System and method for natural gas liquid production with flexible ethane recovery or rejection

Abstract

A system and method for producing an NGL product stream in either an ethane retention or rejection mode. Rejection modes include (a) two heat exchange stages between a feed stream and first separator bottoms stream and cooling a side stream withdrawn from a fractionation tower through heat exchange with both the fractionation tower and second separator overhead streams; or (b) warming the first separator bottoms stream and fractionation overhead stream through heat exchange with the side stream prior to heat exchange with the feed stream, to achieve 4-15% ethane recovery and 97%+ propane recovery. In ethane retention mode, a portion of the feed stream and portions of a first separator overhead and bottoms streams are separately cooled through heat exchange with other process streams, including the entireties of a recycled residue gas and fractionation column overhead streams, resulting in around 99% ethane and around 100% propane recovery.

Claims

1. A system for processing a feed stream comprising methane, ethane, propane, and other components in an ethane rejection mode to produce an NGL product stream and a residue gas stream, system comprising: a first separator wherein the feed stream is separated into a first overhead stream and a first bottoms stream; a fractionation column wherein the first overhead stream, the first bottoms stream, and a third bottoms stream are separated into a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream; a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger, wherein (1) at least a first portion of the feed stream is cooled in the first heat exchanger upstream of the first separator through heat exchange with (a) the first bottoms stream, after the first bottoms stream passes through the second heat exchanger, (b) the second overhead stream, after the second overhead stream passes through the second heat exchanger, (c) a third overhead stream, after the third overhead stream passes through the second heat exchanger, and (d) a first side stream withdrawn from a mid-portion of the fractionation column and (2) the second overhead stream is warmed in the second heat exchanger upstream of the first heat exchanger through heat exchange with (a) the first bottoms stream and (b) a second side stream withdrawn from a mid-point on the fractionation column; a second separator for separating the second side stream into the third overhead stream and the third bottoms stream; and wherein the residue gas stream comprises the second overhead stream and third overhead stream and the NGL product stream comprises the second bottoms stream; and wherein the NGL product stream comprises less than 50% of the ethane from the feed stream; and wherein the first bottoms stream feeds a lower section of the fractionation column.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first mixer for combining the second overhead stream and the third overhead stream prior to the second heat exchanger.

3. The system of claim 1 further comprising an expansion valve for expanding the second overhead stream prior to the second heat exchanger.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a first splitter for splitting the feed stream into first and second portions prior to any heat exchange and a first mixer for combining the first and second portions prior to feeding the first separator.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein both portions of the feed stream pass through the first heat exchanger.

6. The system of claim 1 further comprising a pump for pumping the third bottoms stream prior to feeding the fractionation column.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising an expansion valve for cooling the first bottoms stream prior to the second heat exchanger.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the first side stream is returned to the fractionation tower after heat exchange at a location lower than a withdrawal location.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the entirety of the second overhead stream passes through the first and second heat exchangers.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the feed stream comprises less than 1.725% CO.sub.2.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the first bottoms stream feeds the fractionation column downstream of the first heat exchanger.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising an expander and wherein the first overhead stream is expanded in the expander upstream of feeding the fractionation column.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein the NGL product stream comprises less than 20% of the ethane from the feed stream.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the entirety of the second overhead stream passes through the first and second heat exchangers.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein only the second side stream is separated in the second separator.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein no portion of the first bottoms stream feeds into the fractionation column prior to such portion passing through the second heat exchanger.

17. The system of claim 12 wherein the expanded first overhead stream feeds into an upper section of the fractionation column.

18. A method for processing a feed stream comprising methane, ethane, propane, and other components in an ethane rejection mode to produce an NGL product stream and a residue gas stream, the method comprising: separating the feed stream in a first separator into a first overhead stream and a first bottoms stream; separating the first overhead stream, the first bottoms stream, and a third bottoms stream in a fractionation column into a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream; cooling at least a first portion of the feed stream prior to the first separator through heat exchange in a first heat exchanger with (a) the first bottoms stream, after the first bottoms stream passes through a second heat exchanger and before the first bottoms stream feeds the fractionation column, (b) the second overhead stream, after the second overhead stream passes through the second heat exchanger, (c) a third overhead stream, after the third overhead stream passes through the second heat exchanger, and (d) a first side stream withdrawn from a mid-portion of the fractionation column; warming the second overhead stream prior to the first heat exchanger through heat exchange in a second heat exchanger with (a) the first bottoms stream and (b) a second side stream withdrawn from a mid-section of the fractionation column; separating the second side stream in a second separator into the third overhead stream and the third bottoms stream; wherein the residue gas stream comprises the second overhead stream and third overhead stream and the NGL product stream comprises the second bottoms stream; and wherein the first bottoms stream feeds a lower section of the fractionation column.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising combining the second overhead stream and the third overhead stream prior to the second heat exchanger and passing the combined stream through the second heat exchanger.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising expanding the second overhead stream through an expansion valve prior to the second heat exchanger.

21. The method of claim 18 further comprising splitting the feed stream into first and second portions prior to any heat exchange and combining the first and second portions prior to feeding the first separator.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein both portions of the feed stream are cooled in first heat exchanger.

23. The method of claim 18 wherein the second side stream is not split prior to the second heat exchanger.

24. The method of claim 18 further comprising pumping the third bottoms stream prior to feeding the fractionation column.

25. The method of claim 18 further comprising cooling the first bottoms stream prior to the second heat exchanger by passing the first bottoms stream through an expansion valve.

26. The method of claim 18 further comprising returning the first side stream to the fractionation tower, after heat exchange in the first heat exchanger, at a location lower than a withdrawal location.

27. The method of claim 18 wherein the feed stream comprises less than less than 1.725% CO.sub.2 in ethane rejection mode.

28. The method of claim 18 further comprising expanding the first overhead stream in an expander upstream of feeding the fractionation column.

29. The method of claim 28 wherein the expanded first overhead stream feeds into an upper section of the fractionation column.

30. The method of claim 18 wherein the NGL product stream comprises less than 50% of the ethane from the feed stream.

31. The method of claim 18 wherein the NGL product stream comprises less than 20% of the ethane from the feed stream.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Systems and methods of preferred embodiments of the invention are further described and explained in relation to the following drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a process flow diagram illustrating principal processing stages for producing an NGL product stream in ethane rejection mode and without external refrigeration according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a process flow diagram illustrating principal processing stages for producing an NGL product stream in ethane rejection mode and with external refrigeration according to another preferred embodiment of the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is a process flow diagram illustrating principal processing stages for producing an NGL product stream in ethane rejection mode and without external refrigeration according to a preferred alternate embodiment of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a process flow diagram illustrating principal processing stages for producing an NGL product stream in ethane rejection mode and without external refrigeration according to another preferred alternate embodiment of FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram illustrating principal processing stages for producing an NGL product stream in ethane retention mode according to another preferred embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Example 1—Ethane Rejection without External Refrigeration

(7) Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of system 10A for processing NGL product streams in an ethane rejection mode is shown. System 10A preferably comprises three heat exchangers 20, 30, and 68, a first separator 44, a second separator 98, and a fractionating tower 42.

(8) Feed stream 12 comprises natural gas that has already been processed according to known methods to remove excessive amounts of H.sub.2S, CO.sub.2 (as needed), and water. For the particular Example 1 described herein, feed stream 12 has the following basic parameters: (1) Pressure of near 975 PSIG; (2) Inlet temperature of near 120° F.; (3) Inlet gas flow of 100 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (MMSCFD); (4) Inlet nitrogen content of 2% by volume; (5) inlet CO.sub.2 content of 1.725% by volume; (6) inlet methane content of 69.51% by volume; (7) inlet ethane content of 14.8% by volume; and (8) inlet propane content of 7.41% by volume. The parameters of other streams described herein are exemplary based on the data for feed stream 12 used in a computer simulation for Example 1. The temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions of other process streams in system 10A will vary depending on the nature of the feed stream and other operational parameters, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Feed stream 12 is preferably directed to the inlet splitter 14 where the inlet gas is strategically split into two streams 16, 18 before passing through heat exchanger 20 and exiting as streams 22A, 24A having been cooled to around 31.4° F. The split between streams 16 and 18 is most preferably 50/50, as in Examples 1-2, but other ratios may also be used. Feed streams 22A, 24A are then recombined in mixer 26 to form stream 28A, which passes through heat exchanger 30, exiting as stream 32A having been cooled to around 13° F. Stream 32A is the feed stream for first separator 44.

(9) First separator overhead stream 46A, containing around 77.5% methane, around 12.67% ethane, and around 4.33% propane at 12.86° F. and 962.8 psig, is expanded in expander 54, exiting as stream 56A. Stream 56A, at around −84° F. and 209.3 psig, is fed into fractionating column 42 near a top section of the tower as a fractionating tower feed stream.

(10) First separator bottoms stream 48A, containing around 40% methane, around 22.6% ethane, and around 18.6% propane at 12.9° F. and 962.8 psig, passes through an expansion valve, exiting as stream 52A at −38.4° F. and 218.7 psig. Stream 52A then passes through heat exchanger 30, exiting as stream 34A, having been warmed to around 20.6° F. Stream 34A then passes through the heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 36A warmed to 100° F. In this way, the bottoms stream from separator 44 undergoes two stages of heat exchange with the feed stream—once (as stream 52) in heat exchanger 30 (with feed stream 28A) and again (as stream 34) in heat exchanger 20 (with feed streams 16, 18, and along with a combined stream 70A formed by the fractionation column and second separator overhead streams). Stream 36A is then fed into a lower section of fractionating tower 42 as another fractionating tower feed stream.

(11) A stream 84A is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a mid-section of the tower. Stream 84A, containing around 34.1% methane, around 56.96% ethane, and around 6.19% propane at −5.8° F. and 207.4 psig, is split in splitter 86 into streams 88A and 90A. Most preferably stream 84A is split 50/50, but other ratios may also be used. Streams 88A and 90A pass through heat exchanger 68, exiting as streams 92A, 94A having been cooled to around −89.5° F. Streams 92A, 94A are then recombined in mixer 65 to form stream 96A, which feeds into second separator 98.

(12) Second separator bottoms stream 102A, containing around 21.6% methane, around 68% ethane, and around 7.8% propane at −89.9° F. and 199.9 psig, is preferably pumped with pump 104, exiting pump 104 as stream 106A at a pressure of 224.9 psig. Stream 106A is another feed stream into the top of fractionating tower 42.

(13) Second separator overhead stream 100A contains around 79.3% methane, around 17% ethane, and around 0.27% propane at −89.9° F. and 199.9 psig. Fractionating tower overhead stream 58A contains around 1.98% CO.sub.2, around 2.3% nitrogen, around 79.8% methane, around 15.6% ethane, and around 0.263% propane at −91.8° F. and 206.32 psig. Stream 58A is expanded through expansion valve 60, exiting as stream 62A at −93.4° F. and 196.32 psig. These two overhead streams 62A and 100A are combined in mixer 64 forming stream 66A, which passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 70A having been warmed to around −11.9° F. Stream 70A then passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 72A having been warmed to around 110.8° F. Stream 72A is compressed in compressor 74 (preferably receiving energy Q-3 from expander 54), exiting as stream 76A. Stream 76A is preferably cooled in heat exchanger 78 to form residue gas stream 80A, containing around 1.97% CO.sub.2, around 2.27% nitrogen, around 79.8% methane, around 15.69% ethane, and around 0.26% propane at 120° F. and 285.2 psig.

(14) A liquid stream 144A is withdrawn from the bottom of fractionating tower 42, passing through reboiler 40, with vapor stream 148A being returned to tower 42 and fractionating tower bottoms stream 82A exiting as the NGL product stream. Stream 82A contains negligible nitrogen, 0.05% CO.sub.2, 0.017% methane, 8.9% ethane, and 55.6% propane. The ethane recovery in NGL product stream 82A from the feed stream is 8% and the propane recovery in stream 82A is 97%.

(15) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams referred to in connection with Example 1 of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 1, are based on a computer simulation for system 10A having the feed stream characteristics discussed above and listed below in Table 1, with a preferred maximum CO.sub.2 feed stream content. System 10A may be operated with up to 1.725% CO.sub.2 in feed stream 12 without encountering freezing problems typically encountered in prior art systems and while still meeting a 2% maximum CO.sub.2 content in the residue gas specification. This allows system 10A to be operated without pretreating the feed stream to remove CO.sub.2 or with reduced pretreatment requirements. The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams in system 10A based on a computer simulation of Example 1 using a feed stream having 1.725% CO.sub.2 (and other feed stream content/parameters noted below) are included in Tables 1 and 2 below. These temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions will also vary depending on the nature of other parameters in the feed stream and other operational parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. References to “neg” mean negligible amounts.

