Bp Corporation North America Inc.

Ineos USA LLC

Wayne W Y Eng

Rian Reyneke

Michael J Foral

Guang-Chung Lee

Christos G Papadopoulos

Jeff Logsdon

Ian Sinclair

Jeffrey S Logsdon

Iain Sinclair

Jeffery S Lodgson

A process for the recovery and purification of ethylene and optionally propylene from a stream containing lighter and heavier components that employs an ethylene distributor column and a partially thermally coupled distributed distillation system.

Recovery and purification of ethylene

This invention is an improved distillation sequence for the separation and purification of ethylene from a cracked gas. A hydrocarbon feed enters a C2 distributor column. The top of the C2 distributor column is thermally coupled to an ethylene distributor column, and the bottoms liquid of a C2 distributor column feeds a deethanizer column. The C2 distributor column utilizes a conventional reboiler. The top of the ethylene distributor is thermally coupled with a demethanizer column, and the bottoms liquid of the ethylene distributor feeds a C2 splitter column. The ethylene distributor column utilizes a conventional reboiler. The deethanizer and C2 splitter columns are also thermally coupled and operated at a substantially lower pressure than the C2 distributor column, the ethylene distributor column, and the demethanizer column. Alternatively, a hydrocarbon feed enters a deethanizer column. The top of the deethanizer is thermally coupled to an ethylene distributor column, and the ethylene distributor column utilizes a conventional reboiler. The top of the ethylene distributor column is thermally coupled with a demethanizer column, and the bottoms liquid of the ethylene distributor column feeds a C2 splitter column. The C2 splitter column operates at a pressure substantially lower than the ethylene distributor column, the demethanizer column, and the deethanizer column.

Distillation sequence for the purification and recovery of hydrocarbons

A refrigeration process is disclosed that employs a mixed refrigerant to chill a process gas stream in which a second stream is cooled against rewarming vaporized mixed refrigerant at low pressure and subsequently is at least partially vaporized against at least partially condensed mixed refrigerant at a higher pressure.

Refrigeration system

The recovery of ethylene from light gases at low temperature by the use of a mixed refrigeration system comprising methane, ehtylene and/or ethane, and propylene and/or propane.

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League City, TX, United States of America

Wayne W Y Eng