A method for an improved integration of refrigeration into conventional natural gas processing plants which use propane or similar hydrocarbon refrigerants either to supplement cooling by turbo-expanders or as the sole source of refrigeration.

The present disclosure relates generally to a system for removing fuel from a mixture of air and fuel vapor in an ullage space of an aircraft fuel tank. The system includes a compressor for drawing the mixture of air and fuel vapor from the ullage space and directing the mixture of air and fuel vapor through a heat exchanger where the mixture of air and fuel vapor is cooled. The system also includes a turbine configured to be driven by the mixture of air and fuel from the heat exchanger. Power from the turbine can be transferred back toward the compressor to assist in driving rotation of the compressor. The system further includes a separator for receiving the mixture of air and fuel vapor from the turbine and separating at least some liquid fuel from the mixture of air and fuel vapor. From the separator, a separated liquid fuel and a mixture of air and fuel vapor with reduced concentration of fuel vapor are returned to the aircraft fuel tank.

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 and method for capturing and separating carbon dioxide from mixed gas streams. The gas stream is processed in a structure including a compression module comprising a plurality of compressors, intercoolers and inter-stage condensate separators. The flow path from the compression module includes a plurality of flow separators, gas stream splitters, heat exchangers and at least a first mixer and a first expander. The gas stream is sequentially compressed and cooled to form process condensate and separate it from the compressed gas stream. The gas stream is further dried and cooled to liquefy carbon dioxide and separate it from the non-condensable portion. Selective expansion of liquid carbon dioxide streams provides cooling for the system, and further energy efficiency is achieved by selective recycling of portions of gas streams, allowing for compact equipment and economical operation, while providing for high purity product streams of carbon dioxide.

A design is provided to convert a gas subcooled process plant to a recycle split vapor process for recovering ethane and propane from natural gas. When in operation, the recovery of ethane and propane can exceed 97 to 99 wt. % of the stream being processed. A second smaller demethanizer column is added to the gas subcooled process plant as well as the addition of several cryogenic pumps.

A pressurized CO.sub.2 rich gas is cooled down to condense at least part of the stream in a heat exchanger. A bulk of the CO.sub.2 is separated by partial condensation and distillation in order to obtain at least one non-condensable gas from a separation vessel. The non-condensable gas is optionally heated up to a temperature lower than −20° C. (membranes performances is greatly enhanced by low temperature operation). The non-condensable gas is introduced into a membrane permeation unit, producing a residue stream and a permeate stream (the permeate stream is enriched in CO.sub.2). The permeate stream is recycled to the process, optionally after compression. The method is auto-refrigerated, i. e. no external refrigerant is used to provide cooling below 0° C.

A system for separating olefinic hydrocarbon and hydrogen in an effluent fluid stream from a dehydrogenation reactor includes a heat exchanger that receives and partially condenses the effluent fluid stream so that a mixed phase effluent stream is formed. A primary separation device receives and separates the mixed phase effluent stream into a primary vapor stream and a primary liquid product stream. A heat exchanger receives and partially condenses the primary vapor stream so that a mixed phase primary stream is formed. A secondary separation device receives and separates the mixed phase primary stream into a secondary vapor stream and a secondary liquid product stream. A heat exchanger receives and warms the secondary vapor stream to provide refrigeration for partially condensing the effluent fluid stream and a heat exchanger receives and warms the secondary vapor stream to provide refrigeration for partially condensing the primary vapor stream. A mixed refrigerant compression system provides refrigerant to a heat exchanger to provide refrigeration

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for processing liquefied natural gas (LNG). In one implementation, a dry feed gas is received. The dry feed gas is chilled with clean vapor from a heavies removal column to form a chilled feed gas. The chilled feed gas is partially condensed into a vapor phase and a liquid phase. The liquid phase retains freezing components. The freezing components are extracted using a reflux stream in the heavies removal column. The freezing components are removed as a condensate. The vapor phase is compressed into a clean feed gas. The clean feed gas is free of the freezing components for downstream liquefaction.

A process and an apparatus are disclosed for the recovery of components from a hydrocarbon gas stream containing significant quantities of components more volatile than methane (hydrogen, nitrogen, etc.). The gas stream is partially condensed, then the remaining vapor is expanded to lower pressure and supplied to a fractionation tower at a mid-column feed position. The condensed liquid is cooled and divided into two portions. The first portion is expanded to tower pressure, heated by cooling the liquid, and supplied to the tower at a lower column feed position. The second portion is further cooled, expanded to tower pressure, and supplied to the tower at a top feed position. The tower overhead vapor is heated by cooling the second portion. The quantities and temperatures of the feeds to the tower maintain the overhead temperature of the tower whereby the major portion of the desired components is recovered.

This specification relates to operating industrial facilities, for example, crude oil refining facilities or other industrial facilities that include operating plants that process natural gas or recover natural gas liquids.