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    13 views12 pages

    APCI Distillation Based

    Uploaded by

    hossein nezhadi

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
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    ‘US 200702: us) United States 2) Patent Application Publication co) Pub. No.: US 2007/0245771 Al 6 6) en @ oy Spilsbury DUAL STAGE NITROGEN REJECTION FROM LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS Inventor: Christopher Geoffrey Spilsbury, Haslemere (GB) Comespondence Address: AIR PRODUCTS AND CHEMICALS, INC. PATENT DEPARTMENT 7201 HAMILTON BOULEVARD. ALLENTOWN, PA 181951501 Appl. Nos 11/409,432 Filed: Apt: 21, 2006 Publication Classification Im. cl, F251 300 (200601) ISTTIAL (43) Pub. Date: Oct. 25, 2007 (32) USC 62/620; 621927 on ABSTRACT Nitrogen is removed from a ligueled natural gas feed (41) by a two stage separation in which the liquefied natural gas Gi) is fist fractionated (28) to provide a first nitoge enriched overhead vapour steam (46) and a nitrogen-con- ‘aining bottoms liquid stream (19) and then at least a portion ‘of suid bottoms liguid stream (19) is fractionated (28) to provide a second nitrgen-enrched overhead vapour stream (G6) that is of lower purty than said ist overhead vapour stream (46) and a purified liquefied natural gas stream (50) Proforably, the first fractionation is conducted in a distil ‘sion eolumn (23) refluxed (48) with nitrogen overhead (43) condensed in condenser (24) located in a Nash drum (2 in which the second fractionation is conducted. The peovi- sion of two nitrogen-containing streams (26,36) of different ‘goncentetion permits comteol ofthe aiteogen content of fuel sg for use in Ube natural gas liquefaction plat Patent Application Publication Oct. 25, 2007 Sheet 1 of 5 US 2007/0245771 AL FIGURE 1 Patent Application Publication Oct. 25, 2007 Sheet 2 of 5 US 2007/0245771 AL FIGURE 2 Patent Application Publication Oct. 25, 2007 Sheet 3 of 5 US 2007/0245771 AL FIGURE 3 Patent Application Publication Oct. 25, 2007 Sheet 4 of 5 US 2007/0245771 AL FIGURE 4 Patent Application Publication Oct. 25, 2007 Sheet 5 of 5 US 2007/0245771 AL FIGURE 5 US 2007/0245771 Al DUAL STAGE NITROGEN REJECTION FROM LIQUEFIED NATURAL Gas [0001] The present invention relates to the removal of nitrogen from liquefied natural sas (LNG) streams It has particular, but not exclusive, application to the use of only part of the nitrogen content in Tvel gas whilst venting the Femaining nitrogen conten! to atmosphere. There is provided ‘a method in which the nitrogen is removed in two stages at ‘ilfereat concentrations and corresponding pparatts for natural gas liguefaetion to provide a nitrgen-feed LNG produ [0002] Gas tubines are usually used to provide the shal work and electrical power for LNG facilis. Fuel for hese ts turbines is oflen generated as off gasses from the LNG process, Ina conventional LNG process, nitrogen present in the feed gas is nonmally rejected into this fuel gas stream. However, more environmentally friendly low nitrogen oxide (NOX) bumers for these turbines have a lower tolerance for nitrogen in the fuel gas than previously used. burners. ‘Accordingly, in some plant locations with high nitrogen ‘containing feed 23s, more nitrogen will be rejected from the TENG process than ean be accepted by the gas turbine fuel system. [0003] ‘There have boon a numberof prior at proposals for Femoving nitrogen fom LNG a relatively high concentea- tion sreams by fractionation in which a refigeration or heat pump sizoam is used to condense overhead vapour from the ffactionation column or provide reflux tothe eolunin [0004] EP-A-0090469 (published Sth Oct, 1983; corre sponding to U.S. Pa, No, 4,415,345, issued 15th Nov. 1983) discloses a process in which nitrogen is removed from 3 gaseous natural gas feed by cooling and faetionating at low pressure wsing an open-loop nitragen heat pump to generate Tiguideeflx forthe fractionation. In single coltman embod ments, only # vapour fraction from partially condensed natural gas feed is subjected fo fractionation, Rebol forthe fractionation column is provided by condensing the open- Joop nitrogen refrigerant and reflux forthe column is pro- vided by the condensed nitrogen refrigerant. In exemplified ‘double column embodiments, the higher pressure column is, reboiled against partially condensed natural gas feed and the ‘open-loop nitrogen heat pump receives nitrogen from both, ccolumas and provides rehoil duty to the lower pressare ‘column and reflux to both columns. The purified LNG is, ‘warned against natural gas feed and recovered ws vapour, No LNG end product is produced in the process. [0005] EP-A-0131 