Volatile vapor recovery system and method utilizing joule thompson expansion

Claim 2

Apparatus for recovering volatile liquids from a vapor stream, said apparatus comprising a plurality of stages of condensing apparatus, each of said stages including a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and ambient-air-cooled condensing means having an inlet connected to the outlet of said compressor and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, the inlet of the first stage compressor being adapted for connection to an associated vapor source for receiving therefrom an input vapor stream, the inlet of said compressor of each of the other stages being connected to the vapor outlet of said condensing means of the immediately preceding stage for receiving the cooled vapor stream therefrom, vent means connected to the vapor outlet of the last stage condensing means for discharging to atmosphere the uncondensed vapor stream therefrom, compressor cooling means for circulating a coolant other than said liquid product through said compressor in each of said stages and through said condensing means in one of said stages, and a liquid product reservoir connected to the liquid product outlets of said condensing means of each of said stages for receiving therefrom the recovered liquid product.

Claim 3

The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein the input vapor stream includes combustible hydrocarbons, said condensing apparatus included two stages, said first stage compressor compressing the vapor stream to approximately 65 p.s.i.a. at approximately 232* F., said second stage compressor further compressing the vapor stream to approximately 275 p.s.i.a. at approximately 230* F.

Claim 4

Apparatus for recovering volatile liquids from a vapor stream, said apparatus comprising a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being adapted for connection to an associated vapor source for receiving therefrom an input vapor stream, aMbient-air-cooled condensing means having an inlet connected to the outlet of said compressor and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, an expansion vessel having an inlet connected to the vapor outlet of said condensing means and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, said expansion vessel effecting further cooling and condensing of the cooled compressed vapor stream from said condensing means by Joule-Thompson expansion thereof, vent means connected to the vapor outlet of said expansion vessel for discharging to the atmosphere the uncondensed vapor stream therefrom, and a liquid product reservior connected to the liquid product outlets of said condensing means and said expansion vessel for receiving therefrom the recovered liquid product.

Claim 5

Apparatus for recovering volatile liquids from a vapor stream, said apparatus comprising a compressor having an inlet and an outlet, said inlet being adapted for connection to an associated vapor source for receiving therefrom an input vapor stream, aMbient-air-cooled condensing means having an inlet connected to the outlet of said compressor and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, an expansion vessel having an inlet connected to the vapor outlet of said condensing means and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, said expansion vessel effecting further cooling and condensing of the cooled compressed vapor stream from said condensing means by Joule-Thompson expansion thereof, vent means connected to the vapor outlet of said expansion vessel for discharging to the atmosphere the uncondensed vapor stream therefrom, and a liquid product reservior connected to the liquid product outlets of said condensing means and said expansion vessel for receiving therefrom the recovered liquid product.

Claim 6

The apparatus set forth in claim 3, wherein said expansion vessel reduces the pressure of the compressed vapor stream to approximately 5 p.s.i.g.

Claim 7

Apparatus for recovering volatile liquids from a vapor stream, said apparatus comprising a plurality of stages of condensing apparatus, each of said stages including a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and condensing means having an inlet connected to the outlet of said compressor and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, the inlet of the first stage compressor being adapted for connection to an associated vapor source for receiving therefrom an input vapor stream, the inlet of said compressor of each of the other stages being connected to the vapor outlet of said condensing means of the immediately preceding stage for receiving the cooled vapor stream therefrom, an expansion vessel having an inlet connected to the vapor outlet of the last stage condensing means and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, said expansion vessel effecting further cooling and condensing of the cooled compressed vapor stream from the last stage condensing means by Joule-Thompson expansion thereof, vent means connected to the vapor outlet of said expansion vessel for discharging to atmosphere the uncondensed vapor stream therefrom, and a liquid product reservoir connected to the liquid product outlets of said condensing means of each of said stages and said expansion vessel for receiving therefrom the recovered liquid product.

Claim 8

Apparatus for recovering volatile liquids from a vapor stream, said apparatus comprising a plurality of stages of condensing apparatus, each of said stages including a compressor having an inlet and an outlet and condensing means having an inlet connected to the outlet of said compressor and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, the inlet of the first stage compressor being adapted for connection to an associated vapor source for receiving therefrom an input vapor stream, the inlet of said compressor of each of the other stages being connected to the vapor outlet of said condensing means of the immediately preceding stage for receiving the cooled vapor stream therefrom, an expansion vessel having an inlet connected to the vapor outlet of the last stage condensing means and a vapor outlet and a liquid product outlet, said expansion vessel effecting further cooling and condensing of the cooled compressed vapor stream from the last stage condensing means by Joule-Thompson expansion thereof, vent means connected to the vapor outlet of said expansion vessel for discharging to atmosphere the uncondensed vapor stream therefrom, and a liquid product reservoir connected to the liquid product outlets of said condensing means of each of said stages and said expansion vessel for receiving therefrom the recovered liquid product.

Claim 9

The apparatus set forth in claim 5, wherein the last stage compressor effects compression of the vapor stream to approximately 275 p.s.i.a. at approximately 230* F., said expansion vessel effecting expansion of the compressed vapor stream to approximately 5 p.s.i.g.

Claim 12

The method of claim 7, wherein the Joule-Thompson expansion of the cooled compressed vapor stream effects reduction of the pressure thereof to approximately 5 p.s.i.g.

Claim 13

The method set forth in claim 7, wherein the input vapor stream includes a mixture of combustible hydrocarbons, and further including the step of correcting the concentration of the hydrocarbons of the input vapor stream to a non-explosive level.