Patent · US Expired

Low pressure NGL plant configurations

US7713497B2 · kind B2 · utility

42Cited by
11References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 15, 2002
Grant dateMay 11, 2010
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 25, 2025

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF25J2290/80
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A natural gas liquid plant includes a separator (103) that receives a cooled low pressure feed gas (4), wherein the separator (103) is coupled to an absorber (108) and a demethanizer (110). Refrigeration duty of the absorber (108) and demethanizer (110) are provided at least in part by expansion of a liquid portion of the cooled low pressure feed gas (4) and an expansion of a liquid absorber bottom product (19), wherein ethane recovery is at least 85 mol % and propane recovery is at least 99 mol %. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous as upgrades to existing plants with low pressure feed gas where high ethane recovery is desirable.

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