Methods and apparatus for high propane recovery
AssigneeFluor Corporation
InventorsEh Deng, John Mak, Richard B. Nielsen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and configurations for improved propane recovery plant employ an absorber column, and a deethanizer column with an overhead condenser that produces a reflux condensate. The reflux condensate is recycled to both the absorber column and the deethanizer column, and a third recycling loop feeds propane from the absorber column into the deethanizer column in a gaseous form. The overhead condenser employs cold reject gas from the absorber and/or propane as a refrigerant, and preferred deethanizer columns include an integral water removal contactor.
Claims20
A plant, comprising:
- an absorber column that receives an absorber feed gas, and that produces a cold reject vapor and a product fluid;
- a second column that receives at least part of the product fluid in a gas form, wherein the second column is further fluidly coupled to a condenser that forms a reflux condensate by using at least part of the cold reject vapor as a refrigerant;
- and
- wherein a first portion of the reflux condensate is recycled into the second column and wherein a second portion of the reflux condensate is fed into the absorber column.
A plant, comprising:
- a feed gas separation element that receives a wet process gas, and that produces a wet gaseous feed gas and a wet liquid feed gas;
- a deethanizer column that receives the wet liquid feed gas, wherein the deethanizer column comprises an integral water removal contactor;
- and
- wherein the deethanizer column further comprises an integral overhead condenser that forms a reflux condensate, of which a first portion is recycled into the deethanizer column and of which a second portion is fed into an absorber column.
A method of improving the recovery of propane from a feed gas, comprising:
- providing an absorber column, and a deethanizer column with an overhead condenser that utilizes at least part of a cold reject vapor from the absorber column as a refrigerant, and wherein the overhead condenser produces a reflux fluid;
- forming a first recycling loop in which a first portion of the reflux fluid is recycled into the deethanizer column;
- forming a second recycling loop in which a second portion of the reflux fluid is fed into the absorber column;
- and
- forming a third recycling loop in which a product fluid from the absorber is heat exchanged to provide absorber feed gas cooling and fed into the deethanizer column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.