US4715868A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vapor recovery system
Assignee: John Zink Co LLC
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Filing: 1986-09-22
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Granted: 1987-12-29
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Expires: 2006-09-22
Abstract
Abstract A process for the recovery of hydrocarbon vapors from an air-hydrocarbon mixture wherein the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture is passed to an absorber vessel in which is fed a vacuum flashed liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas stream which is passed to a solid absorbent bed. Once saturated, the adsorbed hydrocarbon on the solid adsorbent bed is removed by liquid vacuum pump regeneration, separated from the pump liquid, and returned to the system for use. Hydrocarbon free air is vented from the solid adsorbent bed during the adsorption mode.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul E. Kennedy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 08:46
CPC Classifications
B; B01; B01D; B01D53/00; B01D53/02; B01D53/04; B01D53/14; B01D53/1487; B01D2256/00; B01D2256/24; B01D2259/00; B01D2259/40; B01D2259/40083; B01D2259/402; B01D53/0407; B01D53/0446
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
276 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture by a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: (a) passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through a first absorber vessel to produce an absorber overhead gas stream and an absorber bottom liquid stream; (b) passing the absorber bottom liquid stream to a flash vessel to flash the absorber bottom liquid stream to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream having an affinity to absorb hydrocarbons from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture; (c) passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel such that the inlet air-hydrocarbon stream is directed through the absorber vessel in direct countercurrent contact with the flashed liquid stream; (d) passing the overhead flash vapor stream from the flash vessel to another absorber vessel such that the overhead flash vapor stream is directed through the other absorber vessel in direct countercurrent contact with a liquid absorbent stream to produce another absorber overhead stream and another absorber bottom liquid stream; and, (e) passing the combined absorber overhead gas streams from the absorbers to a selected one of the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the absorber overhead gas stream.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
276 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture by a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: (a) passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through a first absorber vessel to produce an absorber overhead gas stream and an absorber bottom liquid stream; (b) passing the absorber bottom liquid stream to a flash vessel to flash the absorber bottom liquid stream to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream having an affinity to absorb hydrocarbons from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture; (c) passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel such that the inlet air-hydrocarbon stream is directed through the absorber vessel in direct countercurrent contact with the flashed liquid stream; (d) passing the overhead flash vapor stream from the flash vessel to another absorber vessel such that the overhead flash vapor stream is directed through the other absorber vessel in direct countercurrent contact with a liquid absorbent stream to produce another absorber overhead stream and another absorber bottom liquid stream; and, (e) passing the combined absorber overhead gas streams from the absorbers to a selected one of the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the absorber overhead gas stream.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
45 words
The improvement of claim 1 comprising the step of: (f) passing at least a portion of the bottom liquid stream of the absorber vessel in step (d) to an upper portion of this absorber vesel as at least a portion of the absorbent stream thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement of claim 1 wherein the air-hydrocarbon mixture comprises air-gasoline vapors and wherein the liquid absorbent is gasoline.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
124 words
The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: (e) ceasing the flow of the combined absorber overhead gas streams to the selected solid adsorbent bed and diverting the flow to a second solid adsorbent bed when the first selected bed has become substantially hydrocarbon laden; (f) subjecting the hydrocarbon laden solid adsorbent bed to a first liquid ring vacuum pump to desorb the adsorbed hydrocarbon components therefrom so as to produce a rich first air-hydrocarbon mixture; (g) passing the rich first air-hydrocarbon mixture to a first separator vessel to separate a hydrocarbon-air vapor stream and a pump liquid stream; (h) passing the recovered air-hydrocarbon stream to the second absorber vessel; and, (i) recycling the separated pump liquid stream to the first liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improvement of claim 4 further comprising: (j) cooling the separated pump liquid stream recovered from the first separator vessel in step (g) prior to recycling same to the first liquid ring vacuum pump in step (i).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
