# US 10,480,355 B2 · Natural gas liquid fractionation plant waste heat conversion to simultaneous power, cooling and potable water using modified goswami cycle and new modified multi-effect-distillation system

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- Number: US 10,480,355 B2
- Document ID: US10480355B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/842,292
- Filed: 2017-12-14
- Published: 2019-02-14
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-08
- Assignees: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Applicants: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
- Inventors: Mahmoud Bahy Mahmoud Noureldin; Akram Hamed Mohamed Kamel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10480355B2

## CPC

- F01K 27/02: Plants modified to use their waste heat, other than that of exhaust, e.g. engine-friction heat
- B01D 1/0058: {Use of waste energy from other processes or sources, e.g. combustion gas (for water treatment C02F1/16)}
- B01D 1/0082: {Regulation; Control}
- B01D 1/26: Multiple-effect evaporating
- B01D 3/065: {Multiple-effect flash distillation (more than two traps)}
- B01D 3/146: {Multiple effect distillation}
- C02F 1/16: using waste heat from other processes
- C10G 5/06: by cooling or compressing
- C10G 7/00: Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
- F25B 27/02: using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines
- F28D 21/001: {for thermal power plants or industrial processes}
- B01D 53/002: {by condensation}
- B01D 53/1456: {Removing acid components}
- B01D 53/263: {by absorption}
- C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination
- F01K 25/10: the vapours being cold, e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ether
- F28D 2021/0019: {Other heat exchangers for particular applications; Heat exchange systems not otherwise provided for}
- Y02A 20/124: Water desalination
- Y02P 70/10: Greenhouse gas [GHG] capture, material saving, heat recovery or other energy efficient measures, e.g. motor control, characterised by manufacturing processes, e.g. for rolling metal or metal working
- F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D)
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes)
- 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
- F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS
- F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general)
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Certain aspects of natural gas liquid fractionation plant waste heat conversion to simultaneous power, cooling and potable water using modified Goswami Cycle and new modified MED system can be implemented as a system. In an example implementation, the system includes a waste heat recovery heat exchanger network coupled to multiple heat sources of a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) fractionation plant, the heat exchanger network configured to transfer at least a portion of heat generated at the multiple heat sources to a first buffer fluid and a second buffer fluid flowed through the first heat exchanger network. The system includes a first sub-system configured to generate power and sub-ambient cooling capacity, the first sub-system thermally coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger. The system includes a second sub-system configured to generate potable water from brackish water, the second sub-system thermally coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system comprising:
a waste heat recovery heat exchanger network comprising heat exchangers coupled to a a Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) fractionation plant, the NGL fractionation plant comprising a propane dehydration section comprising a propane dehydrator column and a de-propanizer section comprising a de-propanizer distillation column, wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a first heat exchanger thermally coupled to the propane dehydration section to heat a first buffer stream using heat carried by a propane de-hydration outlet stream from the propane de-hydration section; and
a second heat exchanger thermally coupled to the de-propanizer section to heat a second buffer stream using heat carried by a de-propanizer overhead outlet stream, wherein the first buffer stream is a first type of buffer fluid, and wherein the second buffer stream is a second type of buffer fluid different than the first type; and
a first sub-system comprising a power turbine and heat exchangers, the first sub-system coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network and configured to generate power and sub-ambient cooling capacity using heat provided by the first buffer stream.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a flow control system connected to the heat exchanger network and the first sub-system and comprising pumps, pipe, and valves to flow fluids between the NGL fractionation plant, the heat exchanger network, and the first sub-system, wherein the fluids comprise buffer fluid and NGL fractionation plant streams.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising:
a first collection-header conduit to receive the first buffer stream discharged from the first heat exchanger, wherein the first collection-header conduit to route the first type of buffer fluid to the first sub-system; and
a second collection-header conduit to receive the second buffer stream discharged from the second heat exchanger.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the NGL fractionation plant comprises a butane de-hydrator section comprising a butane dehydrator column and a de-butanizer section comprising a de-butanizer distillation column, and wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a third heat exchanger thermally coupled to the butane de-hydrator section to heat a third buffer stream using heat carried by a butane de-hydrator outlet stream; and
a fourth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the de-butanizer section to heat a fourth buffer stream using heat carried by a de-butanizer overhead outlet stream.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the NGL fractionation plant comprises a de-pentanizer section comprising a de-pentanizer distillation column, an Amine-Di-Iso-Propanol (ADIP) regeneration section comprising an ADIP regenerator distillation column, a natural gas (NG) de-colorizing section comprising NG decolorizer distillation-column, a propane vapor recovery section comprising a compressor and a condenser heat exchanger, and a propane product refrigeration section comprising a propane refrigeration compressor, wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a seventh heat exchanger thermally coupled to the de-pentanizer section to heat a seventh buffer stream using heat carried by a de-pentanizer overhead outlet stream from the de-pentanizer section; and
an eighth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the ADIP regeneration section to heat a eighth buffer stream using heat carried by an ADIP regeneration section overhead outlet stream.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a ninth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the ADIP regeneration section, the ninth heat exchanger configured to heat a ninth buffer stream using heat carried by an ADIP regeneration section bottoms outlet stream;
a tenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the natural gas de-colorizing section, the tenth heat exchanger configured to heat a tenth buffer stream using heat carried by a natural gas de-colorizing section pre-flash drum overhead outlet stream;
an eleventh heat exchanger thermally coupled to the natural gas de-colorizing section, the eleventh heat exchanger configured to heat an eleventh buffer stream using heat carried by a natural gas de-colorizer overhead outlet stream;
a twelfth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the propane vapor recovery section, the twelfth heat exchanger configured to heat a twelfth buffer stream using heat carried by a propane vapor recovery compressor outlet stream; and
a thirteenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the propane product refrigeration section, the thirteenth heat exchanger configured to heat a thirteenth buffer stream using heat carried by a propane refrigeration compressor outlet stream from the propane product refrigeration section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a fifth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the de-butanizer section, the fifth heat exchanger configured to heat a fifth buffer stream using heat carried by a de-butanizer overhead outlet stream from the de-butanizer section; and
a sixth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the de-butanizer section, the sixth heat exchanger configured to heat a sixth buffer stream using heat carried by a de-butanizer bottoms outlet stream from the de-butanizer section.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the NGL fractionation plant comprises:
a propane product sub-cooling section comprising a main compressor and a propane condenser heat-exchanger;
a butane product refrigeration section comprising a butane refrigeration compressor and a butane refrigeration condenser heat-exhanger;
an ethane production section comprising an ethane dryer column; and
a Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) control section comprising a RVP distillation column.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The system of claim 8, wherein the heat exchangers comprise:
a fourteenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the propane product sub-cooling, the fourteenth heat exchanger configured to heat a fourteenth buffer stream using heat carried by a propane main compressor outlet stream from the propane product sub-cooling section;
a fifteenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the butane product refrigeration section, the fifteenth heat exchanger configured to heat a fifteenth buffer stream using heat carried by a butane refrigeration compressor outlet stream from the butane product refrigeration section;
a sixteenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the ethane production section, the sixteenth heat exchanger configured to heat a sixteenth buffer stream using heat carried by an ethane dryer outlet stream; and
a seventeenth heat exchanger thermally coupled to the RVP control section, the seventeenth heat exchanger configured to heat a seventeenth buffer stream using heat carried by a RVP control column overhead outlet stream.

