By Absorption And Vaporization Patents (Class 208/341)
  • Patent number: 10011541
    Abstract: Olefins may be recovered from a methanol to olefins reactor effluent by initially feeding the effluent to an absorber demethanizer to contact the effluent with an absorbent to recover an overheads including methane and ethylene and a bottoms including the absorbent, ethylene, and ethane. The bottoms are separated to recover an ethylene fraction and an ethane fraction. The overheads are cooled and partially condensed in a first heat exchanger to a temperature of ?40° C. or greater. The resulting stream, or a portion thereof, may be further cooled and condensed via indirect heat exchange with a mixed refrigerant to a temperature of less than ?40° C. The non-condensed vapors are separated from the condensed liquids to form a liquid fraction and a methane fraction. The liquid fraction is fed to the absorber demethanizer as reflux, and the methane and ethane fractions combined to form the mixed refrigerant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Lummus Technology Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Daniel Kuzma, Jr., Stephen De Haan, Daniel Lee Baumbach
  • Patent number: 8414763
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for recovering product from catalytically converted product streams. Gaseous unstabilized naphtha from an overhead receiver from a main fractionation column is compressed in a compressor. Liquid unstabilized naphtha from the overhead receiver and liquid naphtha fraction from the compressor are sent to a naphtha splitter column upstream of a primary absorber. Consequently, less naphtha is circulated in the gas recovery system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventors: Joao Jorge da Silva Ferreira Alves, Saadet Ulas Acikgoz, Xin X. Zhu, Laura E. Leonard
  • Patent number: 8012344
    Abstract: A fuel preparation system includes a fractionation unit for treating fuel containing vanadium. A gas turbine is connected to the fractionation unit to receive treated fuel. The gas turbine may deliver exhaust from the gas turbine to the fractionation unit. The fuel preparation system may include a burner for burning a heavy fuel fraction from the faction unit and for delivering exhaust from the burner to the fractionation unit. The fuel preparation unit may include a boiler to receive the heavy fuel fraction for combustion and for delivering steam to the fractionation unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Parag Prakash Kulkarni, Gregory Anthony DeLuga, Arnaldo Frydman, Gregory Ronald Gillette, Narendra Joshi, Ke Liu, Vladimir Zamansky
  • Patent number: 7824542
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for recovering absorbed hydrocarbon components while absorbing acid gases from technical gases, as for example a natural gas, by means of physically active absorption agents, wherein the inventive method consists in increasing the pressure of a loaded absorption agent extracted from an adsorption device, in adding said loaded absorption agent to the top of a rectification column which consist of a lower feeding stove and of one or several lateral stoves operating at a pressure slightly greater than the absorption column pressure, in adjusting an equilibrium is said rectification column in such a way that the acid gas concentration in the absorbent agent increases in the direction away from the bottom of the column and the hydrocarbon concentration decreases in said direction, in extracting a heated hydrocarbon-poor and acid gas component-rich absorption agent from the bottom of the column and in transferring said agent to an acid gas desorption device, in extracting a hydroca
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: UHDE GmbH
    Inventor: Johannes Menzel
  • Patent number: 7714180
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for recovering product from reactor effluent of a reactor for a hydrocarbon feedstream is disclosed. An indigenous C4 stream is used as lean oil in a demethanizer, which facilitates significant cost and operational savings. C4 bottoms from a downstream depropanizer is used as lean oil recycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: David J Duhon, John E Asplin
  • Patent number: 7452458
    Abstract: Process for treatment of a hydrocarbon feedstock that comprises a hydrocarbon-containing liquid phase and hydrogen, in which the feedstock is separated under a pressure P1 into a liquid L1 and a gas G1, that is compressed and brought into contact with a portion of L1 under a pressure P2>2×P1 to recover a liquid L2 and a hydrogen-rich gas G2; L2 is fractionated to obtain a stabilized liquid L4a that is free of LPG and lighter products, a liquid stream of LPG, and a gas stream G4 that is recycled, and in which one of gas streams: recompressed G1 and G4 is in counter-current contact with an unstabilized liquid AL that is obtained from or extracted from L1 or L2, whereby this unstabilized liquid is supercooled by at least 10° C. below its bubble point at pressure P2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Eric Sanchez, Béatrice Fischer
  • Patent number: 7273542
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for recovering product from reactor effluent of a reactor for a hydrocarbon feedstream. An indigenous C4 stream is used as lean oil in a demethanizer, which facilitates significant cost and operational savings. C4 bottoms from a downstream depropanizer is used as lean oil recycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: ExxonMobil Chemical Patents Inc.
