Greater design capacity-hydrocarbon gas separation process

Claim 1

In a process for the recovery of components of volatile gas containing methane and heavier components by processing said gas through a demethanizer colkmn, said process comprising introducing a stream of feed gas under pressure into a heat exchange unit to lower the temperature of said gas stream, dividing the stream into two main streams, the first of said two main streams being primarily vapors, which are again divided into two portions with one portion cooled by passing same through a heat exchanger, and then through a controlled expansion valve and into the top of a two stage separator, directing the other portion through an expansion means, lowering the pressure and temperature thereof and then through a divider, the lower section of the two-stage separator, and said divider separating the vapors and liquid, discharging the vapors into the upper section for combination with its stripped vapors and thence into a discharge conduit, discharging the liquid in two separate liquid streams from the two stage separator directly into the demethanizer, one liquid stream being fed into the demethanizer column onto the top packed section, and the other stream entering the demethanizer column on top of the second packed section therein, and liquid from the second main stream expanded and fed into the demethanizer at a midway feed point.