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    • 专利摘要:
    METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING A MULTIPHASE HYDROCARBON CHAIN A multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) is treated to provide a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream (165), like a stream of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) is passed through a first gas / liquid separator (150), where it is separated at a first pressure to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator (205) and a bottom product stream from the first separator (155). The bottom product stream of the first separator (155) is then separated into a second gas / liquid separator (160), at a second pressure that is lower than the first pressure, to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator (175) and a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream (165). The hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator (175) is compressed in a top product stream compressor (180) to provide a fractionation steam stream (185) which is passed to the first gas / liquid separator (150 ).
    公开号:BR112012001046B1
    申请号:R112012001046-8
    申请日:2010-07-19
    公开日:2021-02-23
    发明作者:Alexandra Teodora Anghel；Marco Dick Jager
    申请人:Shell Internationale Research Maatschappij B.V；
    IPC主号:
    专利说明:

    [001] The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream.
    [002] The method and apparatus provide a stream of treated liquid hydrocarbon. A low-pressure fuel gas stream can additionally be provided.
    [003] A common source for a multiphase hydrocarbon stream is a stream of natural gas or a multiphase stream produced from natural gas, for example, by the formation of a multiphase stream comprising a steam phase and a liquid phase by means of cooling and / or change in pressure of natural gas. The methods described herein can therefore be employed to provide a stream of liquid hydrocarbon treated in the form of a stream of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
    [004] Natural gas is a useful source of fuel, as well as a source of various hydrocarbon compounds. It is always desirable to liquefy natural gas in a natural gas liquefaction plant (LNG) at or near the source of the natural gas stream for a number of reasons. As an example, natural gas can be stored and transported over long distances more readily as a liquid than in gaseous form because it occupies a much smaller volume and does not need to be stored under high pressure.
    [005] Usually, natural gas, predominantly comprising methane, enters an LNG plant at high pressure and is pre-treated to produce a purified feed stream suitable for liquefaction at cryogenic temperatures. The purified gas is processed through a plurality of cooling stages using heat exchangers to progressively reduce its temperature until it reaches liquefaction. The liquid natural gas is then further cooled and expanded at the end to the appropriate atmospheric pressure for storage and transportation. The instant steam from each expansion can be used as a source of combustible gas.
    [006] Some hydrocarbon streams, such as natural gas, may contain significant amounts of nitrogen in such a way that if special measures are not taken to remove at least part of the nitrogen from the hydrocarbon stream, the fuel gas and any hydrocarbon stream produced may contain undesirable high levels of nitrogen. Many LNG specifications require less than 1 mol% of nitrogen in the final product.
    [007] US 2008/0066493 discloses a method for treating liquefied natural gas to provide a stream of liquid natural gas having a reduced content of components having a low boiling point, such as Nitrogen (N2). The method comprises the expansion of liquefied natural gas to supply an expanded multiphase fluid and introduce the liquid multiphase fluid into a column below a gas - liquid contact section to obtain a liquid bottom product stream having a low content of low components. boiling point and a top gas stream enriched in components having low boiling points, such as nitrogen. The liquid stream of bottom product is passed to an expansion vessel. The top product stream enriched in components with a low boiling point is heated in a heat exchanger and then compressed to a combustible gas pressure to obtain combustible gas. A recirculating current is separated from the combustible gas, and at least partially condensed in a heat exchanger against the top gas stream enriched in components having low boiling points and introduced in the column above the gas-liquid contact section as a gas stream. reflux. In a number of embodiments of US 2008/0066493, the second gas stream (from the expansion vessel) is also heated in a heat exchanger, compressed to the pressure of combustible gas, and added to the recirculation stream.
    [008] At least part of the cold present in the top gas stream is therefore used to recondensate the recirculation stream to produce reflux, as this cold cannot be used to cool another stream in the process at some other point in the process.
    [009] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream to provide a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream, comprising at least the steps of: - producing a multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas said multiphase hydrocarbon stream comprising a steam phase and a liquid phase; - pass the multiphase hydrocarbon stream through a first gas / liquid separator; - separating the multiphase hydrocarbon stream in the first gas / liquid separator at a first pressure to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator, which comprises hydrocarbons and nitrogen, and a bottom product stream from the first separator; - separating the bottom product stream from the first separator into a second gas / liquid separator at a second pressure to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator and a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated in the form of LNG, where the second pressure is less than the first pressure; - compressing the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator in a top product stream compressor to provide a fractionating stream of steam; and - passing the fractionation vapor stream to the first gas / liquid separator at a lower gravitational level than the level at which the multiphase hydrocarbon stream is passed to the first gas / liquid separator.
    [0010] In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream comprising a liquid phase and a steam phase to provide a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated in the form of LNG, comprising at least: - means for producing a multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas, said means comprising at least one liquefaction unit and one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices; - a first gas / liquid separator arranged to receive the multiphase hydrocarbon stream and separate it into a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator, comprising hydrocarbons and nitrogen, and a bottom product stream from the first separator, said first separator gas / liquid having a first inlet to feed the multiphase hydrocarbon stream into the first gas / liquid separator, a first outlet to discharge the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the first separator to the first gas / liquid separator, a second outlet to discharge the gas stream background product of the first separator of the first gas / liquid separator, and a second inlet, located at a gravitationally lower level than that of said first inlet, to supply the fractionation vapor stream in the first gas / liquid separator. - a second gas / liquid separator arranged to receive the bottom product stream from the first separator and separate it into a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator and a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated in the form of LNG, said second gas / liquid separator having a first fluid communication entry with the second outlet of the first gas / liquid separator, to feed the bottom product stream of the first separator into the second gas / liquid separator, a first outlet to discharge the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator the second gas / liquid separator and a second outlet for discharging the treated liquid hydrocarbon stream from the second gas / liquid separator; - a bottom product stream expansion device disposed between the second outlet of the first gas / liquid separator and the first inlet of the second gas / liquid separator, to reduce the pressure of the bottom product stream of the first separator; and - a top product stream compressor for compressing the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator to supply the fractionation steam stream, said top product stream compressor having a fluidly communicating input with the first output of the second gas / liquid separator to receive the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator, and an output in fluid communication with the second inlet of the first gas / liquid separator to discharge the fractionation steam stream.
    [0011] Modalities of the present invention will now be described as a means of example only and with reference, but not limited, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic diagram of a method and an apparatus for treating a hydrocarbon stream multiphase according to a modality; and Figure 2 is a diagrammatic diagram of a method and apparatus for liquefying a hydrocarbon supply stream incorporating a treatment method and the multiphase hydrocarbon stream apparatus.
