US 12,247,007 B2
Reflux arrangement for distillation columns
Soelistiono Koesoemo Prasetiyo, Abqaiq (SA); Yazeed Menwer Almimouny, Khobar (SA); and Moath Khalid Almansour, Almatar (SA)
Assigned to SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed by SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY, Dhahran (SA)
Filed on Aug. 30, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/823,428.
Prior Publication US 2024/0067590 A1, Feb. 29, 2024
Int. Cl. C07C 7/04 (2006.01); B01D 3/42 (2006.01); C07C 7/00 (2006.01); C10L 3/10 (2006.01); F25J 3/02 (2006.01)
CPC C07C 7/04 (2013.01) [B01D 3/4233 (2013.01); C07C 7/005 (2013.01); C10L 3/10 (2013.01); F25J 3/0238 (2013.01); C10L 2290/543 (2013.01); F25J 2200/06 (2013.01); F25J 2200/72 (2013.01); F25J 2210/04 (2013.01); F25J 2215/62 (2013.01); F25J 2245/02 (2013.01); F25J 2270/90 (2013.01)] 15 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method, comprising:
capturing overhead vapor from a distillation column;
comingling the overhead vapor with a non-cooled feed stream; and
partially condensing the non-cooled feed stream comingled with the overhead vapor to form a comingled liquid hydrocarbon feed stream from the non-cooled feed stream and the overhead vapor that is supplied to a top portion of the distillation column, wherein the comingling incorporates reflux functionality into the comingled liquid hydrocarbon feed stream to promote a rectification process in the top portion of the distillation column.
 
9. A system, comprising:
a piping circuit coupled to a top section of a distillation column, wherein the piping circuit is configured to capture overhead vapor from the distillation column;
a control valve positioned along the piping circuit, wherein the control valve is configured to control introduction of the overhead vapor to a non-cooled feed stream, thereby comingling the non-cooled feed stream and the overhead vapor; and
a cooling unit in fluid communication with the non-cooled feed stream comingled with the overhead vapor, wherein the cooling unit is configured to cool the non-cooled feed stream comingled with the overhead vapor, thereby partially condensing the non-cooled feed stream comingled with the overhead vapor to form a comingled liquid hydrocarbon feed stream from the non-cooled feed stream and the overhead vapor, wherein the piping circuit is further configured to supply the comingled liquid hydrocarbon feed stream to a top section of the distillation column, wherein the comingling incorporates reflux functionality into the comingled liquid hydrocarbon feed stream to promote a rectification process in the top portion of the distillation column.