Patent ID: 11925882
Assignee: FMC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Field: Chemical engineering (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC B  F  E | IPC B  E  F

Claim 0:
1. A method of processing a process fluid that comprises dissolved gas, the method comprising:
using a process fluid heat exchanger, performing a degassing process on the process fluid by performing a first heat transfer process between the process fluid and a heat transfer fluid so as to increase a temperature of the process fluid;
providing one or more partially perforated baffle plates in fluid communication with a process fluid inlet of the process fluid heat exchanger, wherein the one or more partially perforated baffle plates are configured to direct a flow of the process fluid into a lower portion of the process fluid heat exchanger;
fully submerging the process fluid heat exchanger by using an overflow weir,
wherein at least some amount of the heat transfer fluid condenses in the first heat transfer process and latent heat of the heat transfer fluid as it condenses during the first heat transfer process is used to increase the temperature of the process fluid, the increase in temperature of the process fluid resulting in the removal of at least some of the dissolved gas within the process fluid, whereby the process fluid exits the first heat transfer process as a heated process fluid; and
after performing the degassing process;
passing the heat transfer fluid though an expansion device so as to produce a post-expansion heat transfer fluid; and
decreasing a temperature of the heated process fluid by performing a second heat transfer process between the post-expansion heat transfer fluid and the heated process fluid, wherein a temperature of the post-expansion heat transfer fluid is increased during the second heat transfer process and the latent heat that was supplied to the process fluid in the first heat transfer process is removed by the second heat transfer process, wherein the post-expansion heat transfer fluid exits the second heat transfer process as a gas that is supplied to a compressor.