(16) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Example 1, System 10A - Rejection Mode without External Refrigeration Stream Properties Property Units 12 16 18 22a 24A Temperature ° F. 120* 120 120 31.4043* 31.4043* Pressure psig 975.257* 975.257 975.257 970.257 970.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 5489.91 5489.891 5489.91 5489.91 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 85.7573 85.7573 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 14.2427 14.2427 Liquid Stream Composition 12 16 18 22a 24A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.725* 1.725 1.725 1.725 1.725 N2 1.97538* 1.97538 1.97538 1.97538 1.97538 C1 69.5086* 69.5086 69.5086 69.5086 69.5086 C2 14.8153* 14.8153 14.8153 14.8153 14.8153 C3 7.40766* 7.40766 7.40766 7.40766 7.40766 iC4 0.987688* 0.987688 0.987688 0.987688 0.987688 nC4 2.29638* 2.29638 2.29638 2.29638 2.29638 iC5 0.493844* 0.493844 0.493844 0.493844 0.493844 nC5 0.592613* 0.592613 0.592613 0.592613 0.592613 C6 0.197538* 0.197538 0.197538 0.197538 0.197538 Stream Properties Property Units 28A 32A 34A 36A 46A Temperature ° F. 31.4043 13* 20.5789 100* 12.8649 Pressure psig 970.257 965.257 213.72 212.72 962.757 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 10979.8 2366.83 2366.83 8612.99 Mole Fraction Vapor % 85.7573 78.4427 63.7722 94.8245 100 Mole Fraction Light % 14.2427 21.5573 36.2278 5.17548 0 Liquid Stream Composition 28A 32A 34A 36A 46A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.725 1.725 1.72385 1.72385 1.72532 N2 1.97538 1.97538 0.534224 0.534224 2.3714 C1 69.5086 69.5086 40.272 40.272 77.5427 C2 14.8153 14.8153 22.6236 22.6236 12.6696 C3 7.40766 7.40766 18.6049 18.6049 4.33069 iC4 0.987688 0.987688 3.17365 3.17365 0.386991 nC4 2.29638 2.29638 7.88993 7.88993 0.759281 iC5 0.493844 0.493844 1.93769 1.93769 0.97078 nC5 0.592613 0.592613 2.37602 2.37602 0.102538 C6 0.197538 0.197538 0.864175 0.864175 0.014347 Stream Properties Property Units 48A 52A 56A 58A 62A Temperature ° F. 12.8649 −38.3593 −84.3357 −91.8271 −93.3772 Pressure psig 962.757 218.72* 209.3* 206.32 196.32 Molar Flow lbmol/h 2366.83 2366.83 8612.99 9230.07 9230.07 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 42.6237 88.6443 100 100 Mole Fraction Light % 100 57.3763 11.3557 0 0 Liquid Stream Composition 48A 52A 56A 58A 62A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.72385 1.72385 1.72532 1.98165 1.98165 N2 0.534224 0.534224 2.3714 2.29203 2.29203 C1 40.272 40.272 77.5427 79.8173 79.8173 C2 22.6236 22.6236 12.6696 15.6422 15.6422 C3 18.6049 18.6049 4.33069 0.264576 0.264576 iC4 3.17365 3.17365 0.386991 0.001080 0.001080 nC4 7.88993 7.88993 0.759281 0.001217 0.001217 iC5 1.93769 1.93769 0.097078 Neg Neg nC5 2.37602 2.37602 0.102538 Neg Neg C6 0.864175 0.864175 0.014347 Neg Neg Stream Properties Property Units 66A 70A 72A 76A 80A Temperature ° F. −93.2767 −11.9376 110.824 181.314 120* Pressure psig 196.32 191.32 186.32 290.228 285.228 Molar Flow lbmol/h 9563.34 9563.34 9563.34 9563.34 9563.34 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 100 100 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 0 0 Liquid Stream Composition 66A 70A 72A 76A 80A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.97326 1.97326 1.97326 1.97326 1.97326 N2 2.26796 2.26796 2.26796 2.26796 2.26796 C1 79.8015 79.8015 79.8015 79.8015 79.8015 C2 15.69 15.69 15.69 15.69 15.69 C3 0.265 0.265 0.265 0.265 0.265 iC4 0.001082 0.001082 0.001082 0.001082 0.001082 nC4 0.001220 0.001220 0.001220 0.001220 0.001220 iC5 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg nC5 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg C6 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg Stream Properties Property Units 82A 84A 88A 90A 92A Temperature ° F. 122.929 −5.78509 −5.78509 −5.78509 −89.5251* Pressure psig 210.82 207.4 207.4 207.4 202.4 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1416.49 1537.18 768.588 768.588 768.588 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 100 100 100 21.4649 Mole Fraction Light % 100 0 0 0 78.5351 Liquid Stream Composition 82A 84A 88A 90A 92A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.048869 2.01951 2.01951 2.01951 2.01951 N2 Neg 0.415043 0.415043 0.415043 0.415043 C1 0.016567 34.0876 34.0876 34.0876 34.0876 C2 8.90998 56.9581 56.9581 56.9581 56.9581 C3 55.6312 6.18507 6.18507 6.18507 6.18507 iC4 7.64871 0.131199 0.131199 0.131199 0.131199 nC4 17.792 0.188893 0.188893 0.188893 0.188893 iC5 3.82794 0.008024 0.008024 0.008024 0.008024 nC5 4.59357 0.006397 0.006397 0.006397 0.006397 C6 1.5312 0.000167 0.000167 0.000167 0.000167 Stream Properties Property Units 94A 96A 100A 102A 106A Temperature ° F. −89.5251* −89.5251 −89.9471 −89.9471 −89.6931 Pressure psig 202.4 202.4 199.9 199.9 224.9 Molar Flow lbmol/h 768.588 1537.18 33.27 1203.91 1203.91 Mole Fraction Vapor % 21.4649 21.4649 100 0 0 Mole Fraction Light % 78.5351 78.5351 0 100 100 Liquid Stream Composition 94A 96A 100A 102A 106A Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 2.01951 2.01951 1.74097 2.09661 2.09661 N2 0.415043 0.415043 1.6013 0.086659 0.086659 C1 34.0876 34.0876 79.3641 21.554 21.554 C2 56.9581 56.9581 17.0144 68.0155 68.0155 C3 6.18507 6.18507 0.276723 7.82065 7.82065 iC4 0.131199 0.131199 0.00160 0.167197 0.167197 nC4 0.188893 0.188893 0.001311 0.24082 0.24082 iC5 0.008024 0.008024 Neg 0.010243 0.010243 nC5 0.006397 0.006397 Neg 0.008167 0.008167 C6 0.000167 0.000167 Neg 0.000214 0.000214 Stream Properties Property Units 144A 148A Temperature ° F. 107.742 122.929 Pressure psig 210.82 210.82 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1993.57 577.081 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 100 Mole Fraction Light % 100 0 Liquid Stream Composition 144A 148A Mole Fraction % % CO2 0.122279 0.267921 N2 Neg Neg C1 0.059564 0.165105 C2 13.3865 24.3744 C3 57.2242 61.1345 iC4 6.70408 4.38544 nC4 14.8899 7.76634 iC5 2.97541 0.882816 nC5 3.52681 0.908379 C6 1.12128 0.115109

(17) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Example 1, System 10A Energy Streams - Maximum CO.sub.2 Content Energy Energy Rate Stream (MBTU/h) Power (hp) From Block To Block Q-1A 4077.77 — Reboiler 40 Q-2A 6.798 — Pump 104 Q-3A 6218.61 2444 Expander 54 Compressor 74 Q-4A 5950.59 Heat — Exchanger/ Cooler 78

(18) It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the values in the Tables are based on the particular parameters and composition of the feed stream in the above examples. The values will differ depending on the parameters and composition of the feed stream 12 and operational parameters for system 10A as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Example 2—Ethane Rejection with External Refrigeration

(19) Referring to FIG. 2, system 10B for processing NGL product streams in an ethane rejection mode according to another preferred embodiment is shown. System 10B preferably comprises heat exchangers 20, 30, and 68, a first separator 44, a second separator 98, and a fractionating tower 42, just as in system 10A. The equipment and stream flows from one piece of equipment to another in system 10B are the same as with system 10A except that system 10B includes an additional heat exchanger 110 that provides external refrigeration to stream 84B (a side stream withdrawn from a mid-point in tower 42) prior to passing through heat exchanger 68. In system 10B, stream 84B is withdrawn from a mid-point in fractionation tower 42 and contains 34.5% methane, 59.1% ethane, and 3.7% propane at −0.17° F. and 275.97 psig, based on the parameters and content of feed stream 12 for Example 2, as indicated in Tables 3-4 below. Stream 84B passes through heat exchanger/external refrigeration 110, exiting as stream 84B-R having been cooled to −30° F. Stream 84B-R is then split into streams 88B, 90B in splitter 86 before passing through heat exchanger 68, as in system 10A. Most preferably stream 84B-R is split 50/50, but other ratios may also be used.

(20) The temperatures, pressures, and compositional makeup of the streams and operating parameters of the equipment in system 10B (other than the initial feed streams 12, 16, 18) will differ from system 10A because of the addition of the external refrigeration as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, tower 42 in system 10B will operate at higher pressures than with system 10A and the bottoms stream from separator 98 that feeds into the top of tower 42 in system 10B (stream 106B) will have a higher methane content and lower ethane content than the same stream (106A) in system 10A. There are additional operating and equipment costs associated with system 10B compared with system 10A, but the ethane recovery in the NGL product stream is better (lower) than in system 10A and the propane recovery is slightly higher. In addition, the residue gas exits 10B at a higher pressure allowing for less compression to be utilized to compress the treated gas for introduction into typical natural gas transmission pipelines. The ethane recovery in NGL product stream 40B from the feed stream is 5% and the propane recovery in stream 40B is 98% in Example 2. When it is desirable to reject ethane, typical NGL specifications limit ethane retention from the feed to between 5-15% to meet other specifications. Systems 10A and 10B both meet these requirements, but system 10B retains less ethane (5% in Example 2) than system 10A (8% in Example 1).

(21) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams referred to in connection with Example 2 of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 2, are based on a computer simulation for system 10B having the feed stream characteristics discussed above and listed below in Table 3, with a preferred maximum CO.sub.2 feed stream content. System 10B may be operated with up to 1.725% CO.sub.2 in feed stream 12 without encountering freezing problems typically encountered in prior art systems and while still meeting a 2% maximum CO.sub.2 content in the residue gas specification. This allows system 10B to be operated without pretreating the feed stream to remove CO.sub.2 or with reduced pretreatment requirements. The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams in system 10B based on a computer simulation of Example 2 using a feed stream having 1.725% CO.sub.2 (and other feed stream content/parameters noted below) are included in Tables 3 and 4 below. These temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions will also vary depending on the nature of other parameters in the feed stream and other operational parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(22) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Example 2, System 10B - Rejection Mode with External Refrig. Stream Properties Property Units 12 16 18 22B 24B Temperature ° F. 120* 120 120 21.4342* 21.4342* Pressure psig 975.257* 975.257 975.257 970.257 970.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 10979.8 10979.8 54.8991 54.8991 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 81.9067 81.9067 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 18.0933 18.0933 Liquid Stream Composition 12 16 18 22B 24B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.725* 1.725 1.725 1.725 1.725 N2 1.97538* 1.97538 1.97538 1.97538 1.97538 C1 69.5086* 69.5086 69.5086 69.5086 69.5086 C2 14.8153* 14.8153 14.8153 14.8153 14.8153 C3 7.40766* 7.40766 7.40766 7.40766 7.40766 iC4 0.987688* 0.987688 0.987688 0.987688 0.987688 nC4 2.29638* 2.29638 2.29638 2.29638 2.29638 iC5 0.493844* 0.493844 0.493844 0.493844 0.493844 nC5 0.591613* 0.591613 0.591613 0.591613 0.591613 C6 0.197538* 0.197538 0.197538 0.197538 0.197538 Stream Properties Property Units 28B 32B 34B 36B 46B Temperature ° F. 21.4342 2.5* 11.8659 85* 2.36321 Pressure psig 970.257 965.257 282.289 282.289 962.757 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 10979.8 2908.72 2908.72 8071.11 Mole Fraction Vapor % 81.9067 73.4966 59.5283 87.9487 100 Mole Fraction Light % 18.0933 26.5034 40.4717 12.0513 0 Liquid Stream Composition 28B 32B 34B 36B 46B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.725 1.725 1.80859 1.80859 1.69487 N2 1.97538 1.97538 0.58266 0.58266 2.47729 C1 69.5086 69.5086 43.1184 43.1184 79.0192 C2 14.8153 14.8153 22.7741 22.7741 11.9471 C3 7.40766 7.40766 17.5076 17.5076 3.7678 iC4 0.987688 0.987688 2.8493 2.8493 0.316788 nC4 2.29638 2.29638 6.96576 6.96576 0.613593 iC5 0.493844 0.493844 1.65789 1.65789 0.074339 nC5 0.592613 0.592613 2.0192 2.0192 0.078490 C6 0.197538 0.197538 0.71647 0.71647 0.010521 Stream Properties Property Units 48B 52B 56B 58B 62B Temperature ° F. 2.36321 −42.5725 −80.119 −82.5718 −83.9354 Pressure psig 962.757 278.289* 277.869* 274.889 264.889 Molar Flow lbmol/h 2908.72 2908.72 8071.11 9259.99 9259.99 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 39.8756 88.8805 100 99.9658 Mole Fraction Light % 100 60.1244 11.1195 0 0.0342231 Liquid Stream Composition 48B 52B 56B 58B 62B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.80859 1.80859 1.69487 1.98114 1.98114 N2 0.58266 0.58266 2.47729 2.27468 2.27468 C1 43.1184 43.1184 79.0192 79.5349 79.5349 C2 22.7741 22.7741 11.9471 16.028 16.028 C3 17.5076 17.5076 3.7678 0.179253 0.179253 iC4 2.8493 2.8493 0.316788 0.000898 0.000898 nC4 6.96576 6.96576 0.613593 0.001099 0.001099 iC5 1.65789 1.65789 0.074339 Neg Neg nC5 2.0192 2.0192 0.078490 Neg Neg C6 0.71647 0.71647 0.010521 Neg Neg Stream Propetrties Property Units 66B 70B 72B 76B 80B Temperature ° F. −83.8091 −34.2366 111.129 164.302 120* Pressure psig 264.889 259.889 254.889 354.998 349.998 Molar Flow lbmol/h 9599.19 9599.19 9599.19 9599.19 9599.19 Mole Fraction Vapor % 99.9664 100 100 100 100 Mole Fraction Light % 0.0335718 0 0 0 0 Liquid Stream Composition 66B 70B 72B 76B 80B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 1.972 1.972 1.972 1.972 1.972 N2 2.25949 2.25949 2.25949 2.25949 2.25949 C1 79.5055 79.5055 79.5055 79.5055 79.5055 C2 16.0813 16.0813 16.0813 16.0813 16.0813 C3 0.179689 0.179689 0.179689 0.179689 0.179689 iC4 0.000901 0.000901 0.000901 0.000901 0.000901 nC4 0.001102 0.001102 0.001102 0.001102 0.001102 iC5 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg nC5 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg C6 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg Stream Properties Property Units 82B 84B 84B-R 88B 90B Temperature ° F. 155.657 −0.16483 −30* −30 −30 Pressure psig 279.389 275.969 273.469 273.469 273.469 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1380.65 2031.27 2031.27 1015.63 1015.63 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 100 57.9531 57.9531 57.9531 Mole Fraction Light % 100 0 42.0469 42.0469 42.0469 Liquid Stream Composition 82B 84B 84B-R 88B 90B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.007705 2.08811 2.08811 2.08811 2.08811 N2 Neg 0.421425 0.421425 0.421425 0.421425 C1 0.003187 34.4929 34.4929 34.4929 34.4929 C2 6.01175 59.0521 59.0521 59.0521 59.0521 C3 57.663 3.7223 3.7223 3.7223 3.7223 iC4 7.84852 0.084769 0.084769 0.084769 0.084769 nC4 18.2547 0.128476 0.128476 0.128476 0.128476 iC5 3.92731 0.005446 0.005446 0.005446 0.005446 nC5 4.71282 0.004394 0.004394 0.004394 0.004394 C6 1.57095 0.000123 0.000123 0.000123 0.000123 Stream Properties Property Units 92B 94B 96B 100b 102B Temperature ° F. −79.9266* −79.9266* −79.9266 −80.2819 −80.2819 Pressure psig 268.469 268.469 268.469 265.969 265.969 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1015.63 1015.63 2031.27 339.196 1692.07 Mole Fraction Vapor % 16.4886 16.4886 16.4886 100 0 Mole Fraction Light % 83.51154 83.51154 83.51154 0 100 Liquid Stream Composition 92B 94B 96B 100b 102B Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 2.08811 2.08811 2.08811 1.7225 2.1614 N2 0.421425 0.421425 0.421425 1.8448 0.136093 C1 34.4929 34.4929 34.4929 78.7018 25.6307 C2 59.0521 59.0521 59.0521 17.5372 67.3743 C3 3.7223 3.7223 3.7223 0.191595 4.43007 iC4 0.084769 0.084769 0.084769 0.000971 0.101568 nC4 0.128476 0.128476 0.128476 0.001189 0.153992 iC5 0.005446 0.005446 0.005446 Neg 0.006536 nC5 0.004394 0.004394 0.004394 Neg 0.005273 C6 0.000123 0.000123 0.000123 Neg 0.000148 Stream Properties Property Units 106B 144B 148B Temperature ° F. −79.9982 137.594 155.657 Pressure psig 290.969 279.389 279.389 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1692.07 2748.73 1368.08 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 0 100 Mole Fraction Light % 100 100 0 Liquid Stream Composition 106B 144B 148B Mole Fraction % % % CO2 2.1614 0.021226 0.034872 N2 0.136093 Neg Neg C1 25.6307 0.013306 0.023517 C2 67.3743 10.4733 14.9759 C3 4.43007 62.343 67.006 iC4 0.101568 6.58462 5.30911 nC4 0.153992 14.0647 9.83618 iC5 0.006536 2.59052 1.24145 nC5 0.005273 3.02201 1.31567 C6 0.000148 0.887282 0.197333

