Process and apparatus for separating hydrocarbon gas into a residue gas fraction and a product fraction

Patent · Tue Sep 02 04:00:00 EDT 1986

OSTI ID:5301153

Wilson, R A

A process is described for the separation of a feed gas obtaining methane, ethane and less volatile components into a volatile residue gas fraction containing a major portion of methane and a relatively less volatile product fraction containing a major portion of ethane and less volatile components, comprising: forming a first stream containing methane, ethane and less volatile components; compressing the first stream; cooling the compressed first stream to a phase separating temperature and pressure; phase separating the cooled first stream into a residue gas fraction containing a major portion of methane and a liquid fraction; expanding a first portion of the liquid fraction through a Joule-Thompson valve to form an expansion-cooled second stream; exchanging heat between the second stream and the first stream achieving at least a portion of the cooling the compressed first stream; recycling at least a portion of the second stream into the first stream upstream of the compressing step; removing a second portion of the liquid fraction as a relatively less volatile product fraction containing a major portion of ethane and less volatile components; and controlling flow through the Joule-Thompson valve responsive to the temperature of the residue gas fraction and product fraction as they are phase separated so as to regulate expansion-cooling to provide a desired composition of the residue gas and the product fraction.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-85-023096; EDB-86-173279
• Patent Number(s): US 4609390
• OSTI ID: 5301153
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
CONTROL
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLING
ENERGY TRANSFER
EQUIPMENT
ETHANE
EXPANSION
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
HEAT TRANSFER
HYDROCARBONS
JOULE-THOMSON EFFECT
MATTER
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRESSURE CONTROL
SEPARATION PROCESSES
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THERMAL EXPANSION
VALVES
VOLATILE MATTER