，压缩机的火用破坏率最高。对提议的过程进行了广泛的经济分析。结果表明，MFC和改进的MFC工艺产品的主要成本（美元/千克LNG）分别为0.1939和0.2069。最后，基于经济因素（例如电能价格和产品的主要成本）进行敏感性分析。