Recovery of C.sub.2 + hydrocarbons by plural stage rectification and first stage dephlegmation
First Claim
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1. A method of separating and recovering a major portion of the C2 + hydrocarbon content of a feed gas comprising hydrogen, methane, ethylene and ethane, which comprises:
- a. introducing said feed gas into a dephlegmation zone comprising a plurality of indirect heat exchange passages through which at least a portion of the feed gas passes in an upward direction and is cooled by refrigerant means provided in indirect heat exchange with said passages, as said gas flows upward it partially condenses on the walls of said passages forming a reflux liquid such that interaction takes place between the upward flowing gas stream and the stream of cooler liquid flowing downward and said liquid gradually becomes enriched with the C2 + hydrocarbons of the feed gas;
b. cooling at least a portion of said feed gas in the dephlegmation zone by indirect heat exchange to form a condensate stream containing the major portion of the C2 + hydrocarbons in the feed gas and a vapor stream containing the balance of the uncondensed material from the feed gas;
c. withdrawing the vapor stream from the dephlegmation zone;
d. passing the condensate stream from the dephlegmation zone to a rectification zone; and
e. withdrawing from the rectification zone a substantially C1 and lighter stream and a C2 + hydrocarbon stream,whereby the energy requirements for the refrigeration utilized in separating the C2 + hydrocarbons from the C1 and lighter components are low.
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Abstract
A process is provided for the separation and recovery of a major portion of the C2 + hydrocarbon content of a feed gas comprising hydrogen, methane, ethylene, and ethane. The feed gas is introduced to a dephlegmator to effect its separation into a vapor stream and a condensate stream. The condensate stream which is rich in C2 + hydrocarbons is passed to a demethanizer column where it is fractionated into an overhead methane-hydrogen stream and a bottoms product ethylene-ethane+ stream.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of separating and recovering a major portion of the C2 + hydrocarbon content of a feed gas comprising hydrogen, methane, ethylene and ethane, which comprises:
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a. introducing said feed gas into a dephlegmation zone comprising a plurality of indirect heat exchange passages through which at least a portion of the feed gas passes in an upward direction and is cooled by refrigerant means provided in indirect heat exchange with said passages, as said gas flows upward it partially condenses on the walls of said passages forming a reflux liquid such that interaction takes place between the upward flowing gas stream and the stream of cooler liquid flowing downward and said liquid gradually becomes enriched with the C2 + hydrocarbons of the feed gas; b. cooling at least a portion of said feed gas in the dephlegmation zone by indirect heat exchange to form a condensate stream containing the major portion of the C2 + hydrocarbons in the feed gas and a vapor stream containing the balance of the uncondensed material from the feed gas; c. withdrawing the vapor stream from the dephlegmation zone; d. passing the condensate stream from the dephlegmation zone to a rectification zone; and e. withdrawing from the rectification zone a substantially C1 and lighter stream and a C2 + hydrocarbon stream, whereby the energy requirements for the refrigeration utilized in separating the C2 + hydrocarbons from the C1 and lighter components are low. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification