The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 20, 2022
Filed:
Oct. 30, 2020
Uop Llc, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Thai Pham, Midland, TX (US);
J Ascencion Anguiano, Midland, TX (US);
Hank M. Hudson, Midland, TX (US);
Kyle T. Cuellar, Fort Bend, TX (US);
Adam Brostow, Schaumburg, IL (US);
Stephen N Peterson, Midland, TX (US);
Michael C. Pierce, Midland, TX (US);
UOP LLC, Des Plaines, IL (US);
Abstract
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for separation of a hydrocarbon gas stream containing methane and heavier hydrocarbons and significant quantities of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. The gas stream is cooled and expanded, then fractionated in a first distillation column into a first overhead vapor and a hydrocarbon liquid stream containing the majority of the carbon dioxide. The hydrocarbon liquid stream is fractionated into a hydrocarbon vapor stream and a less volatile fraction comprised of heavier hydrocarbons. The first overhead vapor is cooled, expanded, and separated into vapor and liquid streams. Both streams are cooled and expanded before feeding a second distillation column that produces a second overhead vapor that is predominantly nitrogen and a bottom liquid that is predominantly methane. The bottom liquid is vaporized and combined with the hydrocarbon vapor stream to form a volatile residue gas fraction containing the majority of the methane.