Dehydration of hydrocarbons and apparatus therefor.

摘要

The tendency toward ice or solid hydrate formation during cooling of a light hydrocarbon or hydrocarbon mixture such as LPG or NGL for storage or transport at sub-zero temperatures is eliminated by mixing it with aqueous methanol solution in a mixer (5), cooling the mixture in cooler (8) and thereafter separating the hydrocarbon and aqueous phase in a separator (10), the solution being chosen to be substantially insoluble in the hydrocarbon phase and freeze below the temperature to which the mixture is cooled, and at least part of the aqueous phase being recycled by pump (17) to the mixer (5) for re-use with methanol being added as required to restore its concentration in the recycling liquor towards that of the intial aqueous solution and some of the recycling liquor being removed as required to restore the quantity of circulating liquor towards its initial level. 1