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US 10,704,831 B2Granted
Systems and methods for flexible propane recovery
AssigneeFluor Technologies Corporation
InventorJohn Mak
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods that utilize feed gases that are supplied in a wide range of compositions and pressure to provide highly efficient recovery of NGL products, such as propane, utilizing isenthalpic expansion, propane refrigeration, and shell and tube exchangers are described. Plants utilizing such systems and methods can be readily reconfigured between propane recovery and ethane recovery.
Claims20
A system configured to flexibly operate in a propane recovery mode or an ethane recovery mode, comprising:
- a first separator configured to separate a mixed stream into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream;
- an absorber configured to receive the first vapor stream and to produce an absorber bottom stream and an absorber overhead stream;
- and
- a fractionation column configured to receive the first liquid stream and the absorber bottom stream and to produce a C3+ product stream and a fractionation column overhead stream;
- a first heat exchanger, an absorber subcooler, and an expansion valve, wherein the first heat exchanger is coupled to the fractionation column and to the absorber subcooler, wherein the absorber subcooler is additionally coupled to the expansion valve and to the first separator, and wherein the expansion valve is additionally coupled to the absorber;
- wherein the absorber is configured to receive the fractionation column overhead stream;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during a propane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at a top of the absorber as a reflux and the first vapor stream at a bottom of the absorber;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during an ethane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at the bottom of the absorber, a first portion of the first vapor stream at the bottom of the absorber, and a second portion of the first vapor stream at the top of the absorber as a reflux,
- wherein during a propane recovery mode and prior to the fractionation column overhead stream entering the absorber, the lint heat exchanger is configured to cool the fractionation column overhead stream, the absorber subcooler is configured to chill the fractionation column overhead stream, and the expansion valve is configured to expand the fractionation column overhead stream,
- wherein during ethane recovery mode and prior to the second portion of the first vapor stream entering the absorber, the absorber subcooler is configured to cool the second portion of the first vapor stream and the expansion valve is configured to expand the second portion of the first vapor stream.
7 more elements
A system configured to flexibly operate in a propane recovery mode or an ethane recovery mode, comprising:
- a first separator configured to separate a mixed stream into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream;
- an absorber configured to receive the first vapor stream and to produce an absorber bottom stream and an absorber overhead stream;
- a fractionation column configured to receive the first liquid stream and the absorber bottom stream and to produce a C3+ product stream and a fractionation column overhead stream;
- wherein the absorber is configured to receive the fractionation column overhead stream;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during a propane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at a top of the absorber as a reflux and the first vapor stream at a bottom of the absorber;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during an ethane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at the bottom of the absorber, a first portion of the first vapor stream at the bottom of the absorber, and a second portion of the first vapor stream at the top of the absorber as a reflux,
- a second separator configured to separate a feed gas stream into a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream;
- a third separator configured to separate the second liquid stream into a vapor portion and a hydrocarbon stream;
- a stripper configured to strip the hydrocarbon stream to form a C2 rich vapor stream and a C2 depleted bottom stream;
- a compressor configured to compress the C2 rich vapor stream to produce a compressed vapor stream;
- and
- a first heat exchanger configured to cool the compressed vapor stream to form a recycle stream;
- wherein the mixed stream comprises the second vapor stream, the recycle stream, and the vapor portion of the second liquid stream.
10 more elements
A system configured to flexibly operate in a propane recovery mode or an ethane recovery mode, comprising:
- a first separator configured to separate a mixed stream into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream,
- an absorber configured to receive the first vapor stream and to produce an absorber bottom stream and an absorber overhead stream;
- a fractionation column configured to receive the first liquid stream and the absorber bottom stream and to produce a C3+ product stream and a fractionation column overhead stream;
- wherein the absorber is configured to receive the fractionation column overhead stream;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during a propane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at a top of the absorber as a reflux and the first vapor stream at a bottom of the absorber;
- wherein the absorber is configured, during an ethane recovery mode, to receive the fractionation column overhead stream at the bottom of the absorber, a first portion of the first vapor stream at the bottom of the absorber, and a second portion of the first vapor stream at the top of the absorber as a reflux,
- a second separator configured to separate a feed gas stream into a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream;
- a third separator configured to separate the second liquid stream into a vapor portion and a hydrocarbon stream;
- a stripper configured to strip the hydrocarbon stream to form a C2 rich vapor stream and a C2 depleted bottom stream;
- a compressor configured to compress the C2 rich vapor stream to produce a compressed vapor stream;
- and
- a first heat exchanger configured to cool the compressed vapor stream to form a recycle stream;
- wherein the mixed stream comprise the second vapor stream, the recycle stream, and the vapor portion of the second liquid stream;
- a first valve configured to expand the first liquid stream;
- and
- a second valve configured to expand at least a portion of the first vapor stream.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.