Separation of hydrocarbons using regenerable macroporous alkylene-bridged adsorbent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017368494-A1
Application number	US-201615536329-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 6, 2016
Priority date	Jan 27, 2015
Publication date	Dec 28, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for separating natural gas liquids (NGLs) from a hydrocarbon gas mixture containing natural gas liquids and methane, comprising the steps of: i) providing a bed of adsorbent selective for NGLs over methane; ii) passing a hydrocarbon gas mixture containing methane and NGL through the bed of adsorbent to at least partially remove NGLs from the gas mixture to produce: (a) NGL-loaded adsorbent and (b) NGL-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iii) recovering the NGL-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iv) regenerating the NGL-loaded adsorbent by at least partially removing NGLs from the adsorbent; and v) sequentially repeating steps (ii) and (iii) using regenerated adsorbent from step (iv).

First claim

1 - 10 . (canceled)

11 . A method for separating methane or ethane from a hydrocarbon gas mixture comprising methane or ethane, or a combination of methane and ethane, along with C3 and heavier paraffins, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
i) providing a bed of a macroporous alkylene-bridged adsorbent selective for C 3 and heavier paraffins over methane and ethane; ii) passing a hydrocarbon gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent to at least partially remove C 3 and heavier paraffins from the gas mixture to produce: (a) C 3 and heavier paraffins-loaded adsorbent and (b) C 3 and heavier paraffins-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iii) recovering the C 3 and heavier paraffins-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture; iv) regenerating the C 3 and heavier-loaded adsorbent by at least partially removing C 3 and heavier paraffins from the adsorbent; and v) sequentially repeating steps (ii) and (iii) using regenerated adsorbent from step (iv).

12 . The method of claim 11 for separating methane from a hydrocarbon gas mixture comprising methane and natural gas liquids (NGLs) that comprise ethane and heavier paraffins, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
i) providing a bed of adsorbent selective for NGLs over methane;
ii) passing a hydrocarbon gas mixture through the bed of adsorbent to at least partially remove NGLs from the gas mixture to produce: (a) NGLs-loaded adsorbent and (b) NGLs-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture;
iii) recovering the NGLs-depleted hydrocarbon gas mixture;
iv) regenerating the NGLs-loaded adsorbent by at least partially removing NGLs from the adsorbent; and
v) sequentially repeating steps (ii) and (iii) using regenerated adsorbent from step (iv).

13 . The method of claim 12 wherein step (i) occurs in an adsorption chamber, and step (iv) occurs in a desorption chamber, and wherein NGL-loaded adsorbent is continuously transferred from the adsorption chamber to the desorption chamber, and regenerated adsorbent is continuously transferred from the desorption chamber to the adsorption chamber.

14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the adsorbent located in the adsorption chamber forms a packed moving bed.

15 . The method of claim 12 wherein the step of regenerating the NGL-loaded adsorbent comprises irradiating the adsorbent with microwaves.

16 . The method of claim 11 wherein the adsorbent comprises a functionalized macroporous alkylene-bridged adsorbent.

17 . The method of claim 16 wherein the macroporous alkylene-bridged adsorbent comprises an amine or a sulfur containing functional group.

18 . The method of claim 12 wherein the step of regeneration comprises exposing the adsorbent to lower pressure.

Assignees

• Dow Global Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Rodgers Matthew L
• Kern Brandon J
• Matteucci Scott T
• Goltz H Robert
• Gisch Daryl J

Classifications

• B01D2259/40094

  by applying microwaves · CPC title

• B01D2256/24

  Hydrocarbons · CPC title

• C10L3/101

  Removal of contaminants · CPC title

• B01J20/267

  Cross-linked polymers · CPC title

• B01D2253/202

  Polymeric adsorbents · CPC title