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Hydrocarbon distillation

  • US 10,539,364 B2
  • Filed: 03/13/2017
  • Issued: 01/21/2020
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2017
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for producing liquefied natural gas (LNG) and separating heavy hydrocarbon components, comprising:

  • a refrigerant supply system including a first valve configured to supply a refrigerant fluid to accept heat from a natural gas feedstock;

    a compression system, including at least one compressor configured to receive and compress the refrigerant fluid;

    a condenser coupled to the compression system, the condenser configured to output condensed refrigerant fluid via a second valve; and

    a distillation column coupled to the condenser and configured to receive the condensed refrigerant fluid via the second valve, the distillation column having a first heat exchanger connected to a second heat exchanger via at least one downcomer and at least one riser, wherein the at least one downcomer and the at least one riser include a valve to control heat transferred to a liquid containing heavy hydrocarbon components, the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger configured with heat pipes to aid transferring heat to the liquid containing heavy hydrocarbon components such that the liquid boils to form vapor thereby allowing the heavy hydrocarbon components to be separated and collected, the heat being transferred from a heated fluid comprising at least a portion of the natural gas feedstock, wherein the heat is transferred from the heated fluid by natural convection or forced convection and the heat being transferred from the heated fluid is delivered to the first heat exchanger from the second heat exchanger.

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