Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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METHODS FOR SEPARATING HYDROCARBON GASES
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for the
improved recovery of 02 or 03 and heavier components from hydrocarbon gases.
PM] In conventional processes for extracting ethane or propane and
heavier components from hydrocarbon gases, the 02 and/or 03 bearing gases
are treated by a combination of expansion (or compression followed by
expansion) heat exchange and refrigeration to obtain a partially condensed
stream which is collected in a feed separator having a pressure typically in
the
order of 50 to 1200 psia and a temperature in the order of -50 to -200 F.
These
conditions of course can vary substantially, depending on the pressure and
temperature conditions necessary to achieve partial condensation for a
particular
gas, and the pressure and temperature at which the feed is available to the
process. The liquid resulting from partial condensation is supplied to a
fractionation column called a heavy ends fractionation column (HEFC) as a mid-
column feed while the vapor from the feed separator is further cooled via heat
exchange, expansion or other means and then enters a light ends fractionation
column (LEFC) as a feed. The overhead stream from the LEFC is used to
generate reflux by partially condensing the overhead vapors from the HEFC
through appropriate heat exchange means. In a typical system the HEFC column
will operate at a pressure less than or substantially equal to that of the
HEFC
feed separator (possibly allowing for a small pressure drop as the partially
condensed liquid passes from the separator to the HEFC) and the HEFC
overhead vapors leave at a temperature in the order of 0 to -170 F. The heat
exchange of these overhead vapors against the residue vapors from the LEFC
provides partial condensate which is used as a reflux to the LEFC.
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[0003] Pre-cooling of the gas before it is expanded to the LEFC pressure
will
commonly result in formation of a high-pressure condensate. To avoid damage to
the expander, the high pressure condensate, if it forms, is usually separated,
separately expanded through a Joule-Thomson valve and used as a further feed
to the mid-portion of the HEFC column. Refrigeration in such a process is
sometimes entirely generated by work expansion of the vapors remaining after
partial condensation of the high pressure gas to the column operating
pressure.
Other processes may include external refrigeration of the high pressure gases
to
provide some of the required cooling.
[0004] When processing natural gas, feed is typically available at line
pressure, of 600-1000 psia. In such case expansion to a pressure in the order
of
150-300 psia is common. In an alternate process, facilities may be designed to
extract ethane or ethylene or propane or propylene from refinery gases.
Refinery
gases commonly are available a pressure of 150 psia-250 psia. In this case, at
the convenience of the process designer, the LEFC may be designed to operate
at a pressure below the pressure of the refinery gas which is available, i.e.,
perhaps 50-100 psia, so that work expansion can be used to supply
refrigeration
to the process. This will result in lower LEFC temperatures and will increase
potential heat leakage and other engineering problems associated with
cryogenic
temperatures. It is also possible in this case to compress the refinery gas to
a
higher pressure so that it may be thereafter expanded in a work-expansion
machine to afford refrigeration to the overall process.
[0005] A typical flow plan of a process for separating 03 and heavier
hydrocarbons from a gas stream is illustrated in U.S, Pat. No. 4,251,249 to
Jerry
G. Gulsby.
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$tiNIMAAY OF THE INVENTION
(0006] In one embodiment of the invention, there is described a process for
separating a hydrocarbon gas containing at least methane, ethane and 03
components into a fraction containing a predominant portion of the ethane and
lighter components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the 03
and heavier components or a predominant portion of the methane and lighter
components and a fraction containing a predominant portion of the 02 and
heavier components, in which process
(a) the feed gas is treated in one or more heat exchangers, and expansion
steps to provide at least one partly condensed hydrocarbon gas, providing
thereby at least one first residue vapor and at least one 02 or C3-containing
liquid which liquid also contains lighter hydrocarbons; and
(b) at least a portion of the C2 or C3-containing liquids is directed into
a
distillation column wherein said liquid is separated into a second residue
containing lighter hydrocarbons and a 02 or C3-containing product; comprising:
(1) cooling said second residue to partially condense it;
(2) intimately contacting at least part of one of said first residue vapors
with at
least part of the liquid portion of the partially condensed second residue in
at
least one contacting stage and thereafter separating the vapors and liquids
from said contacting stage;
(3) supplying the liquids thereby recovered to the distillation column as a
liquid feed thereto; and
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(4) directing the vapors thereby recovered into heat exchange relation with
said second residue from the distillation column, thereby to supply the
cooling
of step (1), and thereafter discharging said residue gases; the improvement
further
comprising:
(5) recovering a recycle gas stream from an expander-compressor or other
compressor;
(6) cooling and partially condensing the recycle stream in said one or more
heat exchangers whereby the recycle stream is heat exchanged with gases from
