Uop Lcc

Stephen Thomas King

Xin X Zhu

Adam J Kanyuh

Steven Kozup

Michael Van De Cotte

Joe R Haas

Joseph Edward Zimmerman

Glen John Pomorski

Michael R Van De Cotte

Steven C Kozup

A process and apparatus reboil a propylene splitter bottoms by heat exchange and/or a deethanizer bottoms stream with a compressed propylene splitter overhead stream. Use of single splitter compressor and operation of the propane-propylene splitter column at lower pressure are enabled, whereas conventionally two splitter compressors and higher splitter pressure were necessary to provide a propylene product stream and a propane recycle stream of equivalent quality.

Propane separation with compressor reboiler

Systems and processes for heat recovery associated with the separation of hydrocarbon components. Two compressors are used to compress a portion of an overhead vapor stream from a fractionation column. A pressure of the liquid portion of the compressed overhead is reduced and used to recover heat from an overhead of another separation zone having a fractionation column. Once the heat has been recovered the stream is recompressed. The recovered heat may be removed from the recompressed stream in a reboiler of another fractionation column. The fractionation columns may comprise a deethanizer stripper, propane-propylene splitter, and a depropanizer column.

Process for recovering heat from a hydrocarbon separation

A process for recovering heat from the separation of hydrocarbons. The overhead vapor stream from a fractionation column is passed to a two stage heat pump compressor. The first stage of compression is used to reboil the fractionation column. The second stage is compressed and cooled passed to a separation zone. The liquid in the separation zone may be passed back to the fractionation column as secondary reflux, and/or recovered as liquid product. Heat may also be removed from the second stage. A suction drum on the first stage may be used to protect the heat pump compressor from any droplets in the overhead stream.

Fractionation systems utilizing a single rectifying column with a stripping column housed in the same vessel and having a uniform diameter are described. Methods of separating feed streams using the fractionation systems are also described.

Fractionation system having rectifying and stripping columns in a single vessel with a uniform diameter

Dividing wall fractional distillation columns and methods of operating these columns with greater flexibility, especially in terms of the ability to adjust the composition of the heartcut, intermediate or sidecut product fraction, are described. In particular, this composition may be advantageously 'biased' toward higher or lower molecular weight components, depending on operating needs. Changes in feedstock composition may also be managed more effectively. These benefits are obtained by varying the flow rate of vapor and liquid to each side of the dividing wall. The vapor flowrate rising from an undivided portion of the column interior below the dividing wall is varied to the feed and/or product sections on opposite sides of the dividing wall. Also, the liquid flowrate falling from an undivided portion of the column interior above the dividing wall is varied to the feed and/or product sections on opposite sides of the dividing wall.

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Villa Park, IL, United States of America

Stephen Thomas King