A method for fractionating a stream of cracked gas from a hydrocarbon pyrolysis installation to obtain an ethylene-rich cut and a stream of fuel having a low C2+ hydrocarbon content, the method comprising the following steps:
- cooling and introducing in at least one compressor a raw cracked gas stream to form a compressed cracked gas stream;
- forming a reboiling fraction from the compressed cracked gas stream;
- introducing the reboiling fraction into a reboiling heat exchanger of a fractionating column;
- partial condensing of the reboiling fraction in the reboiling heat exchanger;
- introducing a stream foiined from the reboiling fraction into a first upstream separating drum to form an upstream stream of raw cracked gas;
- upstream cooling of the upstream stream of raw cracked gas and partial condensation of the upstream stream of raw cracked gas by at least partial heat exchange with a coolant fluid circulating in a first external refrigeration cycle and separation of an upstream liquid in an upstream drum to form an intermediate stream of cracked gas pre-cooled to a first temperature below −63° C.;
- intermediate cooling of the intermediate stream of cracked gas and partial condensation of the inteiiiiediate stream of cracked gas in at least one intermediate heat exchanger and separation of an intermediate liquid in at least one intermediate separation drum to form a downstream stream of cracked gas cooled to a second temperature lower than the first temperature;
- downstream cooling of the downstream stream of cracked gas and partial condensation of the downstream stream of cracked gas in a downstream heat exchanger to a third temperature lower than the second temperature;
- introducing the partially condensed downstream stream of cracked gas obtained from the downstream heat exchanger in a downstream separator;
- recovering, at the head of the downstream separator, a high-pressure gas stream of fuel, with a low C2+ hydrocarbon content, and recovering, at the bottom of the downstream separator, a downstream liquid, with a high C2+ hydrocarbon content;
- passing the high-pressure fuel stream through the downstream exchanger and the at least one intermediate exchanger to form a reheated high-pressure fuel stream;
- expansion of the reheated high-pressure fuel stream in at least a first dynamic expander to obtain a partially expanded fuel stream;
- heating the partially expanded fuel stream through the downstream exchanger and the at least one intermediate exchanger;
- passing the partially expanded flow of fuel from the at least one intermediate exchanger into a second dynamic expander to form an expanded stream of fuel;
- reheating the expanded fuel stream from the second dynamic expander in the downstream heat exchanger and in the at least one intermediate heat exchanger;
- compressing the reheated expanded fuel stream in at least one fuel compressor coupled to at least one turbo-expander of one of the first dynamic expander and the second dynamic expander to form the stream of fuel having a low C2+ hydrocarbon content,
- wherein the intermediate cooling of the intermediate stream of cracked gas to the second temperature is carried out exclusively by heat exchange with the high pressure fuel stream, by heat exchange with the partially expanded fuel stream, by heat exchange with the expanded fuel stream, by heat exchange with a first fraction of the intermediate liquid recovered in the intermediate cooling step and the downstream liquid recovered in the downstream cooling step from the downstream separator, the heat exchanges being carried out in the intermediate heat exchanger, without heat exchange with an external coolant fluid circulating in a refrigeration cycle,
- wherein a processing step comprises the introduction of at least said upstream liquid, and a second fraction of said intermediate liquid in a fractionating column and the production in the fractionating column of a stream with a high ethylene content intended to form the ethylene-rich cut.