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US20180363977A1 - Process for removing nitrogen from natural gas - Google Patents

Process for removing nitrogen from natural gas Download PDF

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Publication number
US20180363977A1
US20180363977A1 US15/562,995 US201515562995A US2018363977A1 US 20180363977 A1 US20180363977 A1 US 20180363977A1 US 201515562995 A US201515562995 A US 201515562995A US 2018363977 A1 US2018363977 A1 US 2018363977A1
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Prior art keywords
gas
nitrogen
mol
methane
mixture
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US15/562,995
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English (en)
Inventor
Bertrand Demolliens
Richard Dubettier-Grenier
Ludovic Granados
Julie GRAVE
Michele MURINO
Jean-Marc Peyron
Paul TERRIEN
Marie-Pascal Victor
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LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
Original Assignee
LAir Liquide SA pour lEtude et lExploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
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Assigned to L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude reassignment L'Air Liquide, Société Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procédés Georges Claude ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: GRAVE, Julie, TERRIEN, PAUL, DEMOLLIENS, Bertrand, GRANADOS, LUDOVIC, VICTOR, MARIE-PASCAL, MURINO, Michele, PEYRON, JEAN-MARC, DUBETTIER-GRENIER, RICHARD
Publication of US20180363977A1 publication Critical patent/US20180363977A1/en
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    • 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
    • F25J3/0209—Natural gas or substitute natural 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
    • 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
    • F25J3/0238—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 2 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
    • F25J3/0257—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 nitrogen
    • 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
    • F25J3/028—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 noble gases
    • F25J3/029—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 noble gases of helium
    • 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
    • F25J2200/04—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual 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
    • F25J2200/04—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system
    • F25J2200/06—Processes or apparatus using separation by rectification in a dual pressure main column system in a classical double column flow-sheet, i.e. with thermal coupling by a main reboiler-condenser in the bottom of low pressure respectively top of high pressure column
    • 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
    • F25J2200/70—Refluxing the column with a condensed part of the feed stream, i.e. fractionator top is stripped or self-rectified
    • 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
    • F25J2200/78—Refluxing the column with a liquid stream originating from an upstream or downstream fractionator column
    • 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
    • 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
    • F25J2215/00—Processes characterised by the type or other details of the product stream
    • F25J2215/02—Mixing or blending of fluids to yield a certain product
    • 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
    • F25J2215/42—Nitrogen or special cases, e.g. multiple or low purity N2
    • 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
    • F25J2240/00—Processes or apparatus involving steps for expanding of process streams
    • F25J2240/02—Expansion of a process fluid in a work-extracting turbine (i.e. isentropic expansion), e.g. of the feed stream

