De-ethanizing means
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsLeo L. Politte, Stone P. Washer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Ethane is removed from a feedstream comprising methane, ethane and higher components by dividing the feedstream and passing one stream directly to the de-ethanizer with the other stream being passed to a stabilizer in order to remove the heavier components of the natural gas stream. The overhead vapor from the stabilizer is then passed to the de-ethanizer. The overhead vapor stream passed to the de-ethanizer from the stabilizer can also be cooled in order to reduce the refrigeration load of the de-ethanizer.
Claims9
A method for the removal of ethane from a feedstream comprising methane, ethane and higher components which comprises:
- (a) dividing the feedstream into two streams,
- (b) passing one stream to a stabilizer zone to thereby remove the heavier components as bottom and passing the second stream to a de-ethanizer,
- (c) feeding overhead vapor as obtained from the stabilizer to the de-ethanizer and introducing said vapors to the de-ethanizer in a location above the location said second stream is introduced,
- (d) combining the bottoms of the de-ethanizer with the bottoms of the stabilizer at a location outside the de-ethanizer and outside the stabilizer and removing said combined bottoms as de-ethanized product.
An apparatus useful in the removal of ethane from natural gas liquids stream comprising:
- a de-ethanizing means,
- a first conduit means for passing natural gas liquids to said de-ethanizing means,
- a stabilizing means for removing the heavy components of the natural gas liquids stream passed to the stabilizer thereby increasing the capacity of said de-ethanizing means,
- a second conduit means for passing natural gas liquids from said first conduit means to said stabilizing means,
- a third conduit means for passing overhead vapor from said stabilizing means to said de-ethanizing means,
- a fourth conduit means outside the de-ethanizer and the stabilizer for passing de-ethanized product out of the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.