Process and apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons
First Claim
1. A process for separation of hydrocarbons to separate a feed gas containing at least methane and a hydrocarbon less volatile than methane, using a distillation column, into a residue gas enriched with methane and lean in the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane and a heavier fraction lean in methane and enriched with the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane, comprising the steps of:
- (a) said feed gas is cooled and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(b) the liquid obtained in step (a) is supplied to a distillation column;
(c) the gas obtained in step (a) is expanded by an expander and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(d) the liquid obtained in step (c) is supplied to the distillation column;
(e) the gas obtained in step (c) is divided into a first portion and a second portion;
(f) said first portion is supplied to the distillation column;
(g) said second portion is condensed by being compressed and cooled, and then depressurized and supplied as a reflux to the distillation column; and
(h) said residue gas is obtained from the top part of the distillation column and said heavier fraction is obtained from the bottom part of the distillation column.
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Accused Products
Abstract
There are provided a process for separation of hydrocarbons including the steps of: (a) a feed gas is cooled and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid; (b) the liquid obtained in step (a) is supplied to a distillation column; (c) the gas obtained in step (a) is expanded by an expander and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid; (d) the liquid obtained in step (c) is supplied to the distillation column; (e) the gas obtained in step (c) is divided into a first portion and a second portion; (f) the first portion is supplied to the distillation column; (g) the second portion is condensed by being compressed and cooled, and then depressurized and supplied as a reflux to the distillation column; and (h) a residue gas is obtained from the top part of the distillation column and a heavier fraction is obtained from the bottom part of the distillation column; and an apparatus therefor. The process and apparatus enable efficient separation of hydrocarbons.
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Citations
6 Claims
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1. A process for separation of hydrocarbons to separate a feed gas containing at least methane and a hydrocarbon less volatile than methane, using a distillation column, into a residue gas enriched with methane and lean in the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane and a heavier fraction lean in methane and enriched with the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said feed gas is cooled and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(b) the liquid obtained in step (a) is supplied to a distillation column;
(c) the gas obtained in step (a) is expanded by an expander and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(d) the liquid obtained in step (c) is supplied to the distillation column;
(e) the gas obtained in step (c) is divided into a first portion and a second portion;
(f) said first portion is supplied to the distillation column;
(g) said second portion is condensed by being compressed and cooled, and then depressurized and supplied as a reflux to the distillation column; and
(h) said residue gas is obtained from the top part of the distillation column and said heavier fraction is obtained from the bottom part of the distillation column. - View Dependent Claims (3)
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2. A process for separation of hydrocarbons to separate a feed gas containing at least ethane and a hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane, using a distillation column, into a residue gas enriched with ethane and lean in the hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane and a heavier fraction lean in ethane and enriched with the hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane, comprising the steps of:
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(a) said feed gas is cooled and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(b) the liquid obtained in step (a) is supplied to a distillation column;
(c) the gas obtained in step (a) is expanded by an expander and partly condensed, and separated into a gas and a liquid;
(d) the liquid obtained in step (c) is supplied to the distillation column;
(e) the gas obtained in step (c) is divided into a first portion and a second portion;
(f) said first portion is supplied to the distillation column;
(g) said second portion is condensed by being compressed and cooled, and then depressurized and supplied as a reflux to the distillation column;
(h) said residue gas is obtained from the top part of the distillation column and said heavier fraction is obtained from the bottom part of the distillation column.
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4. An apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons to separate a feed gas containing at least methane and a hydrocarbon less volatile than methane into a residue gas enriched with methane and lean in the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane and a heavier fraction lean in methane and enriched with the hydrocarbon less volatile than methane, comprising:
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a distillation column for discharging said residue gas from the top part and discharging said heavier fraction from the bottom part;
a cooling and separating means for cooling said feed gas to condense a part thereof, and for separating the partly condensed feed gas into a gas and a liquid;
a line for supplying the liquid obtained by the cooling and separating means to the distillation column;
an expander for expanding the gas obtained by the cooling and separating means to condense a part thereof;
a gas-liquid separator connected to the outlet of the expander;
a line for supplying the condensate obtained by the gas-liquid separator to the distillation column;
a dividing means for dividing the gas obtained by the gas-liquid separator into a first portion and a second portion;
a line for supplying said first portion to the distillation column;
a compressing means for compressing said second portion;
a cooling means for cooling and condensing the gas compressed by the compressing means;
a pressure-reducing means for depressurizing the condensate obtained by the cooling means; and
a line for supplying the condensate depressurized by the pressure-reducing means to the distillation column as a reflux. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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5. An apparatus for separation of hydrocarbons to separate a feed gas containing at least ethane and a hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane into a residue gas enriched with ethane and lean in the hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane and a heavier fraction lean in ethane and enriched with the hydrocarbon less volatile than ethane, comprising:
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a distillation column for discharging said residue gas from the top part and discharging said heavier fraction from the bottom part;
a cooling and separating means for cooling said feed gas to condense a part thereof, and for separating the partly condensed feed gas into a gas and a liquid;
a line for supplying the liquid obtained by the cooling and separating means to the distillation column;
an expander for expanding the gas obtained by the cooling and separating means to condense a part thereof;
a gas-liquid separator connected to the outlet of the expander;
a line for supplying the condensate obtained by the gas-liquid separator to the distillation column;
a dividing means for dividing the gas obtained by the gas-liquid separator into a first portion and a second portion;
a line for supplying said first portion to the distillation column;
a compressing means for compressing said second portion;
a cooling means for cooling and condensing the gas compressed by the compressing means;
a pressure-reducing means for depressurizing the condensate obtained by the cooling means; and
a line for supplying the condensate depressurized by the pressure-reducing means to the distillation column as a reflux.
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Specification