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US 11,598,578 B2Granted
Low pressure ethane liquefaction and purification from a high pressure liquid ethane source
AssigneeBaker Hughes Energy Services LLC
InventorsDavid Allen Kennedy, Thomas Lyons, Christopher Yount
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A plant and process are used to liquefy and purify a high pressure ethane feed stream. The plant includes a cascaded refrigeration system that refrigerates the ethane feed stream. The refrigeration system includes a propylene circuit, an ethylene circuit and a mixed refrigerant circuit. The mixed refrigerant circuit includes a refrigerant that includes ethane and methane. The plant includes a demethanizer that is configured to remove methane and other natural gas liquids from the refrigerated ethane stream.
Claims15
A method for liquefying and purifying a high pressure ethane feed stream, the method comprising:
- receiving an ethane feed stream from a high pressure pipeline source;
- dehydrating the ethane feed stream by sequentially rotating the ethane feed stream through a plurality of inter-connected molecular sieve beds configured within a dehydration unit at which the ethane feed stream is received;
- and
- refrigerating the dehydrated ethane feed stream by:
- passing a propylene refrigerant through a first refrigeration circuit comprising at least one propylene compressor and at least one propylene heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the first refrigeration circuit;
- passing an ethylene refrigerant through a second refrigeration circuit including an ethylene heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the second refrigeration circuit;
- passing a mixed refrigerant through a third refrigeration circuit including a mixed refrigerant heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the third refrigeration circuit;
- and
- demethanizing a portion of the refrigerated dehydrated ethane feed stream,
- wherein one of the at least one propylene heat exchangers is configured as two double core and kettle heat exchangers immersed in a liquid bath,
- wherein the mixed refrigerant stream from the third refrigeration circuit passes through a first of the two double core and kettle heat exchangers,
- wherein the dehydrated ethane feed stream from the first refrigeration circuit passes through a first core of a second of the two double core and kettle heat exchangers, and the dehydrated ethane feed stream from the second refrigeration circuit passes through a second core of the second of the double core and kettle heat exchangers, and
- wherein a vapor boiling from the liquid bath is drawn through a first stage suction side of at least one of the at least one propylene compressor.
13 more elements
A method for liquefying and purifying a high pressure ethane feed stream, the method comprising:
- receiving an ethane feed stream from a high pressure pipeline source;
- dehydrating the ethane stream by sequentially rotating the ethane feed stream through a plurality of inter-connected molecular sieve beds configured within a dehydration unit at which the ethane feed stream is received;
- and
- refrigerating the dehydrated ethane feed stream to produce a liquefied ethane feed stream by:
- passing a propylene refrigerant through a first refrigeration circuit including at least one propylene compressor and at least one propylene heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the first refrigeration circuit;
- passing an ethylene refrigerant through a second refrigeration circuit including an ethylene heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the second refrigeration circuit;
- passing a mixed refrigerant through a third refrigeration circuit including a mixed refrigerant heat exchanger configured to refrigerate the dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the third refrigeration circuit;
- demethanizing a portion of the refrigerated dehydrated ethane feed stream;
- transporting the liquefied ethane feed stream to an ethane storage facility;
- capturing boil-off gases from the ethane storage facility;
- and
- transporting the boil-off gases to a gas pipeline,
- wherein one of the at least one propylene heat exchangers is configured as two double core and kettle heat exchangers immersed in a liquid bath,
- wherein the mixed refrigerant stream from the third refrigeration circuit passes through a first of the two double core and kettle heat exchangers,
- wherein the dehydrated ethane feed stream from the first refrigeration circuit passes through a first core of a second of the two double core and kettle heat exchangers, and the dehydrated ethane feed stream from the second refrigeration circuit passes through a second core of the second of the double core and kettle heat exchangers, and
- wherein a vapor boiling from the liquid bath is drawn through a first stage suction side of at least one of the at least one propylene compressor.
16 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.