Patents
US 10753678 B2: Hydrocarbon gas processing
- Granted
- 2020-08-25
- Filed
- 2015-05-18 application 14714912
- Type
- Utility · 22 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A process for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream is disclosed. The stream is cooled and is thereafter expanded to the fractionation tower pressure and supplied to the fractionation tower at a lower mid-column feed position. A distillation stream is withdrawn from the column below the feed point of the stream and is then directed into heat exchange relation with the tower overhead vapor stream to cool the distillation stream and condense at least a part of it, forming a condensed stream. At least a portion of the condensed stream is directed to the fractionation tower at an upper mid-column feed position. A recycle stream is withdrawn from the tower overhead after it has been warmed and compressed. The compressed recycle stream is cooled sufficiently to substantially condense it, and is then expanded to the pressure of the fractionation tower and supplied to the tower at a top column feed position. The quantities and temperatures of the feeds to the fractionation tower are effective to maintain the overhead temperature of the fractionation tower at a temperature whereby the major portion of the desired components is recovered.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg200825.xml).
Assignees
| Assignee | Type | Place | Also on furp.org | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ortloff Engineers, Ltd. 30 patents | US company or organization | Midland, TX | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richard N. Pitman | Sunset, TX | 2 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| John D. Wilkinson | Midland, TX | 38 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Joe T. Lynch | Midland, TX | 28 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Hank M. Hudson | Midland, TX | 40 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Kyle T. Cuellar | Katy, TX | 40 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Tony L. Martinez | Odessa, TX | 7 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
CPC categories
| Subclass | Category | First group | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| F25J | Liquefaction, solidification or separation of gases or gaseous ; or liquefied gaseous; mixtures by pressure and cold treatment ; or by bringing them into the supercritical state | F25J3/0209 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).
Assignments and security interests
| Recorded | What | From | To | Reel/frame | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-09-24 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. signed 2020-09-18 | UOP LLC DES PLAINES, IL | 54188/807 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
| 2015-05-26 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | PITMAN, RICHARD N. signed 2006-06-22 HUDSON, HANK M. signed 2006-06-28 WILKINSON, JOHN D. signed 2006-06-28 LYNCH, JOE T. signed 2006-06-29 MARTINEZ, TONY L. signed 2006-06-29 CUELLAR, KYLE T. signed 2006-07-31 | ORTLOFF ENIGNEERS, LTD. MIDLAND, TX | 35710/922 | ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25 |
Documents recorded with the USPTO Assignment Recordation Branch that list this patent. A security interest is a lender’s claim on the patent as collateral; a release ends it.
USPTO bulk data: PatentsView granted patents, disambiguated (PVGPATDIS) for patents, assignees, inventors, places and CPC categories; the USPTO Patent Assignment Dataset (ECORSEXC) for assignments and security interests. Patents filed in the last 20 years. No claims or full text. Links to other records are by name (and state): EXACT means the identical full name and state; FUZZY means a looser name match, with the confidence shown.