Process for recovering ethane, propane and heavier hydrocarbons from a natural gas stream

Patent · Tue Apr 19 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:7052593

Apffel, F P

A process for separating a feed gas of methane and a lighter component from substantial amounts of heavier naturally occurring hydrocarbons in a mixed gas, is described comprising: A. Cooling the feed gas in an indirect heat exchanger with a single mixed component refrigerant having at least three components with boiling points corresponding to the condensing points of the heavier hydrocarbons of the feed gas to produce cryogenic temperatures; B. Separating the methane and lighter components from substantial amounts of heavier naturally occurring hydrocarbons of the mixed gas in a distillation column using such refrigerant to provide heat energy for the distillation; C. Compressing the refrigerant in a two stage compressor prior to step A; D. Splitting the compressed refrigerant from step C into two portions of different compositions; E. Supplying a first portion of the compressed refrigerant of step D for cooling in step A; F. Supplying a second portion of the compressed refrigerant of step D to be cooled in exchange with the first portion; G. Feeding the second portion of the compressed refrigerant of Step F to the second stage compressor; and H. Feeding the first portion of the compressed refrigerant of Step F to the first stage compressor.

• Assignee: Flexivol, Inc., Houston, TX
• Patent Number(s): US 4738699
• OSTI ID: 7052593
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

03 NATURAL GAS
030300* -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
ALKANES
COOLING
DISTILLATION
DISTILLATION EQUIPMENT
ENERGY SOURCES
EQUIPMENT
ETHANE
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROCARBONS
NATURAL GAS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRESSURIZING
PROPANE
RECOVERY
REFRIGERANTS
SEPARATION EQUIPMENT
SEPARATION PROCESSES
WORKING FLUIDS