Exxonmobil Upstream Research Company

The Ohio State University

Other

Exxonmobil Technology and Engineering Company

Shwetha Ramkumar

Robert A Johnson

Liang-Shih Fan

Ananda K Nagavarapu

P Scott Northrop

Russell H Oelfke

John William Fulton

Sean T Philbrook

Harry William Deckman

Robert F Tammera

Jeffrey William Frederick

Bruce T Kelley

Tracy Alan Fowler

Edward J Grave

Norman K Yeh

Sebastian Chialvo

Juan C Juarez

Robert D Denton

Eugene R Thomas

Bennett D Marshall

Mahesh Venkataraman Iyer

John Timothy Cullinane

J Tim Cullinane

David W Maher

William Barnes

Donald P Shatto

William Wang

Robert Statnick

Eduardo Mon

Patrick D J McMahon

Priya Santhanam

John W Fulton

Patrick D Mcmahon

Patrick D J Mcmahon

The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for sweetening natural gas may utilize a water wash to achieve a reduction in raw natural gas stream contaminants (e.g., particulate contaminants and/or chemical contaminants) and/or to recover solvent used for removing HS and COfrom the natural gas. For example, a method may include contacting a first natural gas stream with a first water stream in a co-current contacting system to produce a second natural gas stream and a second water stream, wherein the first natural gas stream comprises natural gas, an acid gas, and a contaminate, and wherein a concentration of the contaminate in the second natural gas stream is less than a concentration of the contaminate in the first natural gas stream; and removing at least a portion of the acid gas from the second natural gas stream.

Natural gas sweetening methods and related systems

A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of the feed gas stream. A co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. The co-current contacting system includes a compact contacting bundle disposed within a vessel and including a plurality of substantially parallel contacting units, each of the plurality of contacting units having a droplet generator, a mass transfer section, and a separation system. Each droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid disperses the droplets into a gas stream. Each mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. Each separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase such that the concentration of heavy hydrocarbons in the vapor phase is lower than in the liquid phase.

Fractionation system using bundled compact co-current contacting systems

A co-axial co-current contactor (CA-CCC) is described herein. The CA-CCC includes an outer annular support ring and an inner annular support ring configured to maintain the CA-CCC within an outer pipe and an inner pipe, respectively. The CA-CCC includes rich liquid flow channels located between the outer annular support ring and the inner annular support ring that are configured to allow a rich liquid stream to flow through the CA-CCC, and a central gas entry cone and gas flow channels configured to allow a gas stream to flow through the CA-CCC. The CA-CCC further includes radial blades configured to secure the central gas entry cone to the inner annular support ring and allow a lean liquid stream to flow into the central gas entry cone and the gas flow channels. The CA-CCC provides for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets formed from the lean liquid stream into the gas stream.

Gas purification using a co-axial co-current contactor

A fractionation system for removing heavy hydrocarbons in a gas stream. A stripping section receives a predominantly liquid phase of a feed gas stream. First and second co-current contacting systems are located in-line within a pipe. The first co-current contacting system receives a predominantly vapor phase of the feed gas stream. Each co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor and a separation system. Each co-current contactor includes a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from a liquid and disperses the droplets into a gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.

Fractionation system using compact co-current contacting systems

A method of separating impurities from a natural gas stream. The natural gas stream is cooled through heat exchange with one or more process streams to produce a chilled gas stream, which is contacted with a lean solvent stream in a contactor to separate hydrogen sulfide (HS) from the chilled gas stream, thereby producing a rich solvent stream and a partially-treated gas stream. Carbon dioxide (CO) and HS are separated from the partially-treated gas stream in a membrane separation system, thereby creating a fully-treated gas stream and a permeate gas stream, the permeate gas stream being comprised primarily of HS and CO, and the fully-treated gas stream being comprised primarily of natural gas. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream are at a lower temperature than the partially-treated gas stream. The fully-treated gas stream and the permeate gas stream comprise the one or more process streams.

