# US 10,309,719 B2 · 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

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- Number: US 10,309,719 B2
- Document ID: US10309719B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/317,810
- Filed: 2015-06-09
- Published: 2017-05-04
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2014-06-11
- Assignees: Shell Oil Company
- Applicants: Shell Oil Company
- Inventors: Brian Reza Shaied Shehdjiet Imamkhan; Bas Kessels
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309719B2

## CPC

- F25J 1/0296: {Removal of the heat of compression, e.g. within an inter- or afterstage-cooler against an ambient heat sink}
- C10G 5/06: by cooling or compressing
- F04D 27/0238: {Details or means for fluid reinjection}
- F25B 9/00: Compression machines, plants or systems, in which the refrigerant is air or other gas of low boiling point
- F25B 9/006: {the refrigerant containing more than one component (F25B9/004 takes precedence)}
- F25B 9/02: using Joule-Thompson effect; using vortex effect
- F25B 9/06: using expanders (F25B9/10 takes precedence)
- F25B 40/04: Desuperheaters
- F25B 49/02: for compression type machines, plants or systems
- F25J 1/0022: {Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas}
- F25J 1/0052: {by vaporising a liquid refrigerant stream}
- F25J 1/0055: {originating from an incorporated cascade}
- F25J 1/0214: {as a dual level refrigeration cascade with at least one MCR cycle}
- F25J 1/0252: {Control strategy, e.g. advanced process control or dynamic modeling}
- F25J 1/0279: {Compression of refrigerant or internal recycle fluid, e.g. kind of compressor, accumulator, suction drum etc.}
- F25J 1/0292: {Refrigerant compression by cold or cryogenic suction of the refrigerant gas}
- F25J 1/0298: {Safety aspects and control of the refrigerant compression system, e.g. anti-surge control}
- F25B 1/10: with multi-stage compression (with cascade operation F25B7/00)
- F25B 2400/0405: for desuperheaters
- F25B 2400/072: Intercoolers therefor
- F25B 2600/111: of condenser fans
- F25B 2600/2501: Bypass valves
- F25B 2700/21163: of the refrigerant at the outlet of the condenser
- F25J 2245/02: Recycle of a stream in general, e.g. a by-pass stream
- F25J 2270/66: Closed external refrigeration cycle with multi component refrigerant [MCR], e.g. mixture of hydrocarbons
- F25J: LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS {OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS} MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT {OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE (cryogenic pumps F04B37/08; gas storage vessels, gas holders F17; filing vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B)}
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- F04D: NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS (engine fuel-injection pumps F02M; ion pumps H01J41/12; electrodynamic pumps H02K44/02)
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

## Abstract

A compressed vaporous discharge stream is de-superheated in a de-superheater system. The de-superheater system comprises 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. A de-superheater bypass line comprising an temperature-controlled valve is configured to selectively bypass the de-superheater heat exchanger. A combiner is 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. A mixer is 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 stream.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons, comprising:
discharging a vaporous compressor feed stream from a compression suction scrubber;
compressing the vaporous compressor feed stream in a train of one or more compressors to a higher pressure whereby forming a compressed vaporous discharge stream;
de-superheating the compressed vaporous discharge stream in a de-superheater system comprising a de-superheater heat exchanger, comprising bringing 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, and comprising selectively bypassing the de-superheater heat exchanger over a temperature-controlled valve with a bypass portion of the compressed vaporous discharge stream, and 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 subsequently passing the rejoined stream through a mixer, thereby forming a de-superheated hydrocarbon stream out of the compressed vaporous discharge stream;
passing at least a portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream from the de-superheater system to a condenser via a de-superheater discharge conduit and further cooling the portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream in said condenser by indirect heat exchanging said portion of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream 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;
splitting off a recycle portion from the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream in the de-superheater discharge conduit and establishing a recycle flow from the de-superheater discharge conduit to the train of one or more compressors.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

Method according to claim 1, wherein establishing a recycle flow comprises establishing a recycle flow at a recycle flow rate from the de-superheater discharge conduit to the train of one or more compressors via a surge recycle valve and the compression suction scrubber, whereby controlling the recycle flow rate with the surge recycle valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
providing a mixture of hydrocarbons in vapour phase;
passing at least some of the hydrocarbons in vapour phase to the compression suction scrubber;
expanding the pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons whereby forming at least one refrigeration stream;
passing the at least one refrigeration stream through a heat exchanger;
indirectly heat exchanging the at least one refrigeration stream against a product stream whereby the at least one refrigeration stream absorbs heat from the product stream and whereby a phase transition occurs in the at least one refrigeration stream from liquid phase to vapour phase;
discharging the at least one refrigeration stream in vapour phase from the heat exchanger in the form of the mixture of hydrocarbons in vapour phase.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the product stream is a hydrocarbon stream that for at least 80 mol. % consists of methane, and wherein during said indirectly heat exchanging the at least one refrigeration stream against the product stream the product stream condenses to form a liquefied hydrocarbon product stream.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the liquefied hydrocarbon product stream is a liquefied natural gas stream.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, carried out surrounded by ambient air having an actual temperature, wherein the ambient stream is a stream of the ambient air at the actual temperature.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein controlling the temperature controlled valve in response to a temperature of de-superheated hydrocarbon stream whereby the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream is kept above a dew point temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream in the de-superheater discharge conduit.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream is kept between 1° C. and 15° C. above said dew point temperature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said mixer is a static mixer.

### Claim 10

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The compression system of claim 10, further comprising said feed vapour source, wherein said feed vapour source comprises:
an expansion system configured to receive the pressurized and at least partially condensed hydrocarbon stream from the condenser and configured to expand the pressurized and at least partially condensed mixture of hydrocarbons whereby forming at least one refrigeration stream;
a heat exchanger arranged to receive the at least one refrigeration stream configured to allow the at least one refrigeration stream to pass and a product stream to through in an indirectly heat exchanging contact with each other whereby the at least one refrigeration stream absorbs heat from the product stream and whereby a phase transition occurs in the at least one refrigeration stream from liquid phase to vapour phase;
a discharge conduit fluidly connecting the heat exchanger with the feed scrubber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The compression system of claim 10, wherein the de-superheater heat exchanger is a first air-cooled heat exchanger and the ambient stream is a first stream of ambient air.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The compression system of claim 10, comprising a temperature controller for the temperature controlled valve in response to a temperature of de-superheated hydrocarbon stream, said temperature controller programmed to keep the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream above a dew point temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream in the de-superheater discharge conduit.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The compression system of claim 13, wherein the temperature controller is programmed to keep the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream between 1° C. and 15° C. above said dew point temperature.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The compression system of claim 10, wherein said mixer is a static mixer.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The compression system of claim 10, comprising
a surge recycle valve configured in said compressor train surge recycle pathway, to control the recycle flow rate.

### Claim 17

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.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The de-superheater system of claim 17, wherein the de-superheater heat exchanger is a first air-cooled heat exchanger and the ambient stream is a first stream of ambient air.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The de-superheater system of claim 17, comprising a temperature controller for the temperature controlled valve in response to a temperature of de-superheated hydrocarbon stream, said temperature controller programmed to keep the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream above a dew point temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream in the de-superheater discharge conduit.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The de-superheater system of claim 19, wherein the temperature controller is programmed to keep the temperature of the de-superheated hydrocarbon stream between 1° C. and 15° C. above said dew point temperature.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The de-superheater system of claim 17, wherein said mixer is a static mixer.