System, apparatus, and method for hydrocarbon processing
AssigneeEnerflex US Holdings Inc.
InventorTimothy W. Oneal
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for the separation of a natural gas stream is provided. The process includes receiving an effluent gas flow from a first fractionator operating at a first pressure, splitting the effluent gas flow into a first stream and a second stream, and passing the first stream through a heat exchanger thereby causing a phase change of at least a portion of the first stream from a gaseous state to a liquid state. The process includes inserting the first stream into an upper portion of a second fractionator operating at a second pressure. The second pressure is lower than the first pressure. The process includes inserting the second stream into a lower portion of the second fractionator, and diverting liquids from a lower portion of the second fractionator to the first fractionator.
Claims35
A process for separating a natural gas stream, the process comprising:
- receiving an input stream into a first fractionator, wherein the input stream comprises natural gas, and operating the first fractionator to fractionate the input stream, thereby forming a product stream and a first vapor effluent stream;
- directing at least a portion of the first vapor effluent stream into a second fractionator;
- operating the second fractionator to form a first liquid stream and a second vapor effluent stream;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the first liquid stream into the first fractionator, wherein said at least a portion of the first liquid stream is fractionated as part of the input stream, and said product stream is formed;
- and
- prior to directing the first vapor effluent stream portion into the second fractionator, separating the first vapor effluent stream into a first portion and a second portion, whereby the first portion or the second portion is the first vapor effluent stream portion directed into the second fractionator.
A process for separating a natural gas stream, the process comprising:
- receiving an inlet fluid stream comprising natural gas into a plant upstream of a second fractionator;
- receiving an input stream into a first fractionator, wherein the input stream comprises natural gas, and operating the first fractionator to fractionate the input stream, thereby forming a product stream and a first vapor effluent stream;
- directing at least a portion of the first vapor effluent stream into the second fractionator;
- operating the second fractionator to form a first liquid stream and a second vapor effluent stream;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the first liquid stream into the first fractionator, wherein said at least a portion of the first liquid stream is fractionated as part of the input stream, and said product stream is formed;
- and
- prior to directing at least a portion of the first vapor effluent stream into the second fractionator, combining said at least portion of the first vapor effluent stream with at least a portion of the inlet fluid stream comprising the natural gas.
A process for separating a natural gas stream, the process comprising:
- receiving a inlet fluid stream comprising natural gas into a plant upstream of a second fractionator;
- receiving an input stream into a first fractionator, wherein the input stream comprises natural gas, and operating the first fractionator to fractionate the input stream, thereby forming a product stream and a first vapor effluent stream;
- directing the first vapor effluent stream into the second fractionator;
- operating the second fractionator to form a first liquid stream and a second vapor effluent stream;
- and
- directing at least a portion of the first liquid stream into the first fractionator, wherein said at least a portion of the first liquid stream is fractionated as part of the input stream, and said product stream is formed;
- further comprising, prior to directing at least a portion of the input stream into the first fractionator:
- splitting the inlet fluid stream into multiple portions, the multiple portions including a portion directed into the second fractionator;
- and
- cooling at least some of the multiple portions of the inlet fluid stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.