Removal of ethane from natural gas at high pressure
View Patent ↗ETS-10 type materials preferentially adsorb ethane and, if present, C 3+ paraffins from mixtures comprising methane, ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins at pressures above 200 psia. A process in which ETS-10 type materials are used to separate ethane and C 3+ paraffins from natural gas streams at over 200 psia is provided.
1. A process to selectively remove ethane and, if present, C 3+ paraffins from a mixture comprising methane, ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins, said process comprising contacting said mixture with an ETS-10 type material at a pressure of at least 200 psia.
2. The process of claim 1 , wherein said mixture comprises primarily methane and ethane.
3. The process of claim 1 , wherein said mixture is a natural gas stream.
4. The process of claim 2 , wherein said mixture is contacted with said ETS-10 type material at a pressure of at least 400 psia.
5. The process of claim 3 , wherein said natural gas stream is contacted with said ETS-10 type material at a pressure of at least 500 psia.
6. The process of claim 1 , wherein said ETS-10 type material is an as-prepared ETS-10 zeolite.
7. The process of claim 1 , wherein said ETS-10 type material is a cationically modified ETS-10 zeolite.
8. The process of claim 1 , wherein said ETS-10 type material is structurally modified ETS-10 zeolite.
9. A swing adsorption process for separating ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins from a mixture comprising methane, ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins, said process comprising:
i) passing said mixture through an adsorbent bed comprising an ETS-10 type material at a pressure at of at least 200 psia wherein ethane and, if present, C 3+ paraffins are selectively adsorbed relative to methane, to give an adsorption effluent stream;
ii) recovering a desorption effluent stream from said adsorbent bed by carrying out one or more of the following:
a) reducing the pressure in said adsorbent bed;
b) increasing the temperature in said adsorbent bed;
wherein said adsorption effluent stream is enriched in methane relative to said mixture and said desorption effluent stream is enriched in ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins relative to said mixture.
10. The process of claim 9 , wherein said mixture is a natural gas stream.
11. The process of claim 9 , wherein the process is a cycle swing adsorption process.
12. A process for separating ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins from a mixture comprising methane, ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins, said process comprising:
i) passing said mixture through an adsorbent bed comprising an ETS-10 type material at a pressure at of at least 200 psia wherein ethane and, if present, C 3+ paraffins are selectively adsorbed relative to methane, to give an adsorption effluent stream;
ii) recovering a desorption effluent stream from said adsorbent bed by contacting the adsorbent bed with water;
wherein said adsorption effluent stream is enriched in methane relative to said mixture and said desorption effluent stream is enriched in ethane and optionally C 3+ paraffins relative to said mixture.
13. The process of claim 12 , wherein said adsorbent bed is regenerated by heating the adsorbent bed, optionally at reduced pressure, to remove water.
14. A process comprising contacting a feed mixture comprising methane, ethane and at least one C 3+ paraffin with an adsorption bed comprising an ETS-10 type material, at a specific temperature and pressure, for a number of bed volumes which under the chosen temperature and pressure conditions exceeds the breakthrough volume for ethane but which does not exceed the breakthrough volume for C 3+ paraffins, said process giving an effluent stream which is enriched in methane and ethane relative to said feed mixture and which is essentially free of C 3+ paraffins.
15. The process of claim 14 , further comprising a step of contacting said effluent stream which is enriched in methane and ethane with an ETS-10 type material to selectively adsorb ethane.
16. The process of claim 14 wherein said specific pressure is at least 200 psia.
17. A process comprising passing a feed mixture comprising methane, ethane and optionally present C 3+ paraffins through an adsorption bed comprising an ETS-10 type material, at a specific temperature and pressure, for a number of bed volumes which under the chosen temperature and pressure conditions does not exceed the breakthrough volume for ethane or, if present, C 3+ paraffins, said process giving an effluent stream enriched in methane relative to said mixture and which is essential free of ethane and C 3+ paraffins.
18. The process of claim 17 wherein said specific pressure is at least 200 psia.