Recovery of NGLs

Chillin
Extreme cooling of the inlet gas is necessary prior to entering the Demethanizer (cryogenic
tower)
How is this accomplished?
Two inlet gas Routes: 1) 1st gas/gas exchanger 2) Side Exchanger
1. 1st Gas/Gas Exchanger.
-Inlet gas travels through this exchanger on the tubeside promoting cooling of
the gas before entering the 2nd Gas/Gas Exchanger.
-Notice that another colder gas returning from the side exchanger is used to further
cool our gas stream.
2. Side Exchanger
-This inlet gas flow is cooled by the natural gas liquids within the demethanizer
tower (cryogenic tower) operating at extremely cold temperatures (- 160 C).
-Due to the very low operating temps of the tower we are able to cross exchange
with the temperatures in that column.
-Allows inlet gas to leave at a much lower
Causes liquids in the side exchanger to be heated. (Thermodynamics
anyone?)
Are You Kidding me Cold
Inlet gas streams from the 1st Gas/Gas exchanger and Side -
Exchanger rejoin before streaming through the 2nd
Gas/Gas heat exchanger.
2nd Gas/Gas Exchanger will further cool the gas stream. Once
again our gas stream is on the tubeside.
- Notice that in both Gas/Gas heat exchangers that the
residue gas from the top of the demethanizer
tower provides the cooling in both of them.
-Inlet gas comes out of the 2nd Gas/Gas heat exchanger
at a very cold temperature causing NGLs within the
gas to condense and end up in the inlet separator.
Inlet Separator/Turbo-Expander
The purpose of the inlet separator is to trap condensed
liquids from the gas stream and prevents them from
entering Turbo-Expander.
NGL collected here are routed to the cryogenic tower
The Turbo-Expander is designed to sharply drop the pressure
of vapors which will cause an extreme temperature
decrease of the gas stream.
Cold gas stream enters the cryogenic tower
The Turbo-Expander provides a secondary service as well: it
is also performing work.
Notice that as the turbo-expander turns it causes the
compressor to turn. This provides rotational energy for the
compressor.
Demethanizer/Cryogenic Tower
The function of demethanizer tower is to heat up the
inlet gas feed just enough to release methane and
condense the remaining NGLs.
A reboiler located at the bottom of the tower provides
the heat needed to release methane from the rest of
the NGLs.
Follow the Methane
Residue (methane) gas leaves the top of tower
-Used as coolant in gas/gas exchanges (shell side). This in turn heats up the methane.
-Methane enters expander-compressor increasing the pressure of the methane allowing it to be sent down
the sales pipeline.
*Remember that the compressor is able to do work because the turboexpander provides
rotational energy. No other drivers! Very efficient!

-Methane leaving the compressor enters a condenser.

Some methane liquifys and collects in the accumulator.
The liquid methane returns to the tower as reflux for improved product.

-The remaining methane travels to a recompressor further increasing the pressure of the gas.

-The residue gas also travels through the reboiler providing heat to the demethanizer tower and also
cooling itself down further.

- Finally, Residue gas flows through a cooler before going to the sales pipeline.
NGLs
The NGLs are going to leave the system too.
NGLs exit the bottom of the reboiler. Because they
were not vaporized by the column.
These natural gas liquids (demethanized product) and
are an excellent revenue source.
Often times, the NGLs continue on to a fractionation
unit where they can be separated individual
components such as ethane, propane, butane and even
natural gasoline.