top of a light-ends fractionation column;
(7) expanding the recycle stream thereby further condensing a portion of
and
cooling the recycle stream;
(8) feeding the expanded recycle stream to the LEFC thereby providing a
second LEFC feed stream; and
(9) feeding a cold reflux stream from the subcooler into a light ends
fractionation column, wherein colder temperatures realized by the cold reflux
stream improves the yield of ethane or propane and heavier components,
[0007] The contacting step (2) is carried out in a feed separator/absorber
which
includes fractionation means for vapor/liquid counter-current contact and
(i) wherein said partly condensed second residue is introduced into said
separator/absorber above or at an intermediate point in said fractionation
means,
whereby the liquid portion of it passes downwardly through said fractionation
means; and
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(ii) wherein said partly condensed portion of the first residue is
introduced into
said separator/absorber above or at an intermediate point in said
fractionation
means, whereby the liquid portion of it passes downwardly through said
fractionation means; and wherein said portion of the cooled C2 or C3-
containing
liquid from the separator is introduced into said separator/absorber above or
at an
intermediate point in said fractionation means, whereby the liquid portion of
it
passes downwardly through said fractionation means; and
(iii) said at least part of one of said first residue vapors is supplied to
said
separator/absorber below said fractionation means, whereby the first residue
vapor rises through said fractionation means in counter-current contact with
the liquid portion of the partly condensed second residue.
[0008] The fractionation means in said separator/absorber provide the
equivalent of at least one theoretical distillation stage arranged to contact
at least
part of one of said first residue vapors with the liquid portion of the partly
condensed second residue.
[0009] The fractionation means in said separator/absorber provide the
equivalent of at least one theoretical distillation stage arranged to contact
at least
part of one of said first residue vapors with the liquid portion of the partly
condensed second residue.
[0010] At least part of one of said first residue vapors are co-mingled
with the
liquid portion of the partially condensed second residue, liquid portion of
the
partially condensed portion of the first residue and portion of the cooled 02
or
C3-containing liquid from the separator.
[0011] At least part of one of said first residue vapors are comingled with
both
the liquid portions and vapor portions of said partially condensed second
residue,
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partially condensed portion of the first residue vapor and portion of the
cooled 02
or C3-containing liquid from the separator.
[0012] The recycle gas stream recovered may further pass through expander-
compressor discharge cooler or other compression discharge cooler prior to it
being partially condensed in the one or more heat exchangers,
[0013] The one or more heat exchangers where the recycle stream is
partially
condensed may have other liquid and gas flows present therein which can
further
be used, in addition to the gases from the top of the light-ends fractionation
column to partially condense the recycle stream. For example, the liquid
product
from the light-ends fractionation column, the reboiler fluid, the side heater
fluid
and/or the residue gas streams may all pass through the one or more heat
exchangers.
[0014] The one or more heat exchangers rnay be plate-fin exchangers. The
expansion of the recycle stream may be through a flow control valve or
additional
turboexpander.
[0015] The cold reflux stream that is fed into the light ends fractionation
column will come from the top of a heavy ends fractionation column.
[0016] Further, there is described an apparatus for separating a
hydrocarbon
gas containing at least ethane and 03 components into a fraction containing a
predominant portion of ethane and lighter components and a fraction containing
a predominant portion of the 03 and heavier components in which apparatus
(a) one or
more heat exchange means and one or more expansion means are
provided which are cooperatively connected to provide at least one partly
condensed hydrocarbon gas, providing thereby at least one first residue vapor
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and at least one Cs-containing liquid which liquid also contains lighter
hydrocarbons and
(b) a distillation column connected to receive at least one of said 03-
containing liquids which is adapted to separate the Cs-containing liquids into
a
second residue containing lighter hydrocarbons and a Cs-containing product;
the improvement comprising
(1) heat exchange means connected to said distillation column to receive
said
second residue and to partially condense it;
(2) contacting and separating means connected to receive at least part of
one
of the first residue vapors and at least part of the liquid portion of the
partially
condensed second residue and to comingle said vapor and liquid in at least one
contacting stage, which means include separation means for separating the
vapor and liquid after contact in said stage;
(3) said means (2) being further connected to supply the liquids separated
therein to the distillation column as a liquid feed thereto, and
(4) said means (2) also being connected to direct the vapors separated
therein into heat exchange relation with said second residue from the
distillation
column in said heat exchange means (1); the improvement further comprising
(5) Product cooler means connected to said distillation column to receive
said
second residue from said distillation column and to feed said second residue
to
said heat exchange means.
