# US 10,500,522 B2 · Method of carrying out absorption/distillation in a single column design

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,500,522 B2
- Document ID: US10500522B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/604,712
- Filed: 2015-01-24
- Published: 2015-07-30
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-01-24
- Assignees: GTC Technology US LLC
- Applicants: GTC Technology US, LLC
- Inventors: Manish Bhargava; Joseph C. Gentry
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10500522B2

## CPC

- B01D 3/141: {where at least one distillation column contains at least one dividing wall}
- B01D 3/40: Extractive distillation
- C10G 7/00: Distillation of hydrocarbon oils
- C10L 3/10: Working-up natural gas or synthetic natural gas
- C10L 3/12: Liquefied petroleum gas {(liquefying by pressure and cold treatment F25J)}
- 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)
- 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
- C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS

## Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to a process wherein two different unit operations (absorption and distillation) take place on either side of a top dividing wall column. One side of the dividing wall column uses absorption to separate non-condensable components from the feed; the other side of the dividing wall uses distillation to separate heavier liquid components.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A separation system comprising:
a top divided column comprising:
a vertical dividing wall disposed in the top divided column, the vertical dividing wall extending from a top of the top divided column and terminating above a bottom of the top divided column, the vertical dividing wall dividing the top divided column into a first side and a second side disposed on opposites sides of the vertical dividing wall; wherein the vertical dividing wall extends downward from a peripheral wall of the top divided column and terminates at a length that is less than the entire vertical length of the top divided column;
a first top section disposed in the top of the top divided column and on the first side of the vertical dividing wall and a second top section disposed in the top of the top divided column and on the second side of the vertical dividing wall;
a first section positioned beneath the first top section and on the first side of the vertical dividing wall, the first section extending from beneath the first top section;
a second section positioned beneath the second top section and on the second side of the vertical dividing wall, the second section extending from beneath the second top section; and
a first inlet fluidly coupled to the first section;
a first condenser fluidly coupled to the first top section;
an exchanger fluidly coupled to the second top section;
a second condenser fluidly coupled between the exchanger and the second top section; and
a pump fluidly coupled to a second inlet of the first section and an outlet of a third section of the top divided column, the third section disposed in the bottom of the top divided column and beneath the first and second sections;
wherein the first top section comprises a third inlet fluidly coupled to the first condenser;
wherein the first section comprises a fourth inlet fluidly coupled to the pump; and
wherein the second top section comprises a fifth inlet fluidly coupled to the second condenser.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The separation system of claim 1, wherein the condenser further comprises a second outlet fluidly coupled to the condenser.