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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Increased olefins production via recovery of refinery gas hydrocarbons

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6533113
In the process of catalytically cracking heavy petroleum fractions to make gasoline and light fuel oil, by-product waste gases are also generated. The waste gases, normally used as fuel, are themselves rich sources of ethylene, propylene and other light hydrocarbons which can be recovered inexpensively via a cryogenic dephlegmator process. This gas separation technique is exploited in a system, in operation since spring of 1987, which reclaims C/sub 2/+ hydrocarbons from a refinery gas. The reclamation process bolsters production in a nearby ethylene plant. Causing no disruption of ethylene plant operations, the cryogenic hydrocarbon recovery system functions smoothly with existing systems. The dephlegmation unit operation melds distillation and heat transfer processes in a single easily-controlled step which boosts the hydrocarbon purity and recovery above the levels profitably achievable with conventional cryogenic separation techniques. Very attractive operating economics follow from high purity, high recovery, and high energy efficiency. This paper discusses process concepts, economic benefits, plant operation, and early performance results.
OSTI ID:
6533113
Report Number(s):
CONF-880319-
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English