Configurations and methods for improved natural gas liquids recovery
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of recovering natural gas liquids from natural gas, the method comprising:
- feeding a vapor portion of a cooled feed gas in a first column to thereby form a first column bottom product and a first column overhead product, and configuring the first column to allow feeding of alternate first and second reflux streams to the first column such that the first column receives the first reflux stream during ethane recovery, and such that the first column receives the second reflux stream during propane recovery;
feeding the first column bottom product and a liquid portion of the cooled feed gas to a second column to thereby produce a second column overhead and a second column bottom product;
wherein the first column bottom product is used as a reflux for the second column during ethane recovery and as a refrigerant for an overhead condenser of the second column and second column feed during propane recovery;
compressing the first column overhead product and (a) expanding a portion of the compressed first column overhead product in a first expansion device to thereby form the first reflux stream during ethane recovery, and (b) expanding the portion of the compressed first column overhead product in a second expansion device to thereby provide cooling to the feed gas by combing with the first column overhead product when a portion of the second column overhead is used as the second reflux stream during propane recovery.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Contemplated plants for recovery of NGL from natural gas employ alternate reflux streams in a first column and a residue gas bypass stream, wherein expansion of various process streams provides substantially all of the refrigeration duty in the plant. Contemplated plants not only have flexible recovery of ethane between 2% and 90% while recovering at least 99% of propane, but also reduce and more typically eliminate the need for external refrigeration.
34 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of recovering natural gas liquids from natural gas, the method comprising:
-
feeding a vapor portion of a cooled feed gas in a first column to thereby form a first column bottom product and a first column overhead product, and configuring the first column to allow feeding of alternate first and second reflux streams to the first column such that the first column receives the first reflux stream during ethane recovery, and such that the first column receives the second reflux stream during propane recovery; feeding the first column bottom product and a liquid portion of the cooled feed gas to a second column to thereby produce a second column overhead and a second column bottom product; wherein the first column bottom product is used as a reflux for the second column during ethane recovery and as a refrigerant for an overhead condenser of the second column and second column feed during propane recovery; compressing the first column overhead product and (a) expanding a portion of the compressed first column overhead product in a first expansion device to thereby form the first reflux stream during ethane recovery, and (b) expanding the portion of the compressed first column overhead product in a second expansion device to thereby provide cooling to the feed gas by combing with the first column overhead product when a portion of the second column overhead is used as the second reflux stream during propane recovery. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A natural gas liquids recovery plant comprising:
-
a first column fluidly coupled to a second column such that a first column bottom product is provided to the second column, wherein the first column is configured to receive a vapor portion of a cooled feed gas and a first reflux stream during ethane recovery and a second reflux stream during propane recovery, and wherein the second column is configured to receive a liquid portion of the cooled feed gas; a separator that is fluidly coupled to the first column and configured such that the separator produces the vapor portion of the feed gas and the liquid portion of the feed pas; a first bottom liquid conduit for providing a portion of the first column bottom product to the second column as reflux during ethane recovery and a second bottom liquid conduit for providing a portion of the first column bottom product to an overhead condenser of the second column during propane recovery; a compressor that is fluidly coupled to the first column and configured to compress a first column overhead; a bypass conduit that includes a first expansion device and that is configured to provide a portion of expanded compressed first column overhead to a feed exchanger during propane recovery, and a reflux conduit with a second expansion device that is configured to provide a portion of expanded compressed first column overhead to the first column as the first reflux stream during ethane recovery; and a second conduit that is configured to provide a second column overhead to the first column as (a) a column feed when the portion of the expanded compressed first column overhead is provided to the first column as the first reflux or (b) the second reflux stream when the portion of the expanded compressed first column overhead is provided to the feed exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
Specification