(23) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Example 2, System 10B Energy Streams Energy Energy Rate Power Stream (MBtu/hr) (hp) From To Q-1B 8450.5 — Reboiler 40 Q-2B 9.605 — Pump 104 Q-3B 4613.45 1360.1 Expander 54 Compressor 74 Q-4B 4340.39 Heat — Exchanger/Cooler 78 Q-5B 4613.9 Heat — Exchanger/External Refrigeration 110

(24) It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the values in the Tables are based on the particular parameters and composition of the feed stream in the above examples. The values will differ depending on the parameters and composition of the feed stream 12 and operational parameters for system 10B as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(25) Systems 10A and 10B are similar to FIG. 4 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,507. One important difference between systems 10A and 10B and the system depicted in FIG. 4 of the '507 patent is that the heat exchange systems are different, including the use of external refrigeration in system 10B, which is not used in FIG. 4 of the '507 patent. In systems 10A and 10B, feed stream 12 is split with each part of the feed stream (streams 16 and 18) passing through heat exchanger 20 (upstream of heat exchanger 30) with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator overhead stream 70A/70B (downstream of heat exchanger 68) and first separator bottoms stream 34A/34B (downstream of heat exchanger 30). In the '507 patent, the feed stream is not split and the first bottoms stream is not warmed prior to heat exchange with the feed stream and mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator bottoms stream. By passing the first separator bottoms stream through heat exchangers 30 and 20, it is possible to warm that stream sufficiently that it feeds into fractionation tower 42 (as stream 36A/36B) at a higher temperature (up to 110° F., depending on the inlet gas composition and operating conditions, although that stream may also feed into fractionation tower 42 at temperatures in the range of 25° F. to 110° F.) than the 65° F. of stream 33b in the '507 patent. This makes it possible to operate fractionation tower 42 with minimal external heat input which in turn allows for a greater efficiency overall. It also allows the feed stream into first separator 44 (streams 32A/32B) to be warmer (in the range of −25° F. to +25° F. for the non-refrigerated system 10A and a range of −50° F. to 0° F. for the refrigerated system 10B) than the first separator feed stream 31a (at −73° F.) in the '507 patent. For systems 10A and 10B, the higher separator 44 temperature allows for greater amount of energy or “refrigeration” to be delivered to the system from the expander 54. Since one of the benefits of the preferred embodiments of the invention is to be able to operate system 10A without refrigeration, the higher temperature and thus the greater refrigeration generated is beneficial. Additionally, in systems 10A and 10B, the side stream 84A/84B withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 passes through heat exchanger 68 for heat exchange with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator bottoms stream 66A/66B. In the '507 patent, the side stream 36 passes through heat exchanger 20 with only the fractionation tower overhead stream. The heat exchange system in systems 10A and 10B allow the feed stream into second separator 98 (streams 96A/96B) to be at a warmer temperature (in the range of in a range of −70° F. to −95° F. for the non-refrigerated system 10A and −71° F. to −125° F. for system 10B with external refrigeration), than the second separator feed stream 36a (at −116° F.) in the '507 patent. One benefit of the higher temperature is to allow for more of the methane and ethane to be eliminated from the fractionator 42 as vapor (in overhead stream 58A/58B) and allow for a desired compositional change for the top feed stream 106B into the fractionation tower 42.

(26) In addition to operational temperature differences based on the different heat exchange systems, operating pressures in systems 10A and 10B differ from those in FIG. 4 of the '507 patent. The first separator 44 in systems 10A and 10B operates at a pressure between 800 and 1100 psig, which is higher than the first separator 11 in the '507 patent (570 psia). In system 10A, the second separator 98 operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is lower than the second separator 15 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 353 psia, similar to the range of 250 to 400 psig for system 10B, with external refrigeration. In system 10A, the fractionation tower operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is also lower than the fractionation tower 17 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 355 psia, similar to the range of 300 and 400 psig for the fractionation tower in system 10B.

(27) The propane recovery in the NGL product stream for the system in FIG. 4 in the '507 patent is 94%, with very low ethane in the NGL product stream. With the process changes in systems 10A and 10B noted above and in FIGS. 1-2, system 10A is able to achieve a 97% propane recovery with only 8% ethane recovery in the NGL product stream and system 10B is able to achieve a 98% propane recovery with only 5% ethane recovery in the NGL product stream using essentially the same equipment.

Example 3—Alternate Ethane Rejection without External Refrigeration

(28) Referring to FIG. 3, an alternate preferred embodiment of system 10A is shown. System 10A-Alt is a preferred alternate embodiment for processing NGL product streams in an ethane rejection mode that is particularly useful when the incoming feed stream 12 contains higher contents of condensable hydrocarbon components. System 10A-Alt is preferably has the same equipment and process flows as system 10A, but an additional side stream 54Alt is withdrawn from fractionation tower 42, warmed in heat exchanger 20, and fed back into tower 42 as stream 55Alt.

(29) Feed stream 12 comprises natural gas that has already been processed according to known methods to remove excessive amounts of H.sub.2S, CO.sub.2, and water, as needed. For the particular Example 3 described herein, feed stream 12 has the following basic parameters: (1) Pressure of near 975 PSIG; (2) Inlet temperature of near 120° F.; (3) Inlet gas flow of 100 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (MMSCFD); (4) Inlet nitrogen content of 2% by volume; (5) inlet CO.sub.2 content of 0.5% by volume; (6) inlet methane content of 70.375% by volume; (7) inlet ethane content of 15% by volume; and (8) inlet propane content of 7.5 by volume. The parameters of other streams described herein are exemplary based on the data for feed stream 12 used in a computer simulation for Example 3. The temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions of other process streams in system 10A-Alt will vary depending on the nature of the feed stream and other operational parameters, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Feed stream 12 is preferably directed to the inlet splitter 14 where the inlet gas is strategically split into two streams 16, 18 before passing through heat exchanger 20 and exiting as streams 22Alt, 24Alt having been cooled to around 31.3° F. The split between streams 16 and 18 is most preferably 50/50, as in Examples 1-2, but other ratios may also be used. Feed streams 22Alt, 24Alt are then recombined in mixer 26 to form stream 28Alt, which passes through heat exchanger 30, exiting as stream 32Alt having been cooled to around 12.5° F. Stream 32Alt is the feed stream for first separator 44.

(30) First separator overhead stream 46Alt, containing around 78.6% methane, around 12.78% ethane, and around 4.33% propane at 12.36° F. and 962.8 psig, is expanded in expander 54, exiting as stream 56Alt. Stream 56Alt, at around −84° F. and 209.3 psig, is fed into fractionating column 42 near a top section of the tower as a fractionating tower feed stream.

(31) First separator bottoms stream 48Alt, containing around 40% methane, around 22.96% ethane, and around 18.84% propane at 12.3° F. and 962.8 psig, passes through an expansion valve, exiting as stream 52Alt at −38.1° F. and 218.7 psig. Stream 52Alt then passes through heat exchanger 30, exiting as stream 34Alt, having been warmed to around 21.3° F. Stream 34Alt then passes through the heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 36Alt warmed to 94.9° F. In this way, the bottoms stream from separator 44 undergoes two stages of heat exchange with the feed stream—once (as stream 52Alt) in heat exchanger 30 (with feed stream 28Alt) and again (as stream 34Alt) in heat exchanger 20 (with feed streams 16, 18, and along with a combined stream 70Alt formed by the fractionation column and second separator overhead streams). Stream 36Alt is then fed into a lower section of fractionating tower 42 as another fractionating tower feed stream.

(32) A stream 84Alt is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a mid-section of the tower. Stream 84Alt, containing around 34.8% methane, around 58.2% ethane, and around 5.57% propane at −7.3° F. and 207.4 psig, is split in splitter 86 into streams 88Alt and 90Alt. Most preferably stream 84Alt is split 50/50, but other ratios may also be used. Streams 88Alt and 90Alt pass through heat exchanger 68, exiting as streams 92Alt, 94Alt having been cooled to around −89.5° F. Streams 92Alt, 94Alt are then recombined in mixer 65 to form stream 96Alt, which feeds into second separator 98.

(33) Second separator bottoms stream 102Alt, containing around 21.75% methane, around 70% ethane, and around 7.1% propane at −89.9° F. and 199.9 psig, is preferably pumped with pump 104, exiting pump 104 as stream 106Alt at a pressure of 224.9 psig. Stream 106Alt is another feed stream into the top of fractionating tower 42.

(34) Second separator overhead stream 100Alt contains around 80.1% methane, around 17.5% ethane, and around 0.25% propane at −89.9° F. and 199.9 psig. Fractionating tower overhead stream 58Alt contains around 0.58% CO.sub.2, around 2.3% nitrogen, around 81% methane, around 15.8% ethane, and around 0.234% propane at −92.6° F. and 206.32 psig. Stream 58Alt is expanded through expansion valve 60, exiting as stream 62Alt at −94.2° F. and 196.32 psig. These two overhead streams 62Alt and 100Alt are combined in mixer 64 forming stream 66Alt, which passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 70Alt having been warmed to around −11.9° F. Stream 70Alt then passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 72Alt having been warmed to around 115.5° F. Stream 72Alt is compressed in compressor 74 (preferably receiving energy Q-3A from expander 54), exiting as stream 76Alt. Stream 76Alt is preferably cooled in heat exchanger 78 to form residue gas stream 80Alt, containing around 0.57% CO.sub.2, around 2.3% nitrogen, around 81% methane, around 15.89% ethane, and around 0.235% propane at 120° F. and 284.2 psig.

(35) A stream 54Alt is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a mid-section of the tower. Stream 54Alt, containing around 5.2% methane, around 63.44% ethane, and around 25.22% propane at −7.4° F. and 207.4 psig, passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 55Alt having been warmed to around 2.8° F. Stream 55Alt is then returned to tower 42 at a tray location (such as 15) that is lower than the location (such as tray 10) where stream 54Alt was withdrawn.

(36) A liquid stream 144Alt is withdrawn from the bottom of fractionating tower 42, passing through reboiler 40, with vapor stream 148Alt being returned to tower 42 and fractionating tower bottoms stream 82Alt exiting as the NGL product stream. Stream 82Alt contains negligible nitrogen, 0.01% CO.sub.2, 0.012% methane, 9.1% ethane, and 55.6% propane. The ethane recovery in NGL product stream 82Alt from the feed stream is 8% and the propane recovery in stream 82Alt is 97%.

