Recycling gaseous hydrocarbons
AssigneeEnergy & Environmental Research Center Foundation
InventorDarren Schmidt
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of recycling gaseous hydrocarbons includes flowing a hydrocarbon gas composition from a secondary separator into a compressor unit to form a compressed mixture. The secondary separator includes a crude liquid hydrocarbon input stream from a primary separator. The method includes flowing the compressed mixture into a cooling unit to cool the compressed mixture, to form a cooled composition comprising liquid hydrocarbons. The method includes flowing the liquid hydrocarbons from the cooled composition into the primary separator.
Claims20
An apparatus for recycling gaseous hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:
- a compressor that accepts a hydrocarbon gas composition from a separator, wherein the separator accepts a crude hydrocarbon input stream and outputs a crude liquid hydrocarbon stream;
- a cooling unit that accepts a compressed mixture from the compressor and that forms a cooled composition comprising liquid hydrocarbons;
- and
- a flowline from the cooling unit for flowing the liquid hydrocarbons to the separator;
- wherein the compressor comprises an oil-less compressor, and wherein the oil-less compressor comprises a crankcase that is free of oil that contacts material being compressed and is free of oil lubrication that requires regular changings.
An apparatus for recycling gaseous hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:
- a compressor that accepts a hydrocarbon gas composition from a separator, wherein the separator accepts a crude hydrocarbon input stream and outputs a crude liquid hydrocarbon stream;
- a cooling unit that accepts a compressed mixture from the compressor and that forms a cooled composition comprising liquid hydrocarbons;
- and
- a flowline from the cooling unit for flowing the liquid hydrocarbons to the separator;
- wherein the apparatus further comprises
- a primary recovery separator that accepts the hydrocarbon gas composition from the separator and that flows the hydrocarbon gas composition from the primary recovery separator to the compressor, or
- a secondary recovery separator that accepts the cooled composition comprising the liquid hydrocarbons and that outputs the liquid hydrocarbons to the separator.
An apparatus for recycling gaseous hydrocarbons, the apparatus comprising:
- a compressor that accepts a hydrocarbon gas composition from a separator, wherein the separator accepts a crude hydrocarbon input stream and outputs a crude liquid hydrocarbon stream;
- a cooling unit that accepts a compressed mixture from the compressor and that forms a cooled composition comprising liquid hydrocarbons;
- and
- a flowline from the cooling unit for flowing the liquid hydrocarbons to the separator;
- wherein the separator is a secondary separator, and wherein the separator accepts the crude liquid hydrocarbon input stream from another separator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.