| abstract |
A method for extracting ethane, ethylene, propane, propylene and heavier hydrocarbon components from a hydrocarbon gas stream is described. The stream is cooled and divided into first and second streams. The first stream is further cooled to substantially condense it, and then expanded to the operating pressure in the fractional column, heated and then fed to the fractional column at the upper feed point in the middle of the column. The second stream is expanded to a pressure in the fractional column and then fed to the column at the feed point in the middle of the column. The distilled steam stream is removed from the column above the feed point of the second stream and then sent to a heat exchanger to exchange heat with the expanded cooled first stream and the overhead stream of the column overhead to cool the stream of distilled steam and condense at least part of it to form a condensed stream. |