Patents

US 8919148 B2: Hydrocarbon gas processing

Granted
2014-12-30
Filed
2008-09-08 application 12206230
Type
Utility · 12 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 divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled to condense substantially all of it and is thereafter expanded to the fractionation tower pressure and supplied to the fractionation tower at a first mid-column feed position. The second stream is expanded to the tower pressure and is then supplied to the column at a second mid-column feed position. A vapor distillation stream is withdrawn from the column above the feed point of the second stream and is then directed into heat exchange relation with the tower overhead vapor stream to cool the vapor 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 as its top feed. 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 (ipg141230.xml).

Assignees

AssigneeTypePlaceAlso on furp.orgSource
Ortloff Engineers, Ltd. 30 patentsUS company or organizationDallas, TXPVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10

Inventors

InventorPlacePatentsPerson pageSource
John D. WilkinsonMidland, TX38PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10
Joe T. LynchMidland, TX28PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10
Hank M. HudsonMidland, TX40PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10
Kyle T. CuellarKaty, TX40PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10
Tony L. MartinezOdessa, TX7PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10

CPC categories

SubclassCategoryFirst groupSource
F25JLiquefaction, solidification or separation of gases or gaseous ; or liquefied gaseous; mixtures by pressure and cold treatment ; or by bringing them into the supercritical stateF25J3/0209PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10

Cooperative Patent Classification, as currently assigned (one row per subclass).

Assignments and security interests

RecordedWhatFromToReel/frameSource
2020-09-24Assignment
Assignment of assignor's interest
ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. signed 2020-09-18UOP LLC DES PLAINES, IL54188/807ECORSEXC, file of 2026-09-25
2008-11-25Assignment
Assignment of assignor's interest
WILKINSON, JOHN D. signed 2008-11-11
HUDSON, HANK M. signed 2008-11-13
MARTINEZ, TONY L. signed 2008-11-13
LYNCH, JOE J. signed 2008-11-17
CUELLAR, KYLE T. signed 2008-11-21
ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. MIDLAND, TX21885/265ECORSEXC, 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.