Method for purifying natural gas using an economizer

US11535803B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignees

• L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude · FR
• Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC · US

Inventors

• Paul Terrien · Newton, US
• Pascal Marty · Bry-sur-Marne, FR
• Yong Ding · Newton, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 2018
• Grant date: Dec 27, 2022
• Expiry date: Aug 25, 2039

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02C20/40
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process for purifying a gaseous feed stream of natural gas including methane, CO2 and heavy hydrocarbons including step a): cooling the gaseous feed stream in a heat exchanger; step b): introducing the cooled stream into a phase-separating chamber to produce a liquid stream depleted in methane and enriched in heavy hydrocarbons and a gaseous stream; step c): separating the gaseous stream obtained from step b) in a first membrane producing at least one CO2-enriched permeate stream and a residual stream enriched in methane; step d): introducing the residual stream obtained from step c) into a phase-separator to produce a liquid stream and a gaseous stream; step e): heating the gaseous stream obtained from step d) by introducing it into the heat exchanger used in step a) counter-currentwise with the feed stream thereby producing a gaseous stream depleted in CO2 and enriched in methane.