(37) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams referred to in connection with Example 3 of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 3, are based on a computer simulation for system 10A-Alt having the feed stream characteristics discussed above and listed below in Table 5. The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams in system 10A-Alt based on a computer simulation of Example 3 using a feed stream having the feed stream content/parameters noted above are included in Tables 5 and 6 below. These temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions will also vary depending on the nature of other parameters in the feed stream and other operational parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(38) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 Example 3, System 10A-Alt-Alternate Rejection Mode without External Refrigeration Stream Properties Property Units 12 16 18 22Alt 24Alt Temperature ° F.    120* 120 120 31.3182* 31.3182* Pressure psig 975.257* 975.257 975.257 970.257 970.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 5489.91 5489.91 5489.91 5489.91 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 85.5855 85.5855 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 14.4145 14.4145 Liquid Stream Composition 12 16 18 22Alt 24Alt Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.5* 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 N2   2* 2 2 2 2 C1 70.375*   70.375 70.375 70.375 70.375 C2  15* 15 15 15 15 C3 7.5* 7.5 7.5 7.5 7.5 iC4   1* 1 1 1 1 nC4 2.325*  2.325 2.325 2.325 2.325 iC5 0.5* 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 nC5 0.6* 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 C6 0.2* 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 Stream Properties Property Units 28Alt 32Alt 34Alt 36Alt 46Alt Temperature ° F. 31.3182 12.5* 21.3102 94.9041* 12.366 Pressure psig 970.257 965.257 213.72 212.72 962.757 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 10979.8 2391.52 2391.52 8588.31 Mole Fraction Vapor % 85.5855 78.217 63.5045 92.7673 100 Mole Fraction Light % 14.4145 21.783 36.4955 7.2327 0 Liquid Stream Composition 28Alt 32Alt 34Alt 36Alt 46Alt Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.5 0.5 0.498317 0.498317 0.500469 N2 2 2 0.537953 0.537953 2.40712 C1 70.375 70.375 40.7689 40.7689 78.6192 C2 15 15 22.9642 22.9642 12.7823 C3 7.5 7.5 18.8482 18.8482 4.33995 iC4 1 1 3.20697 3.20697 0.385442 nC4 2.325 2.325 7.96563 7.96563 0.754301 Stream Properties Property Units 28Alt 32Alt 34Alt 36Alt 46Alt iC5 0.5 0.5 1.95084 1.95084 0.095995 nC5 0.6 0.6 2.3912 2.3912 0.10122 C6 0.2 0.2 0.867769 0.867769 0.014052 Stream Properties Property Units 48Alt 52Alt 54Alt 55Alt Temperature ° F. 12.366 −38.1371 −7.3886 2.79454 Pressure psig 962.757 218.72* 207.4 207.4 Molar Flow lbmol/h 2391.52 2391.52 198.764 198.764 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 42.3976 0 6.5708 Mole Fraction Light % 100 57.6024 100 93.4292 Liquid Stream Composition 48Alt 52Alt 54Alt 55Alt Mole Fraction % % % % CO2 0.498317 0.498317 0.242364 0.242364 N2 0.537953 0.537953 0.017909 0.017909 C1 40.7689 40.7689 5.28582 5.28582 C2 22.9642 22.9642 63.44 63.44 C3 18.8482 18.8482 25.2271 25.2271 iC4 3.20697 3.20697 1.70201 1.70201 nC4 7.96563 7.96563 3.23374 3.23374 iC5 1.95084 1.95084 0.388744 0.388744 nC5 2.3912 2.3912 0.406903 0.406903 C6 0.867769 0.867769 0.055441 0.055441 Stream Properties Property Units 56Alt 58Alt 62Alt 66Alt 70Alt Temperature ° F. −84.7827 −92.6801 −94.2226 −94.0838 −11.9284 Pressure psig 209.3* 206.32 196.32 196.32 191.32 Molar Flow lbmol/h 8588.31 9188.66 9188.66 9539.55 9539.55 Mole Fraction Vapor % 88.7593 100 100 100 100 Mole Fraction Light % 11.2407 0 0 0 0 Liquid Stream Composition 56Alt 58Alt 62Alt 66Alt 70Alt Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.500469 0.575758 0.575758 0.573715 0.573715 N2 2.40712 2.32929 2.32929 2.30196 2.30196 C1 78.6192 81.0318 81.0318 80.9981 80.9981 C2 12.7823 15.8264 15.8264 15.8887 15.8887 C3 4.33995 0.234707 0.234707 0.235361 0.235361 iC4 0.385442 0.000987 0.000987 0.000991 0.000991 nC4 0.754301 0.001128 0.001128 0.001133 0.001133 iC5 0.095995 Neg Neg Neg Neg nC5 0.10122 Neg Neg Neg Neg C6 0.0140518 Neg Neg Neg Neg Stream Properties Property Units 72Alt 76Alt 80Alt 82Alt 84Alt Temperature ° F. 115.573 185.762 120* 122.632 −7.3886 Pressure psig 186.32 289.236 284.236 210.82 207.4 Molar Flow lbmol/h 9539.55 9539.55 9539.55 1440.26 1568.3 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 0 100 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 100 0 Liquid Stream Composition 72Alt 76Alt 80Alt 82Alt 84Alt Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.573715 0.573715 0.573715 0.0117399 0.59017 N2 2.30196 2.30196 2.30196 Neg 0.421289 C1 80.9981 80.9981 80.9981 0.012901 34.8151 C2 15.8887 15.8887 15.8887 9.11556 58.2885 C3 0.235361 0.235361 0.235361 55.6153 5.57009 iC4 0.000991 0.000991 0.000991 7.61693 0.122805 nC4 0.001133 0.001133 0.001133 17.7171 0.178391 iC5 Neg Neg Neg 3.81169 0.00753 nC5 Neg Neg Neg 4.57407 0.005969 C6 Neg Neg Neg 1.5247 0.000154 Stream Properties Property Units 88Alt 90Alt 92Alt 94Alt 96Alt Temperature ° F. −7.3886 −7.3886 −89.4918* −89.4918* −89.4918 Pressure psig 207.4 207.4 202.4 202.4 202.4 Molar Flow lbmol/h 784.149 784.149 784.149 784.149 1568.3 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 22.1606 22.1606 22.1606 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 77.8394 77.8394 77.8394 Liquid Stream Composition 88Alt 90Alt 92Alt 94Alt 96Alt Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.59017 0.59017 0.59017 0.59017 0.59017 N2 0.421289 0.421289 0.421289 0.421289 0.421289 C1 34.8151 34.8151 34.8151 34.8151 34.8151 C2 58.2885 58.2885 58.2885 58.2885 58.2885 C3 5.57009 5.57009 5.57009 5.57009 5.57009 iC4 0.122805 0.122805 0.122805 0.122805 0.122805 nC4 0.178391 0.178391 0.178391 0.178391 0.178391 Stream Properties Property Units 88Alt 90Alt 92Alt 94Alt 96Alt iC5 0.00753 0.00753 0.00753 0.00753 0.00753 nC5 0.005969 0.005969 0.005969 0.005969 0.005969 C6 0.000154 0.000154 0.000154 0.000154 0.000154 Stream Properties Property Units 100Alt 102Alt 106Alt 144Alt Temperature ° F. −89.9119 −89.9119 −89.6562 107.16 Pressure psig 199.9 199.9 224.9 210.82 Molar Flow lbmol/h 350.897 1217.4 1217.4 2058.62 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 0 0 0 Mole Fraction Light % 0 100 100 100 Liquid Stream Composition 100Alt 102Alt 106Alt 144Alt Mole Fraction % % % % CO2 0.520234 0.610328 0.610328 0.0275215 N2 1.58632 0.085485 0.085485 1.7592E−06 C1 80.1178 21.7573 21.7573 0.0476131 C2 17.5208 70.0392 70.0392 13.8544 C3 0.252481 7.10281 7.10281 57.2213 iC4 0.00109502 0.157887 0.157887 6.63664 nC4 0.00125556 0.229448 0.229448 14.7109 iC5 Neg 0.009697 0.009697 2.92981 nC5 Neg 0.007688 0.007688 3.47077 C6 Neg 0.000199 0.000199 1.10098 Stream Properties Property Units 148Alt Temperature ° F. 122.632 Pressure psig 210.82 Molar Flow lbmol/h 618.366 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 Mole Fraction Light % 0 Liquid Stream Composition 148Alt Mole Fraction % CO2 0.0642789 N2 Neg C1 0.128462 C2 24.8919 C3 60.962 iC4 4.3534 nC4 7.70903 iC5 0.875804 nC5 0.901052 C6 0.114059

(39) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Example 3, System 10A-Alt Alternate Energy Streams Energy Energy Rate Power Stream (MBtu/hr) (hp) From To Q-1A 4346.01 — Reboiler 40 Q-2A 6.90435 — Pump 104 Q-3A 6209.4 2440.39 Expander 54 Compressor 74 Q-4A 6374.95 Heat — Exchanger/Cooler 78

(40) It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the values in the Tables are based on the particular parameters and composition of the feed stream in the above Example 3. The values will differ depending on the parameters and composition of the feed stream 12 and operational parameters for system 10A-Alt as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(41) System 10A-Alt is similar to FIG. 6 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,507. One important difference between system 10A-Alt and the system depicted in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent is that the heat exchange systems are different. In system 10A-Alt, feed stream 12 is split with each part of the feed stream (streams 16 and 18) passing through heat exchanger 20 (upstream of heat exchanger 30) with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator overhead stream 70Alt (downstream of heat exchanger 68) and first separator bottoms stream 34Alt (downstream of heat exchanger 30). In the '507 patent, the feed stream is not split and the first separator bottoms stream is not warmed prior to heat exchange with the feed stream and mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator bottoms stream. By passing the first separator bottoms stream through heat exchangers 30 and 20, it is possible to warm that stream sufficiently that it feeds into fractionation tower 42 (as stream 36Alt) at a higher temperature (up to 110° F., depending on the inlet gas composition and operating conditions, although that stream may also feed into fractionation tower 42 at temperatures in the range of 25° F. to 110° F.) than the 71° F. of stream 33b in the '507 patent. This makes it possible to operate fractionation tower 42 with minimal external heat input which in turn allows for a greater efficiency overall. It also allows the feed stream into first separator 44 (streams 32Alt) to be warmer (in the range of −25° F. to +25° F.) than the first separator feed stream 31a (at −75° F.) in the '507 patent. For system 10A-Alt, the higher separator 44 temperature allows for greater amount of energy or “refrigeration” to be delivered to the system from the expander 54. Since one of the benefits of the preferred embodiments of the invention is to be able to operate system 10A-Alt without refrigeration, the higher temperature and thus the greater refrigeration generated is beneficial. Additionally, in system 10A-Alt, the side stream 84Alt withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 passes through heat exchanger 68 for heat exchange with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator bottoms stream 66Alt. In the '507 patent, the side stream 36 passes through heat exchanger 20 with only the fractionation tower overhead stream. The heat exchange system in system 10A-Alt allow the feed stream into second separator 98 (stream 96Alt) to be at a warmer temperature (in the range of in a range of −70° F. to −95° F.), than the second separator feed stream 36a (at −114° F.) in the '507 patent. One benefit of the higher temperature is to allow for more of the methane and ethane to be eliminated from the fractionator 42 as vapor (in overhead stream 58Alt) and allow for a desired compositional change for the top feed stream 106Alt into the fractionation tower 42. In system 10A-Alt, the side stream 54Alt withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 is significantly warmer (in the range of −20° F. to +50° F.) than stream 35 at −112° F. in the '507 patent and the returned stream 55Alt is also significantly warmer (in the range of 0° F. to 60° F.) than stream 35a at −46° F. in the '507 patent. Side stream 54Alt also has significantly less methane (between 2 to 10%) and more ethane (between 40% to 80%) than stream 35 at 55% methane, 32% ethane in the '507 patent. The process depicted in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent results in a 93.96% propane recovery in the NGL stream 37 from feed stream 31, whereas system 10A-Alt in Example 3 achieves a 97% propane recovery.

(42) In addition to operational temperature differences based on the different heat exchange systems, operating pressures in system 10A-Alt differ from those in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent. The first separator 44 in system 10A-Alt operates at a pressure between 800 and 1100 psig, which is higher than the first separator 11 in the '507 patent (570 psia). In system 10A-Alt, the second separator 98 operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is lower than the second separator 15 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 369 psia. In system 10A-Alt, the fractionation tower operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is also lower than the fractionation tower 17 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 371 psia.

Example 4—Second Alternate Ethane Rejection without External Refrigeration

(43) Referring to FIG. 4, another alternate preferred embodiment of system 10A is shown. System 10A-Alt2 is a preferred alternate embodiment for processing NGL product streams in an ethane rejection mode that is particularly useful under certain inlet gas compositions or operational limitations such as limited site horsepower and/or other emission limitations. System 10A-Alt2 is preferably similar in equipment and process flows as system 10A with a few exceptions. First, heat exchanger 30 is not used. Second, the bottoms stream from the first separator 44 passes through heat exchanger 68 then through heat exchanger 20 before feeding into fractionation tower 42. Third, side stream 84Alt2 withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 is preferably not split prior to heat exchanger 68. Fourth, similar to system 10A-Alt, an additional side stream 54Alt2 is withdrawn from fractionation tower 42, warmed in heat exchanger 20, and fed back into tower 42 as stream 55Alt2.

(44) Feed stream 12 comprises natural gas that has already been processed according to known methods to remove excessive amounts of H.sub.2S, CO.sub.2, and water, as needed. For the particular Example 4 described herein, feed stream 12 has the following basic parameters: (1) Pressure of near 987 PSIA; (2) Inlet temperature of 100° F.; (3) Inlet gas flow of 225 Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day (MMSCFD); (4) Inlet nitrogen content of 0.48% by volume; (5) inlet CO.sub.2 content of 1% by volume; (6) inlet methane content of 73.3% by volume; (7) inlet ethane content of 14.5% by volume; and (8) inlet propane content of 7.85% by volume. The parameters of other streams described herein are exemplary based on the data for feed stream 12 used in a computer simulation for Example 4. The temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions of other process streams in system 10A-Alt2 will vary depending on the nature of the feed stream and other operational parameters, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Feed stream 12 is preferably directed to the inlet splitter 14 where the inlet gas is strategically split into two streams 16, 18 before passing through heat exchanger 20 and exiting as streams 22Alt2, 24Alt2 having been cooled to around 0° F. The split between streams 16 and 18 is most preferably 50/50, as in Examples 1-2, but other ratios may also be used. Feed streams 22Alt2, 24Alt2 are then recombined in mixer 26 to form stream 28Alt2, which is the feed stream for first separator 44.

