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 Title: |
US6425263:
Apparatus and process for the refrigeration, liquefaction and separation of gases with varying levels of purity
[ Derwent Title ]
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| Country: |
US United States of America
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| Inventor: |
Bingham, Dennis N.; Idaho Falls, ID
Wilding, Bruce M.; Idaho Falls, ID
McKellar, Michael G.; Idaho Falls, ID
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| Assignee: |
The United States of America as represented by the Department of Energy, Washington, DC
other patents from UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY (597195) (approx. 6,712)
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| Published / Filed: |
2002-07-30
/ 2001-08-23
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| Application Number: |
US2001000643420
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| IPC Code: |
Advanced:
F25J 1/00;
F25J 3/00;
F25J 3/06;
IPC-7:
F25J 1/00;
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| ECLA Code: |
F25J1/00; F25J1/00A6; F25J1/00A6B; F25J1/00C2E; F25J1/00C2E2; F25J1/00C2F; F25J1/00C2V; F25J1/02A; F25J1/02A2; F25J1/02Z4U; R25J205/10; R25J220/62; R25J220/64; R25J230/08; R25J230/30; R25J230/60; R25J245/02; R25J290/62;
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| U.S. Class: |
062/613;
062/619;
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| Field of Search: |
062/611,613,619,621,87,910,5
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| Government Interest: |
CONTRACTUAL ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
This invention was made with United States Government support under Contract No. DE-AC07-94ID13223, now Contract No. DE-AC07-99ID13727 awarded by the United States Department of Energy. The United States Government has certain rights in the invention.
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| Priority Number: |
| 2001-08-23 |
US2001000643420 |
| 1992-12-16 |
US1992000212490 |
| 1997-12-16 |
US1997000069698P |
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| Abstract: |
A process for the separation and liquefaction of component gasses from a pressurized mix gas stream is disclosed. The process involves cooling the pressurized mixed gas stream in a heat exchanger so as to condensing one or more of the gas components having the highest condensation point; separating the condensed components from the remaining mixed gas stream in a gas-liquid separator; cooling the separated condensed component stream by passing it through an expander; and passing the cooled component stream back through the heat exchanger such that the cooled component stream functions as the refrigerant for the heat exchanger. The cycle is then repeated for the remaining mixed gas stream so as to draw off the next component gas and further cool the remaining mixed gas stream. The process continues until all of the component gases are separated from the desired gas stream. The final gas stream is then passed through a final heat exchanger and expander. The expander decreases the pressure on the gas stream, thereby cooling the stream and causing a portion of the gas stream to liquify within a tank. The portion of the gas which is hot liquefied is passed back through each of the heat exchanges where it functions as a refrigerant.
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| Primary / Asst. Examiners: |
Capossela, Ronald;
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| INPADOC Legal Status: |
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| Parent Case: |
RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of United States application S/N 09/212,490 filed Dec. 16, 1992, and which claims priority to provisional application S/N 60/069,698, filed Dec. 16, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,390.
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| Designated Country: |
AL AM AP AT AZ BA BB BG BR BY CH CN CU CZ EA EE ES FI GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS KE KG BE DE DK FR GB IT
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| Family: |
Show 12 known family members
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First Claim:
Show all 12 claims |
We claim:
1. A process for producing a purified methane stream comprising separating and cooling a pressurized feed mixed gas stream containing a methane component and one or more hydrocarbon components heavier that methane, wherein the latent energy of each individual, separated component is captured by the process to further cool the pressurized mixed gas stream, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) cooling the mixed gas stream in a feed cooling heat exchange zone;
- (b) further cooling, condensing, and purifying the cooled mixed gas stream of step (a) to produce a cold methane vapor product and a hydrocarbon liquid enriched in one or more hydrocarbons heavier than methane;
- (c) separating the cold methane vapor product from the hydrocarbon liquid; and
- (d) vaporizing at least a portion of the hydrocarbon liquid of step (b) in the feed cooling heat exchange zone to provide by indirect heat exchange at least a portion of the refrigeration required to cool the mixed gas stream in the feed cooling heat exchange zone m step (a), and withdrawing a vaporized hydrocarbon product from the feed cooling heat exchange zone.
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| Background / Summary: |
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| Drawing Descriptions: |
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| Description: |
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| Forward References: |
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