### Claim 10 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the third buffer stream comprises the first type, and wherein the fourth buffer stream comprises the second type.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first sub-system comprises a Goswami cycle system comprising the power turbine and the heat exchangers.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising a second sub-system coupled to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network, the second sub-system comprising train distillation effects to generate potable water from brackish water by removing saline water from the brackish water.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the second sub-system is configured to generate the potable water from brackish water using heat provided by the second buffer stream.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The system of claim 12, wherein the second sub-system comprises a multi-effect-distillation (MED) system comprising the train distillation effects, the MED system configured to produce the potable water using heat provided by the second buffer stream.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14, wherein the MED system comprises a modified MED system comprising the train distillation effects.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first type comprises oil and the second type comprises water.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising:
a first storage tank to store the first type of buffer fluid comprising the first buffer stream; and
a second storage tank to store the second type of buffer fluid comprising the second buffer stream.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17, wherein a flow control system comprising pumps, pipes, and valves is configured to flow the first buffer stream or the second buffer stream or both from the respective storage tank to the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the first sub-system comprises a modified Goswami cycle system configured to produce the power and sub-ambient cooling capacity using heat carried by the first buffer stream.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, comprising;
a first collection header conduit to receive the first type of buffer fluid discharged from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network; and
a second collection header conduit to receive the second type of buffer fluid discharged from the waste heat recovery heat exchanger network.