    [0012] For the purpose of this description, the singular reference number will be assigned to a line as well as to a current flow in that line.
    [0013] The methods and devices disclosed here propose an improvement in the separation of components of a multiphase current in two subsequent steps, in two gas / liquid separators that operate at different pressures. The hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator to the second gas / liquid separator is compressed in a top product stream compressor and returned to the first gas / liquid separator as a fractionating vapor stream.
    [0014] The present invention can advantageously provide a method and apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream to provide a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream that does not require cooling in the top gas stream to be used to produce a reflux stream.
    [0015] The method and apparatus of the present invention advantageously use a fractionation vapor in the first gas / liquid separator which is provided by compressing the vapor stream of the second gas / liquid separator, to improve the separation of components. Producing fractionation steam from the second gas stream allows the second gas stream to be used to support component separation without the need to recondense it or part of it.
    [0016] Therefore, the cooling in the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator, which was necessary in US 2008/0066493 to produce reflux to achieve the desired efficiency in separating the components is now being released for use in any other way. Obviously, the invention does not exclude the option that the reflux stream can still be produced (using the cold hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator and / or an external refrigerant) and used to further improve the separation of components, this is now , entirely optional. A group of embodiments of the invention does not require a reflux current, as used in US 2008/0066493.
    [0017] One or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices and the first and second gas / liquid separators can form part of a final LNG regasification system. Likewise, reducing the pressure of the hydrocarbon stream at least partially liquefied to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream and the subsequent separation in the first and second gas / liquid separators can form part of a final LNG regasification process.
    [0018] Therefore, the production of a multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas can comprise the following steps: - supplying the hydrocarbon supply stream from a high temperature natural gas stream; - extracting a continuous hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon supply stream; - passing the direct current through a cooling and liquefaction unit where it is cooled and partially liquefied to provide a hydrocarbon stream at least partially liquefied; - passing the hydrocarbon stream at least partially liquefied to an inlet of at least one hydrocarbon stream expansion device where the pressure of the at least partially liquefied hydrocarbon stream is decreased to provide a multiphase hydrocarbon stream.
    [0019] The multiphase current may comprise a steam phase and a liquid phase. The treated liquid hydrocarbon stream produced in accordance with the present invention, in particular when supplied in the form of LNG, may have an appropriate specification to be vaporized and used as a network gas.
    [0020] Without wishing to be limited by the following explanation, by analogy, the Applicant suggests that the top product stream compressor supplies compression heat to the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator and therefore functions as a special boiler, which provides a fractionation vapor stream for the first gas / liquid separator, at a higher pressure and temperature than the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator. This fractionation vapor stream improves the separation of components with lower boiling points, such as nitrogen, from the expanded hydrocarbon stream in the first gas / liquid separator. The components with the lowest boiling points are ejected into the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator.
    [0021] If the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator is not pure nitrogen, but also comprises an hydrocarbon inventory, it is possible to use this stream as a combustible gas. Therefore, the method may further comprise: - deriving a low pressure fuel gas (BP) stream from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator; and - passing the low pressure fuel gas stream to a combustion device with a fuel gas pressure not greater than the hydrocarbon vapor stream pressure of the first separator. The first pressure of the first gas / liquid separator can be the same or greater than the pressure of the combustible gas.
    [0022] Advantageously, the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator nor the low pressure fuel gas stream is compressed prior to use in the combustion device.
    [0023] In US 2008/0066493, N2 and other constituent vapors that are separated in the column, are compressed and ejected into the high pressure fuel gas stream. Table 1 of US 2008/0066493 reveals an example in which a feed natural gas stream having a nitrogen content of 3.05 mol% is treated to provide a stream of liquefied natural gas having a nitrogen content of 0.65 mol% and a combustible gas having a nitrogen content of 24 mol%. However, fuel gas streams, with high nitrogen content, can produce significant problems when used in gas turbines, which are commonly used to control compressors or electric generators inside a liquefaction plant. For example, many aeroderivative gas turbines cannot currently tolerate nitrogen content above 15 mol% in their gas fuels.
    Therefore, in the preferred embodiments of the present methods and apparatus, the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator is employed as a low pressure fuel gas stream. Fuel gas with a large amount of nitrogen can also be used as a low-pressure fuel gas to burn, for example, in an oven, a boiler, or in a dual-fuel diesel engine.
    [0025] As used here, the term “low pressure” in the low pressure fuel gas stream refers to the “high pressure” required for gas turbine fuels. For the purpose of the present specification, a low pressure for fuel gas can be a pressure in the range of 2 to 15 bar (0.2 to 1.5 MPa), more specifically in the range of 2 to 10 bar (0.2 to 1 bar MPa). A high pressure (AP) of fuel can be a pressure above 15 bar (1.5 MPa), usually in a range of 15 to 40 bar (1.5 to 4 MPa), more specifically in a range of 15 to 40 bar (2 to 3 MPa).
    [0026] The first gas / liquid separator can advantageously be operated at a pressure suitable for combustible gas or above, such that the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator can be advantageously supplied at a high enough pressure that does not come require compression or be supplemented before use. It is, therefore, preferred to select the first pressure of the first gas / liquid separator so that the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator is supplied at a desired pressure, or above, for the combustible gas.
    [0027] Especially when used as a low pressure fuel gas, the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator of the present invention can comprise N2 in a wide range, for example, in a range of 30% by mol to 90% by mol of N2, more preferably in the range of 60 mol% to 95 mol%.
    [0028] Therefore, the present invention can be advantageously employed to provide a low pressure fuel gas stream, suitable for use in a combustion device such as an oven or incinerator, or, for example, in a dual-fuel diesel engine. that can be used in an electric generator. The low pressure fuel gas stream can be derived from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator by heating. The hydrocarbon vapor stream from the first separator can be sent to any appropriate heat exchanger device which can be used to cool a process stream. Advantageously, the process stream can be supplied in the form of a portion of natural gas to cool this portion of the natural gas.
    [0029] In order to provide a high pressure combustible gas (AP) stream suitable for use as fuel for a gas turbine, the treatment method and apparatus disclosed herein can be incorporated into a supply chain liquefaction method hydrocarbon and an associated apparatus. High-pressure fuel gas can be extracted from the hydrocarbon supply stream prior to liquefaction. This is advantageous because the hydrocarbon supply stream may have a low nitrogen content compared to the low pressure fuel gas stream derived from the hydrocarbon vapor stream in the first separator. In addition, the hydrocarbon supply stream is a high pressure stream, so that further pressurization of a portion of this stream for use as a combustible gas stream is not required. Therefore, there is no requirement for a high pressure fuel gas compressor. If necessary, when the hydrocarbon supply chain is at a very high pressure, the pressure of the extracted fuel gas can optionally have the pressure reduced before being used as a fuel.