Definitions

  • cryogenic separation The most widely used method for separating nitrogen and the hydrocarbons heavier than methane is “cryogenic separation”.
  • a cryogenic nitrogen separation process more specifically a process that uses a double column, is described in patent application U.S. Pat. No. 4,778,498.
  • the units for removing nitrogen from natural gas in general treat gases which originate directly from wells at a high pressure. After removal of the nitrogen, the treated gas must be returned to the network, often at a pressure close to the pressure at which it entered it.
  • the natural gas contains nitrogen, there is a risk of again having a natural gas with too low a calorific value due to the resulting low content of C2, C3, etc. It is therefore typical to then have to separate the nitrogen from this gas in order to render it marketable.
  • a first unit carries out the separation of the NGLs (subsequently referred to as NGL unit) whilst a second unit separates the nitrogen from the natural gas (subsequently referred to as NRU unit).
  • the inventors of the present invention have then developed a solution that makes it possible to resolve the problems raised above.
  • the subject of the present invention is a process for separating the components of a gas mixture to be treated comprising methane, nitrogen and at least one hydrocarbon having at least two carbon atoms, or a mixture of these hydrocarbons, comprising the following steps:
  • step d) treating said gas from step d) in a nitrogen removal system in order to produce a gas stream comprising 5 mol % at most of nitrogen and a gaseous nitrogen stream comprising at most 8 mol % of methane;
  • the operating temperature between steps b) and c) does not exceed ⁇ 50° C. and the gas is reheated to a temperature above ⁇ 10° C. before being cooled to a temperature below ⁇ 50° C. in said nitrogen removal system.
  • one subject of the present invention relates to a process for separating the components of a gas mixture to be treated comprising methane, nitrogen and at least one hydrocarbon having at least two carbon atoms, or a mixture of these hydrocarbons, comprising the following steps:
  • the process that is the subject of the present invention comprises at least the following features:
  • step a) comprises the following steps:
  • step e) of treating said gas from step d) in a nitrogen removal system produces a gas stream comprising 5 mol % at most of nitrogen and a gaseous nitrogen stream comprising at most 2 mol % of methane.
  • step d) comprises between 10 mol % and 90 mol % of nitrogen.
  • liquid extracted from the methane removal column during step b) comprises at least 90 mol % of the hydrocarbons having at least two carbon atoms and preferably at least 95 mol %.
  • said gas mixture to be treated comprises 70 mol % of methane, at least 4 mol % of nitrogen and 2 mol % of hydrocarbons having at least two carbon atoms.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present invention.
  • a stream 1 of natural gas previously pretreated (separation of water, of CO 2 , of methanol, of very heavy hydrocarbons, that is to say having more than six or seven carbon atoms (such as C8+ hydrocarbons for example) comprising at least 30 mol % of methane, 0.1 mol % of hydrocarbons heavier than methane (that is to say comprising at least two carbon atoms) and 4 mol % of nitrogen is introduced into a system 2 enabling an at least partial condensation of said stream 1 .
  • the system 2 is for example a heat exchanger.
  • the mixture 3 leaving this system 2 is in a two-phase (gas and liquid) state.
  • This mixture 3 is introduced into a phase separator vessel 4 .
  • a methane removal unit is understood to mean any system comprising at least one distillation column for enriching the overhead gas with methane and depleting the bottom liquid of methane.
  • At least one portion of the gas phase (one portion only typically) 8 from the separator vessel 4 is expanded by means of a turbine 9 .
  • the stream from the turbine 9 is introduced into the column 7 at a higher stage 10 than the stage where the liquid 5 leaving the valve 6 is introduced.
  • a liquid stream 12 of heavier hydrocarbons than methane is recovered in the bottom portion 16 of the column 7 .
  • a reboiler 11 is placed at a level that makes it possible to reboil the bottom liquid from the column 7 in order to reheat a portion of the liquid of said column for the purpose of adjusting the maximum limit of methane contained in the stream 12 of heavy hydrocarbons.
  • At least 50 mol % (typically, at least 85 mol %) of the heavy hydrocarbons present in the gas mixture 1 to be treated are recovered in this stream 12 . Preferably at least 90% are recovered.
  • a methane-enriched gas stream 15 typically containing less than 0.5 mol % of hydrocarbons having more than two carbon atoms (containing at most half of the amount of heavy hydrocarbons—having more than 2 carbon atoms—present in the feed gas) is extracted.
  • the temperature of the gas stream 15 is below ⁇ 80° C.
  • the cold may be recovered by condensing a methane-enriched gas under pressure.
  • This condensation is carried out owing to a heat exchanger 17 fed both with a portion of the gas stream 8 from the separator vessel 4 and with the methane-enriched gas stream 15 from the top 14 of the methane removal column 7 .
  • a two-phase (gas-liquid) stream 22 emerges (comprising from 20 to 80 mol % of gas).
  • the two-phase stream 22 is, after a possible expansion in a valve or a turbine 23 , introduced into a phase separator vessel 25 .
  • the liquid phase 29 resulting from the phase separator vessel 25 is, after a possible expansion in a valve (not represented in the figure), reheated through heat exchangers 27 then 21 and finally 2 in order to rejoin the outlet stream 30 of methane-rich gas produced at the outlet of the process.
  • the outlet stream 30 contains less than 5 mol % of nitrogen.
  • the gas phase 26 resulting from the separator vessel 25 is partially condensed in a heat exchanger 27 then expanded on leaving said exchanger 27 by means of a turbine or a valve before being introduced into a distillation column 31 .
  • the distillation column 31 is a nitrogen “stripping” column, the purpose of which is to separate the nitrogen from the methane-enriched outlet liquid, also referred to as nitrogen removal column.
  • the methane-enriched liquid comprises less than 5 mol % of nitrogen. It is a question here of a distillation column connected to a reboiler 32 but not having an associated condenser system.
  • a very methane-rich stream 33 in liquid form is extracted.
  • This stream 33 contains less than 5 mol % of nitrogen, preferentially less than 4%.
  • the liquid stream 33 is then mixed with the liquid phase 29 resulting from the phase separator vessel 25 and follows the same path to the outlet stream 30 .
  • a portion 32 of the mixed stream containing in part the liquid phase 29 and the liquid 33 and reheated through the heat exchanger 27 is recycled to the bottom part 34 of the nitrogen removal column 31 .
  • a nitrogen-rich gas stream 36 At the top 35 of column 31 , a nitrogen-rich gas stream 36 , at a temperature below ⁇ 110° C., is produced. Said nitrogen-rich stream 36 comprises at least 20 mol % of nitrogen.
  • the nitrogen-rich stream 36 is reheated through successive exchangers 27 , 21 then 2 .
  • These may be one and the same exchanger according to one particular embodiment of the invention. And according to another particular embodiment of the invention, more than three exchangers may be used.
  • This system B may for example include at least one separator vessel and a nitrogen removal column. If the specification of the nitrogen at the outlet of the system B is strict ( ⁇ 100 ppm typically), it may prove necessary to add a cycle compressor, for example a nitrogen compressor, to the system B in order to provide the reflux needed to obtain the nitrogen purity at the top of the nitrogen removal column of the system B.
  • a cycle compressor for example a nitrogen compressor
  • This partial integration consists in integrating at least a first separator vessel after the methane removal column of the “NGL process”. Recovered from this first separator vessel, in liquid form, will be at least one portion of the natural gas product. This product will be at least partially denitrogenated, making it possible in certain cases to attain the specification in terms of calorific value of the product.
  • a first nitrogen removal column may be integrated into the “NGL part”, this makes it possible to increase the proportion of product at the specification that is directly produced using the nitrogen removal system.
  • NNL part is understood to mean all the steps of the process according to the invention prior to step c).
  • the use of the process according to the invention makes it possible, in addition to improving the reliability of the plant, to optimize the total investment cost by optimizing the number of elements constituting the various units for implementing said process relative to the incoming flow rate in each unit.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Gas Separation By Absorption (AREA)
  • Separation By Low-Temperature Treatments (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Treating Waste Gases (AREA)
US15/562,995 2015-04-01 2015-10-01 Process for removing nitrogen from natural gas Abandoned US20180363977A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR1552780A FR3034427B1 (fr) 2015-04-01 2015-04-01 Procede de desazotation du gaz naturel
FR1552780 2015-04-01
PCT/FR2015/052631 WO2016156674A1 (fr) 2015-04-01 2015-10-01 Procédé de déazotation du gaz naturel

