Direct contact condenser and absorber

Claim 1

THE PROCESS OF CONDENSING MIXED HEAVY AND LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF INTRODUCING SAID VAPORS INTO A CONDENSING ZONE AT THE HIGHER TEMPERATURE END THEREOF, CONDENSING IN SAID ZONE A LIQUID RELATIVELY RICH IN HEAVY HYDROCARBONS AND CAPABLE OF ABSORBING LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS, WITHDRAWING ALL OF SAID LIQUID FROM SAID ZONE AT SAID HIGHER TEMPERATURE END, INTRODUCING ALL OF SAID LIQUID INTO AN ABSORPTION ZONE AT ONE END THEREOF, INTRODUCING A LIQUID COOLANT IMMISCIBLE WITH SAID VAPORS INTO SAID ABSORPTION ZONE AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME POINT AT WHICH SAID LIQUID RELATIVELY RICH IN HEAVY HYDROCARBONS IS INTRODUCED, WHEREBY SAID POINT IS MAINTAINED AT THE LOWEST TEMPERATURE IN SAID ABSORPTION ZONE, INTRODUCING LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS FROM SAID CONDENSING ZONE INTO SAID ABSORPTION ZONE AT THE END OPPOSITE SAID LOW TEMPERATURE POINT, CONTACTING SAID LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS WITH SAID COOLANT AND SAID LIQUID RICH IN HEAVY HYDROCARBONS IN SAID ABSORPTION ZONE WHEREBY SAID LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS ARE ABSORBED TO FORM A LIQUID MIXTURE OF LIGHT AND HEAVY HYDROCARBONS, AND A TREATED GAS FROM WHICH LIGHT HYDROCARBON VAPORS HAVE