Automatic Control Patents (Class 62/628)
  • Patent number: 11965694
    Abstract: In a process of the separation of a mixture of carbon monoxide, hydrogen and methane, the mixture is sent to a scrubbing column, a bottom liquid withdrawn at the bottom of the scrubbing column is depleted in hydrogen with respect to the mixture and is sent to a stripping column, a bottom liquid from the stripping column is sent to a separation column and a liquid enriched in methane withdrawn from the bottom of the separation column is vaporized in order to form a final product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventors: Manon Cortale, Bertrand Demolliens, Antoine Hernandez, Guillaume Teixeira
  • Patent number: 11319265
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the production of ethylene by oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane, comprising: a) subjecting a stream comprising ethane to oxidative dehydrogenation conditions, resulting in a stream comprising ethylene, unconverted ethane and light components; b) subjecting ethylene, unconverted ethane and light components from the stream resulting from step a) to distillation, resulting in a stream comprising ethylene and light components and a stream comprising unconverted ethane; c) optionally recycling unconverted ethane from the stream comprising unconverted ethane resulting from step b) to step a); and d) subjecting ethylene and light components from the stream comprising ethylene and light components resulting from step b) to distillation at a top column pressure which is higher than the top column pressure in step b), resulting in a stream comprising light components and a stream comprising ethylene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: SHELL USA, INC.
    Inventors: Maria San Roman Macia, Pejman Pajand, Ivana Daniela Esposito Cassibba
  • Patent number: 11207611
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and process for fractionating a hydrocarbon liquid feed using a single dividing wall column (DWC), an externally heated reboiler connected to the DWC, and a deisobutanizer (DIB) integrated with a compressor. The majority of all externally supplied heat energy supplied to the system is input to the system via the externally heated reboiler of the DWC.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Andrew Becker, Curt Hemphill, Christopher Niemeyer, Edward McCoy
  • Patent number: 10584918
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for adjusting a composition, pressure, and/or flow rate of a mixed refrigerant (MR) fluid in a liquefaction system to provide refrigeration to natural gas (NG) feedstock to produce liquefied natural gas (LNG). The MR fluid that is in circulation within a liquefaction system can include heavy components and light components. During LNG production, heavy components and/or light components of the MR fluid can be selectively removed from, and reintroduce into the MR fluid, thereby altering the composition of the remaining MR fluid in circulation. Adjusting the composition of the MR fluid in circulation within a liquefaction system can allow the system to be optimized to maximize efficiency, LNG production, and or profitability while the system is in operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: GE Oil & Gas, LLC
    Inventors: John Michael Repasky, Matthew Thibodeaux, Anindra Mazumdar
  • Patent number: 9021832
    Abstract: A process and an apparatus are disclosed for recovering ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The stream is cooled, expanded to lower pressure, and supplied to a first fractionation tower at a mid-column feed position. A distillation liquid stream is withdrawn from the first fractionation tower below the feed position of the expanded stream, heated, and directed into a second fractionation tower that produces an overhead vapor stream and a bottom liquid stream. The overhead vapor stream is cooled to condense it, with a portion of the condensed stream directed to the second fractionation tower as its top feed and the remainder directed to the first fractionation tower at a lower column feed position. The bottom liquid stream from the second fractionation tower is cooled and directed to the first fractionation tower as its top feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael C. Pierce, John D. Wilkinson, Hank M. Hudson
  • Patent number: 8910495
    Abstract: Devices and methods for retrofitting a natural gas liquids plant are contemplated to extend recovery of C3+ hydrocarbons from various feed gases to recovery of C2+ and C3+ hydrocarbons. In especially preferred aspects, dedicated C2+ exchangers are integrated to exclusively cool the feed gas to produce a cooled absorber feed and to produce two separate absorber reflux streams. During C2+ recovery, absorber reflux is provided by a portion of the residue gas and a portion of the feed gas, while during C3+ recovery absorber and distillation column reflux are provided by the distillation column overhead product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 8899076
    Abstract: Disclosed is a gas treatment device that can efficiently regulate the temperature of a gas without being affected by load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Compressor Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takeda, Yosuke Nakagawa, Tomoaki Takeda, Yasushi Mori
  • Patent number: 8746008
    Abstract: A vertical support rigidly mounted to a planar base positions and supports a cryocooler expander unit off axis and away from a sample to be examined. The sample support is likewise rigidly mounted to the planar base with a rigidly mounted sample housing therein. The cryocooler expander unit is suspended in the vertical support by spring dampening bearings. A pair of opposing flexible vacuum bellows connects the cryocooler expander unit to the sample housing and vertical support. This configuration isolates the sample from vibration. Flexible thermal links associated with an predictive electronic closed loop control sequence maintains sample temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Montana Instruments Corporation
    Inventors: Luke R. Mauritsen, Michael B. Simmonds, Dan Griffing
  • Patent number: 8590340
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream is disclosed. The stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to the pressure of a fractionation tower and supplied to the fractionation tower at a first mid-column feed position. The second stream is expanded to the tower pressure and is then supplied to the column at a second mid-column feed position. A distillation vapor stream is withdrawn from the column below the feed point of the first stream and compressed to an intermediate pressure, and is then directed into heat exchange relation with the tower overhead vapor stream to cool the distillation stream and condense substantially all of it, forming a condensed stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ortoff Engineers, Ltd.