    Inventors: David J. Duhon, John E. Asplin
  • Patent number: 7132044
    Abstract: A device comprising at least one absorber, at least one cold separator from which is extracted a gaseous phase that feeds the absorber, at least one recycling to said cold separator of at least a portion of liquid effluent that is obtained from the absorber and which is mixed with the feedstock, at least one heat exchanger for cooling the mixture prior to the recycling, at least one conduit for recovering a light hydrocarbon-enriched liquid fraction obtained from the cold separator and at least one conduit for evacuating gases from the absorber, said device being useable for the treatment of a hydrogen-rich gas or for the recovery of a hydrocarbon-enriched liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Larry Mank, Laurent Watripont, Bruno Domergue
  • Patent number: 7074323
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of gaseous products from the product mixture obtained by contacting a hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking process, wherein the liquid, obtained by separating the top product of main fractionators into gaseous and liquid fraction, when supplied to the absorber has a temperature of between about 8–25 DEG C. This liquid may be pre-saturated with gaseous top product from absorber; or also a high boiling fraction (cat cracker naphtha/light cycle oil) may be first separated from this liquid by distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Shell Oil Company
    Inventor: Pim Ghijsen
  • Patent number: 6759438
    Abstract: Methods for producing a substantially paraffinic Fischer-Tropsch product or a blended Fischer Tropsch product comprising a selected oxygenate concentration, and if required, a selected oxygenate concentration of specific individual oxygenates, are disclosed. The methods of the present invention measure oxygenate concentration using GC-AED. The oxygenate measurements obtained using the GC-AED may be used to adjust and control various processes used to produce, upgrade, or finish Fischer Tropsch products to provide Fischer Tropsch products with a selected oxygenate concentration, and if required, a selected oxygenate concentration of specific individual oxygenates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2004
    Assignee: Chevron U.S.A. Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Rainis, D J O'Rear
  • Patent number: 6676828
    Abstract: A process for treating a vacuum gas oil and Diesel feed includes the steps of providing reaction feed containing vacuum gas oil, Diesel and sulfur-containing compounds; providing a stripping gas; providing a washing feed; and mixing the reaction feed, the stripping gas and the washing feed in a stripping and washing zone so as to obtain a gas phase containing the sulfur-containing compounds and a liquid phase substantially free of the sulfur-containing compounds. The washing feed comprises at least one of Diesel, light vacuum gas oil and mixtures thereof produced in the process or added from external source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Intevep, S.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Galiasso, Eusebio Palmisano, Gerardo Arreaza, Samuel Quenza, Sandra Ramnarine
  • Publication number: 20030075485
    Abstract: Process for the recovery of gaseous products from the product mixture obtained by contacting a hydrocarbon feed with a catalyst in a fluid catalytic cracking process, wherein the liquid, obtained by separating the top product of main fractionator into gaseous and liquid fraction, when supplied to the absorber has a temperature of between 8-25 DEG C. This liquid may be presaturated with gaseous top product from absorber; or also a high boiling fraction (cat craker naphtha/light cycle oil) may be first separated from this liquid by distillation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Inventor: Pim Ghijsen
  • Patent number: 6483001
    Abstract: The present invention describes a pressure swing adsorption (PSA) apparatus and process for the production of purified hydrogen from a feed gas stream containing heavy hydrocarbons (i.e., hydrocarbons having at least six carbons). The apparatus comprises at least one bed containing at least three layers. The layered adsorption zone contains a feed end with a low surface area adsorbent (20 to 400 m2/g) which comprises 2 to 20% of the total bed length followed by a layer of an intermediate surface area adsorbent (425 to 800 m2/g) which comprises 25 to 40 % of the total bed length and a final layer of high surface area adsorbent (825 to 2000 m2/g) which comprises 40 to 78% of the total bed length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2002
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Christopher Golden, Edward Landis Weist, Jr
  • Patent number: 6444116
    Abstract: An integrated process for treating a vacuum gas oil, kerosene, naphtha and Diesel-containing feed, includes the steps of providing a reaction feed containing residue, vacuum gas oil, kerosene, naphtha, Diesel, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and C1-C4 gas phase compounds; providing a stripping gas; providing a washing feed; and feeding the reaction feed, the stripping gas and the washing feed to a stripping and washing zone so as to obtain a gas phase containing the hydrogen sulfide, the ammonia, the C1-C4 gas phase compounds, the naphtha, the kerosene, the Diesel and the vacuum gas oil and a liquid phase, wherein the reaction feed is provided at a reaction feed pressure of between bout 700 psig and about 3500 psig, and wherein the stripping and washing zone is operated at a pressure within about 80 psig of the reaction feed pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2002
    Assignee: Intevep, S.A.
