Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090266107 | Integrated Controlled Freeze Zone (CFZ) Tower and Dividing Wall (DWC) for Enhanced Hydrocarbon Recovery - The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for the operation of a distillation tower containing a controlled freezing zone and at least one distillation section. The process and tower design are utilized for the additional recovery of hydrocarbons from an acid gas. In this process, a separation process is utilized in which a multi-component feedstream is introduced into an apparatus that operates under solids forming conditions for at least one of the feedstream components. The freezable component, although typically CO | 10-29-2009 |
20100018248 | Controlled Freeze Zone Tower - A cryogenic distillation tower is provided for the separation of a fluid stream containing at least methane and carbon dioxide. The cryogenic distillation tower has a lower stripping section, an upper rectification section, and an intermediate spray section. The intermediate spray section includes a plurality of spray nozzles that inject a liquid freeze zone stream. The nozzles are configured such that substantial liquid coverage is provided across the inner diameter of the intermediate spray section. The liquid freeze zone stream generally includes methane at a temperature and pressure whereby both solid carbon dioxide particles and a methane-enriched vapor stream are formed. The tower may further include one or more baffles below the nozzles to create frictional resistance to the gravitational flow of the liquid freeze zone stream. This aids in the breakout and recovery of methane gas. Additional internal components are provided to improve heat transfer and to facilitate the breakout of methane gas. | 01-28-2010 |
20110168019 | Removal of Acid Gases From A Gas Stream - A gas processing facility for the separation of fluids is provided. The facility includes co-current contactors placed in series. Each co-current contactor receives a gas stream that includes a non-absorbing gas such as a hydrocarbon gas or nitrogen. The gas stream also includes an acid gas or other contaminant. Each co-current contactor also receives a liquid solvent stream. The co-current contactors then each release a sweetened gas stream and a gas-treating solution. In one processing direction, the contactors are arranged to deliver progressively sweetened gas streams. In the opposite processing direction, the contactors are arranged to deliver progressively richer gas-treating solutions. In one aspect, the facility includes at least a first co-current contactor, a second co-current contactor and a final co-current contactor. However, any number of at least two co-current separators may be employed. Methods and processes for separating a gas stream are also provided. | 07-14-2011 |
20120238793 | In-Line Device for Gas-Liquid Contacting, and Gas Processing Facility Employing Co-Current Contactors - Provided are gas processing facilities for the separation of components in a gas stream and methods of using the same. The facility includes one or more co-current contactors. Each contactor includes a mass transfer vessel having a mixing section. The mixing section receives a gas stream and a liquid contacting stream. The mixing section mixes theses two streams and releases a two-phase flow. Each contactor also includes a separator that receives the two-phase fluid stream from the mass transfer vessel in-line, and then separates a vapor phase from a liquid phase. The separator has a gas-phase outlet configured to release the vapor phase as a treated gas stream, and a liquid-phase outlet configured to release the liquid phase as a loaded treating solution. The contactors may be used to remove water or other contaminant from a natural gas stream or other gas stream. | 09-20-2012 |
20140331862 | Separating Impurities From A Gas Stream Using A Vertically Oriented Co-Current Contacting System - A vertically oriented co-current contacting system and methods for separating impurities from a gas stream including a vertically oriented co-current contactor (VOCC) located in-line within a pipe, a vertically oriented mixer (VOM) including an annular support ring configured to maintain the VOM within the pipe, a number of radial blades configured to allow a liquid stream to flow into the VOM, and a central gas entry cone configured to allow a gas stream to flow through a hollow section within the VOM, a vertically oriented mass transfer section downstream of the VOM. The VOM and the vertically oriented mass transfer section provide for efficient incorporation of liquid droplets including impurities from the gas stream formed from the liquid stream into the gas stream. The vertically oriented co-current contacting system also includes a separation system configured to remove the liquid droplets. | 11-13-2014 |
20150014258 | System and Method to Treat a Multiphase Stream - A system and method for enhancing separation of a denser phase liquid from a lighter phase liquid within a multiphase stream. In one example, a cyclonic coalescer has a tubular housing and a plurality of coaxial flow chambers extending in the axial direction of the housing. A swirling element is associated with each of the plurality of coaxial flow chambers. The swirling elements are constructed and arranged to impart a tangential velocity of the stream flowing through the associated flow chamber. | 01-15-2015 |
20150151219 | Multiphase Separation System - A system and method for separation of liquids and gases within a multiphase fluid are provided herein. The method includes flowing a multiphase fluid into a circular distribution header of a multiphase separation system and separating the multiphase fluid into gases and liquids within the circular distribution header. The method also includes flowing the gases into a circular gas header that is above a plane of the circular distribution header and flowing the liquids into a circular liquid header that is below the plane of the circular distribution header. The method further includes flowing the gases out of the multiphase separation system via a gas outlet line and flowing the liquids out of the multiphase separation system via a liquid outlet line, wherein entrained liquids within the gas outlet line are flowed to the liquid outlet line via a downcomer. | 06-04-2015 |
20150159944 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR SEPARATING A FEED STREAM USING RADIATION DETECTORS - The present disclosure provides a method for separating a feed stream in a distillation tower. The method may include forming solids in a controlled freeze zone section of the distillation tower; emitting radiation from a first radiation source in the controlled freeze zone section while the controlled freeze zone section forms no solids; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a first radiation level; detecting radiation emitted by the first radiation source as a second radiation level after detecting the first radiation level; and determining whether the solids adhered to at least one of on and around a first mechanical component included in the controlled freeze zone section based on the first radiation level and the second radiation level. | 06-11-2015 |