Abstract:
Natural gas liquefaction system employing an enhanced nitrogen removal system capable of removing nitrogen from a relatively warm natural gas stream.
Abstract:
A method of forming a methane product by rejecting nitrogen from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen is disclosed. After being cooled in a main heat exchanger, the feed gas stream is rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure column and a lower pressure column. A gas flow is recycled from the lower pressure column to the higher pressure column. Part of the recycle flow is compressed in a compressor, cooled, liquefied in a condenser-reboiler and introduced into the higher pressure column. Another part of the recycle flow is also compressed in the compressor, cooled, liquefied in the main heat exchanger or by expansion, and introduced into the double rectification column in liquid state. At least part of the cooling of both parts of the recycle gas is performed in the main heat exchanger. A liquid methane product is withdrawn from the lower pressure column.
Abstract:
A process for liquefaction of and nitrogen extraction from natural gas, an installation for implementation of the process, and gases obtained by this process. In the process, a first top fraction is cooled and liquefied, separated into a second top fraction which is relatively volatile and which provides gaseous nitrogen, and into a second bottom fraction which is withdrawn. The first bottom fraction is cooled in order to provide liquefied natural gas essentially free nitrogen.
Abstract:
A technique is set forth to reduce the heat requirement of conventional distillation processes which separate feed mixtures containing three or more components. The technique provides a great deal of flexibility in adjusting the temperatures of the required utilities including a scenario where the heat requirement is reduced without a need for additional higher temperature (and more costly) heat utility. In this technique, when a liquid bottoms stream (or gaseous overhead stream) containing two or more components is sent from an earlier column to a subsequent column, then a return vapor (or liquid) stream is implemented between the same locations in the two columns.
Abstract:
A process for separating nitrogen and hydrocarbons from a mixture of gases by splitting the mixture into a plurality of separate streams and throttling the flow of each stream to achieve a selected variable flow rate therebetween. The plurality of separate streams are individually cooled by exchanging heat with a plurality of different process streams. The cooled streams are combined and expand into a separation column where nitrogen ascends the column and exits as a process stream while hydrocarbon descends the column to a reboiler thereof and exits as a process stream. The reboiler is used for cooling one of the separate streams. The hydrocarbon from the bottom of the column is expanded and used to cool a reflux condenser located inside the column and thereafter cools another of the streams before it is discharged from the process. The nitrogen process stream is used to cool another of the separated streams, and then is discharged from the process.
Abstract:
A process for separating nitrogen and hydrocarbons from a mixture of gases by splitting the mixture into a plurality of separate streams and throttling the flow of each stream to achieve a selected variable flow rate therebetween. The plurality of separate streams and individually cooled by exchanging heat with a plurality of different process streams, then the cooled separate streams are combined, cooled by another process stream, and again cooled by expansion. The cooled combined streams then enter a separation column where nitrogen ascends the column and exits as a process stream while hydrocarbon descends the column to a reboiler therof and exits as another process stream. The reboiler is used for cooling one of the separate streams and is therefore one of the process streams. The hydrocarbon from the column is expanded and used for the processe stream that first cools the combined streams and thereafter cools another of the separate streams and then is discharged from the process. The nitrogen process stream is expanded and used to cool another of the separate streams, and then is discharged from the process. The flow rates are controlled to maintain the throttling of the split streams and the pressure drop across the expansion valves within an optimum range of predetermined values.
Abstract:
A cryogenic rectification process for the separation of nitrogen and methane wherein feed is preseparated in a high pressure column or phase separator into vapor and liquid portions, the vapor is condensed and at least partly employed as reflux for a main column, the liquid is passed into the main column at an intermediate point, and a portion of the liquid is vaporized against itself to provide additional column vapor upflow.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improved process for the recovery, individually, of natural gas liquids methane and nitrogen from a gaseous feed stream such as natural gas without the need for auxiliary refrigeration and without or with only minimal need for supplemental compressor or pumping equipment. The gaseous feed stream is separated in multiple steps utilizing process-derived streams and minimal pressure reductions to achieve and provide the refrigeration requirements necessary to effect the separation.
Abstract:
A process to produce methane gas product with reduced product compression requirements comprising pumping liquid methane from a cryogenic nitrogen rejection plant to a high pressure thereby utilizing available excess refrigeration, and rewarming the pumped liquid methane product against incoming process streams.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to an improvement to a nitrogen or carbon dioxide rejection process used in an enhanced oil recovery project. In rejection processes for enhanced oil recovery projects at least a portion of a feed stream from the reservoir is precooled in a heat exchanger before distillation to separate the feed stream into a nitrogen or carbon dioxide fraction and a methane fraction. The improvement to this rejection process is the precooling of the feed stream by heat exchange with the nitrogen or carbon dioxide fraction and the methane fractions in a plate-fin heat exchanger with at least three circuits. In the heat exchanger, a first circuit is utilized as a nitrogen or carbon dioxide circuit to conduct all of the nitrogen or carbon dioxide coolant during the first part of the project life, and a minor portion of the total nitrogen or carbon dioxide coolant during the second and last part of the project life; a second circuit is utilized as a methane circuit to conduct a minor portion of the methane coolant during the first part of the project life, and all of the methane coolant during the second and last part of the project life, a third circuit is utilized as a common circuit to conduct the remaining major portion of the methane coolant during the first part of the project life, and the remaining major portion of the nitrogen or carbon dioxide coolant during the second and last part of the project life. Switching from methane coolant to nitrogen or carbon dioxide coolant in the third circuit is done when the nitrogen or carbon dioxide coolant flow exceeds the methane coolant flow.