    Inventors: Roberto Galiasso, Edilberto Rodriguez
  • Patent number: 6391190
    Abstract: Aerated bitumen froth obtained from oil sands must be deaerated so that it can be pumped through a pipeline. Mechanical shearing is effective to deaerate bitumen froth to an air content of below 10 volume percent. Mechanical deaeration of bitumen froth can be achieved either by passing the froth through a confining passageway and shearing the froth with an impeller while it is in the passageway or temporarily retaining the aerated froth in a tank and circulating it repeatedly through a pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignees: AEC Oil Sands, L.P., AEC Oil Sands Limited Partnership, Athabasco Oil Sands Investments Inc., Nexen Inc., Canadian Oil Sand Investments Inc., Conoco Oilsands Partnership, Imperial Oil Resources, Mocal Energy Limited, Murphy Oil Company Ltd., Petro-Canada Oil and Gas
    Inventors: Jonathan R. Spence, Kevin McDowell, Mike P. Wagner, Sean Sanders
  • Patent number: 6358399
    Abstract: A process and a device for separating ethane and ethylene from a hydrocarbon steam-cracking effluent is described. Effluent (1) is absorbed in an absorption column (7) by a cooled solvent (9). At the bottom of the column, liquid phase (12) that contains the solvent and the C2+ hydrocarbons is recovered and hydrogenated (15). The hydrogenation effluent that contains the solvent is introduced into a first distillation column (70) where the solvent is regenerated. The solvent is cooled and recycled at the top of absorption column (7). The C2+ hydrocarbons are collected at the top, and a condensed liquid phase is distilled in a second distillation column (77) to recover a C2 fraction that consists of ethane and ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2002
    Assignee: Institute Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Ari Minkkinen, Jean-Hervé Le Gal, Pierre Marache
  • Patent number: 6340429
    Abstract: A process for separating ethane and ethylene from a hydrocarbon steam-cracking effluent is described. Effluent (1) is absorbed in an absorption column by a cooled solvent (9). At the bottom of the column, the liquid phase that contains the solvent and the C2+ hydrocarbons is recovered and hydrogenated (15). The hydrogenation effluent that contains the solvent is introduced into a first distillation column (16). Ethane-ethylene mixture (17) is drawn off laterally from the column, and a phase (19) that contains the solvent and hydrocarbons with at least 3 carbon atoms is drawn off at the bottom of the column. This phase (19) is separated in a second distillation column (22), and C3+ hydrocarbons and, at the bottom of the column, regenerated solvent (26) that is cooled and that is recycled (9, 52) in the absorption column are collected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Institut Francais du Petrole
    Inventors: Ari Minkkinen, Jean-Hervé Le Gal, Pierre Marache
  • Patent number: 6303022
    Abstract: A process for recovering a hydrogen-rich gas and for increasing the recovery of liquid hydrocarbon products from a hydrocarbon conversion zone effluent by adsorption of the liquifiable products from a chilled gaseous stream with a chilled liquid stream is improved by an arrangement that uses a single refrigeration shell to provide independent temperature control of the chilled gaseous and the chilled liquid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Frank S. Rosser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6019888
    Abstract: Tar sand is upgraded to produce a hydrocarbon having a low concentration of water and solids by contacting a bitumen/diluent mix with an alkoxyalkylphenol alkoxylate surfactant prior to separation of a recoverable hydrocarbon phase. The separation of the bitumen/diluent mix into a recoverable hydrocarbon phase and a water/solid phase results in a recoverable hydrocarbon phase that meets the concentration of water and solids desired by tar sand processors. A further refinement of the method involves contacting the bitumen/diluent mix with an anionic and cationic flocculant following the surfactant for further improvement in separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Tetra Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Surendra K. Mishra, Gordon S. Bond
  • Patent number: 5965014
    Abstract: A process for recovering a hydrogen-rich gas and for increasing the recovery of liquid hydrocarbon products from a hydrocarbon conversion zone effluent by adsorption of the liquifiable products from a chilled gaseous stream with a chilled liquid stream is improved by an arrangement that uses a single refrigeration shell to provide independent temperature control of the chilled gaseous and the chilled liquid stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: UOP LLC
    Inventor: Frank S. Rosser, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5736031
