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:
Aug. 29, 2000
Filed:
Dec. 31, 1998
Thomas K Gaskin, Spring, TX (US);
ABB Randall Corporation, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
A process is shown for separating a relatively hot feed gas containing methane, ethane and heavier hydrocarbon constituents into a volatile residue gas and a primarily liquid bottoms. The feed gas is cooled to partially condense the feed gas to form a liquid portion which is expanded and fed to a fractionating column. The expanded liquid portion flows down the column in countercurrent fashion to vapors flowing up the column to separate the relatively less volatile fraction as column bottoms. A side reboiler heats and vaporizes a portion of the liquids flowing down the fractionating column to provide stripping vapors which flow up the column. A portion of the relatively hot, methane rich feed gas entering the process is routed to the column at a selected location in order to raise the relative volatility of liquids near the bottom of the column, resulting in ethane rejection.