97 words
The improvement of claim 5 further comprising: (k) subjecting the vapor stream from the flash vessel to a second liquid ring vacuum pump; (l) passing the second liquid ring pump effluent to a second separator vessel to separate a pump liquid stream and a hydrocarbon stream; (m) passing the hydrocarbon stream from the second separator vessel with the hydrocarbon stream from the first separator vessel to the second absorber vessel for adsorption contact therein; and, (n) recycling the pump liquid stream separated in the second separator vessel in step (l) to the second liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
42 words
The improvement of claim 6 further comprising: removing an incremental part of the flashed liquid stream from the process inventory of flashed absorbent; and, adding an amount of liquid hydrocarbon absorbent as required to maintain a desired system inventory of flashed absorbent.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 7 wherein a subatmospheric pressure of between about 1.0 and about 5.0 psia is maintained in the flash vessel by the first liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
The improvement of claim 8 wherein the air-hydrocarbon mixture comprises air-gasoline vapors and wherein the liquid hydrocarbon absorbent is gasoline.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
221 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to exhaust substantially hydrocarbon free air, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture by a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: (a) passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through an absorber vessel in which an absorber overhead gas stream and an absorber bottom liquid stream are produced; (b) passing the absorber bottom liquid stream to a flash vessel to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream having an affinity to absorb hydrocarbons from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture; (c) passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel such that the inlet air-hydrocarbon stream is passed in absorbing contact with the flashed liquid stream; and, (d) passing the absorber overhead gas stream from the absorber vessel to a selected one of the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the absorber overhead gas stream.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
221 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to exhaust substantially hydrocarbon free air, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture by a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: (a) passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through an absorber vessel in which an absorber overhead gas stream and an absorber bottom liquid stream are produced; (b) passing the absorber bottom liquid stream to a flash vessel to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream having an affinity to absorb hydrocarbons from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture; (c) passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel such that the inlet air-hydrocarbon stream is passed in absorbing contact with the flashed liquid stream; and, (d) passing the absorber overhead gas stream from the absorber vessel to a selected one of the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the absorber overhead gas stream.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The improvement of claim 10 wherein the air-hydrocarbon mixture comprises air-gasoline vapors and wherein the liquid absorbent is gasoline.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
The improvement of claim 10 further comprising: (e) passing the overhead flash vapor stream from the flash vessel to a separator vessel by a liquid ring vacuum pump in which hydrocarbon components and pump liquid used by the liquid ring vacuum pump are separated; (f) cooling the separated pump liquid withdrawn from the separator vessel; and recycling the separated pump liquid from the first separator vessel to the liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
145 words
The improvement of claim 10 further comprising: (g) changing the flow of the absorber overhead gas stream in step (d) from the first selected solid adsorbent bed to a second adsorbent bed when the first selected bed has become substantially hydrocarbon laden; (h) subjecting the hydrocarbon laden first solid adsorbent bed to a liquid ring vacuum pump to desorb the adsorbed hydrocarbon components therefrom so as to produce a rich air-hydrocarbon mixture; (i) passing the air-hydrocarbon mixture through another separator vessel to separate the desorbed hydrocarbons from the liquid used by the liquid ring vacuum pump; (j) passing the recovered hydrocarbons in step (i) to another absorber vessel in which an hydrocarbon absorbent absorbingly contacts the vapor portion of the recovered hydrocarbons to substantially absorb same; and, (k) recycling the separated pump liquid in step (i) to the liquid ring vacuum pump of step (h).
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The improvement of claim 13 further comprising the step of: (l) passing a portion of the flashed liquid stream of step (b) to the absorber vessel in step (j) for use as at least a portion of the hydrocarbon absorbent used therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
33 words
The improvement of claim 13 further comprising: (m) cooling the recycled pump liquid from the separator vessel of step (i) prior to passing same to the liquid ring vacuum pump in step (h).
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
237 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to exhaust substantially hydrocarbon free air, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture with a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: compressing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to partially condense components from the air-hydrocarbon mixture and effecting separation of the condensed liquid components from a vapor phase; contacting the compressed vapor phase with a hydrocarbon absorbent in an absorber vessel to produce an overhead vapor stream and a bottom liquid stream; passing the overhead vapor stream from the absorber vessel to the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the overhead vapor stream; flashing the bottom liquid stream from the absorber vessel in a flash vessel to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream; and, passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel to serve as the hydrocarbon absorbent therein so that the compressed vapor stream of the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture is contacted by the flashed liquid stream.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
237 words
In a process in which hydrocarbon components are removed from an inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture by passing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture through solid adsorbent beds capable of selectively adsorbing hydrocarbon components from the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to exhaust substantially hydrocarbon free air, and in which the adsorbent beds are vacuum regenerated to produce a rich air hydrocarbon mixture which is passed to an absorber in which a substantial portion of the hydrocarbon components are absorbed from the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture with a liquid hydrocarbon absorbent to produce an absorber overhead gas containing nonabsorbed hydrocarbon components, the improvement comprising: compressing the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture to partially condense components from the air-hydrocarbon mixture and effecting separation of the condensed liquid components from a vapor phase; contacting the compressed vapor phase with a hydrocarbon absorbent in an absorber vessel to produce an overhead vapor stream and a bottom liquid stream; passing the overhead vapor stream from the absorber vessel to the solid adsorbent beds for adsorbing substantially all of the hydrocarbon components in the overhead vapor stream; flashing the bottom liquid stream from the absorber vessel in a flash vessel to produce an overhead flash vapor stream and a flashed liquid stream; and, passing the flashed liquid stream from the flash vessel to the absorber vessel to serve as the hydrocarbon absorbent therein so that the compressed vapor stream of the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture is contacted by the flashed liquid stream.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
108 words
The improvement of claim 16 wherein compressing the inlet air-hydrocarbon vapor stream comprises: passing the air-hydrocarbon vapor stream to a first compressor wherein the air-hydrocarbon vapor stream is compressed at a pressure of from about 1 to about 10 atmospheres to compress the air-hydrocarbon vapor stream and provide the condensed liquid hydrocarbon components and the compressed vapor phase; passing the compressed air-hydrocarbon vapor stream to a separator vessel to effect separation of the condensed liquid components and the compressed vapor phase; and, passing the compressed vapor phase through a second compressor to further compress the vapor phase at a pressure of from about 1 to about 20 atmospheres.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
54 words
The improvement of claim 17 further comprising: passing the compressed air-hydrocarbon vapor stream through a first cooler prior to introduction of the compressed air-hydrocarbon vapor stream into the separator vessel; and, passing the separated compressed vapor stream exiting the second compressor through a second cooler prior to introduction of same into the absorber vessel.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
27 words
The improvement of claim 18 further comprising: passing the bottom liquid stream from the absorber vessel through the first and second coolers and into the flash vessel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
81 words
The improvement of claim 19 further comprising: subjecting the hydrocarbon laden solid adsorbent bed to a vacuum pump to desorb the adsorbed hydrocarbon components therefrom so as to produce a rich air-hydrocarbon mixture; passing the rich air-hydrocarbon mixture through a second separator vessel to effectively separate an air-hydrocarbon vapor phase and a pump liquid phase; combining the air-hydrocarbon vapor phase recovered from the second separator with inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture; and, recycling the separated pump liquid to the liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
30 words
The improvement of claim 20 further comprising: cooling the separated aqueous liquid recovered from the second separator vessel prior to recycling same for use in the liquid ring vacuum pump.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The improvement of claim 21 further comprising: draining an incremental part of the flashed absorbent stream; and, adding an amount of the liquid hydrocarbon absorbent as required to maintain a desired system inventory of same.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 16 wherein the inlet air-hydrocarbon mixture comprises air-gasoline vapors and wherein the liquid hydrocarbon absorbent is gasoline.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-12-28 | 1991-06-29 | 1991-12-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-12-28 | 1995-06-29 | 1995-12-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-12-28 | 1999-06-29 | 1999-12-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |