Nitrogen rejection fractionation system for variable nitrogen content natural gas

摘要

The present invention is directed to a gas separation system for separating or rejecting nitrogen from a natural gas feed containing nitrogen, over a wide range of nitrogen concentrations, under elevated pressure using a single distillation column with two intermediate side condensers and a closed loop heat pump which reboils and partially refluxes the column. The lower of the intermediate condensers is cooled by heat exchange with the heat pump fluid and the overhead nitrogen fraction of the column. The upper of the intermediate condensers is cooled by heat exchange with the overhead nitrogen fraction of the column. The process can handle feeds with increasing nitrogen composition and more than 100 vppm carbon dioxide. The process provides a high methane recovery over the entire feed range, and provides a nitrogen product having an elevated pressure suitable for recycling and reinjection into an oil or gas well to maintain well head pressure.