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Hydrocarbon gas processing including a single equipment item processing assembly

  • US 9,939,195 B2
  • Filed: 05/17/2010
  • Issued: 04/10/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A process for the separation of a gas stream containing methane, C2 components, C3 components, and heavier hydrocarbon components into a volatile residue gas fraction and a relatively less volatile fraction containing a major portion of said C2 components, C3 components, and heavier hydrocarbon components or said C3 components and heavier hydrocarbon components wherein(1) said gas stream is divided into first and second portions;

  • (2) said first portion is cooled;

    (3) said second portion is cooled;

    (4) said cooled first portion is combined with said cooled second portion to form a cooled gas stream;

    (5) said cooled gas stream is divided into first and second streams;

    (6) said first stream is cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to lower pressure whereby it is further cooled;

    (7) said expanded cooled first stream is supplied as a feed between first and second absorbing means housed in a single equipment item processing assembly, said first absorbing means being located above said second absorbing means;

    (8) said second stream is expanded to said lower pressure and is supplied as a bottom feed to said second absorbing means;

    (9) a distillation liquid stream is collected from a lower region of said second absorbing means and heated in a means for providing heat and mass transfer that is housed in said processing assembly, said means for providing heat and mass transfer being configured to provide heat exchange between(a) said second portion flowing through one pass of said means for providing heat and mass transfer and(b) said distillation liquid stream flowing downward from said second absorbing means,so that said second portion is cooled while heating said distillation liquid stream before it leaves said means for providing heat and mass transfer; and

    wherein as said distillation liquid stream is heated, a portion of it is vaporized to form stripping vapors that rise upward as the remaining liquid continues flowing downward through said means for providing heat and mass transfer; and

    wherein said means for providing heat and mass transfer provides continuous contact between said stripping vapors and said remaining liquid so that said means for providing heat and mass transfer also functions to provide mass transfer between vapor and liquid phases, stripping said remaining liquid of methane and lighter components; and

    wherein said means for providing heat and mass transfer supplies at least a portion of the cooling of step (3) while simultaneously stripping the more volatile components from said distillation liquid stream, and thereafter discharging said heated and stripped remaining liquid from said processing assembly as said relatively less volatile fraction;

    wherein said means for providing heat and mass transfer does not include external reboilers;

    (10) a first distillation vapor stream is collected from an upper region of said means for providing heat and mass transfer and cooled sufficiently to condense at least a part of it, thereby forming a condensed stream and a residual vapor stream containing uncondensed vapor remaining after said first distillation vapor stream is cooled;

    (11) at least a portion of said condensed stream is supplied as a top feed to said first absorbing means;

    (12) a second distillation vapor stream is collected from an upper region of said first absorbing means and heated;

    (13) said heated second distillation vapor stream is combined with said residual vapor stream to form a combined vapor stream;

    (14) said combined vapor stream is heated, thereafter discharging said heated combined vapor stream from said processing assembly as said volatile residue gas fraction;

    (15) said heating of said second distillation vapor stream and said combined vapor stream is accomplished in one or more means for providing heat exchange that is housed in said processing assembly, said one or more means for providing heat exchange being configured to provide heat exchange between(a) said first distillation vapor stream flowing through one pass of said one or more means for providing heat exchange, and(b) said second distillation vapor stream arising from said first absorbing means inside said processing assembly,so that said first distillation vapor stream is cooled to at least partial condensation while heating said second distillation vapor stream, thereby forming said condensed stream and said residual vapor stream; and

    wherein said one or more means for providing heat exchange is further configured to provide heat exchange between(c) said first stream flowing through another pass of said one or more means for providing heat exchange, and(d) said combined vapor stream flowing through said another pass of said one or more means for providing heat exchange inside said processing assembly,so that said first stream is cooled to substantial condensation while heating said combined vapor stream; and

    wherein said one or more means for providing heat exchange is further configured to provide heat exchange between(e) said first portion flowing through a further pass of said one or more means for providing heat exchange, and(f) said heated combined vapor stream arising from said another pass of said one or more means for providing heat exchange inside said processing assembly,so that said first portion is cooled while further heating said heated combined vapor stream to form said volatile residue gas fraction, and wherein said one or more means for providing heat exchange supplies at least a portion of the cooling of steps (2), (6), and (10);

    wherein said one or more heat exchange means does not include external reflux equipment items; and

    (16) the quantities and temperatures of said feed streams to said first and second absorbing means are effective to maintain the temperature of said upper region of said first absorbing means at a temperature whereby the major portions of the components in said relatively less volatile fraction are recovered.

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