Patents
US 9021831 B2: Hydrocarbon gas processing
- Granted
- 2015-05-05
- Filed
- 2010-01-19 application 12689616
- Type
- Utility · 38 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for the recovery of ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream in a compact processing assembly. The gas 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 lower pressure and supplied as the top feed to an absorbing means inside the processing assembly. The second stream is also expanded to lower pressure and supplied as the bottom feed to the absorbing means. A distillation vapor stream is collected from the upper region of the absorbing means and directed into one or more heat exchange means inside the processing assembly to heat it while cooling the gas stream and the first stream. A distillation liquid stream is collected from the lower region of the absorbing means and directed into a heat and mass transfer means inside the processing assembly to heat it and strip out its volatile components while cooling the gas stream. The quantities and temperatures of the feeds to the absorbing means are effective to maintain the temperature of the upper region of the absorbing means at a temperature whereby the major portions of the desired components are recovered in the stripped distillation liquid stream.
Source: PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 (ipg150505.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 | |
| S.M.E. Products LP 19 patents | US company or organization | Houston, TX | S.M.E. PRODUCTS LP State business registration EXACT high confidence: identical full name and state | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew F. Johnke | Beresford, SD | 22 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Larry Lewis | Houston, TX | 4 | 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 |
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 |
| C10G | Cracking hydrocarbon oils; production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures, e.g. by destructive hydrogenation, oligomerisation, polymerisation ; recovery of hydrocarbon oils from oil-shale, oil-sand, or gases; refining mixtures mainly consisting of hydrocarbons; reforming of naphtha; mineral waxes | C10G5/06 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| C10L | Fuels not otherwise provided for; natural gas; synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclasses c10g or c10k; liquified petroleum gas; use of additives to fuels or fires; fire-lighters | C10L3/10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| F28D | Heat-exchange apparatus, not provided for in another subclass, in which the heat-exchange media do not come into direct contact | F28D7/0066 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 |
| G05D | Systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables | G05D9/00 | 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 |
| 2010-04-30 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | HUDSON, HANK M. signed 2010-03-17 WILKINSON, JOHN D. signed 2010-03-18 JOHNKE, ANDREW F. signed 2010-03-24 LEWIS, W. LARRY signed 2010-03-25 LYNCH, JOE T. signed 2010-04-07 CUELLAR, KYLE T. signed 2010-04-15 | ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD MIDLAND, TX S.M.E. PRODUCTS LLP HOUSTON, TX | 24318/402 | 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.