    [0030] Additionally, the method disclosed here is advantageous because it avoids using a gaseous stream produced by the expansion of the liquefied hydrocarbon stream as a high-pressure combustible gas stream. Such gaseous streams produced by gas / liquid separation steps, such as instantaneous vaporization processes, may contain a higher content of low-boiling components, such as nitrogen, compared to the liquid product produced by the separator.
    [0031] Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a method and an apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 according to a first embodiment. The multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 is derived from natural gas. The multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 comprises steam and liquid phases. An example of how multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 can be provided is discussed in more detail below with reference to Figure 2. Multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 is passed through a first inlet 148 of a first gas / liquid separator 150. The first gas / liquid separator 150 provides a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator 205 as a top product stream through the first outlet 151 and the bottom product stream from the first separator 155a, which is a liquid stream, through the second outlet 152 next to or at the bottom of the first gas / liquid separator 150. The first gas / liquid separator 150 may be in the form of a separation column such as a fractionation or distillation column. The first gas / liquid separator 150 is preferably supplied in the form of a column nitrogen separator. The hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 typically comprises hydrocarbons, typically and predominantly methane, and nitrogen.
    [0032] The separation is carried out at a first pressure, which is preferably in the range of 2 to 10 bar (0.2 to 1 MPa) in order to achieve an even lower nitrogen content in the liquid hydrocarbon stream and still be usable as a low pressure fuel gas stream.
    [0033] In order to improve the separation within the first gas / liquid separator 150, a fractionation vapor 185a is provided by the second inlet 149. The second inlet 149 typically comprises a steam inlet device known to those most skilled in the art . The second inlet 149 is preferably at a gravitationally lower level than that of the first inlet 148 in order to provide efficient fractionation of the lighter components of the hydrocarbon mixture, such as nitrogen, from the liquid phase of the multiphase hydrocarbon stream to the phase steam. The first inlet 148 can typically comprise an inlet dispenser known to those skilled in the art.
    [0034] In a preferred embodiment, the first gas / liquid separator 150 comprises a contact zone preferably comprising means for improving contact 154 such as trays or gaskets, to improve separation. The contact improvement means 154 is preferably located gravitationally between the first and second entries 148, 149.
    [0035] The contact enhancement means may comprise a plurality of trays stacked on top of each other and be arranged to force the liquid phase to flow horizontally across each tray before falling into the next tray, with the vapor phase bubbling through the holes in the trays. This increases the value of the contact area between the liquid and steam phases. Alternatively, the means of improving contact may comprise gaskets. A gasket contact zone operates similarly to trays with gaskets, which can be both structured and random, increasing the contact area between the liquid and steam phases.
    The steam hydrocarbon stream of the first separator 205 may comprise hydrocarbons and an N2 inventory greater than or equal to 30 mol%. It is preferred that the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 has a pressure less than or equal to 10 bar (1 MPa).
    [0037] A low pressure fuel gas stream 215 can be derived from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205. For example, the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 can pass through a fuel gas heat exchanger 210 , where it is heated by a heating stream 355 to supply the low pressure fuel gas stream 215, for example, at a pressure of about 5 or 6 bar (0.5 to 0.6 MPa). At the same time, the heating current is cooled and returns to the cooled heating current 365.
    [0038] The fuel gas heat exchanger 210 can be a heater, such as a space heater, in which case the heating current 355 can be supplied in the form of ambient air or ambient water, to provide the chilled heating current 365 in the form of chilled air current or chilled water. The cooled heating stream 365 can be used as an intermediate stream to cool another stream. However, in preferred embodiments, heating current 355 is provided in the form of a process current that needs to be cooled, therefore, additionally providing a cooled process current. In this way, the cold energy of the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 can be efficiently used to provide cooling for a process stream in the apparatus 1, such as a hydrocarbon or refrigerant stream. An example of this is provided with respect to the modality of Figure 2.
    [0039] Low pressure fuel gas and current 215 may comprise 30 mol% or more of N2. The low pressure fuel gas stream 215 can then be passed to a low pressure fuel gas network. Figure 1 shows the low-pressure fuel gas stream 215 being passed directly to one or more low-pressure fuel gas consumers 220, for example, a combustion device, such as a furnace, boiler, or dual-fuel diesel engine. Such combustion devices can tolerate higher levels of nitrogen in the low-pressure fuel gas, as known to those more skilled in the art. The bottom product stream of the first separator 155a of the first gas / liquid separator 150 can be passed to the first inlet of the second liquid gas separator 160. The second gas / liquid separator 160 operates at a second pressure, which is less than first pressure used to provide separation in the first gas / liquid separator 150. The second pressure is preferably less than 4 bar (0.4 MPa), even more preferably less than 2 bar (0.2 MPa). The second pressure may suitably be or be close to atmospheric pressure. For the purpose of the present disclosure, being or being close to atmospheric pressure is preferably interpreted as a pressure between 1 and 1.3 bar (0.1 to 1.3 MPa). If the pressure drop between the first and second separators 150, 160 is insufficient to provide a suitable second pressure, the bottom product stream of the first separator 155a can be passed through a bottom product stream expander 200, which supplies an (expanded) bottom product stream from the first separator 155b to the first inlet 158 of the second gas / liquid separator 160 at the second pressure.
    [0040] The second gas / liquid separator 160 provides a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator 175 as a top product stream through the first outlet 161 and a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated 165 through the second outlet 162. The second liquid gas separator 160 can be an appropriate instant evaporation vessel.
    [0041] The treated liquid hydrocarbon stream 165, which can be an LNG stream, when the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 is derived from natural gas, and can be supplied close to or at atmospheric pressure. The treated liquid hydrocarbon stream 165 can be passed to a storage tank 170, such as a cryogenic storage tank.
    The hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator 175 is passed through a top product stream compressor 180, where it is compressed to provide the fractionation steam stream 185. The top product stream compressor 180 can be mechanically controlled by a top product stream compressor driver 190, with a gas turbine, a steam turbine, and / or an electric motor. The fractionation vapor stream 185 can optionally be combined with an additional fractionation vapor stream 235 to form a combined fractionation vapor stream 185a, before being passed to the second inlet 149 of the first gas / liquid separator 150 to improve the separation within it. The fractionation steam stream 185 is supplied at a third pressure, which could typically be equal to or slightly greater than the first pressure, for example, the first pressure plus some pressure loss between the compressor discharge of the product stream. top 180 and the second inlet 149 of the first gas / liquid separator 150. For example, the third pressure may be in the range of 0 to 2 bar (0 to 0.2 MPa) higher than the first pressure.
    [0043] The supplementary fractionation steam stream 235 may comprise an instant vaporization of the cryogenic storage tank. In the case of cryogenic storage of the treated hydrocarbon liquid, a degree of vaporization of the treated hydrocarbon liquid can be expected from storage tank 170 due to imperfections in thermal insulation and temperature fluctuations. The resulting spontaneous vapor can be removed from storage tank 170 as a spontaneous gas stream (EGE) 195. The spontaneous gas stream 195 can be passed through the spontaneous gas compressor 230, where it is compressed to provide a compressed spontaneous gas stream 235 for use as a supplementary fractionation steam stream. The spontaneous gas compressor 230 can be controlled by a spontaneous gas compressor driver 240, such as a gas or steam turbine and / or electric motor.
    [0044] In an alternative modality not shown in Figure 1, the supplementary fractionation vapor stream 235 can be passed directly to another, separate, inlet of the first gas / liquid separator 150. The definitive choice for where the supplementary vapor stream of fractionation will be supplied to the first gas / liquid separator can be determined by the composition and temperature of the supplementary fractionation vapor stream 235, such as the compressed spontaneous gas stream.
    [0045] In a preferred embodiment, the method disclosed herein can be used as part of a liquefaction process for a hydrocarbon supply stream in which, in this case, the multiphase hydrocarbon stream to be treated can be formed by cooling and / or change in pressure in a hydrocarbon supply chain. The hydrocarbon supply stream can be any gas stream suitable for cooling and liquefying, but it is usually a stream of natural gas obtained from natural gas or oil reservoirs. As an alternative, the hydrocarbon supply stream can also be obtained from another source, which also includes a synthetic source such as a Fischer-Tropsch process.
    [0046] Usually a natural gas stream is a hydrocarbon composition that comprises substantially methane. Preferably the hydrocarbon supply stream comprises at least 50 mol% of methane, more preferably at least 80 mol% of methane.
    [0047] Hydrocarbon compositions like natural gas can also contain non-hydrocarbons like H2O, N2, CO2, Hg, H2S, and other sulfurous components, and the like. If desired, natural gas can be pre-treated before cooling and any liquefaction. This pre-treatment can comprise reduction and / or removal of unwanted components such as CO2 and H2S or other steps such as early cooling, pre-pressurization or the like. As these steps are well known to people more versed in the technique, their mechanisms will no longer be discussed here.
    [0048] Therefore, the term "hydrocarbon supply chain" can also include a composition prior to any treatment, such as treatment that includes cleaning, dehydration and / or absorption, as well as any composition that has been partially, substantially or totally treated for the reduction and / or removal of one or more components or substances, which includes but is not limited to sulfur, sulfurous components, carbon dioxide, water, Hg, and one or more C2 + hydrocarbons.
    [0049] Depending on the source, natural gas may contain varying amounts of hydrocarbons heavier than methane such as, in particular, ethanes, propanes and butanes, and possibly lesser amounts of pentanes and aromatic hydrocarbons. The composition varies depending on the type and location of the gas.
    [0050] Conventionally, hydrocarbons heavier than methane are removed in various proportions from the hydrocarbon supply stream before liquefaction for various reasons, such as different freezing or liquefaction temperatures that can cause parts of a plant to be blocked methane liquefaction or to achieve a desired specification for the liquefied product. C2 + hydrocarbons can be separated, or their content reduced, from the hydrocarbon supply stream by a demethanizer, which will provide a top hydrocarbon stream that is rich in methane and a methane-poor bottom product stream that comprises C2 + hydrocarbons. The poor methane bottom product stream can then be passed through other separators to provide Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) and condensate streams.
    [0051] After separation, the hydrocarbon stream hitherto produced can be further cooled, preferably liquefied. Cooling can be provided by several methods known in the art. The hydrocarbon stream is passed against one or more refrigerant currents in one or more refrigerant circuits. Such a refrigerant circuit may comprise one or more refrigerant compressors to compress at least partially an evaporated refrigerant stream to provide a compressed refrigerant stream. The compressed refrigerant stream can then be cooled in a cooler, such as an air or water cooler, to supply the coolant stream. Refrigerant compressors can be controlled by one or more gas and / or steam turbines and / or electric motors.
    [0052] The cooling of the hydrocarbon stream can be conducted in one or more stages. Initial cooling, also called pre-cooling or auxiliary cooling, can be conducted using a pre-cooling refrigerant, such as a mixed refrigerant, from a pre-cooling refrigerant circuit, in one or more pre-cooling heat exchanger (s) , to provide a pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream. The pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream is preferably partially liquefied, at a temperature such as below 0 ° C.
    [0053] Preferably, such pre-cooling heat exchangers may comprise a pre-cooling stage, with any subsequent cooling conducted in one or more main heat exchanger (s) to liquefy a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream in one or more main cooling stages and / or sub-coolers.
    [0054] In this way, two or more cooling stages can be involved, each stage having one or more stages, parts etc ... For example, each cooling stage can contain from one to five heat exchangers. A stream of hydrocarbon and / or refrigerant, or part, may not pass through all, and / or through the same heat exchangers of a cooling stage.
    [0055] In one embodiment, the hydrocarbon can be cooled and liquefied in a method that comprises two or three stages of cooling. A pre-cooling stage is preferably intended to reduce the temperature of the hydrocarbon supply stream to below 0 ° C, usually in the range of -20 ° C to -70 ° C.
    [0056] A main cooling stage is preferably separated from the pre-cooling stage. That is, the main cooling stage comprises one or more main heat exchanger (s). A main cooling stage is preferably intended to reduce the temperature of a hydrocarbon stream, usually at least a fraction of the hydrocarbon stream cooled by the pre-cooling stage, to less than -100 ° C.
    [0057] Heat exchangers for use as two or more pre-cooling heat exchangers or any major heat exchangers are well known in the art. Pre-cooling heat exchangers are preferably ring and tube heat exchangers.
    [0058] At least one of any of the main heat exchangers is preferably a coiled coiled cryogenic heat exchanger known in the art. Optionally, a heat exchanger may comprise one or more cooling sections within its ring, and each cooling section may be considered as a cooling stage or a separate “heat exchanger” for other cooling locations.
