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US 2026/0146206 A1Published application
Pumpless Heavy Hydrocarbon Removal with Compressor Discharge Reflux System and Method
OwnerRavikumar Vipperla, Timothy P. Gushanasinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for pumpless removal of heavy hydrocarbon components from a feed gas stream include use of a compressor discharge reflux.
Claims25
A system for removing heavy hydrocarbon components from a feed gas stream comprising:
- a. a main heat exchanger having a main feed stream cooling passage, a reflux stream cooling passage and a return vapor stream warming passage;
- b. a reflux heat exchanger having a reflux cooling passage and a second stripping fluid warming passage;
- c. a spit configured to receive a feed stream and divide it into a main feed fluid stream and a first stripping fluid stream;
- d. feed expander having an inlet configured to receive the main fluid stream from the split;
- e. a first expansion device configured to receive and expand the first stripping fluid stream so that an expanded first stripping fluid stream is formed;
- f. a second expansion device configured to receive a portion of the main feed fluid stream as a second stripping fluid stream, expand the second stripping fluid stream and to direct a resulting expanded second stripping fluid stream to the second stripping fluid warming passage of the reflux heat exchanger;
- g. a junction configured to receive fluid from an outlet of the second stripping fluid warming passage of the reflux heat exchanger and the expanded first stripping fluid stream from the first expansion device and having a combined stripping fluid outlet;
- h. said main feed stream cooling passage of the main heat exchanger having an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of the feed expander and an outlet;
- i. a heavies removal column including:
- i) a stripping fluid inlet in fluid communication with the combined stripping fluid outlet of the junction;
- ii) a main feed inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the main feed stream cooling passage of the main heat exchanger;
- iii) a reflux inlet in fluid communication with the reflux cooling passages of the main and reflux heat exchangers;
- iv) an overhead stream outlet;
- v) a bottoms stream outlet;
- j. a reflux compressor configured to direct a reflux stream to the reflux cooling passages of the main and reflux heat exchangers;
- k. a third expansion device configured to receive an overhead stream from the overhead stream outlet of the heavies removal column;
- l. said return vapor stream warming passage of the main heat exchanger configured to receive and warm an expanded fluid stream from the third expansion device.
14 more elements
A method of removing heavy hydrocarbon components from a feed gas stream comprising the steps of:
- a dividing the feed gas stream into a first stripping fluid stream and a main feed fluid stream;
- b. expanding the main feed fluid stream using a feed expander;
- c. expanding the first stripping fluid stream to form an expanded first stripping fluid stream;
- d. dividing the main feed fluid stream into a second stripping fluid stream and a remaining portion of the main feed fluid stream;
- e. expanding the second stripping fluid stream to form an expanded second stripping fluid stream;
- f. warming the expanded second stripping fluid stream in a reflux heat exchanger to form a warmed second stripping fluid stream;
- g. combining the warmed second stripping fluid stream with the expanded first stripping fluid stream to form a combined stripping fluid stream;
- h. directing the combined stripping fluid stream to a heavies removal column;
- i. cooling the remaining portion of the main feed fluid stream in a main heat exchanger to form a cooled main feed fluid stream;
- j. directing at least a portion of the cooled main feed fluid stream to the heavies removal column;
- k. compressing a fluid stream using a reflux compressor to form a compressed fluid stream;
- l. cooling the compressed fluid stream in the reflux heat exchanger to provide the warming of step f. to form a cooled compressed fluid stream;
- m. further cooling the cooled compressed fluid stream in the main heat exchanger to form a reflux stream;
- n. directing at least a portion of the reflux stream to the heavies removal column;
- o. warming at least a portion of an overhead fluid stream from the heavies removal column in the main heat exchanger to provide the cooling of steps i. and m. and to provide a residue fluid stream.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.