METHOD OF SEPARATING NATURAL GAS COMPONENTS Russian patent published in 2000 - IPC

FIELD: chemical, gas-and-oil producing industries; applicable in production of hydrocarbons desired fractions from natural raw materials. SUBSTANCE: method includes two-stage fractionation of raw mixture of hydrocarbons in rectification columns. In this case, raw material is subjected to preliminarily sorption purification on zeolites with subsequent description and cooling of zeolite with ratio of duration of cycles of sorption, desorption and cooling equalling 1:1:1 - 2:1:1, respectively. Subjected to fractionation at the first stage is mixture of hydrocarbons containing fraction C₂ in the amount of not less 1.2 wt.%. In so doing, at the first stage of fractionation pentane-hexane fraction is taken away from column bottom. Mixture of hydrocarbons taken away from column top is supplied to the second fractionation stage with withdrawal of fraction C₄ from column bottom, and fraction C₃ from column top. At the first fractionation stage with pressure in column of 1.65 MPa, temperature in column top is maintained at 75-80 C, and in column bottom, at 148-158 C. At the second fractionation stage, temperature in column top is maintained at 55-58 C, and in column bottom, at 80-90 C. Ratio of column reflex ratios at the first and second fractionation stages is preset equalling 1:1.4, respectively. EFFECT: simple and efficient separation of hydrocarbon raw materials into commercial fractions of high quality. 4 cl, 1 tbl