(45) First separator overhead stream 46Alt2, containing around 80.9% methane, around 12.1% ethane, and around 4.5% propane at −0.14° F. and 979.8 psia, is expanded in expander 54, exiting as stream 56Alt2. Stream 56Alt2, at around −91.4° F. and 240.5 psia, is fed into fractionating column 42 near a top section of the tower as a fractionating tower feed stream.

(46) First separator bottoms stream 48Alt2, containing around 46.1% methane, around 22.96% ethane, and around 19.81% propane at −0.14° F. and 979.8 psia, passes through an expansion valve, exiting as stream 52Alt2 at −52.8° F. and 257.4 psia. Stream 52Alt2 then passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 34Alt2, having been warmed to around −7.6° F. Stream 34Alt2 then passes through the heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 36Alt2 warmed to 94° F. In this way, the bottoms stream from separator 44 undergoes only one stage of heat exchange with the feed stream, rather than two stages in systems 10-A and 10A-Alt. Prior to (upstream of) heat exchange with the feed stream, the bottoms stream from first separator 44 and a combined fractionation tower overhead stream and separator 98 overhead stream 66Alt2 are warmed through heat exchange with side stream 84Alt2 in heat exchanger 68. In systems 10A and 10A-Alt, the bottoms stream from separator 44 does not pass through heat exchanger 68. Stream 36Alt2, the first separator 44 bottoms stream downstream of heat exchanger 20, is then fed into a lower section of fractionating tower 42 as another fractionating tower feed stream.

(47) A stream 84Alt2 is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a mid-section of the tower. Stream 84Alt2, containing around 28.4% methane, around 65.5% ethane, and around 4.85% propane at −3.6° F. and 236 psiag passes through heat exchanger 68, preferably without being split, exiting as stream 96Alt2, which feeds into second separator 98.

(48) Second separator bottoms stream 102Alt2, containing around 23.9% methane, around 69.5% ethane, and around 5.2% propane at −90° F. and 228 psia, is preferably pumped with pump 104, exiting pump 104 as stream 106Alt2 at a pressure of 278.6 psia. Stream 106Alt2 is another feed stream into the top of fractionating tower 42.

(49) Second separator overhead stream 100Alt2 contains around 81.6% methane, around 16.6% ethane, and around 0.18% propane at −90.2° F. and 228.6 psia. Fractionating tower overhead stream 58Alt2 contains around 1.13% CO.sub.2, around 0.54% nitrogen, around 82.5% methane, around 15.6% ethane, and around 0.17% propane at −91° F. and 235 psia. Stream 58Alt2 is expanded through expansion valve 60, exiting as stream 62Alt2 at −93.8° F. and 220 psia. These two overhead streams 62Alt2 and 100Alt2 are combined in mixer 64 forming stream 66Alt2, which passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 70Alt2 having been warmed to around −6.66° F. Stream 70Alt2 then passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 72Alt2 having been warmed to around 94° F. Stream 72Alt2 is compressed in compressor 74 (preferably receiving energy Q-3A2 from expander 54), exiting as stream 76Alt2. Stream 76Alt2 is preferably cooled in heat exchanger 78 to form residue gas stream 80Alt2, containing around 1.12% CO.sub.2, around 0.54% nitrogen, around 82.5% methane, around 15.6% ethane, and around 0.17% propane at 120° F. and 300 psia.

(50) A stream 54Alt2 is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a mid-section of the tower. Stream 54Alt2, containing around 4.66% methane, around 71.53% ethane, and around 20.87% propane at −3.5° F. and 236 psia, passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 55Alt2 having been warmed to around 15° F. Stream 55Alt2 is then returned to tower 42 at a tray location (such as 14) that is lower than the location (such as tray 10) where stream 54Alt2 was withdrawn.

(51) A liquid stream 144Alt2 is withdrawn from the bottom of fractionating tower 42, passing through reboiler 40, with vapor stream 148Alt2 being returned to tower 42. Fractionating tower bottoms stream 82Alt2 passes through heat exchanger/cooler 41, exiting as the NGL product stream 83Alt2. Stream 83Alt2 contains negligible nitrogen, 0.01% CO.sub.2, 0.002% methane, 6.02% ethane, and 68.6% propane. The ethane recovery in NGL product stream 82Alt2 from the feed stream is 4.65% and the propane recovery in stream 82Alt2 is 98%, which is significantly better than in systems 10A or 10A-Alt and is similar to the recoveries in system 10B but without requiring external refrigeration.

