Granted Patent B2

US 12,228,335 · App. 16/260,288 · Granted Feb 18, 2025

Inventor: John Mak (Santa Ana, CA)

Assignee: FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION

F25J3/0228F25J3/0209F25J3/0233F25J3/0238F25J3/0242F25J2200/04F25J2200/70F25J2200/74F25J2200/76F25J2200/78F25J2205/04F25J2210/06F25J2240/02F25J2270/90F25J2280/02

Abstract

Claims (30)

1. A NGL plant configured to convert from a propane recovery configuration to an ethane recovery configuration, the NGL plant comprising:

an absorber;

a fractionator;

a first heat exchanger;

a separator;

an expander; and

a chiller,

wherein the absorber is configured to produce an absorber overhead product and an absorber bottom product,

wherein the fractionator is configured to produce a fractionator overhead product and a fractionator bottom product,

wherein in the propane recovery configuration:

the first heat exchanger is configured to cool a feed gas to form a cooled feed gas,

the separator is configured to separate the cooled feed gas into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream,

the expander is configured to expand the first vapor stream to form an expanded first vapor stream, and

wherein the expanded first vapor stream is directed to a mid-section of the absorber, and the first liquid stream is directed to a bottom of the absorber;

wherein in the ethane recovery configuration:

the feed gas is split into a first portion and a second portion,

the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the first portion to form a cooled first portion, wherein the cooled first portion is fed to the absorber as a top reflux,

the chiller is configured to chill the second portion of the feed gas utilizing propane refrigeration to form a chilled second portion,

the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the chilled second portion to form a cooled second portion,

the separator is configured to separate the cooled second portion into a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream,

the expander is configured to expand the second vapor stream to form an expanded second vapor stream, and

wherein the expanded second vapor stream is fed to the mid-section of the absorber, and the second liquid stream is fed to the bottom of the absorber.

2. The NGL plant of claim 1 , wherein, in the propane recovery configuration, the NGL plant is configured to let the first liquid stream down in pressure and then heat the first liquid stream prior to flowing to the bottom of the absorber, and wherein, in the ethane recovery configuration, the NGL plant is configured to let the second liquid stream down in pressure and combine the second liquid stream with the fractionator overhead product prior to flowing to the bottom of the absorber in the ethane recovery configuration.

3. The NGL plant of claim 1 ,

wherein the absorber is configured to receive a vapor portion of the fractionator overhead product as the top reflux in the propane recovery configuration and to receive a first portion of the absorber overhead product as part of the top reflux in the ethane recovery configuration;

wherein the fractionator overhead product is configured to flow to the chiller in the propane recovery configuration and to combine with the second liquid stream before flowing to the bottom of the absorber in the ethane recovery configuration; and

wherein the absorber bottom product is configured to flow to the mid-section of the fractionator in the propane recovery configuration and to a top tray of the fractionator in the ethane recovery configuration.

4. The NGL plant of claim 3 , wherein the fractionator overhead product is further configured to flow to a second separator after flowing to the chiller in the propane recovery configuration, wherein the second separator is configured to separate the fractionator overhead into the vapor portion and a liquid portion in the propane recovery configuration.

5. The NGL plant of claim 4 , wherein the fractionator is configured to receive a first portion of the liquid portion of the fractionator overhead product at the top tray of the fractionator in the propane recovery configuration, wherein the absorber is configured to receive a second portion of the liquid portion of the fractionator overhead product in the propane recovery configuration.

6. The NGL plant of claim 3 , wherein the absorber overhead product is heated in the first heat exchanger before being split into a first portion of the absorber overhead product and a second portion of the absorber overhead product in the ethane recovery configuration, wherein the second portion of the absorber overhead product comprises a sales gas in the ethane recovery configuration.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)