Odorized methane fluid and processes for producing odorized methane fluids and the use thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10544377-B2
Application number	US-201615769939-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2016
Priority date	Oct 26, 2015
Publication date	Jan 28, 2020
Grant date	Jan 28, 2020

Abstract

An odorized methane comprising fluid has an odorant and a carrier. The odorant is ethyl acrylate and/or ethyl mercaptan. The carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof. The odorized methane-comprising fluid may be prepared by adding the odorant and the carrier separately or pre-mixed to a methane comprising liquid or slush.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. An odorized methane comprising fluid comprising:
a methane comprising fluid,
an odorant in a range of from 1 to 100 ppm, and
a carrier in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m %,

calculated on the total mass of the odorized methane comprising fluid;
whereby the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
whereby the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof, and
whereby the odorized methane comprising fluid is a liquid, or a slush of liquid and solids.

2. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , whereby the odorized methane comprising fluid comprises 2 to 10 ppm odorant, calculated on the total mass of the odorized methane comprising fluid.

3. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 2 , whereby the odorized methane comprising fluid comprises 4 to 6 ppm odorant, calculated on the total mass of the odorized methane comprising fluid.

4. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , whereby the carrier is iso-butane.

5. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , whereby the odorant is ethyl acrylate or a mixture of ethyl acrylate and ethyl mercaptan.

6. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , whereby the odorized methane comprising fluid additionally comprises methyl acetate in a range of from 1 to 250 ppm, calculated on the total mass of the odorized methane comprising fluid.

7. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the odorized methane comprising fluid is at a temperature in the range of from −62° C. to −185° C., and at a pressure in the range of from 20 mbara to 120 bara.

8. The odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 , wherein the odorized methane comprising fluid is at a temperature in the range of from −62° C. to −185° C. and at a pressure of from 250 mbara to 76 bara.

9. A process for preparing an odorized methane comprising fluid, the process comprising the following step:
a) adding an odorant in range of from 1 to 100 ppm and a carrier in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m % to a methane comprising liquid, or to a methane comprising slush of liquid and solids,
whereby the odorant and carrier are added separately and/or mixed,
whereby the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
whereby the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof.

10. The process according to claim 9 , comprising the following steps:
a1) adding the odorant to the carrier, and
a2) adding at least a part of the mixture obtained in step a1) to the methane comprising liquid, or to the methane comprising slush of liquid and solids.

11. The process according to claim 9 , wherein methyl acetate in a range of from 1 to 250 ppm is added separately and/or mixed with the odorant and/or the carrier to the methane comprising liquid, or to the methane comprising slush of liquid and solids.

12. The process according to claim 9 , wherein a stream comprising the odorant is added to a gas stream, a liquid stream, or a stream of a slush of liquid and solids, using a flow controller or an injection pump and a PLC (programmable logic controller).

13. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid or slush comprising methane is at a temperature in the range of from −62° C. to −185° C., and at a pressure in the range of from 20 mbara to 120 bara.

14. The process according to claim 9 , wherein the liquid or slush comprising methane is at a temperature in the range of from −62° C. to −185° C., and at a pressure in the range of from 250 mbara to 76 bara.

15. A process for preparing an odorized methane comprising fluid, the process comprising the following steps:
a) adding an odorant in a range of from 1 to 100 ppm and a carrier in a range of from 0.1 to 10 m/m % to a methane comprising gas,
whereby the odorant and carrier are added separately and/or mixed,
whereby the carrier is propane, n-butane, iso-butane, or a mixture of two or more thereof, and
whereby the odorant is ethyl acrylate, ethyl mercaptan, or a mixture thereof, and
whereby the methane comprising gas is at a temperature in a range of from −40 to +200° C., and;
b) liquefying the mixture obtained in step a) to a temperature in a range of from −62° C. to −185° C. and a pressure in the range of from 20 mbara to 120 bara.

16. The process according to claim 15 , comprising the following steps:
a1) adding the odorant to the carrier,
a2) adding at least a part of the mixture obtained in step a1) to the methane comprising gas, and
b) liquefying the mixture obtained in step a2) to a temperature in the range of from −62° C. to −185° C. and a pressure in the range of from 20 mbara to 120 bara.

17. The process according to claim 15 , wherein in the range of from 1 to 250 ppm methyl acetate is added to methane comprising gas by separately adding and/or by mixing with the odorant and/or the carrier.

18. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the methane comprising gas is at a temperature in the range of from −25 to +85° C.

19. The process according to claim 15 , wherein the pressure in step (b) is in a range from 250 mbara to 76 bara.

20. A fuel for automotive industry, marine industry, or for power generation, comprising an odorized methane comprising fluid according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Shell Oil Co

Inventors

• Van Der Veer Wouter Martinus
• Macdonald Stuart Meredith

Classifications

• C10L3/06

  Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by C10G, C10K3/02 or C10K3/04 {(liquefying by pressure and cold treatment F25J)} · CPC title

• C10L2230/10

  for adding an odor to the fuel or combustion products · CPC title

• C10L3/006 Primary

  detectable by the senses · CPC title

• Y02E50/30

  Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel · CPC title