Process of fractionating gas feeds and apparatus for carrying out the said process
First Claim
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1. A process for fractionating a gas feed comprising methane and hydrocarbons heavier than methane in which said heavier hydrocarbons are recovered from said gas feed comprising the steps of:
- (a) Partially condensing said gas feed (106) in a heat-exchange system (103) and feeding said partially condensed feed to the bottom of a contact purifying-refrigerating column (101);
(b) Withdrawing a residual gas stream (133) from the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101);
(c) Withdrawing liquid (125) from the bottom of said contact-purifying refrigerating column (101), and feeding said liquid to a fractionation column (102);
(d) Withdrawing a gaseous distillate (116) from the top of said fractionation column (102), and feeding said distillate to said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); and
(e) Withdrawing from the bottom of said fractionation column (102) a stream of hydrocarbons heavier than methane,and selectively producing as said stream of hydrocarbons heavier than methane a stream selected from the group consisting of compounds heavier than methane (C2 + cut) and compounds heavier than ethane (C3 + cut) by, when a C3 + cut is desired;
(a) Feeding all of said feed gas (106) to said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101);
(b) Feeding all of the liquid withdrawn from the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) to said fractionation column (102) at a point between its top and bottom; and
(c) Partially condensing the gaseous distillate withdrawn from the top of said fractionation column (102) in said heat-exchange system (103) and feeding the uncondensed portion of said distillate to the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); and
when a C2 + cut is desired;
(a) Compressing (135) at least part of said residual gas stream (133) and feeding said compressed gas stream (137) to the top of said contact purifying-refrigeratingcolumn (101);
when a C2 + cut is desired;
(a) Compressing (135) at least part of said residual gas stream (133) and feeding said compressed gas stream (137) to the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101);
(b) Feeding all of the liquid (125) withdrawn from the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) to the top of said fractionating column (102); and
(c) Feeding all of said gaseous distillate (116) withdrawn from the top of said fractionation column (102), without condensation, to the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigeration column (101).
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process and an apparatus for cryogenic fractionation of gas feeds, the apparatus comprising essentially a contact purifying-refrigerating column associated with a fractionating column, an exchange system, a plurality of ducts with valves connecting the above three elements and two closed end independent refrigerating circuits integrated to the exchange system.
124 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A process for fractionating a gas feed comprising methane and hydrocarbons heavier than methane in which said heavier hydrocarbons are recovered from said gas feed comprising the steps of:
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(a) Partially condensing said gas feed (106) in a heat-exchange system (103) and feeding said partially condensed feed to the bottom of a contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); (b) Withdrawing a residual gas stream (133) from the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); (c) Withdrawing liquid (125) from the bottom of said contact-purifying refrigerating column (101), and feeding said liquid to a fractionation column (102); (d) Withdrawing a gaseous distillate (116) from the top of said fractionation column (102), and feeding said distillate to said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); and (e) Withdrawing from the bottom of said fractionation column (102) a stream of hydrocarbons heavier than methane, and selectively producing as said stream of hydrocarbons heavier than methane a stream selected from the group consisting of compounds heavier than methane (C2 + cut) and compounds heavier than ethane (C3 + cut) by, when a C3 + cut is desired; (a) Feeding all of said feed gas (106) to said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); (b) Feeding all of the liquid withdrawn from the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) to said fractionation column (102) at a point between its top and bottom; and (c) Partially condensing the gaseous distillate withdrawn from the top of said fractionation column (102) in said heat-exchange system (103) and feeding the uncondensed portion of said distillate to the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); and when a C2 + cut is desired; (a) Compressing (135) at least part of said residual gas stream (133) and feeding said compressed gas stream (137) to the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); when a C2 + cut is desired; (a) Compressing (135) at least part of said residual gas stream (133) and feeding said compressed gas stream (137) to the top of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); (b) Feeding all of the liquid (125) withdrawn from the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) to the top of said fractionating column (102); and (c) Feeding all of said gaseous distillate (116) withdrawn from the top of said fractionation column (102), without condensation, to the bottom of said contact purifying-refrigeration column (101). - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. An apparatus comprising:
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(a) a contact purifying-refrigerating column (101); (b) a fractionating column (102); (c) a heat-exchange system (103); and (d) a compressor (135;
232, 235,
236);
having(e) a duct (125, 130, 131, 132;
247, 249, 251, 252
253) communicating between the bottom (101b) of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) and said fractionating column (102) and passing through said heat-exchange system (103);(f) a duct (116, 118, 119, 120;
227, 228,
229) communicating between the top (102a) of said fractionating column (102) and the top (101a) of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) and passing through said heat-exchange system (103);(g) a duct (133, 134;
230,
231) communicating between the top (101a) of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) and said compressor (135;
232,
235) and passing through said heat-exchange system (103);(h) a duct (137, 138, 120;
244, 245,
246) communicating between said compressor (135;
232, 235,
236) and the top (101a) of said contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) and passing through said heat exchange system (103);(i) a duct (124;
220,
221) communicating between the top (102a) of said fractionating column (102) and the bottom (101b) of said contact refrigerating-purifying column (101) and not passing through said heat-exchange system (103); and(j) a duct (125, 127, 129;
247, 249,
250) communicating between the bottom (101b) of contact purifying-refrigerating column (101) and the top (102a) of said fractionating column (102) and not passing through said heat-exchange system (103). - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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Specification