N ATU R A L G A S R E F R I G E R ATI O N S Y S T E M S

The PETROGAS Refrigeration Type Liquids

Recovery Mini-Plant is a modular process skid designed to mechanically condense
natural gas liquids at temperatures as low as -40F by using commercial refrigerants.
The portability of the Mini-Plant enables it to be quickly and inexpensively installed
and moved when no longer needed. The operating pressures may vary from ambient to
1000 psig.

PROCESS DESIGN
The process flow is similar for all size units. The incoming gas/vapor stream enters
an interchanger where the gas/vapor stream is pre-cooled by the cold outlet gas. A
chemical injection pump injects atomized methanol into the gas vapor stream to
prevent the formation of ice. The gas/vapor stream passes through a chiller where the
temperature of the gas/vapor stream is lowered to that required to condense the
designated vapors from the gas by indirect contact with a refrigerant.
The gas and condensed vapors then flow from the chiller into a separator where the
condensed vapors are collected in the bottom. The gas, free of the vapors, flows from
the separator, passes through the interchanger, and exits the unit. The recovered
liquids flow, or are pumped, from the bottom of the Separator to storage.
If control of the recovered liquid vapor pressure and/or composition is required, a
stabilizer may be added to split the lighter components (ethane, propane, and butane)
from the heavier gasoline. The recovered liquids flow from the separator into the
stabilizer column. Control of the stabilizer column's operating pressure and
temperature results in the distillation of the undesired lighter components from the

heavier components.
Tem p e r a t u r e c o n t r o l i s a c h i e v e d b y t h e u s e o f a n e l e c t r i c o r n a t u r a l g a s - f i r e d
reboiler. The heavier components flow from the stabilizer column bottom to storage.
The lighter components flow overhead as vapors and can be used as a fuel or reinjected into the natural gas stream.

DESCRIPTION

All PETROGAS Refrigeration Systems are

skid mounted and completely factory assembled, including all required equipment,
instrumentation, piping and electrical components. The unit is charged with
refrigerant and tested prior to shipment.
The BASIC SYSTEM consists of the following components:
o

Inlet/outlet gas interchanger

Separator

Gas chiller

Methanol injection pump (if required)

Refrigeration compressor, electric or gas engine drive

Liquid product booster pump (if required)

Refrigerant condenser, air cooled

Liquid product booster pump (if required)

Cryogenic refrigeration system

Electrical and control systems

Emergency shutdown system

The STABILIZING SYSTEM consists of the following additional components:

o

Stabilizer Column

Pressure control system

Reboiler (electric or gas)

Liquid discharge system

Re-circulation pump (if required)

Integrated control system

Reflux system

MODE L SP EC IF ICATIONS

MODEL NUMBER

R-100

R-300

R-400

R-500

R-1000

R-1500

100

300

400

500

1000

1500

O P E R A TI N G T E M P M I N .

-40F

-40F

-40F

-40F

-40F

-40F

E S T. S H I P P I N G W E I G H T ( L B S . )

2000

4000

5000

8000

20,000

25,000

S K I D D I M E N S I O N ( W X L X H , F T.)

4X8X8

6X10X10

6X10X10

8X28X10

8X21X10

N O M I N A L C A PAC I T Y ( M C F D )

6X10X10

J O V L E -T H O M P S O N ( J T ) S Y S T E M
T h e J o v l e -T h o m p s o n S y s t e m i s c o m m o n l y u s e d w i t h a h i g h p r e s s u r e g a s t h a t
utilizes an expansion valve to create a pressure drop and accompanying
temperature drop. The liquids in the chilled gas condense and are removed.
T h i s s y s t e m i s l o w c o s t a n d a p p l i c a b l e o n l y u n d e r l i m i t e d s p e c i fi c o p e r a t i n g
conditions.

L E A N O I L A BS O R P T I O N

A gas with hydrocarbon vapors enters

t h e b o t t o m o f a n A B S O R B E R c o l u m n , fl o w s u p w a r d , a n d c o m e s i n c o n t a c t w i t h
t h e c o u n t e r - fl o w i n g L E A N O I L s y s t e m . T h e L E A N O I L p r e f e r e n t i a l l y a b s o r b s t h e
vapors from the gas, becoming ENRICHED OIL.
RICH OIL is sent to a STRIPPER where the absorbed vapors are removed by
heating the RICH OIL and vaporizing the absorbed vapors. The rich oil is
regenerated as lean oil and is recycled to the ABSORBER to complete the
p r o c e s s l o o p . T h e v a p o r i z e d v a p o r s a r e l i q u e fi e d a n d t r a n s f e r r e d t o s t o r a g e .
PETROGAS Absorption Systems are designed to operate continuously, or
i n t e r m i t t e n t l y , i n a f u l l y a u t o m a t i c m o d e . P E T R O G A S o ff e r s a b a s i c s y s t e m ,
with options to allow each unit to be customized to meet your unique
s p e c i fi c a t i o n s a t a f r a c t i o n o f t h e c o s t o f a c u s t o m - d e s i g n e d a n d f a b r i c a t e d
system.
P E T R O G A S s y s t e m s h a v e p r o v e n s u p e r i o r e ffi c i e n c y i n t h e r e c o v e r y o f
hydrocarbons and chemicals from vapor streams. PETROGAS Absorption
Systems are supplied as complete factory package units on a structural skid,
including instrumentation, piping, and electrical.

N AT U R A L G A S S T R E A M S

Gas absorption is an operation in which

a soluble component of a gas is dissolved in a liquid.
The PETROGAS absorbent liquid (Lean Oil) selectively absorbs propanes+, or
other selected components, from a natural gas stream. This is performed
e i t h e r i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e c l i e n t s p e c i fi c a t i o n s f o r m e e t i n g p i p e l i n e
s p e c i fi c a t i o n s ( b y c o n t r o l o f t h e B T U o r r e d u c t i o n o f t h e p e n t a n e s + ) o r f o r t h e
e c o n o m i c b e n e fi t o f t h e s p r e a d b e t w e e n s e l l i n g l i q u i d s a s a g a s o r a s a l i q u i d .
T h e P E T R O G A S M o d e l A S y s t e m i s a v a i l a b l e t o p r o c e s s n a t u r a l g a s s t r e a m fl o w
rates of 5 mcfd to 50 mmcfd.

T U R BO E X PA N D E R S Y S T E M
Cryogenic chilling in the PETROGAS Model TE System utilizes a TURBO
E X PA N D E R t h a t r e p l a c e s t h e J o u l e -T h o m p s o n e x p a n s i o n v a l v e i n a c o n v e n t i o n a l
refrigeration system. The expansion valve is adiabatic as well as a turbine,
and takin g the w or k o ut of the expan si on m akes it i sentro pi c.
Isentropic expansion allows for a lower temperature of the expanded
r e f r i g e r a n t a t t h e s a m e p r e s s u r e r e d u c t i o n . T h e m o r e e ffi c i e n t t u r b o e x p a n s i o n
cycle allows the use of aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as ethane, as a
refrigerant.