Controlling rich oil with constant kettle temperature by varying the water content of the kettle section

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR FRACTIONATING A RICH HYDROCARBON ABSORPTION OIL CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF CONSTITUENTS OF UNLIKE VOLATILITIES COMPRISING INTRODUCING SAID RICH ABSORPTION OIL INTO A FRACTIONATING ZONE PROVIDED WITH VAPORLIQUID CONTACTING ELEMENTS, REMOVING VAPOROUS OVERHEAD AND LIQUID KETTLE PRODUCTS THEREFROM AS PRODUCTS OF THE PROCESS, INTRODUCING LEAN ABSORPTION OIL INTO SAID ZONE AT A LEVEL NEAR THE VAPOROUS OVERHEAD PRODUCT OUTLET AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF INTRODUCTION OF SAID RICH ABSORPTION OIL, INTRODUCING WATER INTO SAID ZONE, MAINTAINING THE CONTENTS OF THE KETTLE SECTION OF SAID ZONE, AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE, SEPARATING LIQUID FROM THE LOWEST VAPOR-LIQUID CONTACTING ELEMENT OF SAID ZONE INTO AN OIL PHASE AND A WATER PHASE, HEATING THE OIL PHASE AND AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WATER PHASE TO SUCH A TEMPERATURE AS TO MAINTAIN SAID CONSTANT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE IN THE KETTLE SECTION AND TO DISSOVLE SAID PORTION OF THE WATER PHASE IN THE OIL PHASE THEREBY PRODUCING A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE, INTRODUCING THIS HEATED SINGLE LIQUID PHASE INTO THE KETTLE SECTION OF SAID ZONE, CONTROLLING THE FRACTIONATION OPERATION BY INCREASING AND DECREASING THE CONCENTRATION OF THE DISSOLVED WATER IN SAID SINGLE LIQUID PHASE AT SAID CONSTANT TEMPERATURE AND REMOVING AT LEAST ONE CONSTITUENT OF LOW VOLATILITY AS OVERHEAD PRODUCT AND ABSORPTION OIL LEAN IN SAID ONE CONSTITUENT AS KETTLE PRODUCT.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR FRACTIONATING A RICH HYDROCARBON ABSORPTION OIL CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF CONSTITUENTS OF UNLIKE VOLATILITIES COMPRISING INTRODUCING SAID RICH ABSORPTION OIL INTO A FRACTIONATING ZONE PROVIDED WITH VAPORLIQUID CONTACTING ELEMENTS, REMOVING VAPOROUS OVERHEAD AND LIQUID KETTLE PRODUCTS THEREFROM AS PRODUCTS OF THE PROCESS, INTRODUCING LEAN ABSORPTION OIL INTO SAID ZONE AT A LEVEL NEAR THE VAPOROUS OVERHEAD PRODUCT OUTLET AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF INTRODUCTION OF SAID RICH ABSORPTION OIL, INTRODUCING WATER INTO SAID ZONE, MAINTAINING THE CONTENTS OF THE KETTLE SECTION OF SAID ZONE, AT A PREDETERMINED CONSTANT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE, SEPARATING LIQUID FROM THE LOWEST VAPOR-LIQUID CONTACTING ELEMENT OF SAID ZONE INTO AN OIL PHASE AND A WATER PHASE, HEATING THE OIL PHASE AND AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE WATER PHASE TO SUCH A TEMPERATURE AS TO MAINTAIN SAID CONSTANT DISTILLATION TEMPERATURE IN THE KETTLE SECTION AND TO DISSOVLE SAID PORTION OF THE WATER PHASE IN THE OIL PHASE THEREBY PRODUCING A SINGLE LIQUID PHASE, INTRODUCING THIS HEATED SINGLE LIQUID PHASE INTO THE KETTLE SECTION OF SAID ZONE, CONTROLLING THE FRACTIONATION OPERATION BY INCREASING AND DECREASING THE CONCENTRATION OF THE DISSOLVED WATER IN SAID SINGLE LIQUID PHASE AT SAID CONSTANT TEMPERATURE AND REMOVING AT LEAST ONE CONSTITUENT OF LOW VOLATILITY AS OVERHEAD PRODUCT AND ABSORPTION OIL LEAN IN SAID ONE CONSTITUENT AS KETTLE PRODUCT.