De-superheater system and compression system employing such de-superheater system, and method of producing a pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons

A compression system for producing a pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising:

• a compression suction scrubber comprising a suction scrubber outlet configured to discharge a vaporous compressor feed stream from the compression suction scrubber;
• a train of one or more compressors, comprising a suction inlet fluidly connected to the suction scrubber outlet, and a compressor train discharge outlet, which train is configured to compress the vaporous compressor feed stream from the compression suction scrubber to a higher pressure whereby forming a compressed vaporous discharge stream at the discharge outlet;
• a de-superheater system configured to form a de-superheated hydrocarbon stream out of the compressed vaporous discharge stream, said de-superheater system comprising a de-superheater heat exchanger arranged in fluid communication with the compressor train discharge outlet;
• a condenser arranged to receive at least a portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream and configured to further cool the portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream by allowing indirect heat exchanging against a cooling stream, whereby said portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream is at least partly condensed to form the pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons;
• a de-superheater discharge conduit configured between the de-superheater system and the condenser, to establish a fluid connection between the de-superheater system and the condenser;
• a compressor train surge recycle pathway arranged between the de-superheater discharge conduit and the suction scrubber inlet to convey a recycle flow of a recycle portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream, at a recycle flow rate, from the de-superheater discharge conduit to the suction inlet of the train of one or more compressors via the compression suction scrubber;
• wherein said de-superheater system is configured to bring at least a portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream in indirect heat exchanging contact with an ambient stream in the de-superheater heat exchanger, whereby allowing heat to flow from the compressed vaporous discharge stream to the ambient stream, said de-superheater system further comprising a de-superheater bypass line comprising an temperature-controlled valve configured to selectively bypass the de-superheater heat exchanger over said temperature-controlled valve with a bypass portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream, said de-superheater system further comprising a combiner configured downstream of the de-superheater heat exchanger for rejoining the bypass portion with the portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream that has passed through the de-superheater heat exchanger thereby forming a rejoined stream, and a mixer separating the combiner and the de-superheater discharge conduit and configured to receive and mix the rejoined stream, and discharge the rejoined stream into the de-superheater discharge conduit in the form of said de-superheated hydrocarbon stream.

A de-superheater system for de-superheating a compressed vaporous discharge stream, comprising

• a de-superheater heat exchanger configured to bring at least a portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream in indirect heat exchanging contact with an ambient stream in the de-superheater heat exchanger, whereby allowing heat to flow from the compressed vaporous discharge stream to the ambient stream;
• a de-superheater bypass line comprising an temperature-controlled valve configured to selectively bypass the de-superheater heat exchanger over said temperature-controlled valve with a bypass portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream;
• a combiner configured downstream of the de-superheater heat exchanger for rejoining the bypass portion with the portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream that has passed through the de-superheater heat exchanger thereby forming a rejoined stream;
• and
• a mixer configured downstream of said combiner, to receive and mix the rejoined stream, and discharge the rejoined stream into a de-superheater discharge conduit as a de-superheated hydrocarbon stream.