AU626110B2 - Process and equipment for the recovery of the heavier hydrocarbons from a gaseous mixture - Google Patents

Process and equipment for the recovery of the heavier hydrocarbons from a gaseous mixture Download PDF

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Publication number
AU626110B2
AU626110B2 AU41371/89A AU4137189A AU626110B2 AU 626110 B2 AU626110 B2 AU 626110B2 AU 41371/89 A AU41371/89 A AU 41371/89A AU 4137189 A AU4137189 A AU 4137189A AU 626110 B2 AU626110 B2 AU 626110B2
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Australia
Prior art keywords
mixture
gaseous mixture
permeator
liquid
equipment according
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AU41371/89A
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AU4137189A (en
Inventor
Pierre Gauthier
Christian Monereau
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LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Air Liquide SA
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/22—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by diffusion
    • B01D53/229—Integrated processes (Diffusion and at least one other process, e.g. adsorption, absorption)
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D53/00—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols
    • B01D53/02—Separation of gases or vapours; Recovering vapours of volatile solvents from gases; Chemical or biological purification of waste gases, e.g. engine exhaust gases, smoke, fumes, flue gases, aerosols by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen
    • C01B3/50—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification
    • C01B3/506—Separation of hydrogen or hydrogen containing gases from gaseous mixtures, e.g. purification at low temperatures
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C7/00—Purification; Separation; Use of additives
    • C07C7/005—Processes comprising at least two steps in series
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/0204—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the feed stream
    • F25J3/0219—Refinery gas, cracking gas, coke oven gas, gaseous mixtures containing aliphatic unsaturated CnHm or gaseous mixtures of undefined nature
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
    • F25J3/0233—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of CnHm with 1 carbon atom or more
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
    • F25J3/0242—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of CnHm with 3 carbon atoms or more
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J3/00—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification
    • F25J3/02—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream
    • F25J3/0228—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream
    • F25J3/0252—Processes or apparatus for separating the constituents of gaseous or liquefied gaseous mixtures involving the use of liquefaction or solidification by rectification, i.e. by continuous interchange of heat and material between a vapour stream and a liquid stream characterised by the separated product stream separation of hydrogen
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
    • F25J2200/02—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a single pressure main column system
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2200/00—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification
    • F25J2200/72—Refluxing the column with at least a part of the totally condensed overhead gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
    • F25J2205/02—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using simple phase separation in a vessel or drum
    • F25J2205/04—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using simple phase separation in a vessel or drum in the feed line, i.e. upstream of the fractionation step
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
    • F25J2205/40—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using hybrid system, i.e. combining cryogenic and non-cryogenic separation techniques
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
    • F25J2205/60—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using adsorption on solid adsorbents, e.g. by temperature-swing adsorption [TSA] at the hot or cold end
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2205/00—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means
    • F25J2205/80—Processes or apparatus using other separation and/or other processing means using membrane, i.e. including a permeation step
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2210/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the feed stream
    • F25J2210/12—Refinery or petrochemical off-gas
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2215/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the product stream
    • F25J2215/04—Recovery of liquid products
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
    • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
    • F25J2270/00—Refrigeration techniques used
    • F25J2270/90—External refrigeration, e.g. conventional closed-loop mechanical refrigeration unit using Freon or NH3, unspecified external refrigeration

Abstract

In this process the lightest constituents are at least partially removed by permeation (at 2) before the stages of partial condensation (3) and of distillation (4) and the permeate is diluted using the residual gas. Application to the recovery of liquefied petroleum gases from a residual refinery gas. <IMAGE>

Description

"7~
B
AUSTRALIA
Patents Act COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(ORIGINAL)
Class Int. Class Int. Class Application Number: Lodged: Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority Related Art: Applicant(s): L'Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour 1'Etude et 1'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude Quai d'Orsay, 75007 Paris, FRANCE Address for Service is: PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK Patent and Trade Mark Attorneys 367 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 AUSTRALIA Complete Specification for the invention entitled: PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE RECOVERY OF THE HEAVIER HYDROCARBONS FROM A GASEOUS MIXTURE Our Ref 148060 POF Code: 1290/43509 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to applicant(s): 6006 6006 The present invention relates to the recovery of the heavier components from a gaseous mixture which has a high content of lighter components. The invention is particularly applicable to the recovery of the C2+ or C3+ fractions from a refinery residual gas.
According to known recovery processes, the mixture is purified, such as by adsorption, by eliminating therefrom impurities such as H 2 0, HC1,
NH
3 after which the purified mixture is partially condensed, and the condensation product thereafter undergoes distillation. These processes require costly investment and energy since the entire starting mixture must be treated by condensation followed by distillation, the mixture containing a high proportion of light gases that must be eliminated, for example 60 to 90 hydrogen as well as methane.
It is an aim of the invention to improve this technique in order to make it more economical.
For this purpose, it is an object of the present invention to provide a process of the type mentioned above in which a portion of the lighter components are eliminated by permeation upstream of the condensation step, and in which the permeated product is diluted in the permeator, by means of residual gas obtained in the distillation step.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an equipment for the implemen- 4 tation of such process. This equipment, of the type comprising an apparatus for purifying impurities for example H 2 0, HCI, NH 3 such as by adsorption, an indirect heat exchanger connected to the outlet of this apparatus and coupled at its cold end to a phase separator, and a distillation column connected to the lower part of the phase separator, is characterized 3- T p; in that it comprises a permeator upstream of the exchanger, and means for introducing in the low pressure area of the permeator, residual gas obtained from the distillation column.
Some examples of implementation of the invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings, on which Figures 1 and 2 schematically represent many variants of the equipment according to the invention.
The equipment represented in Figure 1, essentially comprises a purifying apparatus 1, a .permeator 2, a heat exchanger 3 and a distillation column 4. This equipment is intended to recover liquefied petroleum gases 3PL, consisting of C3+ fractions, i.e. a mixture of propane, butane and pentane) present in a refinery residual gas, such as a "platforming" gas, additionally containing 60 to hydrogen, methane, ethane and various impurities such as N 2
CO
2
H
2 S, HCI, H 2 0, NH 3 and CO.
The apparatus; 1 comprises two alternately operating adsorption bottles 5, one being in adsorption phase while the other is in regeneration or counter-current desorption phase. The adsorbing material present in the bottles 5 is for example molecular sieve. This apparatus 1 is supplied by duct 6 which circulates the mixture to be treated, and duct 7 which circulates the regenerating gas. It comprises a combination of valves suitable for the operation which will be described hereinafter.
The permeator 2 is adapted to separate hydrogen from the other components of the mixture, for example by means of a network of hollow fibers made of a selective permeable membrane. An example of membrane suitable for this application is based on a polyaramide technology developed by DU PONT de 2 NEMOURS according to Re 30351 patent (reissue of U.S.
3 899 309). Other examples are described in U.S.
Patents 4 180 553 and 4 230 463.
