US 12,228,335 B2
Configurations and methods for NGL recovery for high nitrogen content feed gases
John Mak, Santa Ana, CA (US)
Assigned to FLUOR TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, Sugarland, TX (US)
Filed by Fluor Technologies Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Jan. 29, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/260,288.
Application 16/260,288 is a continuation of application No. 14/033,096, filed on Sep. 20, 2013, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/703,654, filed on Sep. 20, 2012.
Prior Publication US 2019/0154333 A1, May 23, 2019
Int. Cl. F25J 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC F25J 3/0228 (2013.01) [F25J 3/0209 (2013.01); F25J 3/0233 (2013.01); F25J 3/0238 (2013.01); F25J 3/0242 (2013.01); F25J 2200/04 (2013.01); F25J 2200/70 (2013.01); F25J 2200/74 (2013.01); F25J 2200/76 (2013.01); F25J 2200/78 (2013.01); F25J 2205/04 (2013.01); F25J 2210/06 (2013.01); F25J 2240/02 (2013.01); F25J 2270/90 (2013.01); F25J 2280/02 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A NGL plant configured to convert from a propane recovery configuration to an ethane recovery configuration, the NGL plant comprising:
an absorber;
a fractionator;
a first heat exchanger;
a separator;
an expander; and
a chiller,
wherein the absorber is configured to produce an absorber overhead product and an absorber bottom product,
wherein the fractionator is configured to produce a fractionator overhead product and a fractionator bottom product,
wherein in the propane recovery configuration:
the first heat exchanger is configured to cool a feed gas to form a cooled feed gas,
the separator is configured to separate the cooled feed gas into a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream,
the expander is configured to expand the first vapor stream to form an expanded first vapor stream, and
wherein the expanded first vapor stream is directed to a mid-section of the absorber, and the first liquid stream is directed to a bottom of the absorber;
wherein in the ethane recovery configuration:
the feed gas is split into a first portion and a second portion,
the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the first portion to form a cooled first portion, wherein the cooled first portion is fed to the absorber as a top reflux,
the chiller is configured to chill the second portion of the feed gas utilizing propane refrigeration to form a chilled second portion,
the first heat exchanger is configured to cool the chilled second portion to form a cooled second portion,
the separator is configured to separate the cooled second portion into a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream,
the expander is configured to expand the second vapor stream to form an expanded second vapor stream, and
wherein the expanded second vapor stream is fed to the mid-section of the absorber, and the second liquid stream is fed to the bottom of the absorber.