Carbon dioxide fractionalization process

• US 8,709,215 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2010
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pilot Intellectual Property LLC (Hero Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Pilot Energy Solutions, L.L.C. (Hero Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Prim, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US12/824,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20100258401A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 196/14.52, 196/139, 196/155, 585/818, 952/73, 952/90, 95/51, 210/767, 202/185.1
• US Class Current: 196/14.52
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/146 Multiple effect distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by extraction with selective solvents C10G17/00, C10G19/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/06 characterised by the solvent used
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/16 Oxygen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/28 Recovery of used solvent
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 31/00 Refining of hydrocarbon oils, in the absence of hydrogen, by methods not otherwise provided for by distillation C10G7/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 7/02 Stabilising gasoline by removing gases by fractioning
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 70/045 using membranes, e.g. selective permeation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 70/06 by gas-liquid contact
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/164 Injecting CO2 or carbonated water in combination with organic material C09K8/594
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/40 Separation associated with re-injection of separated materials E21B43/385 takes precedence

Abstract

A process comprising receiving a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising carbon dioxide, separating the hydrocarbon feed stream into a light hydrocarbon stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream, separating the light hydrocarbon stream into a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream, and feeding the carbon dioxide-lean stream into a hydrocarbon sweetening process, thereby increasing the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream. Included is an apparatus comprising a first separation unit that receives a hydrocarbon feed stream containing carbon dioxide and produces a heavy hydrocarbon stream and a light hydrocarbon stream, and a second separation unit that receives the light hydrocarbon stream and produces a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream, wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent, membrane, or carbon dioxide recovery process.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a first separation unit configured to receive a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and produce a heavy hydrocarbon stream and a light hydrocarbon stream; and

a second separation unit configured to receive the light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the increase in processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process is directly proportional to the decrease in carbon dioxide concentration between the hydrocarbon feed stream and the carbon dioxide-lean stream, and the decrease in flow rate between the hydrocarbon feed stream and the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first separation unit comprises:

a column configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a drum configured to receive the heavy hydrocarbon stream and produce an acid gas stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising:

a second heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first separation unit comprises:

a drum configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction;

a column configured to receive the heavy fraction and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

wherein the light fraction is combined with the light hydrocarbon stream prior to the second separation unit.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising:

a second heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hydrocarbon feed stream contains from about 30 percent to about 80 percent carbon dioxide.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heavy hydrocarbon stream contains at least about 90 percent C₃₊.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carbon dioxide-rich stream contains at least about 95 percent carbon dioxide.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a column configured to receive a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising carbon dioxide and produce a light hydrocarbon stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a drum configured to receive the heavy hydrocarbon stream and produce an acid gas stream and a heavy hydrocarbon stream; and

a separation unit configured to receive the light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising:

a second heat exchanger configured to cool the light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream, wherein the second heat exchanger is located upstream of the heat exchanger on the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a drum configured to receive the hydrocarbon feed stream and produce a light fraction and a heavy fraction;

a column configured to receive the heavy fraction and produce the light hydrocarbon stream and the heavy hydrocarbon stream;

a mixer configured to combine the light fraction with the light hydrocarbon stream, thereby forming a mixed light hydrocarbon stream; and

a separation unit configured to receive the mixed light hydrocarbon stream and produce a carbon dioxide-rich stream and a carbon dioxide-lean stream,

wherein the apparatus is configured to feed the carbon dioxide-lean stream to a physical solvent process, a membrane process, or a carbon dioxide recovery process.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 further comprising:

a heat exchanger configured to cool the hydrocarbon feed stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising:

a second heat exchanger configured to cool the mixed light hydrocarbon stream using the carbon dioxide-lean stream, wherein the second heat exchanger is located upstream of the heat exchanger on the carbon dioxide-lean stream.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the apparatus is configured to increase a processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process compared to the processing capacity of the hydrocarbon sweetening process when fed the hydrocarbon feed stream.