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[0017] The contacting and separating means includes
fractionation means for countercurrent vapor/liquid contact and wherein said
means is connected to receive the portion of one of first residue vapors to be
treated therein below said fractionation means and to receive the portion of
said
liquids from the partially condensed second residue to be treated therein
above
said fractionation means said fractionation means thereby being adapted so
that
the first residue vapors rise therethrough in countercurrent contact with
partially
condensed second residue.
[0018] The fractionation means includes vapor/liquid contacting means which
are the equivalent of at least one theoretical distillation stage,
[0019] The contacting and separating means (2) comprise means for
comingling at least part of one of said first residue vapors with the liquid
portion
of the partially condensed second residue.
[0020] The contacting and separating means (2) comprise means for
comingling at least part of one of said first residue vapors with both the
liquid and
vapor portion of said partially condensed second residue.
[0021] The contacting and separating means includes fractionation means for
countercurrent vapor/liquid contact and wherein said means is connected to
receive the portion of one of first residue vapors to be treated therein below
said fractionation means and to receive the portion of said liquids from the
partially
condensed second residue, portion of the partially condensed first residue and
portion of the cooled C3-containing liquid from the separator to be treated
therein
above or at an intermediate point in said fractionation means said
fractionation
means thereby being adapted so that the first residue vapors rise there-
through
in countercurrent contact with partially condensed second residue and portion
of the
partially condensed first residue and being further adapted so that the
portion of the
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C3-containing liquid from the separator is cooled by the liquids exiting the
fractionation means.
[0022] The fractionation means includes vapor/liquid contacting means which
are the equivalent of at least one theoretical distillation stage.
[0023] Ticontacting and separating means (2) comprise means for
comingling at least part of one of said first residue vapors with the liquid
portion of
the partially condensed second residue, liquid portion of the partially
condensed
portion of the first residue and portion of the cooled C3-containing liquid
from the
separator.
[0024] The contacting and separating means (2) comprise means for
comingling at least part of one of said first residue vapors with both the
liquid and
vapor portion of said partially condensed second residue, said partially
condensed
portion of the first residue and portion of the cooled 02 or C3-containing
liquid
from the separator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] Fig. 1A is a partial schematic representation of a hydrocarbons
separation process according to the invention which shows half the process due
to scaling constraints.
[0026] Fig. I B is a partial schematic representation of the other half of
a
hydrocarbons separation process according to the invention which shows the
other half of the process due to scaling constraints.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
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[0027] The present invention provides an improved process for recovering C2
or C3 and heavier components from hydrocarbon-bearing gases. In the improved
process of the present invention the overhead vapor from the HEFC column is
partly condensed and then at least the liquid condensate is combined with at
least the vapor from the partially condensed feed gases described above in the
LEFC which, in the present invention, also acts as an absorber. The LEFC is
designed to afford one or more contacting stages. Usually such stages are
assumed for design purposes to be equilibrium stages, but in practice this
need
not be so. Vapor from the feed separator/absorber passes in heat exchange
relation to the overhead from the HEFC, thereby providing partial condensation
of that stream, and liquid from the LEFC is supplied to the HEFC as an upper
or
top liquid feed to the column.
[0028] If the LEFC contains an absorption section, such as packing, or one
or
more fractionation trays, these stages will be assumed to correspond to a
suitable number of theoretical separation stages. Our calculations have shown
benefits with as few as one theoretical stage, and greater benefits as the
number
of theoretical stages is increased. We believe that benefits can be realized
even
with the equivalent of a fractional theoretical stage. The partially condensed
HEFC overhead is supplied above this section, and the liquid portion of it
passes
downward through the absorption section. The partially condensed feed stream
is usually supplied below the absorption section, so that the vapor portion of
it
passes upwardly through it in countercurrent contact with the liquids from the
partially condensed HEFC overhead. The rising vapor joins the vapors which
separate from partially condensed I--IEFC overhead above the absorption
section,
to form a combined residue stream.
[0029] While described above with respect to a preferred embodiment in
which overhead vapors are condensed and used to absorb valuable ethane,
ethylene, propane, propylene, etc. from the expander outlet vapors, we point
out
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that the present invention is not limited to this exact embodiment. Advantages
can be realized, for instance, by treating only a part of the expander outlet
vapor
in this manner, or using only part of the overhead condensate as an absorbent
in
cases where other design considerations indicate that portions of the expander
outlet or overhead condensate should bypass the LEFC. We also point out that
the LEFC can be constructed as either a separate vessel, or as a section of
the
HEFC column.
