METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEPARATING HYDROCARBONS AND CONTAMINANTS WITH A HEATING MECHANISM TO DESTABILIZE AND/OR PREVENT ADHESION OF SOLIDS

摘要

The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower which includes separating a feed stream in a stripper section into an enriched contaminant bottom liquid stream and a freezing zone vapor stream; contacting the freezing zone vapor stream in the controlled freeze zone section with a freezing zone liquid stream at a temperature and pressure at which a solid and a hydrocarbon-enriched vapor stream form; directly applying heat to a controlled freeze zone wall of the controlled freeze zone section with a heating mechanism coupled to at least one of a controlled freeze zone internal surface of the controlled freeze zone wall and a controlled freeze zone external surface of the controlled freeze zone wall; and at least one of destabilizing and preventing adhesion of the solid to the controlled freeze zone wall with the heating mechanism.

主权项

1. A method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower comprising:
introducing a feed stream into one of a stripper section and a controlled freeze zone section of a distillation tower, the feed stream comprising a hydrocarbon and a contaminant; separating the feed stream in the stripper section into an enriched contaminant bottom liquid stream, comprising the contaminant, and a freezing zone vapor stream, comprising the hydrocarbon, at a temperature and pressure at which no solid forms; contacting the freezing zone vapor stream in the controlled freeze zone section with a freezing zone liquid stream, comprising the hydrocarbon, at a temperature and pressure at which a solid, comprising the contaminant, and a hydrocarbon-enriched vapor stream, comprising the hydrocarbon, form; directly applying heat to a controlled freeze zone wall of the controlled freeze zone section with a heating mechanism coupled to at least one of a controlled freeze zone internal surface of the controlled freeze zone wall and a controlled freeze zone external surface of the controlled freeze zone wall; and at least one of destabilizing and preventing adhesion of the solid to the controlled freeze zone wall with the heating mechanism.