    [0059] In another embodiment, one or both of the pre-cooling refrigerant streams and any main refrigerant stream can be passed through one or more heat exchanger (s), preferably two or more of the main and pre-heat exchangers cooling systems described above, to provide cooled cooling currents.
    [0060] If the refrigerant is a refrigerant mixed in a refrigerant mixer circuit, such as a pre-cooling refrigerant circuit or any main refrigerant circuit, it can be formed from a mixture of two or more components selected from a group comprising: nitrogen , methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butanes, pentanes, etc. One or more other refrigerants can be used separately or in overlapping refrigerant circuits or other cooling circuits.
    [0061] The pre-cooling refrigerant circuit may comprise a mixture of pre-cooling refrigerants. The main refrigerant circuit can comprise a mixture of main refrigerant. A refrigerant mixture or a mixed refrigerant stream as referred to herein comprises at least 5 mol% of two different components. More preferably, the refrigerant mixture comprises two or more of the group comprising: nitrogen, methane, ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, butanes and pentanes.
    [0062] A common composition for a pre-cooling refrigerant mixture may be: Methane (C1) 0-20% by mol Ethane (C2) 5-80% by mol Propane (C3) 5-80% by mol Butanes (C4 ) 0-15 mol%
    [0063] The total composition comprises 100 mol%.
    [0064] A common composition for a main refrigerant mixture for cooling can be: Nitrogen 0-10 mol% Methane (C1) 30-70% mol Ethane (C2) 30-70% mol Propane (C3) 0-30 mol% Butanes (C4) 0-15 mol%
    [0065] The total composition comprises 100 mol%.
    [0066] In another embodiment, the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream, such as a pre-cooled stream of natural gas can be further cooled to provide at least partially, preferably totally, a liquefied hydrocarbon stream, such as an LNG stream. Additional cooling can be conducted in a main cooling stage. Preferably, the treated liquid hydrocarbon stream provided by the method and apparatus described herein can be stored in one or more storage tanks. The fully liquefied hydrocarbon stream is preferably subcooled. Additional cooling, that is, inside the main cooling stage or in a separate subcooling stage, can therefore comprise the subcooling of the liquefied hydrocarbon stream.
    [0067] After liquefaction, at least partially, preferably totally, the liquefied hydrocarbon stream can be expanded to provide the multiphase hydrocarbon stream that can be further processed according to the method and apparatus described herein.
    [0068] Figure 2 shows a second embodiment of an apparatus in which a pressurized hydrocarbon supply stream 85 is treated, cooled, at least partially liquefied and expanded, to provide the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 used in the treatment method disclosed herein. Described in more detail, the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 can be provided by the steps of: - providing at least partially, preferably totally, a liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115; and - expanding, at least partially, preferably fully, the liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 in one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion device (s) 120, 140, to provide the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 in the form of an expanded hydrocarbon stream .
    [0069] The at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 can be provided by the steps of: - providing a hydrocarbon supply stream 105; - separating the hydrocarbon supply stream 105 into a high pressure fuel gas stream 107 and a continuous hydrocarbon stream 108; - at least partially, preferably totally, liquefy the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 by cooling at least part of the direct stream 108 in one or more heat exchanger (s) 110a, 110b, to provide at least partially, preferably totally, a current of liquefied hydrocarbon 115.
    [0070] The high pressure fuel gas stream 107 may have, one or both, a nitrogen content lower than 15 mol% and a pressure greater than 15 bar (1.5 MPa). The high pressure fuel gas stream 107 may suitably be passed to one or more high pressure fuel gas consumer (s) 300, such as gas turbines.
    [0071] A feed stream separating device 80 can be provided to separate hydrocarbon supply stream 105 into a continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 and a high pressure combustible gas stream 107. The feed stream separator 80 it may suitably have an inlet 78 for the hydrocarbon supply stream 105, a first outlet 81 for the high pressure fuel gas stream 107 and a second outlet 82 for the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108.
    [0072] In certain embodiments, the at least partially, preferably totally, liquefaction step may comprise: - pre-cooling at least part of the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 in one or more pre-cooling heat exchanger (s) 110a against a pre-cooling refrigerant in a pre-cooling refrigerant circuit to provide a pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113; and - at least partially, preferably totally, liquefy at least part 113b of the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113 in one or more main cooling heat exchanger (s) 110b, against a main cooling refrigerant being circulated in a refrigerant circuit. main cooling, to provide at least partially, preferably totally, a liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115. These modalities may additionally comprise the steps of: - passing a part 113b of the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113 to a fuel gas heat exchanger 210 as the heating current 355; - cooling said part 113b of the hydrocarbon stream against the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 to provide a cooled process stream 365; - passing the cooled process stream 365 to one of one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices 120, 140.
    [0073] Therefore, the apparatus may comprise one or more cooling stage (s) 110 to cool and at least partially, preferably totally, liquefy the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 to supply at least partially, preferably totally, the liquefied hydrocarbon stream. 115. Said (s) one or more cooling stages may (s) suitably have an input 109 for the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 in fluid communication with the second output 82 of the supply current separating device 80 and an output 112 for the at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 connected with an inlet 118 of one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion device (s) 120, 140.
    [0074] The hydrocarbon supply stream 85, which can be a stream of natural gas, is supplied as a pressurized stream, usually at a pressure in the range of 30 to 90 bar (3 to 9 MPa). The hydrocarbon supply stream 85 can be passed through an acid gas removal unit 90. The acid gas removal unit 90 lowers the content of acid gases such as carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulphide in the hydrocarbon supply stream 85 by methods known to provide a treated hydrocarbon stream 95.
    [0075] The treated hydrocarbon stream 95, which will be exhausted from acid gases, can then be passed to a Natural Gas Liquids (LGN) extraction unit 100, optionally via a dryer (not shown). In the LNG 100 extraction unit, at least a portion of any of the natural gas liquids, such as propane, butanes and pentanes, together with heavier hydrocarbons, can be removed, for example, using one or more wash columns or columns fractionation. The LNG extraction unit 100 supplies the hydrocarbon supply chain 105, which can be exhausted from natural gas liquids.
    [0076] Figure 2 shows the hydrocarbon supply stream 105 being passed to inlet 78 of the feed stream separating device 80, in which it is separated into a high pressure fuel gas stream 107 at a first outlet 81 and in a continuous hydrocarbon stream at a second outlet 82.
