Hydrocarbon condensate stabilizer and a method for producing a stabilized hydrocarbon condenstate stream

A hydrocarbon condensate stabilizer for producing a stabilized hydrocarbon condensate, comprising:

• a condensate feed line for providing an unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream;
• feed-effluent heat exchanger fluidly connected to the condensate feed line and arranged to bring the unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream in indirect heat exchanging contact with an effluent stream to partially evaporate the unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream thereby forming a mixed phase unstabilized hydrocarbon stream;
• a stabilizer column comprising a first inlet device in fluid connection with the feed-effluent heat exchanger to allow feeding of the mixed phase unstabilized hydrocarbon stream into the stabilizer column, the stabilizer column further comprising a bottom end that is located gravitationally lower than the first inlet device, the stabilizer column further comprising a second inlet device at a level gravitationally above the first inlet device, wherein the first inlet device and the second inlet device are separated from each other by a second vapour/liquid contacting device, the stabilizer column further comprising a top end which top end is located in the stabilizer column gravitationally higher than the second inlet device;
• a liquid discharge line fluidly connected to the bottom end of the stabilizer column and arranged to receive a liquid phase comprising stabilized hydrocarbon condensate that is discharged from the bottom end of the stabilizer column;
• an overhead line in fluid communication with the top end of the stabilizer column and arranged to receive an overhead vapour stream consisting of a vapour phase comprising volatile components from the unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream that is discharged from the top end of the stabilizer column;
• an overhead condenser arranged in the overhead line, arranged to receive the overhead vapour stream and to bring the overhead vapour stream in indirect heat exchanging contact with a coolant, whereby passing heat from the overhead vapour stream to the coolant as a result of which partially condensing the overhead vapour stream whereby the overhead vapour stream becomes a partially condensed overhead stream;
• an overhead separator arranged in the overhead line for receiving the partially condensed overhead stream from the overhead condenser and separating the partially condensed overhead stream into a vapour effluent stream and an overhead liquid stream comprising a liquid reflux stream;
• an effluent vapour line arranged to receive the vapour effluent stream being discharged from the overhead separator;
• a liquid reflux line fluidly connected to the overhead separator and arranged to receive the liquid reflux stream and convey the liquid reflux stream to the second inlet device into the stabilizer column;
• a reflux expander arranged in the liquid reflux line between the stream splitter and the second inlet device, and arranged to expand the liquid reflux stream to the feed pressure;
• wherein the effluent vapour line extends between the overhead separator and the feed-effluent heat exchanger whereby the effluent stream in the feed-effluent heat exchanger comprises the vapour effluent stream being discharged from the overhead separator.