[0030] In the practice of this invention there will necessarily be a slight
pressure difference between the LEFC and the HEFC which must be taken into
account. If the overhead vapors pass through the condenser and into the
separator without any boost in pressure, the LEFC will assume an operating
pressure slightly below the operating pressure of the HEFC. In this case the
liquid feed withdrawn from the LEFC can be pumped to its feed position in the
HEFC. An alternative is to provide a booster blower in the vapor line to raise
the
operating pressure in the overhead condenser and LEFC sufficiently so that the
liquid feed can be supplied to the HEFC without pumping. Still another
alternate
is to mount the LEFC at a sufficient elevation relative to the feed position
of the
liquid withdrawn therefrom that the hydrostatic head of the liquid will
overcome
the pressure difference.
[0031] In still another alternate, all or a part of the partially condensed
HEFC
overhead and all or part of the partially condensed feed can be combined, such
as in the pipe line joining the expander output to the LEFC and if thoroughly
intermingled, the liquids and vapors will mix together and separate in
accordance
with a relative volatility of the various components of the total combined
streams.
In this embodiment the vapor-liquid mixture from the overhead condenser can be
used without separation, or the liquid powder thereof may be separated. Such
co-mingling is considered for purposed of this invention as a contacting
stage.
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[0032] In still another variation of the foregoing, the partially condensed
overhead vapors can be separated, and the all or a part of the separated
liquid
supplied to the LEFC or mixed with the vapors fed thereto.
[0033] The present invention provides improved recovery of ethane or
ethylene, propane or propylene per amount of power input required to operate
the process. An improvement in operating power required for operating a HEFC
process may appear either in the form of reduced power requirements for
external refrigeration, reduced power requirements for compression or
recompression, or both. Alternatively, if desired, increased C2 or 03 recovery
can be obtained for a fixed power input.
[0034] Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B represent a schematic of a hydrocarbon
separation
process according to the invention. A hydrocarbon bearing gas natural gas is
fed
through line 20 to a warm gas/gas exchanger 22-E3000 and then to a chiller 22-
E3400. Refrigeration is supplied through line 52 and 53. The chiller has a
line
54 which will withdraw refrigeration for recompression and liquefaction. The
cooled gas stream is fed through line 21 through a cold gas/gas exchanger 22-
3100 to a cold separation vessel 22-D1000.
[0035] The hydrocarbon gas stream will be separated into two streams with
the tops leaving through line 22 and the bottoms through line 25 to line 16.
The
bottoms will pass through a valve in line 26 for flow control and will rejoin
line 26
to line 35 where they will enter subcooler 22-E3200. These cooled hydrocarbon
gases leave the subcooler through line 36 and enter light ends fractionation
column 22-T2000. The hydrocarbon gas stream that is not diverted will continue
through line 37 to the light ends fractionation column 22-T2000 at the top of
the
colurnn.
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[0036] The tops from the cold separation vessel 22-D1000 will leave through
line 22 and reach a junction with line 24. Line 24 will also contain a valve
assembly PV which is used to control the flow of the stream in Line 24. The
remainder of the tops from the cold separation vessel flow through line 23
through an expander/compressor 22-X6000. This expanded hydrocarbon gas
stream will be fed through line 29 into the light ends fractionation column 22-
T2000.
[0037] The tops from the light ends fractionation column 22-T2000 will
leave
through line 39 and pass through line 40 where they will pass through cold
gas/gas exchanger 22-E3100 and warm gas/gas exchanger before passing
through line 55 to an expander/compressor 22-06000 where the compressed
gas stream will enter and expander/compressor discharge cooler 22-E4100
through line 59. The discharged gas stream will exit through line 58 and for
sales
or further processing as required.
[0038] Line 56 contacts line 55 and some of the hydrocarbon gas will be
drawn off before entering the expander/compressor 22-C6000 and recovered for
use as fuel gas. A valve assembly is present in line 56 for controlling the
quantity
of the material to be used as fuel gas.
[0039] The bottoms from the light ends fractionation column 22-T2000 will
exit
through line 31. These bottoms comprise an intermediate liquid stream that
required further fractionation. Line 31 is in fluid communication with a
transfer
pump 22-P5000A/E3 which directs the bottoms from the light ends fractionating
column to line 33 and into the top of a heavy ends fractionation column 22-
T2100.
