Staged multicomponent refrigerant cycle for a process for recovery of C/sub 3+/ hydrocarbons

Patent · Tue Nov 17 00:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:5676534

Ayres, C L; Rowles, H C

A process for the low temperature separation of a feed gas into a heavy hydrocarbon product containing C/sub 3/ + hydrocarbons and a light gas stream containing H/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, methane and/or C/sub 2/ hydrocarbons or other light gases using a two temperature and two pressure stage, closed-circuit, multicomponent refrigerant cycle is described comprising the steps of: (a) cooling the feed gas to effect the partial condensation of the gas by indirect heat exchange against a relatively high temperature and pressure stage of the multicomponent refrigerant; (b) initially phase separating the partially condensed feed gas into a heavy liquid containing heavy hydrocarbons and a vapor stream containing light feed gas components; (c) rectifying the vapor stream by low temperature dephlegmation to produce a light gas stream and additional heavy liquid wherein the rectification is obtained at least in part by indirect heat exchange against a relatively low temperature and pressure stage of the multicomponent refrigerant; (d) removing the heavy liquid as a heavy hydrocarbon product containing C/sub 3/ + hydrocarbons; (e) removing the light gas stream of step (c) as a product light gas stream containing H/sub 2/, N/sub 2/, CO, CO/sub 2/, methane and/or C/sub 2/ hydrocarbons or other light gases; and (f) providing the predominant amount of the refrigeration for the process from the closed-circuit, multicomponent, refrigerant cycle.

• Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA
• Patent Number(s): US 4707170
• OSTI ID: 5676534
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: Filed date 23 Jul 1986
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
HYDROCARBONS
REFRIGERATION
SEPARATION PROCESSES
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPRESSION
COOLING
HYDROGEN
METHANE
NITROGEN
PRESSURIZING
REFRIGERANTS
ALKANES
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ELEMENTS
FLUIDS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
WORKING FLUIDS
400201* - Chemical & Physicochemical Properties