Process for recovering heat from a hydrocarbon separation
First Claim
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1. A process for separating hydrocarbons and recovering heat from a stream, the process comprising:
- separating a feed stream comprising hydrocarbons in a first separation zone into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream, the overhead stream being a vapor stream and the bottom stream being a liquid stream;
passing at least a portion of the overhead stream to a compressor configured to produce a first output stream and a second output stream, wherein the second output stream has a greater pressure than the first output stream;
transferring heat from at least a first portion of the first output stream of the compressor to the first separation zone and then passing the first portion of the first output stream of the compressor to the first separation zone;
passing a second portion of the first output stream of the compressor to a second separation zone;
removing heat from the second output stream of the compressor; and
,passing the second output stream of the compressor to the second separation zone,wherein the second output stream of the compressor is cooled by contact cooling with the second portion of the first output stream of the compressor, the second separation zone has a pressure higher than a pressure of the overhead stream, and the second separation zone is configured such that any vapor in the second separation zone is from the compressor.
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Abstract
A process for recovering heat from the separation of hydrocarbons. The overhead vapor stream from a fractionation column is passed to a two stage heat pump compressor. The first stage of compression is used to reboil the fractionation column. The second stage is compressed and cooled passed to a separation zone. The liquid in the separation zone may be passed back to the fractionation column as secondary reflux, and/or recovered as liquid product. Heat may also be removed from the second stage. A suction drum on the first stage may be used to protect the heat pump compressor from any droplets in the overhead stream.
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17 Claims
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1. A process for separating hydrocarbons and recovering heat from a stream, the process comprising:
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separating a feed stream comprising hydrocarbons in a first separation zone into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream, the overhead stream being a vapor stream and the bottom stream being a liquid stream; passing at least a portion of the overhead stream to a compressor configured to produce a first output stream and a second output stream, wherein the second output stream has a greater pressure than the first output stream; transferring heat from at least a first portion of the first output stream of the compressor to the first separation zone and then passing the first portion of the first output stream of the compressor to the first separation zone; passing a second portion of the first output stream of the compressor to a second separation zone; removing heat from the second output stream of the compressor; and
,passing the second output stream of the compressor to the second separation zone, wherein the second output stream of the compressor is cooled by contact cooling with the second portion of the first output stream of the compressor, the second separation zone has a pressure higher than a pressure of the overhead stream, and the second separation zone is configured such that any vapor in the second separation zone is from the compressor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for separating hydrocarbons and recovering heat, the process comprising:
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separating a feed stream comprising hydrocarbons in a first separation zone into an overhead stream and a bottoms stream; separating the overhead stream from the first separation zone into a vapor stream and a liquid stream; passing the vapor stream to a compressor configured to produce a first output stream and a second output stream, wherein the second output stream has a greater pressure than the first output stream; passing a first portion of the first output stream of the compressor to a second separation zone; recovering heat from a second portion the first output stream of the compressor; condensing and recycling the second portion of the first output stream of the compressor to the first separation zone; removing heat from the second output stream of the compressor; and
,passing the second output stream of the compressor to the second separation zone, wherein the second output stream of the compressor is cooled by contact cooling with the portion of the first output stream of the compressor and the second separation zone is configured such that any vapor in the second separation zone is from the compressor. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification