US3607733A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Controlled evaporation in heat exchange zones
Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Co
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Filing: 1969-04-25
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Granted: 1971-09-21
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Expires: 1989-04-25
Abstract
Abstract A method for improving the Delta T distribution of a heat exchange zone used in cryogenic separation. The invention comprises refluxing selected hydrocarbon ranges from a rich gas effluent to control the evaporation of the rich gas stream passing through said heat exchange zone.
Inventors
- 👤 Ernest A Harper
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 19:58
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J3/0228; F25J3/0257; F25J3/0204; F25J3/0209; F25J3/0233; F25J3/0238; F25J3/028; F25J3/029; F25J2200/00; F25J2200/70; F25J2200/74; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/02; F25J2205/04; F25J2270/00; F25J2270/42
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
The invention as recited in claim 1 wherein said liquid leaving said heat exchange zone is subjected to a pressure reduction flash vaporization forming a liquid-vapor mixture, and said liquid-vapor mixture is passed into said rich gas stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
13 words
The invention as recited in claim 2 wherein said product stream includes helium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
14 words
The invention as recited in claim 3 wherein said product stream further includes nitrogen.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The invention as recited in claim 4 wherein said liquid combined with said rich gas is from about 20 percent to about 25 percent by weight of the total combined stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
330 words
In a process including the steps of passing a natural gas stream through a heat exchange zone thereby forming a liquid-vapor mixture, passing said mixture into a first separation zone, withdrawing a vapor from said first separation zone, separating said vapor withdrawn from said first separation zone into product streams by liquefaction and selective distillation, passing said product streams separately through said heat exchange zone in indirect heat exchange with said natural gas stream, withdrawing a liquefied rich gas stream containing mostly C1, C2, and C3 hydrocarbons with lesser amounts of C4 and heavier hydrocarbons, from said first separation zone, subjecting said liquefied rich gas stream to a pressure-reduction flash vaporization thereby forming a liquid-vapor mixture, passing said mixture into a second separation zone, separately withdrawing a vapor and a liquid from said second separation zone, combining said liquid and vapor withdrawn from said second separation zone, passing said combined vapor and liquid through said heat exchange zone in indirect heat exchange with said natural gas stream wherein said liquid is vaporized to cool said natural gas stream, withdrawing a vaporized rich gas stream from said heat exchange zone, the improvement comprising liquefying a portion of said vaporized rich gas stream thereby forming a liquid-vapor mixture, passing said mixture into a fractionator, recovering a kettle product containing C3 and heavier Hydrocarbons from said fractionator, withdrawing a vapor containing C3 and lighter hydrocarbons from said fractionator, partially condensing said vapor withdrawn from said fractionator, passing said partially condensed vapors into a third separation zone, withdrawing a liquid from said third separation zone, passing a portion of said liquid withdrawn from said third separation zone through said heat exchange zone in indirect heat exchange with said product streams and said rich gas stream thereby cooling said liquid, and passing said a portion of said liquid into said rich gas stream upstream of said heat exchange zone, and refluxing the remainder of said liquid withdrawn from said third separation zone to said fractionator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The invention as recited in claim 6 wherein said product streams include helium, said rich gas stream includes C1-C6 hydrocarbons, said liquid withdrawn from said fractionator includes C3-C6 hydrocarbons, and said liquid withdrawn from said third separation zone includes C1, C2, and C3 hydrocarbons.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
The invention as recited in claim 6 and further comprising the step of subjecting said liquid withdrawn from said heat exchange zone to pressure-reduction flash vaporization prior to being passed into said rich gas stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
The invention as recited in claim 8 wherein the liquid-vapor mixture resulting from said pressure-reduction flash vaporization is passed to said rich gas stream upstream of said second separation zone.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
The invention as recited in claim 9 wherein the amount of said portion of said liquid withdrawn from said third separation zone passed through said heat exchange zone comprises from 20 to 25 weight percent of the stream passing to the second separation zone when combined with the rich gas 112, conduit
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-20 | 1975-03-22 | 1975-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-20 | 1979-03-22 | 1979-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-20 | 1983-03-22 | 1983-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |