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. 29, 1987
Filed:
Feb. 13, 1986
Yuv R Mehra, Odessa, TX (US);
Advanced Extraction Technologies, Inc., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A continuous process for selective countercurrent extraction of C.sub.2 + hydrocarbons from a gas stream with a lean oil as solvent is rejuvenated by substitution of a preferential physical solvent for the lean oil solvent to produce a residue gas stream meeting specifications for methane content and a hydrocarbon product having a composition which can be adjusted to a selected minimum degree for ethane that is as low as 2% ethane and produce at the maximum propane content that is available from the equipment, whereby profitability of the extraction operation can be maximized at all times. The preferential physical solvent has a minimum relative volatility of methane over ethane of at least 6.0 and a solubility of at least 1.0 standard cubic foot of gaseous hydrocarbons per gallon of the solvent (thereby defining its hydrocarbon loading capacity) or, alternatively, a preferential factor of at least 6.0. Preferred solvents include polyalkylene ethers of dialkylene glycol and alkyl-substituted monocyclic C.sub.8 -C.sub.10 aromatic hydrocarbons, preferably including mesitylene, reformates, crackates, and mixed xylenes.