Extractive stripping of inert-rich hydrocarbon gases with a preferential physical solvent
A process is described for treating a natural gas stream containing methane, heavier hydrocarbons, and an inert gas, an improvement comprising: selectivity extracting natural gas liquids from the natural gas stream with a preferential physical solvent which provides selective capability for recovery according to the selected degree of: (a) ethane in amounts ranging from 2-98%, (b) propane in amounts ranging from 2-99%, (c) butanes in amounts ranging from 2-100%, or (d) pentanes and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons in amounts ranging up to 100%, the improvement comprising the following steps: A. selecting the preferential physical solvent which is selective for ethane and heavier hydrocarbon components of the gas stream such that: (1) relative volatility of methane over ethane is at least 5.0 and the hydrocarbon loading capacity, defined as solubility of ethane in the solvent, is at least 0.25 standard cubic feet of ethane per gallon of the solvent, or (2) the preferential factor, determined by the multiplication of relative volatility of methane over ethane by the solubility of ethane in solvent, in standard cubic feet of ethane per gallon of solvent, is at least 1.25; B. selectively extracting and stripping the natural gas stream with the physical solvent to produce an inert gas stream and a rich solvent stream containing methane and the hydrocarbons heavier than methane; and C. distilling the rich solvent stream to produce a stream vent to form a solution having a molar ratio of silicon alkoxide to water in the range of about 1 to about 10.
- Assignee:
- Advanced Extraction Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX
- Patent Number(s):
- US 4680042
- OSTI ID:
- 6136098
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
BUTANE
DISTILLATION
ETHANE
EXTRACTION
FLUIDS
HYDROCARBONS
LIQUIDS
METHANE
MOLECULAR WEIGHT
NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PENTANE
PROCESSING
PROPANE
QUANTITY RATIO
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLUBILITY
SOLVENT EXTRACTION
SOLVENTS
VOLATILITY