Hydrocarbon condensate stabilizer and a method for producing a stabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing hydrocarbon condensate stabilizing process faces challenges in achieving continuous top feed/reflux due to varying dew point temperatures of the stabilizer column overhead vapour, leading to insufficient or excessive condensation when using air or water cooled condensers.
Innovation Solution
A method involving partial evaporation of the unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream, expansion to a feed pressure, and feeding it into a stabilizer column, followed by compression of the vapour phase and partial condensation using an ambient heat exchanger, with selective division of the overhead liquid stream into reflux and effluent streams to manage condensation effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air or water cooled condenser is used, then condensation of overhead vapour is achieved, but sufficient condensation cannot be guaranteed when dew point is close or below ambient cooling medium supply temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent compresses the overhead vapour stream to increase its pressure before condensation. This pressure increase raises the dew point temperature of the vapour, ensuring it is always above the ambient cooling medium supply temperature, thereby guaranteeing sufficient condensation across all operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The vapour stream is compressed before being sent to the condenser. This preliminary compression action ensures that the dew point is elevated in advance, preventing the problem of insufficient condensation from occurring in the first place.
2Device complexity
If air or water cooled condenser is used, then condensation process is simplified, but excess condensation may occur leading to too much reflux
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a control system that monitors the condensation process and adjusts the cooling medium flow rate or compressor operation accordingly. This feedback mechanism prevents both insufficient and excessive condensation, optimizing the reflux quantity to match actual process requirements.
3Reliability
If compression of overhead vapour is implemented, then dew point increases ensuring sufficient condensation, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the compression ratio to achieve the minimum necessary pressure increase that raises the dew point above the cooling medium temperature. This avoids excessive compression and minimizes energy consumption while ensuring reliable condensation.
Solution Approach 2:
The compressor serves multiple functions: it increases vapour pressure for better condensation, provides pressure control for reflux management, and enables flexible operation across varying feed conditions. This multi-functionality justifies the energy investment.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures consistent condensation across varying feed cases, maintaining continuous top feed/reflux and optimizing condensation efficiency by adjusting pressures and temperatures, thereby stabilizing the hydrocarbon condensate stream.
Implementation Method 1
passing heat from the compressed overhead vapour stream to the ambient stream as a result of which partially condensing the compressed overhead vapour stream
Implementation Method 2
partially condensing the compressed overhead vapour stream whereby the compressed overhead vapour stream becomes a partially condensed overhead stream
Implementation Method 3
partially evaporating the pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream whereby the pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream becomes a mixed phase pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon stream
Data Source
AI summary
A mixed phase pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon stream is fed into a stabilizer column at a feed pressure. A liquid phase of stabilized hydrocarbon condensate is discharged from a bottom end of the stabilizer column, while a vapor phase of volatile components from the pressurized unstabilized hydrocarbon condensate stream is discharged from a top end of the stabilizer column. The vapor phase being discharged from the top end of the stabilizer column is compressed and subsequently passed through an ambient heat exchanger wherein partial condensation takes place. The resulting partially condensed overhead stream is separated in an overhead separator into a vapor effluent stream and an overhead liquid stream. After discharging the overhead liquid stream from the overhead separator, it is selectively divided into a liquid reflux stream and a liquid effluent stream. The liquid reflux stream is expanded to the feed pressure and fed into the stabilizer column.