Enhanced heavies removal/LPG recovery process for LNG facilities
First Claim
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1. A process for liquefying a natural gas stream, said process comprising:
- (a) using a first distillation column to separate at least a portion of said natural gas stream into a first relatively more volatile fraction and a first relatively less volatile fraction;
(b) using a second distillation column to separate at least a portion of said first relatively less volatile fraction into a second relatively more volatile fraction and a second relatively less volatile fraction, said second distillation column operating at a lower pressure than said first distillation column;
(c) using a reflux portion of said second relatively more volatile fraction as reflux in said first and/or second distillation columns; and
(d) cooling at least a portion of said reflux portion via indirect heat exchange with at least a portion of said first relatively less volatile fraction.
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Abstract
A LNG facility, and operating method therefor, capable of more efficiently and/or effectively removing heavy hydrocarbon components from the processed natural gas stream and recovering the removed heavy components as LPG.
28 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A process for liquefying a natural gas stream, said process comprising:
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(a) using a first distillation column to separate at least a portion of said natural gas stream into a first relatively more volatile fraction and a first relatively less volatile fraction;
(b) using a second distillation column to separate at least a portion of said first relatively less volatile fraction into a second relatively more volatile fraction and a second relatively less volatile fraction, said second distillation column operating at a lower pressure than said first distillation column;
(c) using a reflux portion of said second relatively more volatile fraction as reflux in said first and/or second distillation columns; and
(d) cooling at least a portion of said reflux portion via indirect heat exchange with at least a portion of said first relatively less volatile fraction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A process for liquefying anatural gas stream, said process comprising:
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(a) using a vapor/liquid separator to separate at least a portion of said natural gas stream into a predominately vapor separated portion and a predominately liquid separated portion;
(b) using a first distillation column to separate at least a portion of said predominately vapor separated portion into a first relatively more volatile fraction and a first relatively less volatile fraction;
(c) introducing a first reflux stream into an upper section of said first distillation column; and
(d) cooling at least a portion of said first reflux stream via indirect heat exchange with at least a portion of said predominately liquid separated portion. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A process for liquefying a natural gas stream, said process comprising:
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(a) using a distillation column to separate at least a portion of said natural gas stream into a relatively more volatile fraction and a relatively less volatile fraction;
(b) cooling at least a portion of said relatively more volatile fraction in a first heat exchange pass via indirect heat exchange with a first refrigerant;
(c) flashing at least a portion of the cooled relatively more volatile fraction to thereby produce a flash gas;
(d) compressing at least a portion of said flash gas; and
(e) cooling at least a portion of the compressed flash gas in a second heat exchange pass via indirect heat exchange with a second refrigerant, said first and second heat exchange passes being separate from one another. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46)
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47. An apparatus for liquefying natural gas, said apparatus comprising:
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a vapor/liquid separator having a vapor outlet and a liquid outlet;
a first distillation column fluidly coupled to said vapor outlet and having a first overhead outlet and a first bottom outlet;
a heat exchanger having a heating pass and a cooling pass, said heating and cooling passes being configured to facilitate indirect heat exchange between fluids flowing therethrough, said heating pass being fluidly coupled to said first bottom outlet; and
a second distillation column fluidly coupled to said heating pass and having a second overhead outlet and a second bottom outlet, said second overhead outlet being fluidly coupled to said cooling pass. - View Dependent Claims (48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification