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. 14, 2015
Filed:
May. 11, 2011
Heinz Bauer, Ebenhausen, DE;
Martin Gwinner, Polling, DE;
Daniel Garthe, Aiterhofen, DE;
Linde Aktiengesellschaft, Munich, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for the separation of a hydrocarbon-rich, nitrogen-containing feed fraction (), preferably natural gas, wherein the feed fraction () is at least in part liquefied (E, E) and divided by rectification (T) into a nitrogen-enriched fraction () and a hydrocarbon-rich, nitrogen-depleted fraction () and wherein, in the upper region of the rectification (T), a nitrogen-enriched stream () is taken off, cooled (E) and applied () at least in part to the rectification (T) as reflux and/or the nitrogen-enriched fraction () is cooled and partially condensed (E), applied at least in part to the rectification (T) as reflux () and the remaining stream () of the nitrogen-enriched fraction () is subjected to a double-column process (T). According to the invention, in the middle region of the rectification (T), a carbon-dioxide-poor stream () which serves for cooling (E) the nitrogen-enriched substream () and/or cooling (E) the nitrogen-enriched fraction () is taken off and the feed fraction is rectified (T) in a separation column (T) having a dividing wall (W), wherein the dividing wall (W) is arranged at least in the region of the separation column (T) in which the feed fraction () is fed to the separation column (T) and the carbon-dioxide-poor stream () is taken off.