    Abstract: A process for separating vaporous mixtures of hydrocarbons, water and emulsifier derived from the remediation of wellbore fluid, such as a mud containing solid particulate material in which the vaporous mixture is quenched with a hydrocarbon stream which is at a temperature above the boiling point of water and below the boiling point of the hydrocarbons in the vaporous stream. Most of the hydrocarbons in the vaporous stream and substantially all of the emulsifier are condensed into the hydrocarbon quench to form an oil stream. The water is recovered from the hydrocarbon quench as a vaporous stream and quenched with water. The quenched water and any residual heavier hydrocarbons are separated by phase separation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1998
    Assignee: Onsite Technology, L.L.C.
    Inventors: James O. Nye, Robin M. Pate
  • Patent number: 5659109
    Abstract: A process for liquefying natural gas containing mercaptans. Mercaptans are concentrated into a distillate stream by distilling the feed gas stream without specific pretreatment for mercaptans removal. Thus, the mercaptans removal equipment is much smaller since mercaptans treatment can take place at a point in the process where the flowrate is much lower. A portion of the treated distillate stream can be reinjected to the upstream distilling stage to facilitate mercaptan absorption.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: The M. W. Kellogg Company
    Inventors: Felix J. Fernandez de la Vega, Charles A. Durr
  • Patent number: 5298156
    Abstract: Process for the simultaneous decarbonation and gasoline stripping of a gaseous mixture at an absolute pressure higher than 0.5 MPa containing methane, C.sub.2 and higher hydrocarbons and CO.sub.2 in which a demethanized rich solvent is regenerated so the process can be carried out more easily and at lower costs than previously known systems.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1990
    Date of Patent: March 29, 1994
    Assignee: Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine (Production)
    Inventors: Claude Blanc, Henri Paradowski
  • Patent number: 5120899
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for separating diamondoid compounds from a natural gas stream containing the same comprising the steps of contacting the natural gas stream with a selected solvent and fractionating the sorbed diamondoids from the diamondoid-enriched solvent in a vacuum separation stage in the absence of reflux. Polyalphaolefin solvents are preferred, and polyalphaolefin solvents enriched in C.sub.30 oligomers are more preferred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Catherine S. H. Chen, Steven E. Wentzek
  • Patent number: 4982049
    Abstract: A process for recovering diamondoid compounds from hydrocarbonaceous minerals and/or from deposits left by such minerals in equipment or otherwise, which comprises dissolving diamondoid compounds in an aromatic distillate fuel oil; extracting aromatics from the solution; and separating diamondoid compounds from the raffinate of the extraction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 1, 1991
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Richard A. Alexander, Charles E. Knight, Darrell D. Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 4964980
    Abstract: Stabilized liquid hydrocarbon condensate is obtained by a process comprising the steps of:(a) introducing said condensate, at an elevated temperature and pressure, into a stabilizer column operated under conditions effective to separate said condensate into (i) a liquid portion which is a stabilized condensate comprising n-C.sub.4 t hydrocarbons, and (ii) a gaseous portion, which comprises CO.sub.2 and normally gaseous hydrocarbons(b) withdrawing said liquid portion, (i), from said stabilizer and dividing it into a stabilized condensate product stream that is recovered and a recycle stream that is cooled and reintroduced as liquid feed into said stabilizer column; and(c) withdrawing said gaseous portion, (ii), from said stabilizer column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Amoco Corporation
    Inventor: Terry B. McCarthy
  • Patent number: 4952749
    Abstract: A process for recovering diamondoid compounds from a fluid mixture thereof with other hydrocarbonaceous compounds which comprises contacting said mixture with a porous solid, for example, a zeolite, having pore opening large enough to admit said diamondoid compounds thereinto and small enough so that at least 50% of the external atoms of said diamondoid compounds are capable of simultaneously contacting the internal walls of the pores of said solid under conditions conducive to absorption of diamondoid compounds by said solid; and then desorbing the absorbate comprising diamondoid compounds from said solid absorbant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Richard A. Alexander, Charles E. Knight, Darrell D. Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 4952747
