Patents
US 9021832 B2: Hydrocarbon gas processing
- Granted
- 2015-05-05
- Filed
- 2010-12-28 application 12979563
- Type
- Utility · 16 claims
- Elsewhere
- Google Patents ↗ · USPTO patent document ↗ · USPTO Patent Center record ↗
Abstract
A process and an apparatus are disclosed for recovering ethane, ethylene, and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream. The stream is cooled, expanded to lower pressure, and supplied to a first fractionation tower at a mid-column feed position. A distillation liquid stream is withdrawn from the first fractionation tower below the feed position of the expanded stream, heated, and directed into a second fractionation tower that produces an overhead vapor stream and a bottom liquid stream. The overhead vapor stream is cooled to condense it, with a portion of the condensed stream directed to the second fractionation tower as its top feed and the remainder directed to the first fractionation tower at a lower column feed position. The bottom liquid stream from the second fractionation tower is cooled and directed to the first fractionation tower as its top feed.
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 |
Inventors
| Inventor | Place | Patents | Person page | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michael C. Pierce | Erie, CO | 10 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| John D. Wilkinson | Midland, TX | 38 | PVGPATDIS, file of 2026-04-10 | |
| Hank M. Hudson | Midland, 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 |
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 |
| 2011-03-30 | Assignment Assignment of assignor's interest | HUDSON, HANK M. signed 2011-03-21 WILKINSON, JOHN D. signed 2011-03-21 PIERCE, MICHAEL C. signed 2011-03-22 | ORTLOFF ENGINEERS, LTD. MIDLAND, TX | 26047/699 | 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.