Patent ID: 9080811
Filing Date: 2015-07-14
Classification: C10G,F25J

Abstract:
1. A process for the separation of a gas stream containing methane, C 2 components, C 3 components, and heavier hydrocarbon components into a volatile residue gas fraction and a relatively less volatile traction containing a major portion of said C 2 components, C 3 components, and heavier hydrocarbon components or said C 3 components and heavier hydrocarbon components wherein (1) said gas stream is divided into first and second portions; (2) said first portion is cooled; (3) said second portion is cooled; (4) said cooled first portion is combined with said cooled second portion to form a cooled gas stream; (5) said cooled gas stream is divided into first and second streams; (6) said first stream is cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to lower pressure whereby it is further cooled; (7) said expanded cooled first stream is supplied as a feed between first and second absorbing means housed in a single equipment item processing assembly, said first absorbing means being located above said second absorbing means; (8) said second stream is expanded to said lower pressure and is supplied as a bottom feed to said second absorbing means; (9) a distillation vapor stream is collected from an upper region of said first absorbing means and heated, thereafter discharging said heated distillation vapor stream from said processing assembly; (10) said heated distillation vapor stream is compressed to higher pressure and thereafter divided into said volatile residue gas fraction and a compressed recycle stream; (11) said compressed recycle stream is cooled to condense substantially all of it; (12) said substantially condensed compressed recycle stream is expanded to said lower pressure and supplied as a top feed to said first absorbing means; (13) said heating of said distillation vapor stream is accomplished in one or more heat exchange means housed in said processing assembly, thereby to supply at least a portion of the cooling of steps (2), (6), and (11); (14) a distillation liquid stream is collected from a lower region of said second absorbing means and heated in a heat and mass transfer means housed in said processing assembly, thereby to supply at least a portion of the cooling of step (3) while simultaneously stripping the more volatile components from said distillation liquid stream, and thereafter discharging said heated and stripped distillation liquid stream from said processing assembly as said relatively less volatile fraction; and (15) the quantities and temperatures of said feed streams to said first and second absorbing means are effective to maintain the temperature of said upper region of said first absorbing means at a temperature whereby the major portions of the components in said relatively less volatile fraction are recovered.