    Abstract: According to this invention, substantially hydrocarbonaceous fractions comprising diamondoid compounds are peculiarly suitable for separation by a thermal gradient diffusion process. Applicability of this process to this service is dependent upon the fact that the diamondoid compounds exhibit a large change in viscosity relative to temperature, that is, their viscosity goes down significantly per degree of increase in temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Richard A. Alexander, Charles E. Knight, Darrell D. Whitehurst
  • Patent number: 4952748
    Abstract: A process is disclosed for extracting diamondoid compounds from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The process includes two stages, each of which alone is effective to remove diamondoids from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The first stage comprises contacting the diamondoid-laden hydrocarbon gas with a suitable solvent to preferentially dissolve the diamondoids into the solvent. Diesel fuel is the preferred solvent for this first stage. The second stage comprises sorbing diamondoids from the diamonoid-laden hydrocarbon gas with silica gel. The most preferred embodiment of the invention is a serial process in which a diamondoid-laden gas is first treated in the solvation stage and the partially purified gas is further resolved in the silica gel sorption stage. The invention still further includes a process for segregating adamantane and diamantane when both are separated from a hydrocarbon gas stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corp.
    Inventors: Richard A. Alexander, Charles E. Knight
  • Patent number: 4707171
    Abstract: For obtaining C.sub.2+ or C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons from gas mixtures containing essentially light hydrocarbons and optionally, hydrogen or nitrogen, the gs mixture is first cooled and subjected to a phase separation, and the thus condensed components are fractionated by rectification. The uncondensed portion of the gas mixture along with the overhead product of the rectification after it has been partially condensed, is subjected to treatment in a recontacting column wherein mass transfer and heat transfer occur, and wherein C.sub.2+ or C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons are transferred from the gas phase to the liquid phase. The liquid phase thus collected is fed into the rectification column as external reflux while the remaining gas is removed, after heating, as a residual gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1987
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinz Bauer
  • Patent number: 4705549
    Abstract: The separation of C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons from natural gas and the like comprises subjecting the gas under pressure to partial condensation under cooling, separating the uncondensed gaseous phase and engine expanding same while the condensed liquid fraction is subjected to rectification. Additional C.sub.3+ hydrocarbons are separated from the engine expanded gaseous fraction by scrubbing and then fed to the rectification column. The resultant scrubbed gaseous fraction, whose pressure preferably is above the rectification pressure, can be delivered as C.sub.2- product stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1987
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Rainer Sapper
  • Patent number: 4664687
    Abstract: In a process for the separation of C.sub.2+, C.sub.3+ or C.sub.4+ hydrocarbons from a gas stream containing light hydrocarbons and, if desired, of components boiling lower than methane, in which the gas stream, being under an elevated pressure, is cooled, partially condensed and separated in a phase separator into a liquid and a gaseous fraction; the gaseous fraction is engine expanded, and the liquid fraction is fractionated by rectification into a product stream containing substantially C.sub.2+, C.sub.3+ or C.sub.4+ hydrocarbons and a residual gas stream containing predominantly lower boiling components, the improvement comprising subjecting the gaseous fraction forming after partial condensation, before engine expansion thereof, to heat exchange with the engine expanded gaseous fraction, thereby cooling said gaseous fraction and separating additional components which condense out before the engine expansion stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Heinz Bauer
  • Patent number: 4654062
    Abstract: A process is set forth for the separation of carbon dioxide from propane and higher alkanes using a carbon dioxide-loaded lean oil solvent and higher solvent flows and heat utilizations rather than mechanical energy utilization. A high pressure carbon dioxide product is produced, making the invention valuable in carbon dioxide miscible flood enhanced petroleum recovery operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1987
    Assignee: Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.
