METHOD OF FRACTIONATING A HYDROCARBON STREAM AND AN APPARATUS THEREFOR

摘要

A hydrocarbon stream (200) is separated in a first fractionation device (205) to provide an overhead first hydrocarbon component stream (210) and a first hydrocarbon component depleted bottoms stream (300). The overhead first hydrocarbon component stream (210) is liquefied and at least part of it is then cooled against a refrigerant stream (2160) to provide a cooled liquefied first hydrocarbon component reservoir stream (260) and a warmed refrigerant stream (2170). After reducing the pressure of the cooled liquefied first hydrocarbon component reservoir stream (260), it is stored in a liquid first hydrocarbon component reservoir (285) at a first hydrocarbon component storage pressure of at most just above atmospheric pressure, for use as a refrigerant component reservoir make-up consituent. A first hydrocarbon component supply stream (280) may drawn from the liquid first hydrocarbon component reservoir (285) and passed to at least one refrigerant circuit (1000, 2000).