Low pressure ethane liquefaction and purification from a high pressure liquid ethane source
AssigneeGE Oil & Gas, Inc.
InventorsDavid Allen KENNEDY, Thomas LYONS, Christopher YOUNT
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Abstract
A plant and process are used to liquefy and purify a high pressure ethane feed stream. The plant includes a cascaded refrigeration system that refrigerates the ethane feed stream. The refrigeration system includes a propylene circuit, an ethylene circuit and a mixed refrigerant circuit. The mixed refrigerant circuit includes a refrigerant that includes ethane and methane. The plant includes a demethanizer that is configured to remove methane and other natural gas liquids from the refrigerated ethane stream.
Claims20
A method for liquefying and purifying a high pressure ethane feed stream, the method comprising the steps of:
- dehydrating the ethane feed stream;
- and
- refrigerating the dehydrated ethane feed stream, wherein the step of refrigerating the dehydrated ethane feed stream further comprises:
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through a plurality of cascaded refrigeration circuits;
- and
- demethanizing a portion of the refrigerated ethane feed stream.
A method for refrigerating an ethane feed stream through a plurality of cascaded refrigeration circuits, the method comprising;
- passing a propylene refrigerant through a first refrigeration circuit;
- passing the ethane feed stream through the first refrigeration circuit;
- passing an ethylene refrigerant through a second refrigeration circuit;
- passing the ethane feed stream through the second refrigeration circuit;
- passing a mixed refrigerant through a third refrigeration circuit;
- and
- passing the ethane feed stream through the third refrigeration circuit.
A method for liquefying and purifying a high pressure ethane stream, the method comprising the steps of:
- dehydrating the ethane stream;
- and
- refrigerating the dehydrated ethane stream to produce a liquefied ethane stream at near atmospheric pressure, wherein the step of refrigerating the dehydrated ethane stream further comprises:
- passing a propylene refrigerant through a first refrigeration circuit;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the first refrigeration circuit;
- passing an ethylene refrigerant through a second refrigeration circuit;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the second refrigeration circuit;
- passing a mixed refrigerant through a third refrigeration circuit;
- passing the dehydrated ethane feed stream through the third refrigeration circuit;
- transporting the liquefied ethane steam to an ethane storage facility;
- capturing boil-off gases from the ethane storage facility;
- and
- transporting the boil-off gases to a gas pipeline.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.