    Inventor: Gerry N. Gottier
  • Patent number: 4605493
    Abstract: An unsaturated gas plant system includes a first unit which receives a low pressure hydrocarbon gas input and provides a liquid output and a gaseous output, an absorber which receives an unstabilized gasoline input and a lean oil input, a stripper, and a low temperature separator which provides an overhead products output to the absorber and a bottoms product output to the stripper. A high temperature separator is provided for receiving an input which includes the liquid output and the gaseous output from the first unit, bottoms product from the absorber and overhead product from the stripper and which provides a hot liquid hydrocarbon output to an upper section of the stripper and a gaseous output to the low temperature separator after passing through a condenser. A portion of the unstabilized gasoline input to the absorber is diverted to the high temperature separator input. The diverted unstabilized gasoline can be taken directly from a main column fluid catalytic conversion system fractionator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 12, 1986
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventor: Mohsen N. Harandi
  • Patent number: 4568452
    Abstract: An absorbent hydrocarbonaceous oil comprising contaminants, such as sulfur and/or nitrogen, is upgraded by subjecting the contaminated absorbent oil to hydrorefining. The upgraded absorbent may be utilized again as absorbent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1984
    Date of Patent: February 4, 1986
    Assignee: Exxon Research and Engineering Co.
    Inventor: Robert P. Richmond
  • Patent number: 4479812
    Abstract: A continuous fractionation technique is provided for recovering ethylene from an olefinic feedstock comprising C.sub.3.sup.+ higher olefins. This technique provides methods and means for contacting the olefinic feedstock in a counter current sorption tower with a liquid sorbent stream comprising C.sub.6.sup.+ gasoline range hydrocarbons under process conditions to selectively sorb substantially the entire C.sub.3.sup.+ olefin components from the feedstock, withdrawing an ethylene-rich vapor stream from the sorption tower and further contacting the ethylene-rich stream with a distillate range liquid hydrocarbon stream in a sponge absorber to purify the ethylene stream. Typically, the olefinic feedstock consists essentially of volatile hydrocarbons, and preferably comprises about 10 to 50 mole % ethylene and 10 to 50 mole % propene. Purified ethylene product may be recovered having an average molecular weight not greater than 28.5 under non-cryogenic conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 30, 1984
    Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation
    Inventors: Chung H. Hsia, Hartley Owen, Bernard S. Wright
  • Patent number: 4431529
    Abstract: An absorption process is disclosed for the recovery of normally liquid hydrocarbons from a gas stream. The process is useful in recovering hydrocarbons from the gas stream discharged by the main fractionation column of a fluidized catalytic cracking unit. The feed gas is compressed and passed through an absorption zone to produce a high pressure lean gas which is depressurized in a power recovery turbine. The turbine compresses air used within the catalyst regeneration zone of the fluidized catalytic cracking unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: February 14, 1984
    Assignee: UOP Inc.
    Inventor: Don B. Carson
  • Patent number: 4263019
    Abstract: Volatile liquid, such as benzene, isoprene, cyclopentadiene, butadiene present as a vapor in a blanket gas released from a storage zone for the liquid is absorbed from the gas by use of an absorption oil, followed by contacting of the rich absorption oil with an immiscible extraction solvent in an amount much less than the absorption oil to extract absorbed volatile liquid and provide a lean absorption oil. The volatile liquid is recovered from the extraction solvent, for example, by stripping. By recovering the volatile liquid from the small amount of extraction solvent, rather than the absorption oil, heating and cooling duties are decreased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 1979
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1981
    Assignee: The Lummus Company
    Inventor: Ari A. Minkkinen
  • Patent number: 4234388
    Abstract: The gas stream obtained from the pyrolysis of solid organic wastes and containing chlorine in the form of hydrogen chloride is processed to obtain a substantially chlorine free pyrolytic oil.The gas stream is first contacted with a hydrocarbon immiscible with the pyrolytic oils to quench the gas stream and reduce the gas stream temperature close to the dew point of water. This forms a two phase condensate of the quench hydrocarbon and pyrolytic oil. The phases are separated, the pyrolytic oil recovered and the hydrocarbon recycled as the quench. The resultant gas stream is then treated for removal of hydrogen chloride from the gas stream for disposal or recovery of hydrochloric acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1980
    Assignee: Occidental Petroleum Corporation
    Inventors: George M. Mallan, George T. Preston
  • Patent number: 4225415
