US 4,617,039 A · Separating hydrocarbon gases

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for separating a hydrocarbon gas into a fraction containing a predominant portion of the ethane and lighter components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the C.sub.3 and heavier components in which process the feed gas is treated in one or more heat exchange, and expansion steps; partly condensed feed gas is directed into a separator wherein a first residue vapor is separated from a C.sub.3 -containing liquid; and C.sub.3 -containing liquids, at substantially the pressure of separation, are directed into a distillation column wherein said liquid is separated into a second residue is separated to recover a C.sub.3 -containing product. The foregoing process is improved by cooling said second residue to partially condense it; directing the partially condensed second residue into said separator forming thereby a liquid portion and a vapor portion; intimately contacting at least the first residue vapor with at least the liquids portion of the partly condensed second residue in at least one contacting stage within said separator, and thereafter separating the vapors and liquids from said contacting stage; supplying the liquids thereby recovered to the distillation column as a top liquid feed thereto; and directing the vapors thereby recovered into heat exchange relation with said second residue from the fractionation column, and thereafter discharging said residue gases.

Claims11

Dependent claims

In a process for separating a hydrocarbon gas containing at least ethane and C.sub.3 components into a fraction containing a predominant portion of the ethane and lighter components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the C.sub.3 and heavier components, in which process

(a) the feed gas is treated in one or more heat exchangers, and expansion steps to provide at least one partly condensed hydrocarbon gas, providing thereby at least one first residue vapor and at least one C.sub.3 -containing liquid which liquid also contains lighter hydrocarbons;
and
(b) at least one of the C.sub.3 -containing liquids is directed into a distillation column wherein said liquid is separated into a second residue containing lighter hydrocarbons and a C.sub.3 -containing product;
the improvement comprising
(1) cooling said second residue to partially condense it;
(2) intimately contacting at least part of one of said first residue vapors with at least part of the liquid portion of the partially condensed second residue in at least one contacting stage and thereafter separating the vapors and liquids from said contacting stage;
(3) supplying the liquids thereby recovered to the distillation column as a liquid feed thereto;
and
(4) directing the vapors thereby recovered into heat exchange relation with said second residue from the distillation column, thereby to supply the cooling of step (1), and thereafter discharging said residue gases.

6 more elements

In an apparatus for separating a hydrocarbon gas containing at least ethane and C.sub.3 components into a fraction containing a predominant portion of ethane and lighter components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the C.sub.3 and heavier components in which apparatus

(a) one or more heat exchange means and one or more expansion means are provided which are cooperatively connected to provide at least one partly condensed hydrocarbon gas, providing thereby at least one first residue vapor and at least one C.sub.3 -containing liquid which liquid also contains lighter hydrocarbons and
(b) a distillation column connected to receive at least one of said C.sub.3 -containing liquids which is adapted to separate the C.sub.3 -containing liquids into a second residue containing lighter hydrocarbons and a C.sub.3 -containing product;
the improvement comprising
(1) heat exchange means connected to said distillation column to receive said second residue and to partially condense it;
(2) contacting and separating means connected to receive at least part of one of the first residue vapors and at least part of the liquid portion of the partially condensed second residue and to comingle said vapor and liquid in at least one contacting stage, which means include separation means for separating the vapor and liquid after contact in said stage;
(3) said means (2) being further connected to supply the liquids separated therein to the distillation column as a liquid feed thereto, and
(4) said means (2) also being connected to direct the vapors separated therein into heat exchange relation with said second residue from the distillation column in said heat exchange means (1).

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Separating hydrocarbon gases

Life of this patent

Separating hydrocarbon gases

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11