# US 11,112,187 B2 · Natural gas liquid fractionation plant waste heat conversion to simultaneous power and cooling capacities using modified Goswami system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,112,187 B2 - Document ID: US11112187B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/742,687 - Filed: 2020-01-14 - Published: 2020-05-14 - Granted: 2021-09-07 - 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/US11112187B2 ## CPC - F28D 21/0001: {Recuperative heat exchangers} - B01D 1/0058: {Use of waste energy from other processes or sources, e.g. combustion gas (for water treatment C02F1/16)} - B01D 1/26: Multiple-effect evaporating - B01D 3/065: {Multiple-effect flash distillation (more than two traps)} - B01D 3/146: {Multiple effect distillation} - B01D 53/343: {Heat recovery} - C10G 5/06: by cooling or compressing - C10G 7/00: Distillation of hydrocarbon oils - F01K 25/08: using special vapours - F01K 27/02: Plants modified to use their waste heat, other than that of exhaust, e.g. engine-friction heat - F25J 3/0209: {Natural gas or substitute natural gas} - F25J 3/0233: {separation of CnHm with 1 carbon atom or more} - F25J 3/0238: {separation of CnHm with 2 carbon atoms or more} - F25J 3/0242: {separation of CnHm with 3 carbon atoms or more} - B01D 53/002: {by condensation} - B01D 53/1456: {Removing acid components} - B01D 53/263: {by absorption} - F01K 25/10: the vapours being cold, e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ether - F25J 2200/02: in a single pressure main column system - F25J 2200/70: Refluxing the column with a condensed part of the feed stream, i.e. fractionator top is stripped or self-rectified - F25J 2200/74: Refluxing the column with at least a part of the partially condensed overhead gas - F25J 2215/62: Ethane or ethylene - F25J 2240/70: Steam turbine, e.g. used in a Rankine cycle - F25J 2260/02: Integration in an installation for exchanging heat, e.g. for waste heat recovery - F25J 2270/12: External refrigeration with liquid vaporising loop - F25J 2270/60: Closed external refrigeration cycle with single component refrigerant [SCR], e.g. C1-, C2- or C3-hydrocarbons - F28D 2021/0075: {for syngas or cracked gas cooling systems} - 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 - 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) - 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 - 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) - F25J: LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS {OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS} MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT {OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE (cryogenic pumps F04B37/08; gas storage vessels, gas holders F17; filing vessels with, or discharging from vessels, compressed, liquefied or solidified gases F17C; refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25B)} - 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 and cooling capacities using modified Goswami system can be implemented as a system. The system includes a waste heat recovery heat exchanger configured to heat a buffer fluid stream by exchange with a heat source in a natural gas liquid fractionation plant. The system includes a modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system including one or more first energy conversion system heat exchangers configured to heat a working fluid by exchange with the heated buffer fluid stream, a separator configured to receive the heated working fluid and to output a vapor stream of the working fluid and the liquid stream of the working fluid, a turbine and a generator, wherein the turbine and generator are configured to generate power by expansion of a first portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid, and a cooling subsystem including a cooling element configured to cool a process fluid stream from the natural gas liquid fractionation plant by exchange with a condensed second portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system comprising: a waste heat recovery heat exchanger configured to heat a buffer fluid stream with heat from a heat source in a natural gas liquid fractionation plant; and a modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system including: an energy conversion system heat exchanger configured to heat a working fluid with heat from the heated buffer fluid stream; a separator configured to separate the heated working fluid into a vapor stream of the working fluid and a liquid stream of the working fluid; a turbine and a generator, wherein the turbine and generator are configured to generate power by expansion of a first portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid; and a cooling element configured to cool a process fluid stream from the natural gas liquid fractionation plant with heat from a condensed second portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling element is configured to cool ethane gas output from a deethanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling element comprises a chiller having a thermal duty of between 350 MM Btu/h and 450 MM Btu/h. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the cooling element comprises a valve. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy conversion system comprises a pump configured to pump the working fluid to a pressure of between 11 Bar and 12 Bar. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the energy conversion heat exchanger is configured to heat a first portion of the working fluid, and wherein the modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system comprises a second energy conversion heat exchanger configured to heat a second portion of the working fluid with heat from the liquid stream of the working fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6, wherein the second energy conversion heat exchanger is configured to heat the second portion of the working fluid with heat from the heated buffer fluid stream. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a second turbine configured to generate power from the liquid stream of the working fluid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, further comprising a storage tank, wherein the buffer fluid stream flows from the storage tank, through the waste heat recovery heat exchanger, through the modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system, and back to the storage tank. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from a refrigerant in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from propane gas output from a depropanizer or a propane dehydrator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from a C5+ bottoms product from a debutanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from butane gas output from a debutanizer or a butane dehydrator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from pentane gas output from a depentanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from acid gases or lean amine-di-iso-propanol (ADIP) output from an ADIP generator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from natural gas output from a decolorizing section in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from compressed propane, compressed butane, or dry ethane gas in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the waste heat recovery exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from pentane gas output from a Reid vapor pressure (RVP) column in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 19 A method comprising: heating a buffer fluid stream via a waste heat recovery heat exchanger with heat from a heat source in a natural gas liquid fractionation plant; generating power and cooling capacity in a modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system, comprising: heating a working fluid with heat from the heated buffer fluid stream; separating the heated working fluid into a vapor stream of the working fluid and the liquid stream of the working fluid; generating power, by a turbine and generator, by expansion of a first portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid; and cooling a process fluid stream from the natural gas liquid fractionation plant with heat from a condensed second portion of the vapor stream of the working fluid. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein cooling the process fluid stream comprises producing at least 300 MM Btu/h of cooling capacity for the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein cooling the process fluid stream comprises cooling ethane gas output from a deethanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein generating power by the first turbine and generator includes generating at least 15 MW of power. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising pumping the working fluid to a pressure of between 11 Bar and 12 Bar. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the working fluid comprises heating the working fluid to a temperature of between 160° F. and 180° F. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising generating power from the liquid stream of the working fluid by a second turbine. ### Claim 26 (depends on 25) The method of claim 25, wherein generating power by the second turbine comprises generating at least 1 MW of power. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, further comprising flowing the buffer fluid stream from a storage tank, through the waste heat recovery exchanger, through the modified Goswami cycle energy conversion system, and back to the storage tank. ### Claim 28 The method of 20, wherein the waste heat recovery heat exchanger is configured to heat the buffer fluid stream with heat from a refrigerant in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the refrigerant is used to cool ethane gas output from a deethanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 30 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from propane gas output from a depropanizer or a propane dehydrator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 31 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from a C5+ bottoms product from a debutanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 32 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from butane gas output from a debutanizer or a butane dehydrator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 33 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from pentane gas output from a depentanizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 34 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from acid gases or lean ADIP output from an ADIP generator in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 35 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from NG output from a decolorizer in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 36 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from compressed propane, compressed butane, or dry ethane gas in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant. ### Claim 37 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein heating the buffer fluid stream comprises heating the buffer fluid stream with heat from pentane gas output from an RVP column in the natural gas liquid fractionation plant.