Wellhead gas conditioner methods and uses thereof
The embodiments described herein are directed a device for conditioning gas comprising an inlet for receiving fuel. The device includes an injector for injecting an oxygen source into the fuel, a heating component for heating the fuel, a conditioner unit, and a cooling component. The device further comprises an outlet for feeding conditioned gas into an engine. The embodiments are also directed to a method for conditioning gas.
1. A method of conditioning gas, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving fuel comprising at least one high hydrocarbon;
(b) transferring a first portion of the fuel to a conditioner unit;
(c) injecting an oxygen source into the first portion of fuel;
(d) heating the first portion of fuel with a heating component;
(e) oxidizing the first portion of fuel in the conditioner unit comprising at least one catalyst to obtain a conditioned gas;
(f) cooling the conditioned gas with a cooling component;
(g) optionally, contacting the conditioned gas with a second portion of fuel comprising at least one high hydrocarbon; and
(h) feeding the conditioned gas or a mixture of conditioned gas and the second portion of fuel to an engine;
(i) further wherein the at least one catalyst comprises 70% to 90% of alumina by weight relative to the total weight of the composition,
2% to 3% of lanthanum by weight relative to the total weight of the composition,
0.5% to 5% of cerium by weight relative to the total weight of the composition, and
0.5% to 5% of rhodium by weight relative to the total weight of the composition.
2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein at step f) the cooling component is a series of heat exchangers.
3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the oxygen source is air, water, an engine exhaust gas, or mixtures thereof.
4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling component is an air cooled heat exchanger or a shell and tube heat exchanger.
5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion of fuel is between 20% to 100%, inclusive, of said fuel comprising at least one high hydrocarbon.
6. A method of conditioning gas, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving fuel comprising at least one high hydrocarbon;
(b) transferring a first portion of the fuel to a conditioner unit
(c) injecting an oxygen source into the first portion of fuel;
(d) heating the first portion of fuel with a heating component
(e) oxidizing the first portion of fuel in the conditioner unit comprising at least one catalyst to obtain a conditioned gas;
(f) cooling the conditioned gas with a cooling component;
(g) optionally, contacting the conditioned gas with a second portion of fuel comprising at least one high hydrocarbon; and
(h) feeding the conditioned gas or a mixture of conditioned gas and the second portion of fuel to an engine, wherein the fuel comprises:
60% to 85% of methane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
5% to 20% of ethane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
4% to 10% of propane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.5% to 1% of i-butane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.5% to 4% of n-butane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.2% to 0.5% of i-pentane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.3% to 1% of n-pentane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.2% to 2% of hexane by volume relative to the total volume of the composition,
0.25% to 3% of CO 2 by volume relative to the total volume of the composition, and
0.1% to 5% of N2 by volume relative to the total volume of the composition.
7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fuel comprises an oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O 2 /C ratio) in the range of 0 to 0.2, inclusive.
8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure at step a) is between 10 psig and 1200 psig, inclusive.
9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein the pressure at step a) is about 150 psig.
10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the pressure at step h) is between 2 psig and 60 psig, inclusive.
11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the pressure at step h) is about 15 psig.
12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at step d) is in the range of 550° F. to 850° F., inclusive.
13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at step e) is in the range of 700° F. to 1000° F., inclusive.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at step h) is less than 130° F.
15. The method according to claim 14 , wherein the temperature at step h) is less than or equal to 120° F.
16. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the fuel comprises an oxygen-to-carbon ratio (O 2 /C ratio) in the range of 0 to 0.2, inclusive.
17. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the pressure at step (a) is between 10 psig and 1200 psig, inclusive.
18. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the pressure at step (h) is between 2 psig and 60 psig, inclusive.
19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at step (d) is in the range of 550° F. to 850° F., inclusive.
20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temperature at step (e) is in the range of 700° F. to 1000° F., inclusive.