The heat exchanger 3 is of the indirect type and operates by counter-current circulation of Sthe fluids which are subject to heat exchange. It j j comprises a hot portion which is cooled down by a refrigerating group 8 operating about -30 to -40 0
C
and is associated with a liquid-vapour separator 8 disposed at its cold end.
The distillation column 4 operates as a methane-ethane remover and includes in the vat portion, a reboiler 10 whose temperature is between i "40 and 100°C. At the head portion, there is a condenser 11 which can be cooled down by the o0 OQ °refrigerating group 8 mentioned above.
.In operation, the gas to be treated arrives at a pressure between 15 and 30 bars, at about room temperature, via duct 6 and is ,.'rified, i.e. it is freed from impurities such as H 2 0, NH 3 HC1, by means of the apparatus 1. The gas is then sent via a duct 6A into the high pressure area of the permeator 2 where the major portion of the hydrogen that it contains is removed. In this manner, a mixture of essentially hydrocarbons is introduced into the exchanger 3 from which it exits partially condensed at a temperature between -60 and -90 0 C to be separated in separator 9 into two phases, namely a vapour phase essentially constituted of methane and ethane and containing the residue of hydrogen, and a condensation product essentially consisting of C2+ and containing the remaining of methane. The condensation product which is collected in the separator 9 is sent at mid-height to column 4, which produces the GPL required in the vat portion, the latter being evacuated through duct 12. The partial 3 r condensation described above can be carried out in one or more steps, with successive separations of the condensation products, according to known industrial practice.
A portion of the liquid which has condensed in the head portion of the column 4 is withdrawn at 13 and is expanded in an expansion valve 14, after or without sub-cooling in exchanger 3. Then, the liquid portion is mixed with vapour obtained in the column head (methane and ethane) and with the vapour which is separated in separator 9, both vapours being lighter than the liquid in question and being expanded at the same pressure. The mixture is sent counter-currently to the gas to be treated through the exchanger 3, and vapourization and warming up of 0Q 0 0 the latter at a pressure between 3 and 5 bars enable 000 to cool down the gas to be treated to the above 00.0 mentioned cold temperature.
000 After warming up in the exchanger 3, this mixture is introduced in the low pressure area of the permeator 2 to be mixed therein with low pressure hydrogen constituting the permeating product, and the 00 0 o combination is thereafter used to regenerate the adsorbing element of the apparatus 1, via duct 7, to constitute an auxiliary part of the equipment which o 0 0 can serve as "fuel saver". The mixture is then evacuated via duct 7A.
«0 06 The elimination of hydrogen by means of permeator 2 upstream of the cryogenic part 3-4 of the equipment, enables to reduce the investment and energy in this part of the equipment. Moreover, the dilution of the permeated product described above results in a decrease of the partial pressure of hydrogen in the low pressure area of the permeator 4 f 1 L and thereafter enables to increase the pressure of the waste product produced by the equipment (fuel gas) or to increase the efficiency of the permeation.
As a variant, as illustrated in Figure 2, the separation of hydrogen by permeation can be carried out upstream of the apparatus i, which enables to reduce the investment with respect to the purifying unit, more especially since the membranes which are permeable to hydrogen allow a substantial portion of the impurities of the mixture to pass therethrough simultaneously with hydrogen. The dilution of the permeated product is then carried outpreferably by means of the gas which was used to regenerate the adsorbing material, via a duct 13.
It will be understood that by modifying the parameters of the process it is possible to apply the invention not only to the recovery of GPL, but also of ethane. On the other hand, the invention is applicable to the case where the membrane of the permeator allows for the passage of substantial quantities not only of hydrogen, but also of other light components such as CH 4 and possibly C 2
H
6 ,o %t 5

Claims (15)

1. A process for the recovery of the heavier components from a gaseous mixture having more than 50% of lighter components of the type in which the mixture is purified, the purified mixture is partially condensed, and the condensation product is distilled; characterized in that a portion of said lighter components is removed by permeation upstream of the condensation step, and in that the permeation product is diluted in the permeator, by means of the residual gas obtained from the distillation step.
2. A process according to claim I, wherein the gaseous mixture comprises a mixture of hydrogen and hydrocarbons.
3. A process according to claim i, wherein the gaseous mixture is a refinery residual gas.
4. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that the permeation is carried out between the purification step, and the condensation step.
5. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that o the permeation is carried out upstream of the purification step.
6. Process according to any one of claims 1 to characterized in that a portion of the liquid condensed in the o 25 upper part of the distillation column is removed, the withdrawn liquid is expanded and the expanded liquid is vapourized counter-currently with respect to the gas to be treated, by heat exchange with the latter, during the condensation step.
7. Process according to claim 6, characterized in that gas issued from the condensation step and/or residual gas obtained from the distillation step is added to the expanded liquid, before its vapourization.
8. Equipment for the recovery of heavier components from a gaseous mixture having more than 50% of lighter components, of the type comprising an apparatus for purifying, an indirect heat exchanger connected to the outlet of this apparatus and associated at its cold end to a phase separator, and a distillation column connected to the lower part of the phase -6- r separator, characterized in that it comprises a permeator upstream of the heat exchanger, and means for introducing a residual gas from the distillation column into the low pressure area of the permeator.
9. Equipment according to claim 8, wherein the gaseous mixture comprises a mixture of hydrogen and hydrocarbons.
Equipment according to claim 8, wherein the gaseous mixture is a refinery residual gas.
11. Equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that the permeator is disposed between the purifying apparatus and the heat exchanger.
12. Equipment according to claim 8, characterized in that the permeator is disposed upstream of the purifying apparatus.
13. Equipment according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized in that the distillation column includes means to withdraw a portion of the liquid condensed in the upper part of the column means to expand the withdrawn- liquid, and means to allow the expanded liquid to pass through the heat exchanger.
14. Equipment according to claim 13, characterized in that it comprises means for adding to the expanded liquid, at the cold end of the exchanger gas issued from the phase separator and/or gas from the upper part of the distillation column.
15. Equipment according to claim 8 substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of the drawings. DATED: 4 May 1992 PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK sA "A "S ':A Attorneys for: L'AIR LIQUIDE, SOCIETE ANONYME POUR L'ETUDE ET L'EXPLOITATION DES PROCEDES GEORGES CLAUDE k _7 II-7-
AU41371/89A 1988-09-12 1989-09-13 Process and equipment for the recovery of the heavier hydrocarbons from a gaseous mixture Ceased AU626110B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR8811882 1988-09-12
FR8811882A FR2636341A1 (en) 1988-09-12 1988-09-12 METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR RECOVERING THE HEAVIEST HYDROCARBONS OF A GASEOUS MIXTURE

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
AU4137189A AU4137189A (en) 1990-03-15
AU626110B2 true AU626110B2 (en) 1992-07-23

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AU41371/89A Ceased AU626110B2 (en) 1988-09-12 1989-09-13 Process and equipment for the recovery of the heavier hydrocarbons from a gaseous mixture

Country Status (10)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0359628B1 (en)
KR (1) KR900004385A (en)
AT (1) ATE79298T1 (en)
AU (1) AU626110B2 (en)
BR (1) BR8904557A (en)
DE (1) DE68902444T2 (en)
ES (1) ES2034703T3 (en)
FI (1) FI894282A (en)
FR (1) FR2636341A1 (en)
NO (1) NO893626L (en)

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US4934148A (en) * 1989-05-12 1990-06-19 Union Carbide Corporation Dry, high purity nitrogen production process and system
US5354547A (en) * 1989-11-14 1994-10-11 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Hydrogen recovery by adsorbent membranes
FR2659029B1 (en) * 1990-03-02 1993-03-12 Equip Ind Chimiques PROCESS FOR SEPARATING A GASEOUS MIXTURE OBTAINED IN OIL REFINERIES AND INSTALLATION FOR ITS IMPLEMENTATION.
US5082481A (en) * 1990-04-10 1992-01-21 Lummus Crest, Inc. Membrane separation process for cracked gases
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FI894282A (en) 1990-03-13
ES2034703T3 (en) 1993-04-01
FI894282A0 (en) 1989-09-11
AU4137189A (en) 1990-03-15
FR2636341A1 (en) 1990-03-16
ATE79298T1 (en) 1992-08-15
EP0359628A1 (en) 1990-03-21
NO893626L (en) 1990-03-13
DE68902444T2 (en) 1992-12-03
BR8904557A (en) 1990-04-24
EP0359628B1 (en) 1992-08-12
KR900004385A (en) 1990-04-12
NO893626D0 (en) 1989-09-11
DE68902444D1 (en) 1992-09-17

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