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US 2019/0154333 A1Published application
Configurations and methods for ngl recovery for high nitrogen content feed gases
AssigneeFluor Technologies Corporation
InventorJohn Mak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A low cost and efficient design is used to convert a propane recovery process based on low nitrogen content feed gas to an ethane recovery process based on a high nitrogen feed gas while achieving over 95 mole % ethane recovery while maintaining a 99% propane recovery, and achieved without additional equipment.
Claims20
A NGL plant configured to convert from a propane recovery configuration to an ethane recovery configuration, the NGL plant comprising:
- an absorber;
- and
- a fractionator,
- wherein the absorber is configured to produce an absorber overhead product and an absorber bottom product, wherein the fractionator is configured to produce a fractionator overhead product and a fractionator bottom product,
- wherein the absorber is configured to receive a vapor portion of the fractionator overhead product as a top reflux in the propane recovery configuration and to receive a stream comprising a first portion of a feed gas and a first portion of the absorber overhead product as the top reflux in the ethane recovery configuration;
- wherein the fractionator overhead product is configured to flow to a chiller in the propane recovery configuration and to a bottom of the absorber in the ethane recovery configuration;
- and
- wherein the absorber bottom product is configured to flow to a mid-section of the fractionator in the propane recovery configuration and to a top tray of the fractionator in the ethane recovery configuration.
5 more elements
A NGL plant configured to convert from a propane recovery configuration to an ethane recovery configuration, the NGL plant comprising:
- an absorber;
- a fractionator;
- a first heat exchanger;
- a separator;
- an expander;
- and
- a chiller,
- wherein the absorber is configured to produce an absorber overhead product and an absorber bottom product,
- wherein the fractionator is configured to produce a fractionator overhead product and a fractionator bottom product,
- wherein in the propane recovery configuration:
- the first heat exchanger is configured to cool a feed gas to form a cooled feed gas,
- the separator is configured to separate the cooled feed gas into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream,
- the expander is configured to expand the first vapor stream to form an expanded first vapor stream, and
- wherein the expanded first vapor stream is directed to a mid-section of the absorber, and the first liquid stream is directed to a bottom of the absorber;
- wherein in the ethane recovery configuration:
- the feed gas is split into a first portion and a second portion,
- the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the first portion to form a cooled first portion, wherein the cooled first portion is fed to the absorber as a top reflux,
- the chiller is configured to chill the second portion of the feed gas utilizing propane refrigeration to form a chilled second portion,
- the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the chilled second portion to form a cooled second portion,
- the separator is configured to separate the cooled second portion into a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream,
- the expander is configured to expand the second vapor stream to form an expanded second vapor stream, and
- wherein the expanded second vapor stream is fed to the mid-section of the absorber, and the second liquid stream is fed to the bottom of the absorber.
19 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.