METHOD OF SEPARATION OF LIQUEFIED HYDROCARBONS FROM NATURAL GAS Russian patent published in 2001 - IPC

FIELD: methods of separation of liquefied hydrocarbons. SUBSTANCE: starting compressed natural gas is preliminarily separated into two flows; main and auxiliary flows; each flow is subjected to individual vortex power separation. High-pressure main flow is expanded after preliminary cooling in vortex tube cooled by return flow of low-pressure gas; fraction of cold flow for this tube is equal to 1. Auxiliary flow at temperature of T=270 to 300 K is expanded in dividing vortex tube at fraction of cold flow < 1; cold flow is used for additional cooling of main flow of high-pressure natural gas in one of change-over heat-exchangers - freezers. Hot flow is fed from outlet of dividing vortex tube for thawing out heat-exchanger - freezer which is not in use at this moment. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency of separation of liquefied hydrocarbons from natural gas. 3 cl, 1 dwg