    Abstract: Values are recovered from a hydrocarbon-containing vapor by contacting the vapor with quench liquid consisting essentially of hydrocarbons to form a condensate and a vapor residue, the condensate and quench fluid forming a combined liquid stream. The combined liquid stream is mixed with a viscosity-lowering liquid to form a mixed liquid having a viscosity lower than the viscosity of the combined liquid stream to permit easy handling of the combined liquid stream. The quench liquid is a cooled portion of the mixed liquid. Viscosity-lowering liquid is separated from a portion of the mixed liquid and cycled to form additional mixed liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 1979
    Date of Patent: September 30, 1980
    Assignee: Occidental Petroleum Corporation
    Inventors: Zia I. Mirza, Everett W. Knell, Bruce L. Winter
  • Patent number: 4188796
    Abstract: Cracking gases are cooled by spraying them through a multiplicity of orifices into a cooling oil bath below the surface thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: February 19, 1980
    Assignee: Linde Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Markus Raab, Hans P. Langebach, Heiner Dittmann
  • Patent number: 4137135
    Abstract: The process of separating water and wash oil from a gaseous feed stream of water vapor, wash oil and light oil involving (a) directing the gaseous feed stream in an upward direction and in contact with a cooling solid surface such that a temperature gradient of the gaseous stream is produced such that the temperature of the gaseous stream is highest at the bottom of the cooling solid surface such that gaseous components of the gaseous stream having the highest boiling temperature condense onto the lower portions of the cooling solid surface and wherein the lower boiling components of the gaseous stream condense onto the solid surface at higher portions on the solid surface to thereby form a liquid film on the solid surface, which film then runs downward onto the lower portions of the solid surface to thereby inhibit deposits from adhering to these lower portions of the solid surface; (b) withdrawing a gaseous stream containing a major portion of light oil; and (c) withdrawing a liquid condensate which contain
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1976
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1979
    Assignee: United States Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Donald Glassman, Marc T. Rabbits
  • Patent number: 4075083
    Abstract: A method of retorting oil shale which comprises the steps of passing the material in particulate form downwardly as a continuous vertical column of solid material successively through a preheating zone, a distillation zone, a combustion zone, and a residue cooling zone. An improved method of product oil recovery is disclosed whereby the vapor product is subjected to sequential treatment with cyclone separators and an absorption column, with a portion of the resulting noncondensible gases being recycled to the retort.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1978
    Inventor: Maurice W. Putman
  • Patent number: 4072604
    Abstract: A process for the separation of specific C.sub.2 to C.sub.6 hydrocarbons from a gaseous feed stream containing C.sub.1 to C.sub.6 -plus hydrocarbons. The feed stream enters an absorber and is first contacted by a primary lean liquid which is a portion of the bottoms product of the stripping column to which the rich absorber liquid is charged. The primary lean liquid contains the specific hydrocarbons which it is desired to separate from the feed stream. The feed stream is then contacted by a secondary lean liquid which does not contain these hydrocarbons and which is produced by fractionating a second portion of the stripper bottoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 1976
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1978
    Assignee: UOP Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Ward
  • Patent number: 4009097
    Abstract: Process with improved efficacy for the separation and recovery of desired liquid and vapor constituents from a feed stream containing such constituents. The feed stream is contacted with two separate and distinct lean oils by upward passage through an absorption zone. Resultant rich oil passes to a stripping zone and then to a fractionation zone. A first lean oil is withdrawn from fractionation zone bottoms and enters the absorption zone superior to the entry of a second lean oil. The second lean oil is withdrawn from the stripping zone and passed to the absorption zone. A stripped vapor is withdrawn from the stripping zone and is mixed with the feed. This mixture is partially condensed in a cooling zone and then separated into liquid and vapor phases in a separation zone. The vapor phase is then withdrawn from the separation zone and is introduced adjacent the lowermost point of the absorption zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1975
    Date of Patent: February 22, 1977
    Assignee: UOP Inc.
    Inventor: Dennis J. Ward
  • Patent number: 3932156
    Abstract: A gas recovery system primarily to recover propane and heavier hydrocarbons from a natural gas stream whereby separation is accomplished at lower pressures and higher temperatures normally required.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1974
    Date of Patent: January 13, 1976
    Assignee: Hydrocarbon Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Sidney S. Stern