    [0077] In an alternative embodiment not shown in Figure 2, the high pressure fuel gas stream 107 can be removed from the hydrocarbon supply stream 85 and / or the treated hydrocarbon stream 95 instead of the hydrocarbon supply stream 105 The bleeding point for the high pressure fuel gas stream 107 will be determined by the composition of the hydrocarbon mixture. For example, if the hydrocarbon mixture is naturally low in acid gases, the high pressure fuel gas stream 107 can be removed from hydrocarbon supply stream 85 and the pressure reduced in a device such as valve 106 provided in pipeline 107 , to meet the desired requirements for a high pressure fuel.
    [0078] Alternatively (not shown), the high pressure fuel gas stream can be drawn from the LNG extraction unit 100 at a low pressure if the LNG extraction unit is operated at a low pressure. In this way, it can be avoided to waste energy to unnecessarily recompress the portion of the hydrocarbon supply stream 105 that will be extracted as a combustible gas.
    [0079] The high pressure fuel gas stream 107 can then be passed to a high pressure fuel gas network, or as shown in Figure 2 directly to one or more high pressure fuel gas consumers 300, such as gas turbines . Gas turbines can mechanically control electrical generators for energy production, or more preferably mechanically control compressors, such as those present in a refrigerant circuit. The continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 from the second outlet 82 of the feed stream separating device 80, can then be passed to a cooling and liquefaction unit 110, where it is cooled and at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied. Liquefaction unit 110 provides at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 at first outlet 112. Such liquefaction units are well known in the art, for example, in US Patent No. 6,370,910.
    [0080] The liquefaction unit 110 shown in Figure 2 comprises a first and a second cooling stage (s). The first cooling stage comprises one or more pre-cooling heat exchanger (s) 110a, which cools the continuous hydrocarbon stream 108 against a pre-cooling refrigerant in a pre-cooling refrigerant circuit (not shown). The one or more precooling heat exchanger (s) 110a supplies the cooled hydrocarbon stream 113.
    [0081] The cooled hydrocarbon stream 113 can be passed to a pre-cooled stream separating device 70, where it can optionally be separated into a (continued) part of the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113b and a process stream to be used as a heating current 355.
    [0082] The pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113, or part of the pre-cooled continuous hydrocarbon stream 113b, is passed to a second cooling stage. The second cooling stage comprises one or more main cooling heat exchanger (s) 110b, which at least partially, preferably totally, liquefies the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113, or at least the continued part of the associated 113b, against a main cooling refrigerant in a main cooling refrigerant circuit (not shown). The one or more main cooling heat exchanger (s) 110b provides at least partially, preferably totally, a liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115.
    [0083] In an alternative embodiment, the LNG extraction unit 100 can be located somewhere in liquefaction unit 110 instead of upstream of this unit as shown in Figure 2. In such a case, the device for separating the supply 80 can also be located in liquefaction unit 110. The LNG extraction unit 100 as well as the supply chain separation device 80, both can preferably be located upstream from where the total condensation of the supply chain is reached. A good place would typically be upstream of the second cooling stage.
    [0084] The at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 can be passed to an inlet 118 of one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices 120, 140, such as one or more serial expansion devices that sequentially reduce the chain pressure to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 via outlet 142. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the at least partially, preferably totally, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 can be passed to a first hydrocarbon stream expansion device 120, which can be a turbine, in which it is dynamically expanded to supply the expanded hydrocarbon stream 125. The energy released in the dynamic expansion of the at least partially, preferably fully, liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 in the first expansion device 120 can be recovered , for example, in an electric generator mechanically controls 130 or on another device such as a compressor (not shown).
    The expanded hydrocarbon stream 125 can then be passed to an expanded hydrocarbon stream separator device 60 to provide a trailed hydrocarbon stream 305 and expanded (continuous) hydrocarbon stream 125b. The expanded (continuous) hydrocarbon stream 125b can then be passed through a second expansion device, such as a Joule-Thomson valve, in which it is expanded to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145.
    [0086] In the embodiment of Figure 2, the heating current 355, after having been cooled in the fuel gas heat exchanger 210 to supply the cooled heating current 365, is suitable to form part of the current 145. In such a case, after appropriate depressurization, for example, in a Joule Thomson 121 expander or device, the cooled heating stream 365 can be injected into the expanded (continuous) hydrocarbon stream 125b to be sent to the second hydrocarbon stream expansion device 140 as already discussed. In some embodiments, it may be beneficial to recombine the cooled heating stream 365 with the liquefied hydrocarbon stream 115 upstream of the expansion device 120 so that these streams can be expanded together.
    [0087] In the embodiment of Figure 2, heating current 355 is supplied in the form of drag current removed from the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream 113 by the pre-cooled stream separating device 70. Meanwhile, the heating stream it can also be obtained at different pressures from other sources, which includes but is not limited to the LNG 100 extraction unit or a fractionation chain (not shown) that is typically installed to fractionate the produced LNG obtained from the LNG unit extraction of LNG 100.
    [0088] In a different group of modalities, the pre-cooled hydrocarbon stream may not be separated in its entirety when the heating stream 355 consists of an entirely different process stream such as a refrigerant stream (by drag) or an intermediate stream of refrigerant.
    [0089] The multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145 can be passed to a first inlet 148 of the first gas / liquid separator 150a, in which it is separated into fractions of vapor and liquid, in a manner similar to the one in Figure 1. The current of steam from the first separator 205 leaves the top of the first gas / liquid separator 150a via a first outlet 151, there. The bottom product stream of the first separator 155a, which is a liquid stream, exits via a second outlet 152 next to or at the bottom of the first gas / liquid separator 150a. A combined fractionation vapor stream 185a is passed to the first gas / liquid separator 150a through a second inlet 149 which is located gravitationally lower than the first inlet 148. The second inlet 149 may be above the second outlet 152.
    [0090] The expanded hydrocarbon trail current 305 is further expanded, for example, using a Joule Thomson 310 valve, and therefore the further expanded hydrocarbon trail current 315 is passed through a reflux condenser 320 to recondense some of the vapors at the top of the first gas / liquid separator 150a. The reflux condenser can be located at a level between the first inlet 148 and the first outlet 151, to provide reflux to improve the separation of the lighter components from the multiphase hydrocarbon stream. As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, an external reflux condenser can be used instead of the internal condenser 320.
    The even more expanded hydrocarbon drag current 315 is heated in capacitor 320 which provides a heated hydrocarbon drag current 325, which can be passed to the (expanded) bottom product stream of the first separator 155b. The (expanded) bottom product stream of the first separator 155b which carries the heated hydrocarbon from the heated hydrocarbon entrainment stream 325 can be passed to the inlet 158 of the second gas / liquid separator 160 as a combined stream 155c. Reference is made to Figure 1 and its description above, for a description of the streams taken from the second gas / liquid separator 160 and its subsequent processes.