    Inventors: Richard N. Pitman, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson, Tony L. Martinez
  • Patent number: 8567213
    Abstract: Ethane is separated from a carbon dioxide-containing feed gas in a demethanizer that receives a rich subcooled reflux stream at very low temperature. Freezing of carbon dioxide is prevented by feeding a temperature-controlled vapor portion of the feed gas to the column, wherein the temperature of the vapor portion is adjusted by routing a portion of the expander discharge through a heat exchanger in response to the tray temperature in the demethanizer. Thus, high separation efficiency is achieved at reduced, or even eliminated carbon dioxide freezing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 8209996
    Abstract: Contemplated plants include an absorber in which the split ratio of various feed streams to an absorber are used to control recovery of a desired component in a bottom product of a distillation column that receives the bottom product of the absorber. In especially preferred aspects, the plant is an NGL plant and the split ratio of the feed streams used to control the level of desired ethane recovery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: John Mak
  • Patent number: 7631516
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbons from a liquefied natural gas (LNG) stream is disclosed. The LNG feed stream is divided into two portions. The first portion is supplied to a fractionation column at an upper mid-column feed point. The second portion is directed in heat exchange relation with a warmer distillation stream rising from the fractionation stages of the column, whereby this portion of the LNG feed stream is partially vaporized and the distillation stream is totally condensed. The condensed distillation stream is divided into a “lean” LNG product stream and a reflux stream, whereupon the reflux stream is supplied to the column at a top column feed position. The partially vaporized portion of the LNG feed stream is separated into vapor and liquid streams which are thereafter supplied to the column at lower mid-column feed positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyle T. Cuellar, John D. Wilkinson, Hank M. Hudson
  • Patent number: 7458232
    Abstract: This method comprises the cooling of the initial natural gas and its introduction into a column for recovering C2+ hydrocarbons. It comprises the recovery of the top stream from the column to form the treated natural gas, and the recovery of the bottom stream from the column for introducing it at a feed level of a fractionating column equipped with a top condenser. The column produces the said C3+ hydrocarbons at the bottom. The method comprises the recovery of the ethane rich stream from an intermediate level of the column located above the said feed level and the production of a secondary reflux stream from the said top condenser refluxed to the top of the recovery column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Technip France
    Inventor: Henri Paradowski
  • Patent number: 7404301
    Abstract: A single LNG facility, and operating method therefor, capable of efficiently producing LNG products that meet the varying specifications of different LNG markets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Inventors: Shawn S. Huang, Harry J. Crofton, Jame Yao, Thomas M. Jones, Weldon Ransbarger, Philip C. Goundry
  • Patent number: 7373790
    Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a pressurized feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen by cooling the feed gas stream in a main heat exchanger and rectifying the cooled feed gas stream in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure rectification column, a lower pressure rectification column, and a condenser-reboiler placing the higher pressure column in heat exchange relationship with the lower pressure column. A pump withdraws a methane product stream from the column. The methane product stream is pressurized by the pump and is vaporized in the main heat exchanger. The pressurized feed gas stream is expanded with the performance of external work in an expansion turbine 6 upstream of the main heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: The BOC Group, plc
    Inventors: Stephen R. Clare, John D. Oakey
  • Patent number: 7316127
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of ethane and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon feed gas stream. Feed gas stream is cooled into a first and second cooled streams. First and second cooled streams are sent to a cold absorber and separated into a first gas stream and a first liquid stream. First gas stream is expanded and sent to a fractionation tower. At least a part of the first liquid stream is sent to a pre-demethanizer stripper tower. Stripper tower produces a stripper overhead stream and a stripper bottoms stream. Stripper overhead vapor stream is cooled and sent to the fractionation tower as second reflux stream. Stripper bottoms stream is supplied to the fractionation tower. Temperatures and pressures of the streams and columns are maintained to recover a major portion of ethane and heavier hydrocarbon components as a bottoms product stream, and produce a residue gas stream at the fractionation tower overhead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2008
    Assignee: ABB Lummus Global Inc.
    Inventors: Robert R. Huebel, Jorge H. Foglietta, Sanjiv N. Patel
  • Patent number: 7213413
    Abstract: Raman spectrometers are employed in a hydrocarbon processing plant for online measurement of at least one compositional property of a hydrocarbon stream. The Raman spectrometers can be used to control separations equipment, determine energy content, and/or determine flow rate. The Raman spectrometers are especially advantageous when employed in a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant to determine properties of cooled natural gas streams.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Conocophillips Company
    Inventors: David R. Battiste, Donald L. Andress
  • Patent number: 7191617
    Abstract: A process for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream is disclosed. The stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to the fractionation tower pressure and supplied to the fractionation tower at a first mid-column feed position. The second stream is expanded to the tower pressure and is then supplied to the column at a second mid-column feed position. A distillation stream is withdrawn from the column below the feed point of the second stream and is then directed into heat exchange relation with the tower overhead vapor stream to cool the distillation stream and condense at least a part of it, forming a condensed stream. At least a portion of the condensed stream is directed to the fractionation tower as its top feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2007
    Assignee: Ortloff Engineers, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kyle T. Cuellar, John D. Wilkinson, Joe T. Lynch, Hank M. Hudson
  • Patent number: 7127915
    Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a pressurised feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen by cooling the feed gas stream in a main heat exchanger 10 and rectifying the cooled feed gas stream in a double rectification column 20 comprising a higher pressure rectification column 22, a lower pressure rectification column 24, and a condenser-reboiler 25 placing the higher pressure column 22 in heat exchange relationship with the lower pressure column 24. A pump 50 withdraws a methane product stream from the column 24. The methane product stream is pressurised by the pump 50 and is vaporised in the main heat exchanger 10. The pressurised feed gas stream is expanded with the performance of external work in an expansion turbine 6 upstream of the main heat exchanger 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2006
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventors: Stephen Roger Clare, John Douglas Oakey
  • Patent number: 7100399
    Abstract: Improved methodology for starting up a LNG facility employing a refluxed heavies removal column. The improved methodology involves varying the temperature of the feed to the heavies removal column between start-up and normal operation. This allows a larger amount of the stream produced from the top of the heavies removal column during start-up to be used to more rapidly start up the LNG facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Conocophillips Company
    Inventor: Anthony P. Eaton
  • Patent number: 6925837
    Abstract: Improved methodology for starting up a LNG facility employing a refluxed heavies removal column. The improved methodology involves varying the temperature of the feed to the heavies removal column between start-up and normal operation. This allows a larger amount of the stream produced from the top of the heavies removal column during start-up to be used to more rapidly start up the LNG facility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: ConocoPhillips Company
    Inventor: Anthony P. Eaton
  • Patent number: 6584803
    Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen so as to form a methane product. The feed gas stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger and rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and a condenser-reboiler placing the higher and lower pressure rectification columns in heat exchange relationship with each other. At least part of the feed gas stream is expanded through a valve into the higher pressure rectification column and the feed gas stream is partially liquefied upstream of the double rectification column. Over a period of time, the mole fraction of nitrogen in the feed gas stream may increase. The operating pressure of the lower pressure rectification column is periodically increased in response to increases in the mole fraction of nitrogen. A back pressure valve may be periodically adjusted to effect the increase in pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: The BOC Group plc
    Inventor: John Douglas Oakey
  • Patent number: 6578379
    Abstract: A process and apparatus for separation of a gas mixture. A process and an installation for cryogenic separation of the constituents of a natural gas under pressure in a first phase separator in which the constituents of each phase are separated in a distillation column. Part of the gaseous fraction from the top of the column is recycled into the highest stage of the column. The process also includes branching of part of a first top fraction from the first phase separator. The process also includes separation of a first bottom fraction from the first separator, in a second separator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Technip-Coflexip
    Inventor: Henri Paradowski
  • Publication number: 20030019241
    Abstract: Nitrogen is rejected from a feed gas stream comprising methane and nitrogen so as to form a methane product. The feed gas stream is cooled in a main heat exchanger and rectified in a double rectification column comprising a higher pressure column, a lower pressure column and a condenser-reboiler placing the higher and lower pressure rectification columns in heat exchange relationship with each other. At least part of the feed gas stream is expanded through a valve into the higher pressure rectification column and the feed gas stream is partially liquefied upstream of the double rectification column. Over a period of time, the mole fraction of nitrogen in the feed gas stream may increase. The operating pressure of the lower pressure rectification column is periodically increased in response to increases in the mole fraction of nitrogen. A back pressure valve may be periodically adjusted to effect the increase in pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 30, 2003
    Inventor: John Douglas Oakey
  • Patent number: 5724833
    Abstract: In a cryogenic condensation scheme used for benzene removal in a process for liquefying natural gas, two series connected separation columns are provided with a feedstream precooled in a heat exchanger to a temperature that will at least condense the benzene component. In the first column, benzene is absorbed and vapor/liquid is separated with the liquid passed to the second column. The second column provides an overhead vapor stream conserved for processing to LNG, and a bottoms stream comprising NGL. The cooling for condensation of gaseous feed in the heat exchanger is controlled by automatically manipulating bypass flow around the heat exchanger responsive to measured vapor flow from the second separation column. Accordingly, the amount of liquid condensed is responsive to the flow rate of vapor withdrawn overhead from the second separation column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 10, 1998
    Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company
    Inventor: Barnard James Devers