The present invention provides a catalytic cracking fractionation and absorption-stabilization system, and energy saving method thereof; the present invention is to arrange a waste heat refrigerator of the main fractionating tower, a waste heat refrigerator of rich gas and a waste heat refrigerator of stabilizer in a catalytic cracking fractionation and absorption-stabilization system so as to utilize low temperature waste heat at the top of a main fractionating tower, rich gas, stable gasoline, intermediate heat exchange flow of an absorber of the system as a refrigerator driving heat source; in order to cool naphtha and circulating gasoline to a low temperature lower than 40° C., control low temperature operations of the absorber and reduce the heat load of a desorber and a stabilizer, and the heat extracted by the refrigerators is cooled by cooling water with a higher temperature so as to reduce the consumption of the cooling water. In addition, developed residual pressure generating units and waste heat generating units coordinate to convert medium and low pressure of the dry gas and low-grade waste heat of other products in the system into electric energy that can be conveyed into a grid, therefore the electricity consumption of a dry gas compressor can be supplemented, and the operation cost of the system is reduced to the minimum.

The present invention provides a catalytic cracking fractionation and absorption-stabilization system, and energy saving method thereof; the present invention is to arrange a waste heat refrigerator of the main fractionating tower, a waste heat refrigerator of rich gas and a waste heat refrigerator of stabilizer in a catalytic cracking fractionation and absorption-stabilization system so as to utilize low temperature waste heat at the top of a main fractionating tower, rich gas, stable gasoline, intermediate heat exchange flow of an absorber of the system as a refrigerator driving heat source; in order to cool naphtha and circulating gasoline to a low temperature lower than 40° C., control low temperature operations of the absorber and reduce the heat load of a desorber and a stabilizer, and the heat extracted by the refrigerators is cooled by cooling water with a higher temperature so as to reduce the consumption of the cooling water. In addition, developed residual pressure generating units and waste heat generating units coordinate to convert medium and low pressure of the dry gas and low-grade waste heat of other products in the system into electric energy that can be conveyed into a grid, therefore the electricity consumption of a dry gas compressor can be supplemented, and the operation cost of the system is reduced to the minimum.

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.

A method for removing natural gas liquids from raw natural gas involving the steps of: passing untreated gas through a scrubber to remove liquid droplets and contaminants; delivering the untreated gas to a compressor, which pressurizes the untreated gas to create pressurized gas; passing the pressurized gas through a first aerial cooler to discharge heat to atmosphere; providing a chilled air exchanger and an air chilling unit; chilling air by passing the air through the air chilling unit to create chilled air; delivering the chilled air to the chilled air exchanger; passing the pressurized gas through the chilled air exchanger to cool the pressurized gas to a setpoint to create cooled pressurized gas; and delivering the cooled pressurized gas to a separator to remove liquids from the cooled pressurized gas, thereby creating processed gas. A system having the components listed above.

Methods and systems for processing natural gas to meet gas pipeline specifications and/or recovering natural gas liquids (NGL). The natural gas is cooled and distilled such that propane and heavier components are produced as a bottoms NGL product, and inerts, methane, ethane, and other lighter portions are produced as a fuel gas grade/quality residue gas product stream. The gas can optionally be treated to remove hydrogen-sulfide and/or carbon dioxide. The NGL product can be split into a marketable propane and butane liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) liquid product and a natural gas condensate product.

A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

A natural gas liquid plant is retrofitted with a bolt-on unit that includes an absorber that is coupled to an existing demethanizer by refrigeration produced at least in part by compression and expansion of the residue gas, wherein ethane recovery can be increased to at least 99% and propane recovery is at least 99%, and where a lower ethane recovery of 96% is required, the bolt-on unit does not require the absorber, which could be optimum solution for revamping an existing facility. Contemplated configurations are especially advantageous to be used as bolt-on upgrades to existing plants.

The invention relates to a method (100) for the recovery of a separation product which contains predominantly hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, with the use of a separation feedstock which contains predominantly methane, hydrogen and hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, wherein the methane content of the separation feedstock is up to 20%, and the separation feedstock is provided in a gaseous state. It is provided that, at a first pressure level, the separation feedstock is partially condensed in a single step by cooling from a first temperature level to a second temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one first liquid fraction and precisely one first gaseous fraction; at least one part of the first gaseous fraction is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to a third temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one second liquid fraction and precisely one second gaseous fraction; at least one part of the second gaseous fraction at the second pressure level is subjected to a contraflow absorption in the contraflow to an absorption liquid containing predominantly methane, thereby obtaining precisely one third liquid fraction and precisely one third gaseous fraction; the first, the second and the third liquid fraction are at least partially combined and, at least partially, at a second pressure level above the first pressure level, subjected to a low-temperature rectification, thereby obtaining a sump liquid and an overhead gas; at least one part of the overhead gas at the second pressure level is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to the third temperature level, thereby obtaining a fourth liquid fraction and a fourth gaseous fraction; and the absorption liquid containing predominantly methane is formed through further cooling of at least a part of the fourth gaseous fraction to a fourth temperature level. A corresponding plant also forms the subject matter of the invention.

The invention relates to a method (100) for the recovery of a separation product which contains predominantly hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, with the use of a separation feedstock which contains predominantly methane, hydrogen and hydrocarbons with two carbon atoms, wherein the methane content of the separation feedstock is up to 20%, and the separation feedstock is provided in a gaseous state. It is provided that, at a first pressure level, the separation feedstock is partially condensed in a single step by cooling from a first temperature level to a second temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one first liquid fraction and precisely one first gaseous fraction; at least one part of the first gaseous fraction is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to a third temperature level, thereby obtaining precisely one second liquid fraction and precisely one second gaseous fraction; at least one part of the second gaseous fraction at the second pressure level is subjected to a contraflow absorption in the contraflow to an absorption liquid containing predominantly methane, thereby obtaining precisely one third liquid fraction and precisely one third gaseous fraction; the first, the second and the third liquid fraction are at least partially combined and, at least partially, at a second pressure level above the first pressure level, subjected to a low-temperature rectification, thereby obtaining a sump liquid and an overhead gas; at least one part of the overhead gas at the second pressure level is partially condensed in a single step through further cooling from the second temperature level to the third temperature level, thereby obtaining a fourth liquid fraction and a fourth gaseous fraction; and the absorption liquid containing predominantly methane is formed through further cooling of at least a part of the fourth gaseous fraction to a fourth temperature level. A corresponding plant also forms the subject matter of the invention.

The invention relates to a system, method and apparatus for removing heavies from natural gas. Natural gas and an external rich reflux gas feed are processed in a single column refluxed absorber. A bottoms stream is routed to a first heat exchanger and then to a stabilizer column where an overhead stream from the stabilizer column is routed through a condenser for partial separation into an overhead stream. A rich solvent may be introduced to the stabilizer column. The overhead stream is routed through a condenser for partial separation into a stabilizer reflux and a second overhead stream lights. The second overhead stream lights is routed to a heat exchanger and then routed to a partial condenser where the stream is separated into a heavies rich reflux stream, a distillate stream and heavies treated natural gas stream. The rich reflux is routed through a heat exchanger and the rich reflux is pumped to the single column refluxed absorber to be introduced into the single column refluxed absorber as the external rich reflux gas feed.