    [0092] Returning to the first gas / liquid separator 150a, it can comprise two zones with means of improving contact (154a, 164a), for example, formed by trays and / or gaskets to improve the separation and the rejection of nitrogen. The first zone of the two zones is located between the first inlet 148 and the second inlet 149 similarly to the modality of Figure 1. A second zone of the two zones 156a is located between the first outlet 151 for the hydrocarbon vapor stream 205 of the first separator and first inlet 148 for multiphase hydrocarbon stream 145. Second zone 156a should be below condenser 320, or below inlet means for reflux provided by condensation of hydrocarbon vapor in condenser 320.
    [0093] The hydrocarbon vapor stream from the first separator 205 leaving the first outlet 151 can be passed to the fuel gas heat exchanger 210 where it is heated against the heating stream 355, to supply the low fuel gas stream. pressure 215 and cooled heating current 365. If the heating current is supplied in the form of a process current, a portion of the cooling energy from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator can therefore be used to cool the cooling stream. process, allowing the diversion of one or more main heat exchanger (s) 110b, improving thermal efficiency.
    [0094] As already discussed above, the heating current 355 can also be a process current in the form of a refrigerant current, such as a pre-cooling and / or refrigerant current for the main cooling. In this case, a portion of the cooling energy from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator 205 can be returned to one or both of the cooling stages 110, by cooling the refrigerant.
    [0095] The advantages of the method and the devices disclosed here will be realized from the following, but not limiting example. EXAMPLE
    [0096] This Example provides a comparison of the nitrogen content of various streams produced from the natural gas hydrocarbon supply stream 105 according to the drawing in Figure 2, with three comparative examples calculated according to the modality in Figure 3 of US 2008/0066493 commented above.
    [0097] The nitrogen contents of a hydrocarbon supply stream 105, composed of natural gas, of the high and low pressure fuel gas streams 107, 215 respectively, of the vaporization gas stream 195 and the LNG stream 165 are calculated, together with the additional data for the drawing in Figure 2, revealed here and which are presented in the Table below in the “Invention” column.
    [0098] In the embodiment of Figure 3 of US 2008/0066493, the high pressure fuel gas stream is supplied by the conduit 34a, from the top 25 of the top 10u of the column 10 'after the heat exchanger and the compression combined with the top product 42 of the rapid vaporization vessel 101 after the heat exchanger and compression. It is emphasized that the duct 33, which emerges in isolation, forms the heat exchange and compression of the top product 25 of the upper part 10u of the column 10 ', is not capable of supplying sufficient high pressure for the combustible gas, in such a way that, when instead, it is removed from conduit 34a in this comparison. In the absence of a test valve in pipeline 34, conduits 33 and 34a will be in fluid communication.
    [0099] US 2008/0066493 does not disclose a corresponding low pressure fuel gas stream. For the purposes of this comparison, a low pressure fuel gas stream was assumed to have been extracted from the conduit 25 that carries the top product from the top 10u of the column 10 '. The gas flow boiler is found in flue 22.
    [00100] The data calculated according to the modifications to the drawing in Figure 3 of US 2008/0066493 are shown in the Table below in the columns “Comp. 1 "," Comp. 2 ", and" Comp. 3 ”. “Comp. 1 ”represents a comparison with the method according to Figure 2 disclosed here is performed at the same production speed as the natural gas supply stream, low pressure fuel stream, high pressure fuel stream from the vaporization gas stream , and LNG stream.
    [00101] It is perceived from the Table below that the method and apparatus disclosed herein provide nitrogen rejection to the low pressure fuel gas stream 215, and at the same time produce a LNG stream 165 and a high pressure fuel gas stream 107 having an acceptable low nitrogen content. TABLE Inv. Comp. 1 Comp. 2 Comp. 3 N2 fractional mol natural gas supply chain 0.056 0.056 0.056 0.056 N2 fractional HP fuel gas supply chain 0.056 0.248 0.285 0.288 N2 fractional LP fuel gas supply chain 0.805 0.418 0.409 0.445 Fractional BOG current in mol of N2 0.223 0.154 0.141 0.154 Liquid hydrocarbon stream treated with fraction of mol in N2 0.009 0.006 0.005 0.006 Low pressure fuel gas stream in heating value 64 234 65 64 kW / tpd LNG) 14.8 14.2 14.4 14.3 Net power / (kW / tpd LNG) 14.6 13.9 14.1 14.1 Production 340 Days of current / MTPA 3.60 3, 60 3.56 3.60
    [00102] The person most skilled in the art will understand that the present invention can be implemented in various ways without deviating from the scope of the appended claims.
    权利要求:
    Claims (17)
    [0001]
    1. Method for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) to provide a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream (165), the method comprising at least the following steps of: - producing a multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) from natural gas , the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) comprising a steam phase and a liquid phase; - passing the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) to a first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a); - separating the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) in the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) at a first pressure to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator (205), which comprises hydrocarbons and nitrogen, and a stream of bottom product of the first separator (155a); - separating the bottom product stream from the first separator (155a) into a second gas / liquid separator (160) at a second pressure to provide a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator (175) and a treated liquid hydrocarbon stream ( 165) in the form of LNG, where the second pressure is lower than the first pressure; - compressing the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator (175) in a top product stream compressor (180) to provide a fractionating steam stream (185); and - passing the fractionation vapor stream (185) to the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) at a gravitationally lower level than the level at which the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) is passed to the first separator gas / liquid (150, 150a); characterized by the fact that the method additionally comprises: - deriving a low pressure fuel gas stream (215) from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205); - passing the low pressure fuel gas stream (215) to a combustion device (220) at a fuel gas pressure no greater than the pressure of the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205).
    [0002]
    Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the compression of the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator (175) by the top product stream compressor (180) provides the fractionation steam stream (185) in a third pressure, which is equal to or greater than the first pressure.
    [0003]
    Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the liquid hydrocarbon stream treated (165) in the form of LNG is passed to a cryogenic storage tank (170).
    [0004]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the first pressure of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) is equal to or greater than the pressure of the combustible gas and the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205) nor the low pressure fuel gas stream (215) are compressed before being used in the combustion device (220).
    [0005]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the combustion device (220) is selected from a group consisting of an oven, a boiler, a dual-fuel diesel engine.
    [0006]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the step of deriving the low pressure fuel gas stream (215) from the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205) comprises the step of : - heat the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205) against a heating stream in a combustible gas heat exchanger (210) to supply the low pressure combustible gas stream (215) and a cooled heating stream (365).
