Hydrocarbon Gas Processing

摘要

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for a compact processing assembly to remove C5 and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The hydrocarbon gas stream is expanded to lower pressure and supplied to the processing assembly between an absorbing means and a mass transfer means. A distillation vapor stream is collected from the upper region of the absorbing means and cooled in a first heat and mass transfer means inside the processing assembly to partially condense it, forming a residual vapor stream and a condensed stream. The condensed stream is supplied to the absorbing means at its top feed point. A distillation liquid stream is collected from the lower region of the mass transfer means and directed into a second heat and mass transfer means inside the processing assembly to heat it and strip out its volatile components.

主权项

1. A process for the separation of a gas stream containing methane, C2 components, C3 components, C4 components, C5 components, and heavier hydrocarbon components into a volatile residue gas fraction and a relatively less volatile fraction containing a major portion of said C5 components and heavier hydrocarbon components wherein
(1) said gas stream is expanded to lower pressure; (2) said expanded gas stream is supplied as a feed between an absorbing means and a mass transfer means housed in a processing assembly, said absorbing means being located above said mass transfer means; (3) a first distillation vapor stream is collected from an upper region of said absorbing means and cooled in a first heat and mass transfer means housed in said processing assembly to simultaneously condense the less volatile components from said first distillation vapor stream, thereby forming a condensed stream and a second distillation vapor stream, whereupon said second distillation vapor stream is discharged from said processing assembly as said volatile residue gas fraction; (4) said condensed stream is supplied as a top feed to said absorbing means; (5) a distillation liquid stream is collected from a lower region of said mass transfer means and heated in a second heat and mass transfer means housed in said processing assembly to simultaneously strip the more volatile components from said distillation liquid stream, whereupon said heated and stripped distillation liquid stream is discharged from said processing assembly as said relatively less volatile fraction; and (6) a control means is adapted to maintain the temperature of said second distillation vapor stream at a temperature whereby the major portion of said C5 components and heavier hydrocarbon components are recovered in said relatively less volatile fraction.