Methods and apparatus for increasing waste heat recovery from compressor units in natural gas processing plants

By introducing a waste heat recovery device into the compressor unit, the heat exchange between the compressor outlet process gas and the inlet raw material gas is utilized, which solves the problem of the inability to recover the waste heat of the compressor outlet process gas, realizes the cascade utilization of waste heat, and improves the waste heat recovery efficiency and energy saving and emission reduction effect.

CN117628963BActive Publication Date: 2026-06-30PETROCHINA CO LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
PETROCHINA CO LTD
Filing Date
2022-08-20
Publication Date
2026-06-30

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing natural gas processing technologies, the waste heat of the process gas at the compressor outlet cannot be effectively recovered due to its low temperature, resulting in resource waste and increased energy consumption.

Method used

By introducing a waste heat recovery device into the compressor unit, the process gas at the compressor outlet is used to exchange heat with the feed gas at the inlet, thereby increasing the inlet temperature. The waste heat is then applied to the bottom reboiler of the deethaner, the station heating, and the bottom reboiler of the demethanizer, achieving cascade utilization.

Benefits of technology

This improved the waste heat recovery rate of the process gas at the compressor outlet, reduced the power and carbon emissions of the heat transfer fluid furnace in the natural gas processing station, increased the waste heat utilization rate, and reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention relates to the field of waste heat recovery technology in natural gas processing plants, and specifically to a method and apparatus for improving the waste heat recovery rate of compressor units in natural gas processing plants. The former involves sending inlet feed gas into a heat exchanger for heat exchange to obtain primary heated feed gas, which is then sent to the compressor unit for further pressurization and heating to obtain secondary heated feed gas. This secondary heated feed gas is then sent to the waste heat recovery device for heat exchange with the waste heat recovery medium to obtain primary cooled feed gas. The primary cooled feed gas is then returned to the heat exchanger for heat exchange to obtain secondary cooled feed gas, which is then sent to an air cooler or downstream processes for utilization. The latter includes a compressor unit, a waste heat recovery device, a heat exchanger, waste heat supply equipment, and a control unit. This invention features a simple and convenient device that increases the compressor exhaust temperature while maintaining a constant compression ratio, recovering high-temperature waste heat from the compressor, reducing the heat load of the heat transfer fluid furnace in the natural gas processing plant, thereby improving waste heat utilization efficiency, reducing total energy consumption and carbon emissions, and achieving energy conservation and emission reduction.
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