Olefin plant refrigeration system
US6637237B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 11, 2002 |
| Grant date | Oct 28, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 11, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF25J2270/902
- WIPO fieldChemical engineering
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
The refrigeration system for an ethylene plant comprises a closed loop tertiary refrigerant system containing methane, ethylene and propylene. The tertiary refrigerant from a compressor is separated into an inter-stage discharge and the final compressor discharge to produce a methane-rich vapor fraction and two levels of propylene-rich liquids so as to provide various temperatures and levels of refrigeration in various heat exchange stages while maintaining a nearly constant refrigerant composition flowing back to the compressor and with the bulk of the total return refrigerant flow going to the first stage compressor section. This tertiary system can also be applied to an ethylene plant with a high pressure demethanizer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.