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:
Apr. 23, 2013
Filed:
Oct. 10, 2007
Anthony P. Eaton, Sugar Land, TX (US);
David Messersmith, Houston, TX (US);
Ed E. Bailey, Houston, TX (US);
Anthony P. Eaton, Sugar Land, TX (US);
David Messersmith, Houston, TX (US);
Ed E. Bailey, Houston, TX (US);
ConocoPhillips Company, Houston, TX (US);
Abstract
An improved apparatus and method for providing reflux to a refluxed heavies removal column of a LNG facility. The system withdraws a fraction of a predominately methane refrigerant from a methane refrigeration cycle of the LNG facility. The withdrawn methane refrigerant is then cooled in an auxiliary heat exchange system by indirect heat exchange with a refrigerant that is also used to cool the natural gas feed stream upstream of the heavies removal column. The resulting cooled predominately methane steam is then employed as reflux to the heavies removal column.