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US 5,806,339 AGranted
Multiple effect and distributive separation of isobutane and normal butane
OwnerDavid B. Manleyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention is an enhancement of the prior art use of partial effects and component distribution regarding NGL fractionation, especially relating to the separation of propane, isobutane, normal butane and gasoline components. The present invention distributes butanes in two separate columns and integrates the thermodynamic efficiency obtained with partial effects to cascade reboiling duty through as many as four separate columns. The resulting savings in energy are compared with the prior art process of sequential fractionation of NGL.
Claims35
A process for NGL fractionation comprising:
- (a) a deethanized NGL stream comprising primarily propane, isobutane, normal butane and gasoline range components;
- (b) separating the NGL stream in a butanes distributor column to overhead and bottoms streams so that:
- (i) substantially all the propane and gasoline components of the NGL stream are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams, respectively;
- and
- (ii) substantial amounts of both isobutane and normal butane are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams;
- (c) further separating the bottoms stream of the butanes distributor column in a normal butane distributor column to overhead and bottoms streams so that:
- (i) substantially all the isobutane and gasoline components of the bottoms stream of the butanes distributor column are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams, respectively;
- and
- (ii) substantial amounts of normal butane are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams of the normal butane distributor column.
6 more elements
A process for NGL fractionation comprising:
- (a) a deethanized NGL stream comprising primarily propane, isobutane, normal butane and gasoline range components;
- (b) separating the NGL stream in a depropanizer to overhead, rectification section sidedraw and bottoms streams so that:
- (i) substantially all the propane and gasoline components of the NGL stream are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams, respectively, such that a product specification propane stream comprises the overhead stream;
- and
- (ii) substantial amounts of both isobutane and normal butane are separated to the rectification section sidedraw and bottoms streams;
- (c) further separating the bottoms stream of the depropanizer in a debutanizer to overhead, upper liquid sidedraw, lower vapor sidedraw and bottoms streams so that:
- (i) substantially all the isobutane and gasoline components of the bottoms stream of the debutanizer are separated to the overhead and bottoms streams, respectively;
- and
- (ii) substantial amounts of normal butane are separated to the overhead, upper liquid sidedraw, and lower vapor sidedraw streams of the normal butane distributor column.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.