Low temperature hydrocarbon gas separation process
First Claim
1. A method for the separation of a pressurized hydrocarbon mixture containing at least one more volatile component and at least one less volatile component, which method comprises(a) cooling and partially condensing the hydrocarbon mixture to form a two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, and separating a first portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture into a first hydrocarbon vapor and a first hydrocarbon liquid;
- (b) work expanding at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon vapor to provide a cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor and introducing the cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor into a distillation column at a first column location;
(c) reducing the pressure of the first hydrocarbon liquid to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid and introducing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid into the distillation column at a second column location; and
(d) withdrawing an overhead vapor enriched in the more volatile component from the distillation column;
cooling, partially condensing, and separating the overhead vapor to provide a condensed overhead liquid and an uncondensed vapor overhead, introducing the condensed overhead liquid into the distillation column as reflux, and withdrawing from the bottom of the distillation column a stream enriched in the less volatile component;
wherein cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor in (d) is effected by(1) further cooling a second portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture to provide a further cooled hydrocarbon mixture;
(2) reducing the pressure of the further cooled hydrocarbon mixture to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture; and
(3) utilizing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture to provide by indirect heat exchange the cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor; and
wherein cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor by indirect heat exchange with the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture in (3) provides a warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, the warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture is separated into a second hydrocarbon liquid and a second hydrocarbon vapor, the second hydrocarbon liquid is introduced into the distillation column, and the second hydrocarbon vapor is warmed and introduced into the distillation column at a third column location below the first column location of (b).
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Abstract
Method for separating a pressurized hydrocarbon mixture containing at least a more volatile component and a less volatile component. The method comprises (a) cooling and partially condensing the hydrocarbon mixture to yield a first hydrocarbon vapor and a first hydrocarbon liquid; (b) work expanding at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon vapor and introducing it into a distillation column at a first column location; (c) reducing the pressure of the first hydrocarbon liquid and introducing it into the distillation column at a second column location; and (d) withdrawing an overhead vapor enriched in the more volatile component from the distillation column; cooling, partially condensing, and separating the overhead vapor to provide a condensed overhead liquid and an uncondensed vapor overhead, introducing the condensed overhead liquid into the distillation column as reflux, and withdrawing from the bottom of the distillation column a stream enriched in the less volatile component. Cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor in (d) may be effected by (1) further cooling a second portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, (2) reducing the pressure of the further cooled hydrocarbon mixture to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture; and (3) cooling and partially condensing the overhead vapor by indirect heat exchange with the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture to provide reflux to the distillation column. Cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor provides a warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, the warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture may be separated into a second hydrocarbon liquid and a second hydrocarbon vapor, the second hydrocarbon liquid may be introduced into the distillation column, and the second hydrocarbon vapor may be warmed and introduced in to the distillation column at a second location below the first column location of (b).
44 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method for the separation of a pressurized hydrocarbon mixture containing at least one more volatile component and at least one less volatile component, which method comprises
(a) cooling and partially condensing the hydrocarbon mixture to form a two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, and separating a first portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture into a first hydrocarbon vapor and a first hydrocarbon liquid; -
(b) work expanding at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon vapor to provide a cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor and introducing the cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor into a distillation column at a first column location;
(c) reducing the pressure of the first hydrocarbon liquid to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid and introducing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid into the distillation column at a second column location; and
(d) withdrawing an overhead vapor enriched in the more volatile component from the distillation column;
cooling, partially condensing, and separating the overhead vapor to provide a condensed overhead liquid and an uncondensed vapor overhead, introducing the condensed overhead liquid into the distillation column as reflux, and withdrawing from the bottom of the distillation column a stream enriched in the less volatile component;
wherein cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor in (d) is effected by (1) further cooling a second portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture to provide a further cooled hydrocarbon mixture;
(2) reducing the pressure of the further cooled hydrocarbon mixture to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture; and
(3) utilizing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture to provide by indirect heat exchange the cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor; and
wherein cooling and partial condensing of the overhead vapor by indirect heat exchange with the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture in (3) provides a warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, the warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture is separated into a second hydrocarbon liquid and a second hydrocarbon vapor, the second hydrocarbon liquid is introduced into the distillation column, and the second hydrocarbon vapor is warmed and introduced into the distillation column at a third column location below the first column location of (b).- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for the separation of a pressurized hydrocarbon mixture containing at least one more volatile component and at least one less volatile component, which method comprises
(a) cooling and partially condensing the hydrocarbon mixture to form a two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, and separating a first portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture into a first hydrocarbon vapor and a first hydrocarbon liquid; -
(b) work expanding at least a portion of the first hydrocarbon vapor to provide a cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor and introducing the cooled, expanded hydrocarbon vapor into a distillation column at a first column location;
(c) reducing the pressure of the first hydrocarbon liquid to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid and introducing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon liquid into the distillation column at a second column location; and
(d) withdrawing an overhead vapor enriched in the more volatile component from the distillation column, compressing a portion of the overhead vapor to yield a compressed overhead vapor, cooling the compressed overhead vapor to provide a cooled and at least partially condensed overhead stream, reducing the pressure of the cooled and at least partially condensed overhead stream to provide a reduced-pressure overhead stream, introducing the reduced-pressure overhead stream into the distillation column as reflux, and withdrawing from the bottom of the distillation column a stream enriched in the less volatile component;
wherein cooling of the compressed overhead vapor in (d) is effected by (1) further cooling a second portion of the two-phase hydrocarbon mixture to provide a further cooled hydrocarbon mixture;
(2) reducing the pressure of the further cooled hydrocarbon mixture to provide a reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture; and
(3) utilizing the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture to provide by indirect heat exchange the cooling of the compressed overhead vapor;
and wherein cooling of the compressed overhead vapor by indirect heat exchange with the reduced-pressure hydrocarbon mixture in (3) provides a warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture, the warmed, two-phase hydrocarbon mixture is separated into a second hydrocarbon liquid and a second hydrocarbon vapor, the second hydrocarbon liquid is introduced into the distillation column, and the second hydrocarbon vapor is warmed and introduced into the distillation column at a third column location below the first column location of (b).
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Specification