L-p gas storage and slop handling system

Abstract

Abstract An integrated system for storing liquified, normally gaseous hydrocarbons and distilling a mixture of normally liquid and normally gaseous hydrocarbons comprises storage facility for the liquified gas with refrigeration means for maintaining the hydrocarbons in the liquid phase at subatmospheric pressure and a fractional distillation means including a feed heater and a reboiler, the heating requirements for which are supplied by the refrigeration means. When passing gasoline and liquified petroleum gas successively through a pipe line 11 the pure liquified gas is passed into container 17, and there stored at normal temperature, e.g. 75 DEG F., and 133 p.s.i.g. in the case of propane. Vapour above the liquid in the container may be removed by line 18, compressed, cooled and returned, with expansion and consequent cooling to the container via purger 21. Mixed gasoline and liquified gas flowing in the pipe line at the interface is diverted to container 15, whence it is heated in heater 31 and passed to fractionator <PICT:0944938/C3/1> 33 which is heated by reboiler 44. Overhead is condensed in condenser 35 to liquify the gas, part being used as reflux and the remainder passing by line 38 to refrigerated storage tank 25, kept e.g. at 33 DEG F. and normal pressure by removing vapour by line 26, compressing, in compressor 27, cooling and returning by line 29. Parts of the hot, compressed vapours from compressor 27 are diverted to provide heating for heat-exchanger 31 and reboiler 44 before returning to tank 25. Gasoline obtained as bottoms from still 33 passes to storage. The condenser 35 is cooled by compressed liquid from tank 25. Liquid in storage tank 17 may be transferred to tank 25 by line 22 or for transport or use by line 60. Liquid from tank 25 is withdrawn by line 52 via heater 46 also heated by compressed vapours from compressor 27.

Inventors

• 👤 James B Maher
• 👤 Edward C Gruner

Bibliographic Details