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US20180363977A1 true US20180363977A1 (en) 2018-12-20

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US (1) US20180363977A1 (es)
AU (1) AU2015388735B2 (es)
EA (1) EA201792024A1 (es)
FR (1) FR3034427B1 (es)
MX (1) MX2017012225A (es)
WO (1) WO2016156674A1 (es)

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US20210131729A1 (en) * 2019-10-30 2021-05-06 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US20230021328A1 (en) * 2020-10-30 2023-01-26 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US20250251189A1 (en) * 2024-02-06 2025-08-07 Bcck Holding Company System and Method for Separating Nitrogen from Methane with Ultra-Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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US20040177646A1 (en) * 2003-03-07 2004-09-16 Elkcorp LNG production in cryogenic natural gas processing plants
US20050183452A1 (en) * 2004-02-24 2005-08-25 Hahn Paul R. LNG system with warm nitrogen rejection
EP1715267A1 (en) * 2005-04-22 2006-10-25 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Dual stage nitrogen rejection from liquefied natural gas
US20120017640A1 (en) * 2009-02-19 2012-01-26 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Process for separating off nitrogen

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US3148966A (en) * 1962-08-23 1964-09-15 Phillips Petroleum Co Automatic controls for the liquefaction and separation of gases
US4435198A (en) * 1982-02-24 1984-03-06 Phillips Petroleum Company Separation of nitrogen from natural gas
US4710212A (en) 1986-09-24 1987-12-01 Union Carbide Corporation Process to produce high pressure methane gas
DE10106484A1 (de) * 2001-02-13 2002-08-14 Linde Ag Verfahren zum gleichzeitigen Gewinnen einer Helium- und einer Stickstoff-Reinfraktion

Patent Citations (4)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040177646A1 (en) * 2003-03-07 2004-09-16 Elkcorp LNG production in cryogenic natural gas processing plants
US20050183452A1 (en) * 2004-02-24 2005-08-25 Hahn Paul R. LNG system with warm nitrogen rejection
EP1715267A1 (en) * 2005-04-22 2006-10-25 Air Products And Chemicals, Inc. Dual stage nitrogen rejection from liquefied natural gas
US20120017640A1 (en) * 2009-02-19 2012-01-26 Linde Aktiengesellschaft Process for separating off nitrogen

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20210131729A1 (en) * 2019-10-30 2021-05-06 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US11448461B2 (en) * 2019-10-30 2022-09-20 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US20230021328A1 (en) * 2020-10-30 2023-01-26 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US12344807B2 (en) * 2020-10-30 2025-07-01 Uop Llc Hydrocarbon gas processing
US20250251189A1 (en) * 2024-02-06 2025-08-07 Bcck Holding Company System and Method for Separating Nitrogen from Methane with Ultra-Low Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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FR3034427A1 (fr) 2016-10-07
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FR3034427B1 (fr) 2020-01-03
WO2016156674A1 (fr) 2016-10-06
AU2015388735A1 (en) 2017-11-09
AU2015388735B2 (en) 2020-07-30

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