    [0007]
    7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the step of producing a multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas comprises: - cooling a part of the natural gas as the heating stream (35) in the heat exchanger of the fuel gas (210) against the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205), to supply the cooled heating stream (365) in the form of a cooled process stream.
    [0008]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator (205) comprises between 30 mol% to 95 mol% of nitrogen, and / or has a pressure in the range of 2 to 15 bar (0.2 to 1.5 MPa).
    [0009]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the treated liquid hydrocarbon stream (165) contains less than 1 mol% of nitrogen.
    [0010]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the step of producing the multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas comprises cooling and / or changing the pressure of natural gas.
    [0011]
    Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the step of producing the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) from natural gas comprises: - supplying a hydrocarbon supply stream (105) to from a stream of high pressure natural gas; - extracting a continuous hydrocarbon stream (108) from the hydrocarbon supply stream (105); - passing the direct current (108) to a cooling and liquefaction unit (110) where it is cooled and at least partly liquefied to provide at least one partly liquefied hydrocarbon stream (115); - passing the partially liquefied hydrocarbon stream (115) to an inlet (118) of at least one hydrocarbon stream expansion device (120, 140) where the pressure of the partially liquefied hydrocarbon stream (115) is reduced to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145).
    [0012]
    Method according to claim 11, characterized in that it further comprises: - separating the hydrocarbon supply stream (105) into a high pressure fuel gas stream (107) and the continuous hydrocarbon stream (108), in the which the high pressure fuel gas stream (107), has one, or both, of a nitrogen content lower than 15 mol% and a pressure higher than 15 bar (1.5 MPa).
    [0013]
    13. Apparatus for treating a multiphase hydrocarbon stream comprising a liquid phase and a steam phase to provide a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated in the form of LNG, the apparatus at least comprising: - means for producing a multiphase hydrocarbon stream from natural gas, means comprising at least one liquefaction unit (110) and one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices (120, 140); - a first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) arranged to receive the multiphase hydrocarbon stream (145) and separate it into a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the first separator, which comprises hydrocarbons and nitrogen, and a product stream of bottom of the first separator, the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) having a first inlet (148) to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream in the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a), a first outlet (151) to discharge the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the first separator from the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a), a second outlet (152) to discharge the bottom product stream from the first separator from the first gas / liquid separator (150 , 150a) and a second inlet (149), located at a gravitationally lower level than said first inlet (148), to supply the fractionation vapor stream in the first gas / liquid separator (150, 15 0a); - a second gas / liquid separator (160) arranged to receive the bottom product stream and separate it into a stream of hydrocarbon vapor from the second separator and into a liquid hydrocarbon stream treated in the form of LNG, the second gas separator / liquid (160) having a first inlet (158) in fluid communication with the second outlet (152) of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a), to feed the bottom product stream of the first separator in the second gas / separator liquid (160), a first outlet (161) to discharge the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator from the second gas / liquid separator (160) and a second outlet (162) to discharge the treated liquid hydrocarbon stream from the second gas / liquid separator (160); - a device for expanding the bottom product stream (200) disposed between the second outlet (152) of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) and the first inlet (158) of the second gas / liquid separator (160), to reduce the pressure of the bottom product stream of the first separator; and - a top product stream compressor (180) for compressing the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the second separator to supply the fractionation stream, the top product stream compressor (180) having a fluid communication input with the first outlet (161) of the second gas / liquid separator (160) to receive the hydrocarbon vapor stream from the second separator, and an output in fluid communication with the second inlet (149) of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) to discharge the fractionation vapor stream; characterized by the fact that the apparatus additionally comprises: - a combustion device (220) operating with combustible gas at a pressure no greater than the pressure of the hydrocarbon vapor stream of the first separator, the combustion device (220) arranged to receive the low pressure fuel gas derived from the hydrocarbon stream of the first separator.
    [0014]
    Apparatus according to claim 13, characterized in that one or more devices for expanding the hydrocarbon stream (120, 140) are (are) connected (s) downstream of the liquefaction unit (110), to expand a at least partially liquefied hydrocarbon stream discharged from the liquefaction unit (110), to supply the multiphase hydrocarbon stream, the one or more hydrocarbon stream expansion devices (120, 140) having an inlet (118) to receive the stream at least partially liquefied hydrocarbon and an outlet (142) for discharging the multiphase hydrocarbon stream, where the outlet (142) is connected to the first inlet (148) of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a).
    [0015]
    Apparatus according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that it additionally comprises a cryogenic storage tank (170) for receiving the treated liquid hydrocarbon stream from the second gas / liquid separator (160).
    [0016]
    Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 15, characterized in that there is no compressor between the first outlet (151) of the first gas / liquid separator (150, 150a) and the combustion device (220).
    [0017]
    Apparatus according to any one of claims 13 to 16, characterized in that the combustion device (220) is selected from a group consisting of an oven, a boiler, a dual-fuel diesel engine.
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    同族专利:
    公开号 | 公开日
    AU2010275307A1|2012-01-19|
    BR112012001046A2|2020-07-28|
    EP2457046A2|2012-05-30|
    WO2011009832A2|2011-01-27|
    JP5730302B2|2015-06-10|
    CA2767369C|2017-10-24|
    RU2554736C2|2015-06-27|
    JP2013503314A|2013-01-31|
    KR20120040700A|2012-04-27|
    AU2010275307B2|2013-12-19|
    WO2011009832A3|2014-04-03|
    RU2012106137A|2013-08-27|
    CA2767369A1|2011-01-27|
    CN102782430A|2012-11-14|
    US20120167617A1|2012-07-05|
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    法律状态:
    2020-08-11| B06F| Objections, documents and/or translations needed after an examination request according [chapter 6.6 patent gazette]|
    2020-08-25| B06U| Preliminary requirement: requests with searches performed by other patent offices: procedure suspended [chapter 6.21 patent gazette]|
    2020-12-08| B09A| Decision: intention to grant [chapter 9.1 patent gazette]|
    2021-02-23| B16A| Patent or certificate of addition of invention granted|Free format text: PRAZO DE VALIDADE: 10 (DEZ) ANOS CONTADOS A PARTIR DE 23/02/2021, OBSERVADAS AS CONDICOES LEGAIS. |
    优先权:
    申请号 | 申请日 | 专利标题
    EP09165993|2009-07-21|
    EP09165993.8|2009-07-21|
    PCT/EP2010/060409|WO2011009832A2|2009-07-21|2010-07-19|Method for treating a multi-phase hydrocarbon stream and an apparatus therefor|
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