128 (published 16th Jan. 1985; corre sponding to US, Pat, No, 4,504,295, issued 12th Mar. 1585) discloses separating a natural gas stream into a nitrogen stream and 3 methane steam by fractionation ofa partially ‘condensed natural gas fraction using a closed eyele heat pump loop to provide reboil and reflux beat exchange dy. No ING end product is procaoed in this proces. [0006] | WO-A-93/08436 (published 29th Apr. 1993; cor. Fesponding to U.S, Pat, No, $421,165, issued 6th Jun. 1995) discloses removal of nitrogen from an LNG stream by process in which the LNG is cooled and expanded both ‘dynamically and statically before fractionation. The evoling js at least partially conducted by heat exchange with reboilng stream withdrawn from an intermediate location of the columa and returned to level below that intermediate Oct. 25, 2007 location. ‘The overhead vapour from the frxetionation eol- ‘umn can be compressed ad used as fuel gs. Optionally portion of the compressed overhead vapour is pantally condensed against overhead vapour leaving the column, reduced in pressure and fed to the column as reflux. A. portion ofthe condensed overhead vapour can be fraction- ated in an auxiliary column to provide high purty nitrogen foverheod vapour and bottoms liu, which is reduced in pressure and combined with the reasiing portion prior t0 {eeding to the fractionation columa. The auxiliary columa bottoms liquid can be used fo provide condensation duty at the top of the auxiliary colum, [0007] _EP.A.0725256 (published 7 Aug, 1996) discloses a process in which a gaseous natural gas feed is cooled and fractionated 10 remove nitrogen. Reboil vapour for the Iactionstion column is provided by cooling an open-loop nitrogen gas refigerant in the catumn reboiler. Reflux for the top of the column is provided by work expanding the cooled nitrogen refrigerant gas to provide a small amount (4-5%) of liquid. Atleast one intermediate vapour stream {rom the eolumn is partally condensed against an overhead sitrogen vapour stream and retumed to the column as intermediate reflux, which isthe bulk of the rellux to the column, The natural goss pumped i a higher pressure prior to warming and is recovered as a vapour product. No LNG end pronlut is produced in the process. [0008] GB-A-2298034 (published 21 Aug. 1996; come: sponding to US. Pat. No. §.617,741, issued 8th Apr. 1997) discloses a process for removing nitrogen from a natal gas feed stwam using a dual column eryogenie distillation system having a primary column and a secondary column {ed from and operating at substantially the same pressure as the primary column. AC leat a portion of bottoms liquid ‘om the primary columa is expanded and atleast partially ‘vaporized in heat exchange with a nitrogen-enriched vapour ‘om the columa to provide an atleast partially condensed nitrogen-enriched stream that is returned to the primary column to provide higher temperature reflux. Bottoms liquid tom the secondary column is atleast partially vaporized in heat exchange with an overhead vapour from one of the columns to provide an atleast partially condensed stream that i returned to the primary or secondary column 10 provide lower temperature reflux. Reboil to the eolumns is provided by heat exchange with natural gas feed. No LNG fed product is produced in this proces. [0009] WO-A-002316 (published 27% Ape. 2000; eore- sponding t U.S. Pat No, 6,199,408, issued 13th Mar. 2001) discloses a process in which a natural gas stream i igueied, ‘expanded and then separated ina phase separator, which ean be anittopen-rejection column, Reflux forthe column can be provide by condensing @ portion of the overtead vapour Using a refrigeration system, The reffigration system can comprise a closed-loop refrigeration system: an open-loop relfigeration system; andlor indiest heat exchange with & prodict stream. Some of the heat exchanger dity to con- Sense the overhead vapour ean be provided by’ a bostoms liquid stream withdrawn fiom and retumed tothe colina The separated LNG product liquid is pumped to # higher pressure and warmed, [0010] US. Pat, No. 6.070.429 (issued 6 Jun. 2000; eor- responding to WO-A-O0SK674, published 5 Oct. 2000) discloses process in which pressurized gas ste US 2007/0245771 Al ‘obtained from a pressurized LNGchesring stream is sepa rated in a cascade of 3 stripping columns at successively Tower pressures to produce, from the third sipping eoluma, a nitrogen-rich gas stream and a methane-rich liguid stream, Which latter sirvam is suitable for reeyele to an open methane eye liquefaction process andr use as fuel gas In each stripping column, a iguid bearing steam obtained by partial condensation of first portion of gas steam is ‘contacted in conterennent with a second portion of the respective gas stream to provide an overhead vapour and bottoms liquid. The overiead vapours ofthe firs and second stripping columns provide the feed streams for the second and third stripping columns respectively. Condensation duty or the feed steams to the second and third stripping ‘columas is provided by the overhead vapour and bottoms liquid from the third stripper. In exemplified embodiments, bottoms liquid from the second stripping column is fed wo the third stripping column and the bottoms liquid from the frst stripping column can be used to provide heat exchange duty to provide the purally condensed feed portion tothe frst stripping column. [0011] USS. Pat. No, 649.984 (issued 17 Sep. 2002; ‘corresponding to WO-A-03004951, published. Sth Jan, 2003) discloses 2 process in which @ natural gas stream is liquefied and then fractionated to provide a nitrogen-en- riched overhead vapour and LNG bottoms liquid. Rell for the finctionation columa is provided by condensing a por- tion of the overhead! vapour. In the exemplified embod ments the condensing duty is provided by a refrigerant ‘ream and is integrated witha fal LNG subeooling heat ‘exchanger. Also in these embodiments, liquid is withdeswn from at intermediate locaton of the fractionation column, swarmed against the liquefied gas stream feed tothe eoluma, and retumed tothe column ata Jower locaton, [0012] WO-A.02088612 (published 7 Nov. 2002) dis ‘loses process for removing nitrogen from a hydrocarbon- Fich stream, especially natural gas, during Tiquelsetion i whicl the partially condensed stream is fed to a double ‘column nittogen-rejection system. The higher pressure col tum provides @nittogen-rich overhead vapour that is con- ‘densed against overhead vapour from the lower pressure column and fed as reflux to the lower pressure eoliima, Bottoms liguid from the higher pressure column is cooled and fed to the lower pressure column, frm which liquefied product is withdrawn as bottoms liquid. The higher pressure ‘colluma is reboiled with heat duty provided by-the partially ‘condensed feed (othe higher pressure column. [0013] US-A.2004231359 (published 25h Nov. 2004: ‘corresponding to WO2004104143, published 2nd Dee. 2004) discloses a process in which a natural gus stream is fiquefied and then fractionated in a distillation column to remove nitrogen as an overead vapour prodet and purified [ENG as bottoms liquid. Reflux for the cohumn is provided hy ‘3 condensed aitrogen stream, Refiigeration to provide the reflux stream and cooling the purified LNG stream andor the liquefied naturel gas fed is ‘work expanding a refrigerant stream comprising that may comprise all oF a portion ofthe overhead vapour from the distillation column, In the exemplified embod ments, heat exchange duty for reboil to the fractionation ‘coliuma is provided by the liquefied natural gas fee to the ‘columns, Oct. 25, 2007 [0014] Its an object of the present invention to provide or eject of part of the nitrogen from any LNG process with ‘minimal additional equipment and minimum impact on plant performance. This ean be achieved by the invention ‘without any ehanges to the configuration ofthe heat transfer ‘equipment for the production of LNG and with limited adttional equipment. In panicutar, the invention avoids the fecessity of a additional heat pump compressor and per mits end product LNG to be used to operate a nitrogen separation column condenser [0015] In a fist and broadest aspect, the invention pro- Vides method of removing nitrogen fom a Tiquefied natural gas feed comprising subjecting the Iiguetied natural 2 to first factionation to provide firs itrogen-enriched foverhcod vapour stream and 9 nitrogen-contsning bottoms Tiquid stream and subjecting at Teast & portion of said bottoms liquid stream to a second fractionation to provide a second nitrogen-enriched overhead vapour stream that is of lower purity than said fst overhead Vapour stream and a pried liguetied natural gas stream, [0016] ‘The fist nitcogen-enriched-overhead vapour stream can have a nitrogen concentration in excess of 80 mol preferably in excess of 90 mol % and more preferably in excess of 98 mol %. [0017] Usually, at leat a portion of the frst nitrogen- fntiched overhead vapour stream is vented to atmosphere and the second ntrogen-enriched overhead vapour stream is ‘sed as, of added to fuel gas, especialy fora gas turbine providing work for use ia consection with liquefaetion of the natural gos fed, [0018] Preferably, the first fractionation is conducted in a

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