US 2016/0258675 A1Published application

Split feed addition to iso-pressure open refrigeration lpg recovery

AssigneeLummus Technology Inc.

InventorsAyyalasomayajula Kumar, Robert Huebel, Michael Malsam

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Abstract

A process is disclosed herein for recovery of natural gas liquids from a feed gas stream, comprising forming a first portion of the feed gas stream and a second portion of the feed gas stream, wherein the mass ratio of the first portion to the second portion is in the range of 95:5 to 5:95, cooling the first portion in a heat exchanger and at least partially condensing the first portion, and feeding the second portion and the cooled and at least partially condensed first portion to a distillation column wherein lighter components are removed from the distillation column as an overhead vapor stream and heavier components are removed from the distillation column in the bottoms as a product stream, and wherein the second portion is fed into the distillation column at a point one or more vapor-liquid equilibrium stages below the first portion, thereby allowing mass transfer exchange between liquids of the cooled second portion and vapors of the second portion within the column. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A process for recovery of natural gas liquids from a feed gas stream, comprising:

(a) forming a first portion of the feed gas stream and a second portion of the feed gas stream, wherein the mass ratio of the first portion to the second portion is in the range of 95:5 to 5:95;
(b) cooling the first portion in a heat exchanger and at least partially condensing the first portion;
(c) feeding the second portion and the cooled and at least partially condensed first portion to a distillation column wherein lighter components are removed from the distillation column as an overhead vapor stream and heavier components are removed from the distillation column in the bottoms as a product stream, and wherein the second portion is fed into the distillation column at a point one or more vapor-liquid equilibrium stages below the first portion, thereby allowing mass transfer exchange between liquids of the cooled first portion and vapors of the second portion within the column;
(d) feeding the distillation column overhead stream to the heat exchanger and cooling the distillation column overhead stream to at least partially liquefy the distillation column overhead stream;
(e) feeding the at least partially liquefied distillation column overhead stream to a first separator;
(f) separating the vapor and liquid in the first separator to produce an overhead vapor stream comprising sales gas and a bottoms stream comprising a mixed refrigerant;
(g) feeding the mixed refrigerant stream to the heat exchanger to provide cooling, wherein the mixed refrigerant stream vaporizes as it passes through the heat exchanger;
(h) compressing the vaporized mixed refrigerant stream and passing the compressed mixed refrigerant stream through the heat exchanger;
and
(i) feeding at least a portion of the compressed mixed refrigerant stream to the distillation column as a reflux stream.

7 more elements

An apparatus for separating natural gas liquids from a feed gas stream, the apparatus comprising:

(a) a primary feed gas line configured to deliver a feed gas stream;
(b) a heat exchanger operable to provide the heating and cooling necessary for separation of natural gas liquids from a feed gas stream by heat exchange contact between the feed gas stream and one or more process streams thus forming a cooled feed gas stream;
(c) a distillation column configured to receive the feed gas stream and to separate the feed gas stream into a column overhead stream comprising a substantial amount of the lighter hydrocarbon components of the feed gas stream and a column bottoms stream comprising a substantial amount of the heavier hydrocarbon components;
(d) a first separator configured to receive the distillation column overhead stream and to separate the column overhead stream into an overhead sales gas stream and a bottoms stream comprising a mixed refrigerant configured to provide process cooling in the heat exchanger;
(e) a compressor configured to compress the mixed refrigerant stream after the mixed refrigerant stream has provided process cooling in the heat exchanger;
and
(f) a feed gas bypass line configured to remove a portion of the feed gas stream prior to it being sent to the heat exchanger, wherein the feed gas bypass line is fluidly connected to the distillation column at a point one or more vapor-liquid equilibrium stages below the point at which the cooled feed gas stream from the heat exchanger is fluidly connected, thereby allowing mass transfer exchange between the liquids of the cooled feed gas stream from the heat exchanger and the vapors of the bypass feed gas stream within the column.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/027,648Filed 8 Oct 2014
Priority: 9 Oct 2013
Published: 8 Sep 2016
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification30 codes

F25J 3/0209
Characterised by the feed stream: natural gas or substitute natural gas
C10L 3/12
Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas: liquefied…
F25J 3/0219
Characterised by the feed stream: refinery gas, cracking gas, coke oven gas, gaseous mixtures containing aliphatic unsaturated CnHm or gaseous…
F25J 3/0233
Characterised by the separated product stream: separation of CnHm with 1 carbon atom or more

Family

Application61/888,901Us provisional application · filed 9 Oct 2013
US 2016/0258675 A1This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

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