Integration of cold solvent and acid gas removal

A hydrogen sulfide (HS) scavenging system for removing HS, mercaptans, and/or other sulfur-containing compounds from a natural gas stream. A co-current contacting system is located in-line within a pipe and receives the natural gas stream and a liquid scavenger stream. The co-current contacting system includes a co-current contactor including a droplet generator and a mass transfer section. The droplet generator generates droplets from the liquid scavenger stream and disperses the droplets into the natural gas stream. The mass transfer section provides a mixed, two-phase flow having a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The liquid phase includes the liquid scavenger stream with HS, mercaptans, and/or other sulfur-containing compounds absorbed from the natural gas stream, and the vapor phase includes the natural gas stream. A separation system separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase.

Compact contacting systems and methods for scavenging sulfur-containing compounds

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to remove contaminants, such as water, from the stream. As part of the process, the adsorbent bed unit may include additional space for the valves on the head of the adsorbent bed unit.

Apparatus and system for swing adsorption processes related thereto

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to treat the pipeline quality natural gas to form a stream that complies with liquefied natural gas (LNG) specifications. The process may involve a combined TSA and PSA process, which is utilized to remove contaminants from the feed stream.

Apparatus and system for combined temperature and pressure swing adsorption processes related thereto

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to remove contaminants, such as water, from the stream. As part of the process, the adsorbent bed unit is purged with a purge stream that is provided from the overhead of the demethanizer. The configuration integrates a PPSA dehydration system with a cryogenic recovery system.

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to remove contaminants, such as water, from the stream. As part of the process, the adsorbent bed unit is purged with a purge stream that is provided at a temperature less than 450&#xb0; F. The de-contaminated stream may be used with a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant or other subsequent process requiring a de-contaminated stream. The swing adsorption process may involve a combined TSA and PSA process, which is utilized to remove contaminants from the feed stream.

Provided are apparatus and systems for performing a swing adsorption process. This swing adsorption process may involve passing streams through adsorbent bed units to remove contaminants, such as water, from the stream. As part of the process, the adsorbent bed unit may include additional space for the valves of the adsorbent bed unit.

Provided are apparatus and systems having a lessened pulsation through the use of a pulse flow control mechanism. In performing a cyclical swing adsorption process, various streams are passed through adsorbent bed units during various steps in the swing adsorption process. The pulse flow control mechanism is utilized within a manifold of one of the streams to lessen pulsation within the manifold that results from performing the various steps.

Apparatus and system having a valve assembly and swing adsorption processes related thereto

A process for producing hydrogen comprising the steps of: (i) gasifying a fuel into a raw synthesis gas comprising CO, hydrogen, steam, sulfur and halide contaminants in the form of HS, COS, and HX, wherein X is a halide; (ii) passing the raw synthesis gas through a water gas shift reactor (WGSR) into which CaO and steam are injected, the CaO reacting with the shifted gas to remove CO, sulfur and halides in a solid-phase calcium-containing product comprising CaCO, CaS and CaX; (iii) separating the solid-phase calcium-containing product from an enriched gaseous hydrogen product; and (iv) regenerating the CaO by calcining the solid-phase calcium-containing product at a condition selected from the group consisting of: in the presence of steam, in the presence of CO, in the presence of synthesis gas, in the presence of Hand O, under partial vacuum, and combinations thereof.

Calcium looping process for high purity hydrogen production integrated with capture of carbon dioxide, sulfur and halides

A process for the efficient capture of COand sulfur from combustion flue gas streams and gasification based fuel gas mixtures using regenerable and recyclable calcium based sorbents. The regeneration of the calcium sorbent is accomplished by hydrating the sorbent at high temperatures of about 600&#xb0; C. and a pressure higher than 6 bars to lower the parasitic energy consumption.

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Cypress, TX, United States of America

Shwetha Ramkumar