Method of separating and recovering hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR TREATING A GASEOUS MIXTURE COMPRISING SATURATED C1 TO MORE THAN C5 HYDROCARBONS AND OTHER LOW-BOILING NORMALLY GASEOUS MATERIALS WHICH COMPRISES, PASSING SAID GASEOUS MIXTURE INTO AN ABSORPTION ZONE AND THEREIN IN THE ONLY ABSORPTION OPERATION EMPLOYED IN THE PROCESS DIRECTLY AND COUNTERCURRENTLY CONTACTING SAID MIXTURE WITH LEAN ABSORPTION OIL UNDER CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE SO AS TO ABSORB PROPANE AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS, WITHDRAWING AN UNABSORBED GASEOUS MIXTURE FROM SAID ABSORPTION ZONE, WITHDRAWING A RESULTING RICH ABSORPTION OIL FROM SAID ABSORPTION ZONE AND DIRECTLY AND WITHOUT ANY INTERMEDIATE STEP REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON SAME IN A FLASH ZONE SO AS TO VAPORIZE A PORTION OF ABSORBED HYDROCARBONS, SAID VAPORIZED PORTION CONTAINING NO MORE THAN A SMALL AMOUNT OF C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS; PASSING SAID VAPORIZED PORTION DIRECTLY TO A CHARCOAL ADSORPTION ZONE SO AS TO REMOVE C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS; WITHDRAWING A RESULTING RICH ABSORPTION OIL FROM SAID FLASH ZONE AND HEATING AND PASSING SAME INTO A VENTING ZONE THEREBY PRODUCING A VAPOROUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL; WITHDRAWING A RESULTING PARTIALLY DENUDED ABSORPTION OIL FROM SAID VENTING ZONE, HEATING AND STRIPPING SAME TO REMOVE ABSORBED HYDROCARBONS, COOLING AND AT LEAST PARTIALLY CONDENSING RESULTING REMOVED HYDROCARBONS AND SAID VAPOROUS HYDROCARBON MATERIAL FROM SAID VENTING ZONE TO A POINT WHERE EXISTING VAPOR CONTAINS NO MORE THAN A SMALL AMOUNT OF C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS AND PASSING SAME INTO AN ACCUMULATION ZONE; PASSING SAID VAPOR DIRECTLY TO A CHARCOAL ADSORPTION ZONE SO AS TO REMOVE C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS; WITHDRAWING A LIQUID STREAM OF HYDROCARBONS FROM SAID ACCUMULATION ZONE AND PASSING SAME INTO A FRACTIONATION ZONE AND THEREIN PRODUCING A HYDROCARBON VAPOR CONTAINING NO MORE THAN A SMALL AMOUNT OF C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS; PASSING SAID VAPOR DIRECTLY FROM A REFLUX ACCUMULATION ZONE OF SAID FRACTIONATION ZONE DIRECTLY TO A CHARCOAL ADSORPTION ZONE SO AS TO REMOVE C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS; WITHDRAWING A LIQUID STREAM OF STABILIZED GASOLINE FROM SAID FRACTIONATION ZONE, WITHDRAWING A HYDROCARBON VAPOR STREAM SUBSTANTIALLY FREE OF C5 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS FROM SAID CHARCOAL ADSORPTION ZONE AND PASSING SAME DIRECTLY INTO A CONTINUOUS MOVING-BED ACTIVATED-CHARCOAL SELECTIVE ADSORPTION ZONE OPERATING AT A PRESSURE OF FROM 0 TO 480 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH ABSOLUTE, AND THEREIN SEPARATING SAID LAST MENTIONED HYDROCARBON VAPOR STREAMS INTO A C3 AND HEAVIER HYDROCARBON STREAM, A C2 HYDROCARBON STREAM AND A C1 HYDROCARBON AND LIGHTER STREAM.