(52) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams referred to in connection with Example 4 of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 4, are based on a computer simulation for system 10A-Alt2 having the feed stream characteristics discussed above and listed below in Table 7. The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams in system 10A-Alt2 based on a computer simulation of Example 4 using a feed stream having the feed stream content/parameters noted above are included in Tables 7 and 8 below. These temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions will also vary depending on the nature of other parameters in the feed stream and other operational parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(53) TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 Example 4, System 10A-Alt2-Alternate Rejection Mode without External Refrigeration Stream Composition 12 16 18 22Alt2 24Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % % C1 73.276 73.276     73.276 73.276     73.276     C2 14.5384 14.5384    14.5384 14.5384    14.5384    C3 7.85041 7.85041   7.85041 7.85041   7.85041   iC4 0.65749 0.65749   0.65749 0.65749   0.65749   nC4 1.5449 1.5449    1.5449 1.5449    1.5449    iC5 0.224146 0.224146   0.224146 0.224146   0.224146   nC5 0.224146 0.224146   0.224146 0.224146   0.224146   C6 0.146348 0.146348   0.146348 0.146348   0.146348   C7 0.043221 0.043221   0.043221 0.043221   0.043221   C8 0.0100514 0.0100514  0.0100514 0.0100514  0.0100514  C9 0 0       0 0       0        C10 0 0       0 0       0       CO2 1 1       1 1       1       N2 0.484679 0.484679   0.484679 0.484679   0.484679   H2O 0 0       0 0       0       TEG 0 0       0 0       0       DEA 0 0       0 0       0       CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0       0       H2S 0.000211079 0.000211079 0.000211079 0.000211079 0.000211079 Stream Properties Property Units 12 16 18 22Alt2 24Alt2 Temperature ° F.    100* 100    100 0* 0* Pressure psia 987.328* 987.328 987.328 982.328 982.328 Mole Fraction % 100 100    100  77.9021  77.9021 Vapor Mole Fraction % 0 0   0  22.0979  22.0979 Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0   0 0   0   Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 21.9489  21.9489 21.9489  21.9489  21.9489 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 4.6054   4.6054 4.6054   8.09094   8.09094 Molar Flow lbmol/h 24704.6 12352.3   12352.3 12352.3   12352.3   Mass Flow lb/h 542238 271119     271119 271119     271119     Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 117740 58869.8   58869.8 33509     33509     Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 14679.2 7339.61  7339.61 4177.74  4177.74  Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD    225* 112.5  112.5 112.5  112.5  Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 3062.18 1531.09  1531.09 1531.09  1531.09  Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.783449    0.783449 0.783449    0.540207    0.540207 Specific Gravity 0.757838    0.757838 0.757838 API Gravity Enthalpy Btu/h −8.97269E+08 −4.48634E+08 −4.48634E+08 −4.74002E+08 −4.74002E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1654.75 −1654.75    −1654.75 −1748.32    −1748.32    Mass Cp Btu/ 0.65797   0.65797 0.65797   0.88296   0.88296 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas 1.23322   1.23322 1.23322   1.2597   1.2597 CpCv Ratio Dynamic cP 0.01335   0.01335 0.01335 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.181076    0.181076 0.181076 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.02229   0.02229 0.02229 Conductivity ft*° F.) Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1175.56 1175.56  1175.56 1175.56  1175.56  Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20254.5 20254.5   20254.5 20254.5   20254.5   Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1294.6 1294.6   1294.6 1294.6   1294.6   Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 22313.1 22313.1   22313.1 22313.1   22313.1   Heating Value Stream Composition 28Alt2 34Alt2 36Alt2 46Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % C1 73.276 46.0956    46.0956 80.9893 C2 14.5384 22.9661    22.9661 12.1467 C3 7.85041 19.812     19.812 4.45597 iC4 0.65749 2.09652   2.09652 0.249124 nC4 1.5449 5.22033   5.22033 0.501895 iC5 0.224146 0.862309   0.862309 0.0430496 nC5 0.224146 0.877652   0.877652 0.0386956 C6 0.146348 0.624317   0.624317 0.0107112 C7 0.043221 0.189379   0.189379 0.00174464 C8 0.0100514 0.044764   0.044764 0.000200723 C9 0 0       0 0  C10 0 0       0 0 CO2 1 1.06236   1.06236 0.982305 N2 0.484679 0.148275   0.148275 0.580143 H2O 0 0       0 0 TEG 0 0       0 0 DEA 0 0       0 0 CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0 H2S 0.000211079 0.000346292 0.000346292 0.000172709 Stream Properties Property Units 28Alt2 34Alt2 36Alt2 46Alt2 Temperature ° F.   1.94972E−07   −7.5657   94 −0.142289 Pressure psia 982.328 252.375 252.275 979.828 Mole Fraction % 77.9021  61.0631 98.0974 100 Vapor Mole Fraction % 22.0979  38.9369 1.90256 0 Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0   0 0 Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 21.9489  29.833 29.833 19.7115 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 8.09094   2.76566 1.46131 6.21672 Molar Flow lbmol/h 24704.6 5460.94  5460.94 19243.7 Mass Flow lb/h 542238 162916     162916 379322 Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 67017.9 58906.7   111486 61016.4 Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 8355.48 7344.21  13899.6 7607.25 Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 225  49.7361 49.7361 175.264 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 3062.18 790.47  790.47 2271.71 Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.540207    0.561102 0.866792 0.62999 Specific Gravity 0.680588 API Gravity Enthalpy Btu/h −9.48004E+08 −2.38597E+08 −2.18094E+08 −7.01148E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1748.32 −1464.54   −1338.69 −1848.42 Mass Cp Btu/ 0.882965    0.545689 0.493611 0.920502 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas 1.2597   1.20415 1.17756 1.28261 CpCv Ratio Dynamic cP 0.0132312 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.132867 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0217942 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1175.56 1573.92  1573.92 1062.51 Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20254.5 19903.4   19903.4 20405.4 Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1294.6 1721.56  1721.56 1173.44 Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 22313.1 21782     21782 22541.3 Heating Value Stream Composition 48Alt2 52Alt2 54Alt2 55Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % C1 46.0956 46.0956    4.6698 4.6698 C2 22.9661 22.9661    71.5337 71.5337 C3 19.812 19.812     20.8745 20.8745 iC4 2.09652 2.09652   0.755282 0.755282 nC4 5.22033 5.22033   1.46489 1.46489 iC5 0.862309 0.862309   0.117055 0.117055 nC5 0.877652 0.877652   0.104303 0.104303 C6 0.624317 0.624317   0.028216 0.028216 C7 0.189379 0.189379   0.00457928 0.00457928 C8 0.044764 0.044764   0.000526076 0.000526076 C9 0 0       0 0  C10 0 0       0 0 CO2 1.06236 1.06236   0.442105 0.442105 N2 0.148275 0.148275   0.00401785 0.00401785 H2O 0 0       0 0 TEG 0 0       0 0 DEA 0 0       0 0 CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0 H2S 0.000346292 0.000346292 0.00101439 0.00101439 Stream Properties Property Units 48Alt2 52Alt2 54Alt2 55Alt2 Temperature ° F. −0.142289  −52.7728   −3.5657 14.9879 Pressure psia 979.828 257.375 236.125 235.875 Mole Fraction % 0  44.0483 0 24.7436 Vapor Mole Fraction % 100  55.9517 100 75.2564 Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0   0 0 Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 29.833  29.833 33.1391 33.1391 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 26.2542   4.1862 29.4713 6.45573 Molar Flow lbmol/h 5460.94 5460.94  6123.17 6123.17 Mass Flow lb/h 162916 162916     202916 202916 Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 6205.34 38917.4   6885.21 31432 Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 773.652 4852.04  858.416 3918.79 Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 49.7361  49.7361 55.7675 55.7675 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 790.47 790.47  1025.7 1025.7 Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.225774    0.420044 0.0542445 0.237702 Specific Gravity 0.420949 0.472531 API Gravity 211.952 234.164 Enthalpy Btu/h −2.46856E+08 −2.46856E+08 −2.79785E+08 −2.70633E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1515.23 −1515.23    −1378.82 −1333.72 Mass Cp Btu/ 0.78962    0.556454 0.708781 0.671858 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas 1.20211   1.21661 1.19332 1.18762 CpCv Ratio Dynamic cP 0.0708757 0.0948302 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.16853 0.200875 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0631519 0.0633199 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft 0.000115133 0.000451604 Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1573.92 1573.92  1760.32 1760.32 Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 19903.4 19903.4   20006.8 20006.8 Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1721.56 1721.56  1921.17 1921.17 Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 21782 21782     21850.2 21850.2 Heating Value Stream Composition 56Alt2 58Alt2 62Alt2 66Alt2 70Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % % C1 80.9893 82.5561    82.5561 82.541     82.541     C2 12.1467 15.5944    15.5944 15.6129    15.6129    C3 4.45597 0.173224   0.173224 0.173385   0.173385   iC4 0.249124 0.000414245 0.000414245 0.00041464  0.00041464  nC4 0.501895 0.000507642 0.000507642 0.000508135 0.000508135 iC5 0.0430496 2.88804E−06 2.88804E−06 2.89162E−06 2.89162E−06 nC5 0.0386956 1.44809E−06 1.44809E−06 1.44959E−06 1.44959E−06 C6 0.0107112 7.83757E−09 7.83757E−09 7.84542E−09 7.84542E−09 C7 0.00174464 1.21439E−10 1.21439E−10 1.21568E−10 1.21568E−10 C8 0.000200723  1.2538E−12  1.2538E−12 1.25515E−12 1.25515E−12 C9 0 0       0 0       0        C10 0 0       0 0       0       CO2 0.982305 1.13056   1.13056 1.12566   1.12566   N2 0.580143 0.544585   0.544585 0.545972   0.545972   H2O 0 0       0 0       0       TEG 0 0       0 0       0       DEA 0 0       0 0       0       CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0       0       H2S 0.000172709 0.000224558 0.000224558 0.000224899 0.000224899 Stream Properties Property Units 56Alt2 58Alt2 62Alt2 66Alt2 70Alt2 Temperature ° F. −91.4233 −91.5284 −93.8686  −93.8281     −6.66588   Pressure psia 240.5 235 220 220    215    Mole Fraction % 87.2284 100 100 100    100    Vapor Mole Fraction % 12.7716 0 0 0   0   Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0 0 0   0   HeavyLiquid Molecular lb/lbmol 19.7115 18.6602 18.6602  18.6617  18.6617 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1.58779 1.31308 1.22566   1.2256    0.890407 Molar Flow lbmol/h 19243.7 21550.7 21550.7 21931     21931     Mass Flow lb/h 379322 402141 402141 409269     409269     Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 238900 306258 328103 333933     459642     Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 29784.9 38182.8 40906.3 41633.3   57306.1   Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 175.264 196.276 196.276 199.739 199.739 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 2271.71 2510.7 2510.7 2555.24  2555.24  Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.755512 0.845308 0.853221    0.853232    0.926903 Specific Gravity 0.644289 0.644289    0.644339    0.644339 API Gravity Enthalpy Btu/h −7.1352E+08 −7.73258E+08 −7.73258E+08 −7.86758E+08 −7.68464E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1881.04 −1922.85 −1922.85 −1922.35    −1877.65    Mass Cp Btu/ 0.549391 0.531182 0.524499    0.524482    0.503152 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas CpCv 1.30072 1.31253 1.31283   1.3128   1.29752 Ratio Dynamic cP 0.00824803 0.00816115     0.00816152     0.00972079 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.392137 0.415682    0.415721    0.681541 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0129195 0.0127425    0.0127429    0.0155596 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1062.51 1007.28 1007.28 1007.44  1007.44  Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20405.4 20443.8 20443.8 20445.5   20445.5   Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1173.44 1114.18 1114.18 1114.36  1114.36  Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 22541.3 22618.4 22618.4 22620.2   22620.2   Heating Value Stream Composition 72Alt2 76Alt2 80Alt2 82Alt2 83Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % % C1 82.541 82.541     82.541 0.00193892  0.00193892  C2 15.6129 15.6129    15.6129 6.02721   6.02721   C3 0.173385 0.173385   0.173385 68.5714    68.5714    iC4 0.00041464 0.00041464  0.00041464 5.85638   5.85638   nC4 0.000508135 0.000508135 0.000508135 13.7646    13.7646    iC5 2.89162E−06 2.89162E−06 2.89162E−06 1.99764   1.99764   nC5 1.44959E−06 1.44959E−06 1.44959E−06 1.99765   1.99765   C6 7.84542E−09 7.84542E−09 7.84542E−09 1.3043    1.3043    C7 1.21568E−10 1.21568E−10 1.21568E−10 0.385199   0.385199   C8 1.25515E−12 1.25515E−12 1.25515E−12 0.0895812  0.0895812  C9 0 0       0 0       0        C10 0 0       0 0       0       CO2 1.12566 1.12566   1.12566 0.00403123  0.00403123  N2 0.545972 0.545972   0.545972 9.17113E−09 9.17113E−09 H2O 0 0       0 0       0       TEG 0 0       0 0       0       DEA 0 0       0 0       0       CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0       0       H2S 0.000224899 0.000224899 0.000224899 0.000101571 0.000101571 Stream Properties Property Units 72Alt2 76Alt2 80Alt2 82Alt2 83Alt2 Temperature ° F. 94 156.451 120 126.425 100    Pressure psia 210 305.022 300.022 239.4  234.4  Mole Fraction % 100 100 100 0   0   Vapor Mole Fraction % 0 0 0 100    100    Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0 0 0   0   Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 18.6617 18.6617 18.6617  47.9504  47.9504 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 0.68449 0.892033 0.940984  29.5767  31.1707 Molar Flow lbmol/h 21931 21931 21931 2771.97  2771.97  Mass Flow lb/h 409269 409269 409269 132917     132917     Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 597918 458804 434937 4493.97  4264.17  Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 74545.6 57201.6 54225.9 560.287 531.636 Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 199.739 199.739 199.739  25.246  25.246 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 2555.24 2555.24 2555.24 506.692 506.692 Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.963581 0.965098 0.956483    0.0617071    0.0600356 Specific Gravity 0.644339 0.644339 0.644339    0.474221    0.499778 API Gravity 133.927 133.968 Enthalpy Btu/h −7.47385E+08 −7.35013E+08 −7.43051E+08 −1.48845E+08 −1.51353E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1826.15 −1795.92 −1815.56 −1119.83    −1138.7     Mass Cp Btu/ 0.519941 0.549315 0.537323    0.747489   0.68615 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas 1.27238 1.25544 1.26533   1.1067   1.11124 CpCv Ratio Dynamic cP 0.0114603 0.0126061 0.0120129    0.0857899   0.10095 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 1.04522 0.882224 0.796976    0.181078    0.202181 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0193999 0.022409 0.0208063    0.0491326    0.052898 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft    0.0003259    0.0004013 Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1007.44 1007.44 1007.44 2505.39  2505.39  Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20445.5 20445.5 20445.5 19666.9   19666.9   Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1114.36 1114.36 1114.36 2720.32  2720.32  Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 22620.2 22620.2 22620.2 21368.1   21368.1   Heating Value Stream Composition 84Alt2 96Alt2 100Alt2 102Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % % C1 28.4053 28.4053    81.6833 23.9501 C2 65.4628 65.4628    16.6603 69.5457 C3 4.85047 4.85047   0.182519 5.23965 iC4 0.058723 0.058723   0.000437019 0.0636086 nC4 0.0902274 0.0902274  0.000536055 0.0977502 iC5 0.00260177 0.00260177  3.09491E−06 0.00281985 nC5 0.00176638 0.00176638  1.53499E−06 0.00191449 C6 9.51461E−05 9.51461E−05 8.29016E−09 0.000103134 C7 5.77381E−06 5.77381E−06 1.28883E−10  6.2587E−06 C8  2.2566E−07  2.2566E−07 1.33182E−12 2.44621E−07 C9 0 0       0 0  C10 0 0       0 0 CO2 1.04451 1.04451   0.848177 1.06008 N2 0.082585 0.082585   0.624545 0.0373152 H2O 0 0       0 0 TEG 0 0       0 0 DEA 0 0       0 0 CHEMTHERM 550 0 0       0 0 H2S 0.000942696 0.000942696 0.000244223 0.00100112 Stream Properties Property Units 84Alt2 96Alt2 100Alt2 102Alt2 Temperature ° F. −3.5657  −89.8281   −90.1938 −90.1938 Pressure psia 236.125 231.125 228.625 228.625 Mole Fraction % 100   7.43734 100 0 Vapor Mole Fraction % 0  92.5627 0 100 Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0   0 0 Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 26.9527  26.9527 18.743 27.639 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1.59752  13.9896 1.27249 30.3408 Molar Flow lbmol/h 4934.46 4934.46  380.264 4554.2 Mass Flow lb/h 132997 132997     7127.26 125873 Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 83252.4 9506.88  5601.06 4148.65 Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 10379.5 1185.27  698.313 517.234 Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 44.9412  44.9412 3.46329 41.4779 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 743.864 743.864 44.542 699.343 Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.8139    0.112193 0.849296 0.0525253 Specific Gravity 0.930608 0.647146 0.486473 API Gravity 261.779 Enthalpy Btu/h −1.88292E+08 −2.14844E+08 −1.34991E+07 −2.01336E+08 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1415.76 −1615.4     −1894.01 −1599.51 Mass Cp Btu/ 0.475238    0.650883 0.527369 0.656409 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas 1.23081   1.25681 1.3112 1.25321 CpCv Ratio Dynamic cP 0.00907736 0.0082321 0.105215 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.354722 0.403865 0.216486 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0121318 0.0128666 0.0787624 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft 0.0006187 Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1435.1 1435.1   1016.81 1470.08 Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20080.3 20080.3   20544.5 20054.2 Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1572.47 1572.47  1124.46 1609.94 Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 22016 22016     22724.6 21976.1 Heating Value Stream Composition 106Alt2 144Alt2 148Alt2 Mole Fraction % % % C1 23.9501 0.00867158 0.0175839 C2 69.5457 10.174 15.6634 C3 5.23965 70.8081 73.769 iC4 0.0636086 4.78636 3.36992 nC4 0.0977502 10.479 6.12977 iC5 0.00281985 1.34602 0.483449 nC5 0.00191449 1.31939 0.421555 C6 0.000103134 0.78886 0.106548 C7  6.2587E−06 0.226453 0.0163129 C8 2.44621E−07 0.0517497 0.00167057 C9 0 0 0  C10 0 0 0 CO2 1.06008 0.011148 0.0205687 N2 0.0373152 8.80709E−08 1.92514E−07 H2O 0 0 0 TEG 0 0 0 DEA 0 0 0 CHEMTHERM 550 0 0 0 H2S 0.00100112 0.000168275 0.000256575 Stream Properties Property Units 106Alt2 144Alt2 148Alt2 Temperature ° F. −89.6686 112.964 126.425 Pressure psia 278.625 239.5 239.4 Mole Fraction % 0 0 100 Vapor Mole Fraction % 100 100 0 Light Liquid Mole Fraction % 0 0 0 Heavy Liquid Molecular lb/lbmol 27.639 46.0503 43.5351 Weight Mass Density lb/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 30.3515 29.4997 2.19384 Molar Flow lbmol/h 4554.2 4866 2094.03 Mass Flow lb/h 125873 224081 91164 Vapor ft{circumflex over ( )}3/h 4147.19 7596.03 41554.6 Volumetric Flow Liquid gpm 517.053 947.038 5180.83 Volumetric Flow Std Vapor MMSCFD 41.4779 44.3176 19.0716 Volumetric Flow Std Liquid sgpm 699.343 875.739 369.047 Volumetric Flow Compressibility 0.0638992 0.0608387 0.755315 Specific Gravity 0.486644 0.472987 1.50316 API Gravity 261.779 139.927 Enthalpy Btu/h −2.01285E+08 −2.55893E+08 −9.37705E+07 Mass Enthalpy Btu/lb −1599.1 −1141.97 −1028.59 Mass Cp Btu/ 0.655084 0.743594 0.515742 (lb*° F.) Ideal Gas CpCv 1.25307 1.11386 1.11852 Ratio Dynamic cP 0.10545 0.0860242 0.00996596 Viscosity Kinematic cSt 0.216894 0.182046 0.283592 Viscosity Thermal Btu/(h* 0.0787011 0.0505319 0.013327 Conductivity ft*° F.) Surface Tension lbf/ft 0.000586696 0.000333251 Net Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1470.08 2411.11 2286.3 Heating Value Net Liquid Btu/lb 20054.2 19708.1 19768.2 Heating Value Gross Ideal Gas Btu/ft{circumflex over ( )}3 1609.94 2619.2 2485.34 Heating Value Gross Liquid Btu/lb 21976.1 21423.3 21503.7 Heating Value

(54) TABLE-US-00008 TABLE 8 Example 4, System 10A-Alt2 Alternate Energy Streams Energy Energy Rate Power Stream (MBtu/hr) (hp) From To Q-1A 13277 — Reboiler 40 Q-2A 51.1714 — Pump 104 Q-3A2 12372.3 4862.51 Expander 54 Compressor 74 Q-4A 8037.9 Heat — Exchanger/Cooler 78 Q-5A 2507.9 Heat — Exchanger/Cooler 41

(55) It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the values in the Tables are based on the particular parameters and composition of the feed stream in the above Example 4. The values will differ depending on the parameters and composition of the feed stream 12 and operational parameters for system 10A-Alt2 as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(56) System 10A-Alt2 is similar to FIG. 6 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,507. One important difference between system 10A-Alt2 and the system depicted in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent is that the heat exchange systems are different. In system 10A-Alt2, feed stream 12 is split with each part of the feed stream (streams 16 and 18) passing through heat exchanger 20 (upstream of heat exchanger 30) with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator overhead stream 70Alt2 (downstream of heat exchanger 68) and first separator bottoms stream 34Alt2 (downstream of heat exchanger 68). The first separator 44 bottoms stream is warmed in heat exchanger 68 prior to heat exchange with the feed stream 16/18 in heat exchanger 20. In the '507 patent, the feed stream is not split and the first separator bottoms stream is not warmed prior to heat exchange with the feed stream. By passing the first separator bottoms stream through heat exchangers 68 and 20, it is possible to warm that stream sufficiently that it feeds into fractionation tower 42 (as stream 36Alt) at a higher temperature (up to 110° F., depending on the inlet gas composition and operating conditions, although that stream may also feed into fractionation tower 42 at temperatures in the range of 25° F. to 110° F. than the 71° F. of stream 33b in the '507 patent. This makes it possible to operate fractionation tower 42 with minimal external heat input which in turn allows for a greater efficiency overall. It also allows the feed stream into first separator 44 (streams 28Alt2) to be warmer (in the range of −25° F. to +25° F.) than the first separator feed stream 31a (at −75° F.) in the '507 patent. For system 10A-Alt2, the higher separator 44 temperature allows for greater amount of energy or “refrigeration” to be delivered to the system from the expander 54. Since one of the benefits of the preferred embodiments of the invention is to be able to operate system 10A-Alt2 without refrigeration, the higher temperature and thus the greater refrigeration generated is beneficial. Additionally, in system 10A-Alt2, the side stream 84Alt withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 passes through heat exchanger 68 for heat exchange with the mixed fractionation tower overhead stream and second separator bottoms stream 66Alt2 and the first separator bottoms stream 54Alt2. In the '507 patent, the side stream 36 passes through heat exchanger 20 with only the fractionation tower overhead stream. The heat exchange system in system 10A-Alt2 allows the feed stream into second separator 98 (stream 96Alt2) to be at a warmer temperature (in the range of in a range of −70° F. to −95° F., than the second separator feed stream 36a (at −114° F.) in the '507 patent. One benefit of the higher temperature is to allow for more of the methane and ethane to be eliminated from the fractionator 42 as vapor (in overhead stream 58Alt2) and allow for a desired compositional change for the top feed stream 106Alt2 into the fractionation tower 42. In system 10A-Alt2, the side stream 54Alt2 withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 is significantly warmer (in the range of −20° F. to +50° F.) than stream 35 at −112° F. in the '507 patent and the returned stream 55Alt2 is also significantly warmer (in the range of 0° F. to 60° F.) than stream 35a at −46° F. in the '507 patent. Side stream 54Alt2 also has significantly less methane (between 2 to 10%) and more ethane (between 40% to 80%) than stream 35 at 55% methane, 32% ethane in the '507 patent. The process depicted in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent results in a 93.96% propane recovery in the NGL stream 37 from feed stream 31, whereas system 10A-Alt2 in Example 4 achieves a 98% propane recovery.

(57) In addition to operational temperature differences based on the different heat exchange systems, operating pressures in system 10A-Alt2 differ from those in FIG. 6 of the '507 patent. The first separator 44 in system 10A-Alt2 operates at a pressure between 800 and 1100 psig, which is higher than the first separator 11 in the '507 patent (570 psia). In system 10A-Alt2, the second separator 98 operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is lower than the second separator 15 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 369 psia. In system 10A-Alt2, the fractionation tower operates at a pressure between 150 and 300 psig. This is also lower than the fractionation tower 17 in the '507 patent, which operates at a pressure of 371 psia.

Example 5—Ethane Retention

(58) Referring to FIG. 5, a preferred embodiment of system 10C for processing NGL product streams in an ethane retention (or recovery) mode is shown. Like systems 10A/10A-Alt and 10B, system 10C preferably comprises heat exchangers 20, 30, and 68, a first separator 44, and a fractionating tower 42. System 10C also has heat exchanger/external refrigeration 110, like system 10B. Second separator 98 and pump 104 from systems 10A/10A-Alt and 10B are not needed in system 10C.

(59) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 4 described herein are exemplary and based on a computer simulation for system 10C in Example 5 having the feed stream 12 characteristics noted in Table 7 below. The temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions of other process streams in system 10C will vary depending on the nature of the feed stream and other operational parameters, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Feed stream 12 is preferably directed to the inlet splitter 14 where the inlet gas is strategically split into two streams 16C, 18C. In Examples 1-4 for systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, and 10B, this split was equal, but in Example 5 for system 10C, stream 18C preferably has around 49% of the flow from feed stream 12. Most preferably, stream 18C has around 25 to 60% of feed stream 12 with the balance being in stream 16C for system 10C. Stream 16C passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 22C having been cooled from 120° F. to around −19.8° F. Feed stream 18C passes through heat exchanger 40, which is a tube side of reboiler 40 for fractionation tower 42, exiting as stream 150 having been cooled to around 57.82° F. Stream 150 then passes through heat exchanger/external refrigeration 110, exiting as stream 24C having been further cooled to −30° F. Feed streams 22C, 24C are then recombined in mixer 26 to form stream 32C, which is the feed stream for first separator 44. Stream 32C feeds separator 44 at −25° F., which is colder than the feed to separator 44 in systems 10A/10B. Heat exchanger 30 is not needed upstream of separator 44 in system 10C.

(60) First separator overhead stream 46C, containing around 84.01% methane, around 9.8% ethane, and around 2.5% propane at −25° F. and 962.3 psig, is split into stream 126 (around 12.5% of the flow of stream 46C) and 152 (around 87.5% of the flow of stream 46C) in splitter 114. Most preferably stream 126 contains between 10 to 30% of the flow of stream 46C, with the balance to stream 152. Stream 152 is expanded in expander 54, exiting as stream 56C. Stream 56C, at around −100° F. and 315 psig (higher pressure than in systems 10A/10B), is fed into fractionating column 42 near a mid-section of the tower as a fractionating tower feed stream.

(61) First separator bottoms stream 48C, containing around 52.8% methane, around 22.1% ethane, and around 14.2% propane at −25° F. and 962.3 psig is split into streams 128 (around 32.5% of the flow from stream 48C) and 52C (around 67.5% of the flow from stream 48C) in splitter 112. Most preferably stream 128 contains between 0 to 50% of the flow of stream 48C, with the balance to stream 52C. Stream 128 is mixed with overhead stream 126 in mixer 130 to form stream 132, containing 63.4% methane, 17.9% ethane, and 10.2% propane at −25° F. and 962.3 psig. Stream 132 passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 134 having been cooled to −151.4° F. Stream 134 is expanded through expansion valve 136 to form stream 138 at −148.9° F. and 285 psig before feeding into a top section of fractionation tower 42. Stream 52C passes through an expansion valve 50, exiting as stream 36C at −72.8° F. and 309 psig, which feeds tower 42 slightly below its mid-point.

(62) A stream 140 is withdrawn from fractionating tower 42 from a lower section of the tower. Stream 140, containing around 14.7% methane, around 54.1% ethane, and around 19.7% propane at −21.2° F. and 309 psig, passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 142 having been warmed to around 110.3° F. Stream 142 is then returned to tower 42 at a tray location (such as 21) that is lower than the location (such as tray 20) where stream 140 was withdrawn.

(63) Fractionating tower overhead stream 58C, containing around 96.9% methane, around 0.3% ethane, and negligible propane at −155.3° F. and 307.1 psig, passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 70C. Stream 70C, having been cooled to −35.7° F., then passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 72C at 87.2° F. Stream 72C is compressed in compressor 74 (preferably receiving energy Q-3C from expander 54), exiting as stream 76C at 117° F. and 354.9 psig. Stream 76C is preferably cooled in heat exchanger 78 to form residue gas stream 80C, containing around 0.086% CO.sub.2, 2.8% nitrogen, around 96.8% methane, around 0.28% ethane, and negligible propane at 120° F. and 349.9 psig (higher pressure than stream 80A and around the same as stream 80B). A portion of stream 80C is recycled back as stream 116. Stream 116 passes through heat exchanger 20, exiting as stream 118 cooled to −20.15° F. Stream 118 then passes through heat exchanger 68, exiting as stream 120, further cooled to −151.4° F. Stream 120 is expanded in expansion valve 122 to form stream 124 at −164.8° F. and 285 psig, which feeds into the top of fractionation tower 42.

(64) A liquid stream 144C is withdrawn from the bottom of fractionating tower 42, passing through the shell side of reboiler 40, with vapor stream 148C being returned to tower 42 and fractionating tower bottoms stream 82C exiting as the NGL product stream. Stream 82C contains 0.28% CO.sub.2, negligible nitrogen, 0.83% methane, 54.35% ethane, and 27.55% propane. The ethane recovery in NGL product stream 82C from the feed stream is 99% and the propane recovery in stream 82C is 100%.

(65) The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams referred to in connection with Example 5 of a preferred system and method of the invention in relation to FIG. 4, are based on a computer simulation for system 10C having the feed stream characteristics discussed above and listed below in Table 9, with a preferred maximum CO.sub.2 feed stream content. System 10C may be operated with up to 0.14% CO.sub.2 in feed stream 12 without encountering freezing problems typically encountered in prior art systems and while still meeting a 2% maximum CO.sub.2 content in the residue gas specification. This allows system 10C to be operated without pretreating the feed stream to remove CO.sub.2 or with reduced pretreatment requirements. The flow rates, temperatures and pressures of various flow streams in system 10C based on a computer simulation of Example 5 using a feed stream have 0.14% CO.sub.2 (and other feed stream content/parameters noted below) are included in Tables 9 and 10 below. These temperatures, pressures, flow rates, and compositions will also vary depending on the nature of other parameters in the feed stream and other operational parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(66) TABLE-US-00009 TABLE 9 Example 5, System 10C-Retention Mode Stream Properties Property Units 12 16C 18C 22C 24C Temperature ° F.    120* 120 120 −19.7618 −30* Pressure psig 975.257* 975.257 975.257 970.257 965.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 5595.42 5384.41 5595.42 5384.41 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 60.5779 52.9048 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 39.4221 47.0952 Liquid Stream Composition 12 16C 18C 22C 24C Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2   0.14* 0.14 0.14 0.14 0.14 N2 2.00724* 2.00724 2.00724 2.00724 2.00724 C1 70.6296* 70.6296 70.6296 70.6296 70.6296 C2 15.0543* 15.0543 15.0543 15.0543 15.0543 C3 7.52714* 7.52714 7.52714 7.52714 7.52714 Stream Properties Property Units 12 16C 18C 22C 24C iC4  1.00362* 1.00362 1.00362 1.00362 1.00362 nC4  2.33341* 2.33341 2.33341 2.33341 2.33341 iC5 0.501809* 0.501809 0.501809 0.501809 0.501809 nC5 0.602171* 0.602171 0.602171 0.602171 0.602171 C6 0.200724* 0.200724 0.200724 0.200724 0.200724 Stream Properties Property Units 32C 36C 46C 48C 52C Temperature ° F. −25* −72.8336 −25.1705 −25.1705 −25.1705 Pressure psig 965.257 309.03* 962.257 962.257 962.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 10979.8 3179.61 6269.29 4710.54 3179.61 Mole Fraction Vapor % 57.0287 41.489 100 0 0 Mole Fraction Light % 42.9713 58.511 0 100 100 Liquid Stream Composition 32C 36C 46C 48C 52C Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.14 0.158706 0.125945 0.158706 0.158706 N2 2.00724 0.787452 2.92374 0.787452 0.787452 C1 70.6296 52.8211 84.0104 52.8211 52.8211 C2 15.0543 22.0674 9.7848 22.0674 22.0674 C3 7.52714 14.1818 2.52702 14.1818 14.1818 iC4 1.00362 2.09057 0.186918 2.09057 2.09057 nC4 2.33341 4.96495 0.356162 4.96495 4.96495 iC5 0.501809 1.11847 0.038473 1.11847 1.11847 nC5 0.602171 1.34855 0.041366 1.34855 1.34855 C6 0.200724 0.460961 0.005190 0.460961 0.460961 Stream Properties Property Units 56C 58C 70C 72C Temperature ° F. −100.142 −155.372 −35.7051 87.1795 Pressure psig 315* 307.09 302.09 297.09 Molar Flow lbmol/h 5485.63 9901.39 9901.39 9901.39 Mole Fraction Vapor % 88.0412 100 100 100 Mole Fraction Light % 11.9588 0 0 0 Liquid Stream Composition 56C 58C 70C 72C Mole Fraction % % % % CO2 0.125945 0.086277 0.086277 0.086277 N2 2.92374 2.76182 2.76182 2.76182 C1 84.0104 96.8716 96.8716 96.8716 C2 9.7848 0.280254 0.280254 0.280254 C3 2.52702 Neg Neg Neg iC4 0.186918 Neg Neg Neg nC4 0.356162 Neg Neg Neg iC5 0.038473 0 0 0 nC5 0.041366 0 0 0 C6 0.005190 0 0 0 Stream Properties Property Units 76C 80C 82C Temperature ° F. 117.044 120* 68.5196 Pressure psig 354.937 349.937 311.09 Molar Flow lbmol/h 9901.39 9901.39 2999.81 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 0 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 100 Liquid Stream Composition 76C 80C 82C Mole Fraction % % % CO2 0.086277 0.086277 0.282667 N2 2.76182 2.76182 1.82121E−09 C1 96.8716 96.8716 0.825265 C2 0.280254 0.280254 54.3521 C3 Neg Neg 27.5505 iC4 Neg Neg 3.67341 nC4 Neg Neg 8.54067 iC5 0 0 1.83671 nC5 0 0 2.20405 C6 0 0 0.734683 Stream Properties Property Units 102 103 116 118 120 Temperature ° F. 120 120* 120 −20.1516* −151.399* Pressure psig 900 900* 900 895 890 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1921.47 9901.39 1921.47 1921.47 1921.47 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 100 100 100 0 Mole Fraction Light % 0 0 0 0 100 Liquid Stream Composition 102 103 116 118 120 Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.086277 0.086277 0.086278 0.086278 0.086278 N2 2.76182 2.76182 2.76183 2.76183 2.76183 C1 96.8716 96.8716 96.8718 96.8718 96.8718 C2 0.280254 0.280254 0.280034 0.280034 0.280034 C3 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg iC4 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg nC4 Neg Neg Neg Neg Neg Stream Properties Property Units 102 103 116 118 120 iC5 0 0 0 0 0 nC5 0 0 0 0 0 C6 0 0 0 0 0 Stream Properties Property Units 124 126 128 132 134 Temperature ° F. −164.777 −25.1705 −25.1705 −25.1705 −151.399* Pressure psig 285* 962.257 962.257 962.257 957.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1921.47 783.661 1530.92 2314.59 2314.59 Mole Fraction Vapor % 8.09029 100 0 33.8575 0 Mole Fraction Light % 91.9097 0 100 66.1425 100 Liquid Stream Composition 124 126 128 132 134 Mole Fraction % % % % % CO2 0.086278 0.125945 0.158706 0.147614 0.147614 N2 2.76183 2.92374 0.787452 1.51075 1.51075 C1 96.8718 84.0104 52.8211 63.381 63.381 C2 0.280034 9.7848 22.0674 17.9088 17.9088 C3 Neg 2.52702 14.1818 10.2358 10.2358 iC4 Neg 0.186918 2.09057 1.44604 1.44604 nC4 Neg 0.356162 4.96495 3.40453 3.40453 iC5 0 0.038473 1.11847 0.752807 0.752807 nC5 0 0.041366 1.34855 0.90597 0.90597 C6 0 0.005190 0.460961 0.306648 0.306648 Stream Properties Property Units 138 140 142 144C Temperature ° F. −148.967 −21.2504 110.288 52.9533 Pressure psig 285* 309.37 304.37 311.59 Molar Flow lbmol/h 2314.59 1286.93 1286.83 4067.96 Mole Fraction Vapor % 0 0 97.3762 0 Mole Fraction Light % 100 100 2.62381 100 Liquid Stream Composition 138 140 142 144C Mole Fraction % % % % CO2 0.147614 0.547456 0.546919 0.427401 N2 1.51075 Neg Neg Neg C1 63.381 14.6819 14.6848 1.85622 C2 17.9088 54.1442 54.14 60.3225 C3 10.2358 19.7042 19.7054 24.0994 iC4 1.44604 2.40667 2.40682 2.94504 nC4 3.40453 5.52041 5.52077 6.73265 iC5 0.752807 1.15664 1.15672 1.39981 nC5 0.90597 1.38261 1.38271 1.67028 C6 0.306648 0.455895 0.455928 0.546684 Stream Properties Property Units 148C 150 152 Temperature ° F. 68.5196 57.8193 −25.1705 Pressure psig 311.09 970.257 962.257 Molar Flow lbmol/h 1068.15 5384.41 5485.63 Mole Fraction Vapor % 100 94.0436 100 Mole Fraction Light % 0 5.95642 0 Liquid Stream Composition 148C 150 152 Mole Fraction % % % CO2 0.833873 0.14 0.125945 N2 Neg 2.00724 2.92374 Stream Properties Property Units 148C 150 152 C1 4.75155 70.6296 84.0104 C2 77.0898 15.0543 9.7848 C3 14.4076 7.52714 2.52702 iC4 0.899472 1.00362 0.186918 nC4 1.65498 2.33341 0.356162 iC5 0.172836 0.501809 0.038473 nC5 0.171229 0.602171 0.041366 C6 0.018703 0.200724 0.005190

