US4374657A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Process of separating acid gases from hydrocarbons
Assignee: Fluor Corp
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Filing: 1981-06-03
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Granted: 1983-02-22
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Expires: 2001-06-03
Abstract
Abstract A process of separating acid gases consisting of carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide from hydrocarbons is disclosed. Methane is first separated from the hydrocarbon stream to produce a substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream containing acid gases, ethane and heavier hydrocarbon components. The substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream is thereafter passed through a semipermeable membrane system to separate the acid gases from the ethane and heavier hydrocarbon components.
Inventors
- 👤 Ronald L. Schendel
- 👤 Frederic T. Selleck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 08:08
CPC Classifications
C; C07; C07C; C07C7/00; C07C7/005; C07C7/144; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S62/00; Y10S62/928; Y10S62/929
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
68 words
A process of separating acid gases from hydrocarbons comprising separating methane from a hydrocarbon stream containing acid gases to produce a hydrocarbon stream substantially free from methane, and subsequently passing said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream through a semipermeable membrane system to separate said acid gases from said hydrocarbon components, said acid gases passing through said membrane system at a substantially greater permeation rate than said hydrocarbon components.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
68 words
A process of separating acid gases from hydrocarbons comprising separating methane from a hydrocarbon stream containing acid gases to produce a hydrocarbon stream substantially free from methane, and subsequently passing said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream through a semipermeable membrane system to separate said acid gases from said hydrocarbon components, said acid gases passing through said membrane system at a substantially greater permeation rate than said hydrocarbon components.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 1 in which methane is separated from said hydrocarbon stream by distillation and a portion of said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream, after passing through said membrane system, is recycled to said distillation to prevent carbon dioxide from freezing therein.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The process of claim 2 in which said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream is subjected to a distillation procedure from which the overhead product is an approximately binary azeotrope of carbon dioxide and ethane which is passed through said semipermeable membrane system to separate carbon dioxide therefrom and to produce an ethane rich stream.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 3 in which said ethane rich stream is subjected to a further distillation and the ethane is recovered therefrom and recycled to said first distillation to prevent carbon dioxide from freezing therein.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 2 in which said acid gases consist essentially of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The process of claim 5 in which said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream is subjected to a distillation procedure and the overhead product thereof contains said acid gases, ethane and a portion of the heavier hydrocarbon content of said hydrocarbon stream, which is passed through said semipermeable membrane system to separate said acid gases and to yield a hydrocarbon rich stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 6 in which said hydrocarbon rich stream is subjected to a further distillation from which a product stream containing ethane and said heavier hydrocarbon components is recovered and recycled to said first distillation to prevent carbon dioxide from freezing therein.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 6 in which the hydrogen sulfide content of said hydrocarbon stream is removed from said first distillation as the bottom product and subjected to a further distillation procedure from which it is separated as the bottoms product which also contains propane and heavier hydrocarbons.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
65 words
The process of claim 8 in which said bottoms product containing hydrogen sulfide, propane and heavier hydrocarbons, is subjected to an additional distillation from which hydrogen sulfide is removed as an overhead product of an approximate azeotrope of hydrogen sulfide and propane and fed through a semipermeable membrane system whereby the hydrogen sulfide is separated and recovered therefrom and a propane rich stream is produced.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The process of claim 9 in which said propane rich hydrocarbon stream is removed from said semipermeable membrane step and subjected to further distallation from which propane is recovered.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
The process of claim 2 in which said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream is passed through a first semipermeable membrane whereby acid gases are separated therefrom and the hydrocarbon rich stream remaining is thereafter passed through a second semipermeable membrane system to remove remaining acid gases.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
42 words
The process of claim 11 in which said hydrocarbon rich stream is subsequently subjected to a distillation step from which the ethane component is separated as the overhead product and recycled to said first distillation to prevent carbon dioxide from freezing therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process of claim 12 in which propane and heavier hydrocarbon components are removed and recovered as the bottoms product from said second distillation.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
68 words
The process of claim 2 in which said acid gases consist essentially of carbon dioxide, said substantially methane free hydrocarbon stream is subjected to a distillation procedure and the overhead product thereof contains carbon dioxide, ethane and a portion of the heavier hydrocarbon content of said hydrocarbon stream, which is passed through said semipermeable membrane system to separate said carbon dioxide and to yield a hydrocarbon rich stream.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process of separating acid gases from hydrocarbons comprising subjecting a hydrocarbon stream containing carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide to low temperature distillation to produce a hydrocarbon stream substantially free from methane, and subsequently passing said substantially methane-free stream through a semi-permeable membrane system to separate said acid gases from said hydrocarbon components and to produce a hydrocarbon rich stream, said acid gases passing through said membrane system at a substantially greater permeation rate than said hydrocarbon components.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
78 words
A process of separating acid gases from hydrocarbons comprising subjecting a hydrocarbon stream containing carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide to low temperature distillation to produce a hydrocarbon stream substantially free from methane, and subsequently passing said substantially methane-free stream through a semi-permeable membrane system to separate said acid gases from said hydrocarbon components and to produce a hydrocarbon rich stream, said acid gases passing through said membrane system at a substantially greater permeation rate than said hydrocarbon components.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
The process of claim 15 in which at least a portion of said hydrocarbon rich stream is recycled to said low temperature distillation to prevent carbon dioxide from freezing therein.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3320753A
Cited
US4264338A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-02-21 | 1986-08-23 | 1987-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-02-21 | 1990-08-23 | 1991-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-02-21 | 1994-08-23 | 1995-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |