US4727723A
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Method for sub-cooling a normally gaseous hydrocarbon mixture
Assignee: MW KELLOGG COMPANY (A DE CORP FORMED IN 1987)
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Filing: 1987-06-24
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Granted: 1988-03-01
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Expires: 2007-06-24
Abstract
Abstract A method for sub-cooling normally gaseous hydrocarbon mixtures produced in a cryogenic process unit wherein the mixture is introduced to a gas/liquid separator, which may be a storage vessel, and vapor containing at least two components of the mixture is recovered as refrigerant, employed in an open cycle refrigeration system to sub-cool the hydrocarbon mixture, and returned to the separator. The system is particularly useful for sub-cooling a hydrocarbon product stream while, at the same time, recovering boil-off vapor from a cryogenic storage vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A. Durr
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:41
CPC Classifications
F; F25; F25J; F25J3/00; F25J3/02; F25J1/00; F25J1/02; F25J1/0211; F25J1/0219; F25J1/0002; F25J1/0022; F25J1/0025; F25J1/003; F25J1/0032; F25J1/0045; F25J1/0203; F25J1/0208; F25J1/0243; F25J1/0279; F25J1/0292; F17; F17C; F17C2265/00; F17C2265/03; F17C2265/032; F17C2265/033; F17C2265/035; F25J2205/00; F25J2205/02; F25J2205/90; F25J2210/00; F25J2210/02; F25J2215/00; F25J2215/62; F25J2215/64; F25J2230/00; F25J2230/08; F25J2245/00; F25J2245/90; F25J2290/00; F25J2290/34; F25J2290/62
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for sub-cooling a normally gaseous hydrocarbon product stream which comprises: (a) expanding a liquid phase, sub-cooled, multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream into a low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (b) recovering a gaseous refrigerant stream containing portions of at least two of the lightest components of the multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream from the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (c) compressing the gaseous refrigerant stream to an elevated pressure and then condensing the stream to form a high-pressure refrigerant liquid; (d) sub-cooling at least a portion of the high-pressure refrigerant liquid to form a first, cold refrigerant liquid; (e) expanding at least a portion of the first, cold refrigerant liquid to form a first, low-pressure refrigerant; (f) vaporizing the first low-pressure refrigerant to form a first low-pressure revaporized refrigerant; (g) introducing the first low-pressure revaporized refrigerant to the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (h) sub-cooling a multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon process stream by indirect heat exchange with the first low-pressure refrigerant to form the liquid phase, sub-cooled, multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream that is expanded into the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; and (i) recovering a normally gaseous, liquid phase, hydrocarbon product stream from the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
201 words
A method for sub-cooling a normally gaseous hydrocarbon product stream which comprises: (a) expanding a liquid phase, sub-cooled, multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream into a low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (b) recovering a gaseous refrigerant stream containing portions of at least two of the lightest components of the multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream from the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (c) compressing the gaseous refrigerant stream to an elevated pressure and then condensing the stream to form a high-pressure refrigerant liquid; (d) sub-cooling at least a portion of the high-pressure refrigerant liquid to form a first, cold refrigerant liquid; (e) expanding at least a portion of the first, cold refrigerant liquid to form a first, low-pressure refrigerant; (f) vaporizing the first low-pressure refrigerant to form a first low-pressure revaporized refrigerant; (g) introducing the first low-pressure revaporized refrigerant to the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; (h) sub-cooling a multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon process stream by indirect heat exchange with the first low-pressure refrigerant to form the liquid phase, sub-cooled, multi-component, normally gaseous, hydrocarbon stream that is expanded into the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone; and (i) recovering a normally gaseous, liquid phase, hydrocarbon product stream from the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the first, low-pressure refrigerant is a two phase mixture.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the high-pressure refrigerant liquid is sub-cooled by indirect heat exchange with the first, low-pressure refrigerant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
100 words
The method of claim 1 which additionally comprises: (a) initially sub-cooling the high-pressure liquid refrigerant and dividing out therefrom a second, cold refrigerant liquid having a temperature above that of the first, cold refrigerant liquid; (b) expanding at least a portion of the second, cold refrigerant liquid to form a first, intermediate pressure refrigerant; (c) vaporizing the first, intermediate pressure refrigerant in indirect heat exchange with the high-pressure refrigerant liquid to form a first, intermediate pressure revaporized refrigerant from the first, intermediate pressure refrigerant; and (d) combining the first, intermediate pressure revaporized refrigerant with the gaseous refrigerant stream undergoing compression.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method of claim 4 wherein the first, intermediate pressure revaporized refrigerant is at a pressure between 2 and 15 bar.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 4 which additionally comprises: (a) expanding a minor portion of the first, cold refrigerant liquid to form a second, low-pressure refrigerant; (b) vaporizing the second, low-pressure refrigerant in indirect heat exchange with a portion of the initially sub-cooled high-pressure liquid refrigerant to form a second, low-pressure revaporized refrigerant from the second, low-pressure refrigerant; and (c) introducing the second, low-pressure revaporized refrigerant to the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the gaseous refrigerant stream is compressed to an elevated pressure between 3 and 35 bar, and the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone is operated at a pressure between 0.8 and 2.0 bar.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the low-pressure, gas/liquid separation zone comprises a storage vessel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the low-pressure, adiabatic gas/liquid separation zone comprises a flash separator.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-03-01 | 1991-08-31 | 1992-03-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-03-01 | 1995-08-31 | 1996-03-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-03-01 | 1999-08-31 | 2000-03-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |