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. 21, 2007
Filed:
Jan. 10, 2005
Rong-jwyn Lee, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Ying Zhang, Houston, TX (US);
Jame Yao, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Jong Juh Chen, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Douglas G. Elliot, Houston, TX (US);
Rong-Jwyn Lee, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Ying Zhang, Houston, TX (US);
Jame Yao, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Jong Juh Chen, Sugar Land, TX (US);
Douglas G. Elliot, Houston, TX (US);
IPSI, L.L.C., Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to methods for improving the efficiency of processes for the recovery of natural gas liquids from a gas feed, e.g., raw natural gas or a refinery or petrochemical plant gas stream. These methods may be employed with most, if not all, conventional separation methods using distillation towers, e.g., a demethanizer and/or deethanizer column. The methods of the present invention involve installing an internal refrigeration system consisting of an open cycle refrigerant withdrawn from a distillation column and a closed cycle refrigerant derived from the open cycle refrigeration system. A separator is installed downstream of the recycle compressor discharge cooler in the open cycle refrigeration scheme. At least a portion of liquid withdrawn from this separator is used as a closed cycle refrigerant by indirect heat exchange with the inlet gas or other process streams. Thus a closed refrigeration cycle enhances the performance of the open refrigeration cycle.