Ethylene recycle systems and methods

A method comprising:

• obtaining an overheads stream comprising ethylene in a first gaseous state from an ethylene purification column comprising an embedded drum in an overheads portion of the ethylene purification column;
• heating the overheads stream in a first heat exchanger to produce a heated overheads stream comprising the ethylene in a second gaseous state;
• compressing the heated overheads stream to yield a compressed ethylene stream comprising the ethylene in a first supercritical state;
• cooling the compressed ethylene stream to produce a cooled, compressed ethylene stream comprising the ethylene in a first liquid state;
• reducing the pressure of the cooled, compressed ethylene stream to produce a first recycle stream comprising the ethylene in a second liquid state and optionally a third gaseous state;
• and
• introducing the first recycle stream into the ethylene purification column.

A system comprising:

• an ethylene purification column;
• a first heat exchanger;
• a compressor;
• an adiabatic expansion valve or expander;
• an overheads line fluidly coupling an overheads portion of the ethylene purification column and the first heat exchanger;
• a heated overheads line fluidly coupling the first heat exchanger and the compressor;
• a compressed ethylene line fluidly coupling the compressor and the adiabatic expansion valve or the expander, wherein the compressed ethylene line passes through the first heat exchanger independent of the overheads line;
• and
• a recycle line fluidly coupling the adiabatic expansion valve or the expander and the ethylene purification column.