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System and method for separating wide variations in methane and nitrogen

  • US 9,816,752 B2
  • Filed: 07/22/2015
  • Issued: 11/14/2017
  • Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2015
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for removing nitrogen and for producing a methane product stream, the method comprising the steps of:

  • providing a first feed stream comprising nitrogen and methane;

    dividing the first feed stream into a second feed stream and a third feed stream in a first splitter;

    feeding the second feed stream and third feed stream into a first fractionating column;

    separating the second feed stream and the third feed stream in the first fractionating column into a first overhead stream and a first bottoms stream;

    cooling the third feed stream upstream of the first fractionating column through heat exchange with the first bottoms stream in a first reboiler external to the first fractionating column;

    feeding the first overhead stream into a second fractionating column comprising a condenser and a second reboiler;

    separating the first overhead stream in the second fractionating column into a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream;

    cooling the first feed stream upstream of the first splitter and cooling the second feed stream upstream of the first fractionating column in a first heat exchanger through heat exchange with the first bottoms stream and the first overhead stream, whereby the first bottoms stream and the first overhead stream are heated in the first heat exchanger;

    wherein the methane product stream comprises the first bottoms stream and second bottoms stream; and

    wherein the second overhead stream is a nitrogen vent stream.

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