Patent · US Expired

Recovering natural gas liquids from LNG using vacuum distillation

US7234323B2 · kind B2 · utility

0Cited by
9References
21Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 24, 2005
Grant dateJun 26, 2007
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 24, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25J2290/62
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A process for recovering liquefied C3 compounds from a natural gas stream containing C3 compounds which comprises (a) chilling the natural gas stream under conditions sufficient to liquefy the natural gas, whereby a mixture comprising liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid C3 compounds is formed; (b) fractionating the mixture comprising liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid C3 compounds in a separation zone under sub-atmospheric pressure and under conditions predetermined to vaporize a significant portion of the natural gas present while retaining the C3 compounds as a liquid fraction; and (c) recovering separately from the separation zone natural gas and liquid C3 compounds.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.