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[0040] Part of the bottoms from the cold separator column 22-D1000 are
diverted through line 27 where they will pass through a level control valve
that
flows through line 28 into the heavy ends fractionating column.
[0041] A stream comprising a cooler, intermediate product liquid is
withdrawn
from the heavy ends fractionation column 22-T2100 through line 41 which is fed
to a side heater 22-E3800 which will heat the stream and return it through
line 42
to a point lower in the heavy ends fractionation column from which it was
withdrawn. Another side steam is withdrawn from the heavy ends fractionation
column 22-T2100 through line 43 which is fed to a heavy ends fractionation
column reboiler 22-E3700 which will heat the side stream. This stream is fed
to a
trim reboiler 22-E4000 where it will be further heated before being returned
through line 44 to a point lower in the heavy ends fractionation column from
which it was withdrawn. Line 45 will supply heating media (not shown) to the
trim
reboiler 22-E4000 while line 46 will return heating media from the trim
reboiler.
A line at the bottom of the heavy ends fractionating column will remove some
of
the hydrocarbon comprising mainly of C2s and less volatile hydrocarbons or C3s
and less volatile hydrocarbon and direct it to a valve in line 51. Line 51
receives
bottoms from the heavy ends fractionating column 22-T2100. Line 47 feeds the
bottoms from the heavy ends fractionating column and feeds them to a heavy
ends fractionating column bottoms pump 22-P5100A/B which feeds the bottoms
through line 49 to a product exchanger 22-E3600 which feeds the bottoms
through line 50 to the product pump 22-P5200A/B. This pump directs the
bottoms through line 51 where they can be directly fed to a pipeline.
A valve in line 49 will allow bypass of the product exchanger 22-E3600 and
divert
the flow to an air or water cooled heat exchanger when the plant is operated
in
the C3 and heavier recovery mode. After cooling, these bottoms can be fed back
into line 49 for feeding to the product exchanger 22-E3600.
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[0042] The tops from the heavy ends fractionation column 22-T2100 will exit
through line 34 and pass through a subcooler 22-E3200. Line 38 exits the
subcooler 22-E3200 and connects to a valve. The tops from the heavy ends
fractionation column will be fed through line 30 into the light ends
fractionation
column 22-T2000 where they will be further fractionated for reentry back into
the
heavy ends fractionation column as a reflux stream.
[0043] A portion of the compressed residue gas from stream 58 is recycled
through the overall cryogenic process not only to increase ethane and heavier
hydrocarbon component recoveries, but also to reduce the energy consumption
of the overall system.
[0044] The improved process utilizes the recycle stream 1 in which a
portion
of the residue gas is cooled and partially liquefied in the subcooler
exchanger,
22-E3200, thus increasing the reflux in the light-ends fractionation column,
22-
T2000. This recycle stream 1 is fed downstream from the expander-compressor,
22-X10600 and expander-compressor discharge cooler, 22-E4100. The recycle
stream 1 is cooled and partially condensed in the inlet plate-fin heat
exchanger,
22-E3000 where the recycle stream 1 can be cross-exchanged with an inlet
stream 20, liquid product stream 49, the reboiler fluid stream 43, the side
heater
fluid stream 41 and the residue gas stream 40 together. The recycle stream
leaves the heat exchanger 22-E3000 through line 2 and is expanded across a
flow-control valve V2 where further liquefaction and cooling to the recycle
stream
will occur. This further cooled and liquefied recycle stream passes through
flow-
control valve V2 and enters line 3 which is fed into the subcooler 22-E3200.
The
subcooler 22-E3200 provides additional refrigeration.. By reaching these cold
temperatures, additional liquefaction occurs thus providing more reflux to the
light
ends fractionation column 22-12000. Said reflux will result in more ethane
adsorption as well as increasing ethane and heavier component recoveries.
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[0045] The recycle stream having provided more reflux for the LEFC, flows
through the other side of the subcooler 22-E3200 where it is heated and flows
through line 4 to line 40 where it will be fed through heat exchanger 22-E3000
where it will be further heated and then fed through line 55 to
expander/compressor 22-C6000. The compressed stream will be fed through
line 59 to expander/compressor discharge cooler 22-E4100 where it will be
compressed again and fed into line 1 where it will recycle ultimately to
subcooler
22-E3200.
[0046] While this invention has been described with respect to particular
embodiments thereof, it is apparent that numerous other forms and
modifications
of the invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. The appended
claims in
this invention generally should be construed to cover all such obvious forms
and
modifications which are within the true spirit and scope of the invention.
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