Patent ID: 8256243

Claim:
A process for separating light hydrocarbons, comprising: introducing a light hydrocarbon comprising at least one alkane component and at least one olefin component to a fractionation column to obtain an overhead olefin vapor; introducing the overhead olefin vapor to a chiller/condenser of an olefin refrigeration compressor train at a location downstream of a compressor, wherein there is no intervening chiller/condenser located between the compressor and the chiller/condenser; chilling and condensing the overhead olefin vapor within the olefin refrigeration compressor train to obtain liquid olefin refrigerant; refluxing the fractionation column with a first portion of the liquid olefin refrigerant; introducing a second portion of the liquid olefin refrigerant to additional refrigerant consumers to produce at least one olefin refrigerant vapor; introducing the at least one olefin refrigerant vapor to the compressor; and recovering a third portion of the liquid olefin refrigerant as an olefin product.