Process for the recovery of heavy constituents from hydrocarbon gaseous mixtures
First Claim
1. Process for the recovery of heavy constituents from a high-pressure hydrocarbon gaseous mixture comprising the following steps:
- (a) cooling and partial condensation of the hydrocarbon gaseous mixture;
(b) separation of the liquid condensed from the gaseous mixture and feeding of the same liquid to a fractionation column;
(c) turbo-expansion of non-condensed gaseous mixture;
(d) separation of the liquid condensed on turbo-expansion of the gaseous mixture and feeding of the same liquid to the said fractionation column, from whose bottom the heavy constituents are recovered;
(e) recompression both of the gases streaming from the fractionation column and of the gases separated in the step (d), separately or together, up to the consignment pressure of the treated gas,characterized in that the separation of the liquid condensed on the turbo-expansion of the gaseous mixture is carried out in a separator-absorber in whose lower portion in addition to the condensed liquid a liquid is collected, which is obtained by means of the absorption of non-condensed heavy constituents by means of an absorbent oil constituted by a hydrocarbon liquid, substantially free from the heavy constituents to be recovered, obtained from the cooling and the at least partial condensation of the gases streaming from the fractionation column, previously deprived of at least a portion of the heavy constituents by means of a dephlegmator with which the same fractionation column is provided and compressed to a pressure above that of said fractionation column.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process is disclosed for the recovery of heavy constituents from high-pressure hydrocarbon gaseous mixtures comprising the steps of first cooling and partially condensing the gaseous mixture. The condensed liquid is then separated and fed to a fractionation column while the remaining non-condensed gaseous mixture is subject to turboexpansion. The liquid condensed on turboexpansion is then separated and fed to the fractionation column where the heavy constituents are recovered. The gases streaming from the fractionation column and those separated by turboexpansion are compressed, separately or together, up to the consignment pressure of the treated gas. This process is characterized in that the liquid condensed on turboexpansion is separated in a separator-absorber wherein, in addition to the condensed liquid, a liquid obtained by the absorption of the non-condensed heavy constituents is collected. Absorption is accomplished by an absorbent hydrocarbon oil, substantially free from the heavy constituents to be recovered. This oil is obtained from the cooling and partial condensation of the gases streaming from the fractionation column wherein a portion of the heavy constituents are removed by means of a dephlegmator and substantially compressed to a pressure higher than the pressure of the fractionation column.
87 Citations
18 Claims
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1. Process for the recovery of heavy constituents from a high-pressure hydrocarbon gaseous mixture comprising the following steps:
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(a) cooling and partial condensation of the hydrocarbon gaseous mixture; (b) separation of the liquid condensed from the gaseous mixture and feeding of the same liquid to a fractionation column; (c) turbo-expansion of non-condensed gaseous mixture; (d) separation of the liquid condensed on turbo-expansion of the gaseous mixture and feeding of the same liquid to the said fractionation column, from whose bottom the heavy constituents are recovered; (e) recompression both of the gases streaming from the fractionation column and of the gases separated in the step (d), separately or together, up to the consignment pressure of the treated gas, characterized in that the separation of the liquid condensed on the turbo-expansion of the gaseous mixture is carried out in a separator-absorber in whose lower portion in addition to the condensed liquid a liquid is collected, which is obtained by means of the absorption of non-condensed heavy constituents by means of an absorbent oil constituted by a hydrocarbon liquid, substantially free from the heavy constituents to be recovered, obtained from the cooling and the at least partial condensation of the gases streaming from the fractionation column, previously deprived of at least a portion of the heavy constituents by means of a dephlegmator with which the same fractionation column is provided and compressed to a pressure above that of said fractionation column. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification