Cryogenic recovery of liquid hydrocarbons from hydrogen-rich

Patent · Tue Jun 09 00:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:6272350

Higgins, R D

A vapor fraction containing hydrogen and at least one hydrocarbon selected from the group consisting of C1 to C4 hydrocarbons is separated from a hydrogen-rich refinery off-gas feed to give a liquid product fraction. The refinery off-gas is fed to and compressed in a compressor/expander having compressor means and expander means mounted and driven on a common shaft, and then cooled and partially condensed to form a two-phase fluid in a heat exchanger followed by separation of the vapor and liquid product phases of the fluid in a separator or a separator/fractionation column stabilizer unit. The separated vapor phase is transmitted to the compressor/expander unit wherein the vapor is depressurized and partially condensed, thereby driving the compressor. The partially condensed depressurized vapor fraction from the expander and, optionally, the liquid phase product fraction from the separator are transmitted in separate streams to the heat exchanger for separate thermal contact with the compressed feed gas wherein the partially condensed depressurized vapor fraction is fully vaporized and the feed gases are cooled. The fully vaporized fraction and the liquid product fraction are recovered in separate streams.

• Assignee: Petrochem Consultants Inc
• Patent Number(s): US 4272270
• OSTI ID: 6272350
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 4 Apr 1979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
08 HYDROGEN
BUTANE
RECOVERY
ETHANE
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
METHANE
PROPANE
REFINERY GASES
CRYOGENICS
EXPANSION
GAS COMPRESSORS
OFF-GAS SYSTEMS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
ALKANES
COMPRESSORS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
020500* - Petroleum- Products & By-Products
080100 - Hydrogen- Production