Ethane separation with overhead cryogenic heat exchanger
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsGlen John Pomorski, Kyle Cuellar, Joseph Edward Zimmermann, Dennis Robert Ladendorf, Michael R. Van de Cotte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved process and apparatus integrate a deethanizer column with a cryogenic heat exchanger by condensing the deethanizer column overhead with a refrigerant stream in a cryogenic heat exchanger. A refrigerant compressor may provide refrigerant to the deethanizer overhead cryogenic condenser and a main cryogenic heat exchanger. Expansion of the refrigerant may provide sufficient cooling duty in one or both cryogenic exchangers.
Claims14
A process for separating C2 hydrocarbons from C3 hydrocarbons comprising:
- passing a deethanizer feed stream comprising C2 and C3 hydrocarbons to a deethanizer column to provide a deethanizer overhead stream rich in C2 hydrocarbons and a deethanized bottoms stream rich in C3 hydrocarbons;
- compressing an initial refrigerant stream to provide a compressed refrigerant stream and separating said compressed refrigerant stream into a vapor refrigerant stream refrigerant stream;
- reboiling a deethanized bottoms stream by heat exchange with said vapor refrigerant stream to provide a reboiled deethanized bottom stream and a cool refrigerant stream;
- and
- cooling said deethanizer overhead stream by heat exchange with said cool refrigerant stream.
A process for separating ethane from propane comprising:
- passing a deethanizer feed stream comprising ethane and propane to a deethanizer column to provide a deethanizer overhead stream rich in ethane and a deethanized bottoms stream rich in propane;
- reboiling a deethanized bottoms stream by heat exchange with a refrigerant stream;
- compressing an initial refrigerant stream to provide a compressed refrigerant stream, separating said compressed refrigerant stream into a vapor refrigerant stream and a liquid refrigerant stream;
- and
- cooling a dehydrogenated stream by heat exchange with said liquid refrigerant stream.
An apparatus for recovering dehydrogenated effluent comprising:
- a first heat exchanger for cooling a dehydrogenated stream in downstream communication with a dehydrogenation reactor;
- a second heat exchanger for cooling a deethanized overhead stream in downstream communication with a deethanizer overhead line;
- a refrigerant compressor;
- the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger in downstream communication with said refrigerant compressor;
- and
- a reboil heat exchanger in downstream communication with said refrigerant compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.