(67) TABLE-US-00010 TABLE 10 Example 5, System 10C Energy Streams Energy Energy Rate Power Stream (MBtu/hr) (hp) From To Q-Exp −2.945 Heat Exchanger/Cooler 78 Q-1C 5992.79 QRCYL-1 Reboiler 40 Q-1C 5993.7 Reboiler 40 QRCYL-1 (Virtual) Q-3C 2417.73 1360.1 Expander 54 Compressor 74 Q-5C 12011.2 Heat — Exchanger/External Refrigeration 110

(68) It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the values in the Tables are based on the particular parameters and composition of the feed stream in the above Example 5. The values will differ depending on the parameters and composition of the feed stream 12 and operational parameters for system 10C as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

(69) System 10C can also be run in rejection mode without using the additional equipment from system 10A/10A-Alt/10A-Alt2/10B, similar to the way the systems described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,737 may be operated in retention (recovery) or rejection mode with a single separator and a fractionation tower, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. However, it is preferred to add and utilize the second separator 98 and pump 104 from systems 10A/10A-Alt/10A-Alt2/10B when it is desired to operate in rejection mode. This is because if system 10C is operated in rejection mode under the parameters of the example described above, NGL product stream 80C would still have approximately 80,000 galls per day of ethane. This is compared to only around 20,000 gallons per day of ethane when using system 10B. Since ethane currently can have a negative value of around $0.10 per gallon, the difference between operating system 10C in rejection mode and operating system 10B is a loss of around $6,000 per day or $2.1 million per year. In addition, the external refrigeration system will be required for the ethane rejection mode significantly increasing the operating costs.

(70) System 10C is similar to FIG. 4 in U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,737. One important difference between system 10C and the system depicted in FIG. 4 of the '737 patent is that the heat exchange systems are different. In system 10C, feed stream 12 is split with part of the feed stream (stream 16C) passing through heat exchanger 20 with the fractionation tower overhead stream 70C (downstream of heat exchanger 68), residue recycle stream 116 (upstream of heat exchanger 68), and withdrawn fractionation tower stream 140, while another part of the feed stream (stream 18C) under goes heat exchange in reboiler 40 with liquid stream 144 from fractionation tower 42 and is then cooled further with external refrigeration 110. In the '737 patent, the feed stream is split, with part undergoing heat exchange twice (heat exchangers 10 and 10a) with only part of the fractionation tower overhead stream 45. The other part of the feed stream undergoes heat exchange separately with the NGL product stream (in heat exchanger 11) and withdrawn fractionation tower streams (in heat exchangers 12 and 13). The residue recycle stream 42 in the '737 patent does not exchange heat with the feed stream at all. The ethane recovery for the system in FIG. 4 in the '737 patent is 97%. With the process changes in system 10C noted above and in FIG. 4 of this disclosure, system 10C is able to achieve a 99% ethane recovery and 100% propane recovery using fewer heat exchangers.

(71) Systems 10A (or 10A-Alt or 10A-Alt2) and 10B can be built as a single system including external refrigeration 110 and optionally including the equipment necessary to withdraw and return streams 54Alt/54Alt2 and 55Alt/55Alt2 from tower 42 for system 10A-Alt, which may be bypassed if inlet feed gas composition and ethane requirements for the NGL product stream 82A/82B/82Alt/83Alt2 do not warrant use of external refrigeration 110 or the additional side stream 54Alt/54Alt2 heat exchange, as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. Alternatively, external refrigeration 110 can easily be added onto system 10A or 10A-Alt or 10A-Alt2, if it later becomes desirable to do so. Additionally, because system 10C preferably has multiple pieces of equipment in common with systems 10A/10B/10A-Alt/10A-Alt2, existing versions of systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, or 10B to be easily retrofitted with components from system 10C if it becomes desirable to switch from ethane rejection mode to ethane retention mode. Similarly, an existing version of system 10C could easily be retrofitted to operate as a system 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, or 10B if it becomes desirable to switch from ethane retention to ethane rejection mode. Alternatively, a single system 10 combining all components of systems 10A (or 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, and/or 10B) and 10C may be constructed so that the system can be switched between ethane rejection or ethane recovery modes with slight modifications in the processing and stream connections (for example, so that certain equipment in system 10C is bypassed when the system of 10A/10A-Alt/10A-Alt2/10B needs to be operated) and/or can be switched between ethane rejection with external refrigeration mode (system 10B) and ethane rejection without external refrigeration mode (system 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2), if it is desired to do so.

(72) A preferred method for processing a natural gas feed stream 12 to produce a residue gas stream 80A/80Alt/80Alt2/80B/80C primarily comprising methane and an NGL stream 82A/82Alt/82Alt2 (or 83Alt2)/82B/82C, in either an ethane retention mode or ethane rejection mode, comprises the following steps: (1) separating feed stream 12 in a first separator 44 into a first overhead stream 46A/46Alt/46Alt2/46B/46C and a first bottoms stream 48A/48Alt/48Alt248B/48C; (2); separating the first overhead stream and first bottoms stream in a first fractionating column 42 into a fractionation column overhead stream (or second overhead stream) 58A/58/Alt/58Alt2/58B/58C and a fractionation columns bottoms stream (or second bottoms stream) 82A/82Alt/82Alt2/82B/82C; (3) cooling a first portion of the feed stream 16/16C prior to the first separator 44 through heat exchange in heat exchanger 20 with a first set of other streams; (4) warming the second overhead stream 58A/58Alt/58Alt2/58B/58C prior to heat exchanger 20 through heat exchange in heat exchanger 68 with a second set of other streams; (5) optionally (a) withdrawing side stream 84A/84Alt/84Alt2/84B from a mid-point on the fractionation column 42, (b) separating side stream 84A/84Alt/84Alt2/84B in a second separator 98 into a third overhead stream 100A/100Alt/100Alt2/100B and a third bottoms stream 102A/102Alt/102Alt2/102B, and (c) feeding the third bottoms stream into a top portion of the fractionation column 42 in an ethane rejection mode; (6) wherein the first set of other streams comprises (a) the first bottoms stream prior to feeding the fractionation column, the second overhead stream after the heat exchanger 68, and the third overhead stream after the heat exchanger 68, and optionally a side stream 54Alt withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 in ethane rejection mode or (b) the first bottoms stream after passing through heat exchanger 68 and prior to feeding the fractionation tower 42, the second overhead stream after the heat exchanger 68, and the third overhead stream after the heat exchanger 68, and a side stream 54Alt2 withdrawn from fractionation tower 42 in an alternate ethane rejection mode or (c) side stream 140 withdrawn from a lower portion of the fractionation tower 42 and a recycled portion of the residue gas stream 116 in ethane retention mode; and (7) wherein the second set of other streams comprises (a) side stream 84A/84Alt/84B-R and optionally the first bottoms stream 48Alt2in ethane rejection mode or (b) the recycled portion of the residue gas stream 118 after the heat exchanger 20, a first portion of the first bottoms stream 128 and a first portion of the first overhead stream 126 in ethane retention mode. In ethane retention mode or ethane rejection mode, the residue gas stream comprises the second overhead stream and the NGL product stream comprises the second bottoms stream. In ethane rejection mode, the residue gas stream further comprises the third overhead stream.

(73) According to other preferred embodiments of a method for processing a natural gas feed stream 12 to produce a residue gas stream 80A/80Alt/80Alt2/80B/80C primarily comprising methane and an NGL stream 82A/82Alt/83Alt2/82B/82C, in either an ethane retention mode or ethane rejection mode, the method further comprises one or more of the following steps: (8) combining (a) the second overhead stream and the third overhead stream into stream 66A/66Alt/66Alt2/66B prior to heat exchanger 68 in ethane rejection mode or (b) the first portion of the first bottoms stream and the first portion of the first overhead stream into stream 132 prior to heat exchanger 68 in ethane retention mode; (9) expanding the second overhead stream through an expansion valve 60 prior to heat exchanger 68 in ethane rejection mode; (10) supplying external refrigerant to a third heat exchanger 110 to cool (a) side stream 84B prior to heat exchanger 68 in ethane rejection mode or (b) a second portion of the feed stream 18C/150 in ethane retention mode; (11) splitting the feed stream 12 into first and second portions 16/16C and 18/18C prior to any heat exchange (excluding any heat exchange that may be included in pre-processing feed stream 12 to remove water and other contaminants) in either ethane rejection mode or ethane retention mode; (12) combining the first and second portions of the feed stream into stream 28A/28Alt/28Alt2/28B/32C prior to feeding the first separator 44 in either ethane rejection mode or ethane retention mode; (13) cooling both portions of the feed stream 16/18 in heat exchanger 20 in ethane rejection mode; (14) splitting side stream 84A/84Alt/84B prior to heat exchanger in ethane rejection mode; (15) pumping the third bottoms stream 102A/102Alt/102Alt2/102B prior to feeding the fractionation column 42 in ethane rejection mode; (16) optionally warming the first bottoms stream in heat exchanger 30 prior to heat exchanger 20, through heat exchange with the feed stream after heat exchanger 20, in ethane rejection mode; (17) optionally cooling the first bottoms stream 48A/48Alt/48B prior to heat exchanger 30 by passing the first bottoms stream through an expansion valve 50; (18) cooling the first bottoms stream 48Alt 2 prior to heat exchanger 68 by passing the first bottoms stream through an expansion valve 50, in an alternate ethane rejection mode; (19) cooling the second portion of the feed stream 18C in heat exchanger 40, prior to heat exchanger 110, through heat exchange with a liquid stream 144C from a bottom portion of the fractionation column 42, in ethane retention mode; (20) returning side stream 140/142 to the fractionation tower 42, after heat exchange in heat exchanger 20, at a location lower than a withdrawal location in ethane retention mode; (21) returning side stream 54Alt/55Alt or 54Alt2/55Alt 2 to the fractionation tower 42, after heat exchange in heat exchanger 20, at a location lower than a withdrawal location in ethane rejection mode; (22) passing the entirety of the second overhead stream 58A/58Alt/58Alt2/58B/58C and 70A/70Alt/70Alt 2/70B/70C through heat exchangers 68 and 20, respectively, in either ethane retention mode or ethane rejection mode; (23) wherein there is no heat exchange between only the second overhead stream 58C/70C and the recycled residue gas stream 116/118 in ethane retention mode; and (24) cooling the second bottoms stream 82Alt2 in heat exchanger cooler 41 to form NGL product stream 83Alt2 in an alternate ethane rejection mode.

(74) The source of feed gas stream 12 is not critical to the systems and methods of the invention; however, natural gas drilling and processing sites with flow rates of 10 to 300 MMSCFD are particularly suitable. Where present, it is generally preferable for purposes of the present invention to remove as much of the water vapor and other contaminants from feed stream 12 prior to processing with systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, 10B, or 10C. One of the primary advantages of the preferred embodiments of systems 10A and 10B according to the invention is to allow for high propane recovery and minimum ethane recovery without the need for CO.sub.2 removal in the inlet gas stream or with reduced CO.sub.2 pretreatment requirements. In the case of systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, and 10B, the process will operate satisfactorily with up to 1.725% of inlet CO.sub.2. Although the inlet gas stream can be pre-processed to remove excess CO.sub.2 prior to feeding into systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, or 10B, the higher CO.sub.2 tolerance of these systems allows that step to be omitted or at least does not require as much CO.sub.2 to be removed prior to feeding into systems 10A, 10A-Alt, 10A-Alt2, or 10B, saving on overall processing costs. For system 10C, the CO.sub.2 must be reduced to 0.14 percent or less in order to be further processed in ethane retention mode. The lower permissible amount of inlet CO.sub.2 is due to the lower operating conditions for system 10C in ethane retention mode. Methods for removing water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other contaminants are generally known to those of ordinary skill in the art and are not described herein.

(75) The specific operating parameters described herein are based on the specific computer modeling and feed stream parameters set forth above. These parameters and the various composition, pressure, and temperature values described above will vary depending on the feed stream parameters as will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art. As used herein, “ethane recovery mode” or “ethane retention mode” refers to a system or method configured to recover 50% or more, preferably 80% or more, of the ethane from the feed stream in the NGL product stream (fractionation tower bottoms stream). As used herein, “ethane rejection mode” refers to a system or method configured to recover less than 50%, preferably less than 20%, of the ethane from the feed stream in the NGL product stream (fractionation tower bottoms stream). Any operating parameter, step, process flow, or equipment indicated as preferred or preferable herein may be used alone or in any combination with other preferred/preferable features. Other alterations and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading this specification in view of the accompanying drawings, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor is legally entitled.