A method for improved operation of a natural gas liquids stabilizer column, particularly a small-scale, is provided. The method can include the steps of: introducing a first feed stream comprising heavy hydrocarbons and natural gas to a stabilizer column to produce a top gas and a bottoms liquid, wherein the top gas has a higher concentration of natural gas as compared to the first feed stream, and the bottoms liquid has a higher concentration of heavy hydrocarbons as compared to the first feed stream; introducing a second feed stream into the stabilizer column, wherein the second feed stream has a higher concentration of natural gas as compared to the first feed stream, wherein the second feed stream is at a warmer temperature than the first feed stream when introduced into the stabilizer column, wherein the second feed stream is a gaseous stream; withdrawing the top gas from a top portion of the stabilizer column; withdrawing the bottoms liquid from a bottom portion of the stabilizer column; and sending at least a portion of the bottoms liquid to a liquid storage tank.

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for separation of gas mixtures with reduced maintenance costs. The process and the apparatus consist of a feed stream separation stage (1), and a retentate separation stage (2), of which both are membrane separation stages, wherein the first retentate stream (7) is heated to temperature higher than the temperature of the feed stream (5), before it is introduced to the retentate separation stage (2), and the total capacity of the membranes used in the retentate separation stage (2) is higher than the total capacity of the membranes used in the feed stream stage (1).

A method of purifying gaseous mixtures, for example ternary or quaternary gaseous mixtures, using a sorbent media comprising two or more sorbent materials. The method involves obtaining a target gas from a gaseous composition comprising the target gas, a first gas and a second gas, and optionally further gases by contacting the gaseous composition with the sorbent media to remove at least some of the first gas and at least some of the second gas from the gaseous composition. The sorbent media comprises at least a first sorbent material and a second sorbent material; wherein the first sorbent material has a higher adsorption selectivity for the first gas than for the target gas; and wherein the second sorbent material has a higher adsorption selectivity for the second gas than for target gas. The method may be particularly useful for the separation of pure ethylene, methane or propylene from such gaseous mixtures. A sorbent media and an apparatus for obtaining a target gas from such a gaseous composition are also disclosed.

Copper sulfide of the formula Cu.sub.xS.sub.y, wherein x and y are integer or non-integer values, wherein (i) the copper sulfide has a sulfur 2p XPS spectrum with peaks at 162.3 eV (±1 ev), 163.8 eV (±1 ev) and 68.5 eV (±1 ev), characterised in that the peak at 168.5 eV has a lower value of counts per second (CPS) than both the peak at 162.3 eV and the peak at 163.8 eV; and (ii) the copper sulfide has a copper 2p XPS spectrum with peaks at 932.0 eV (±2 ev) and 933.6 eV (±3 eV) and characterised in that the XPS spectrum does not comprise identifiable satellite peaks at 939.8 eV and 943.1 eV (±3 eV).

A carbon molecular sieve (CMS) membrane having improved separation characteristics for separating olefins from their corresponding paraffins is comprised of carbon with at most trace amounts of sulfur and a group 13 metal. The CMS membrane may be made by pyrolyzing a precursor polymer devoid of sulfur in which the precursor polymer has had a group 13 metal incorporated into it, wherein the metal is in a reduced state. The pyrolyzing for the precursor having the group 13 metal incorporated into it is performed in a nonoxidizing atmosphere and at a heating rate and temperature such that the metal in a reduced state (e.g., covalently bonded to carbon or nitrogen or in the metal state).

A system includes a first separator that separates water from a fluid material. The water settles on the bottom of the water knock-out tank. The system includes multiple compressors to boost the pressure of the fluid material. The system includes a second separator that separates condensate from the fluid material. The system includes a mixing pipe that mixes glycol with the fluid material and a first heat exchanger that cools the mixed fluid material and glycol. The system includes a third separator that separates gaseous components and liquid components of the mixed fluid material and glycol and a fourth separator that separates the liquid components of the mixed fluid material and glycol. The system includes a fractional distillation column that heats a first liquid from the fourth separator, gasifying a first portion of the first liquid. A second portion of the first liquid remains liquid and is natural gas liquids.

The invention relates to a process (100) for producing liquefied natural gas using a feedstock mixture that contains at least methane, one or more components boiling at a temperature lower than methane and one or more hydrocarbons boiling at a temperature higher than methane, wherein the hydrocarbon(s) boiling at a temperature higher than methane comprise one or more hydrocarbons freezing at a higher temperature, with a freezing point higher than −50° C. According to the invention the feedstock mixture is fed into a pressure swing adsorption process (10), in which a first fraction containing methane and a second fraction containing methane are formed, the first fraction containing methane contains, in addition to the methane, at least the predominant portion of the components of the feedstock mixture that boil more readily than methane and is low in or free from the hydrocarbons boiling less readily than methane, and the second fraction containing methane contains, in addition to the methane, at least the predominant portion of the hydrocarbons from the feedstock that boil less readily than methane and is low in or free from the components that boil more readily than methane, and the first fraction containing methane, or a portion thereof, is supplied for liquefaction (20). The invention also relates to a corresponding plant.

A system includes a heat exchanger including a first inlet for receiving a first pressurized gas stream and a first outlet for outputting a chilled gas stream produced by the heat exchanger cooling the first pressurized gas stream. The system also includes a turbo expander connected to the first outlet of the heat exchanger for receiving the chilled gas stream from the heat exchanger and producing a partially liquified gas stream, the partially liquified gas stream comprising vapors and LNG. The system further includes at least one separator connected to the turbo expander, wherein the partially liquified gas stream is fed into the at least one separator, and the at least one separator separates the vapors from the LNG.

A multi-stage system comprising a digester, a bioreactor, a scrubber, a biofilter, and a membrane filter extracts and purifies biogas from a wastewater feed. The digester separates raw biogas from wastewater, the wastewater is then purified with a three-stage bacterial process in a bioreactor. The scrubber receives raw biogas from the digester under pressure, dissolving waste gases and purifying the methane, which can be further condensed and purified in the membrane filter. The bioreactor receives waste gases from the scrubber and membrane filter, with the ammonia portion of the waste gases rising through water from the bioreactor and being converted by annamox bacteria into nitrogen gas. The multiply recycled gas and water feeds produce a biogas having high purity and reduced atmospheric emissions of waste gases.

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a solvent is injected into a feed of natural gas at a solvent injection point. A mixed feed is produced from a dispersal of the solvent into the feed of natural gas. The mixed feed contains heavy components. A chilled feed is produced by chilling the mixed feed. The chilled feed includes a vapor and a condensed liquid. The condensed liquid contains a fouling portion of the heavy components condensed by the solvent during chilling. The liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components is separated from the vapor. The vapor is directed into a feed chiller heat exchanger following separation of the liquid containing the fouling portion of the heavy components from the vapor, such that the vapor being directed into feed chiller heat exchanger is free of freezing components.