초록 ▼

A fuel conditioning process and apparatus for use where natural gas is compressed by a field compressor driven by a natural gas powered engine. The fuel portion of the compressed raw natural gas is passed through an adsorption vessel containing an adsorbent material capable of adsorbing impurities.

A fuel conditioning process and apparatus for use where natural gas is compressed by a field compressor driven by a natural gas powered engine. The fuel portion of the compressed raw natural gas is passed through an adsorption vessel containing an adsorbent material capable of adsorbing impurities. The outlet gas from the adsorption vessel is accumulated and mixed for averaging and controlling the heating value of the outlet gas used for fuel. Regeneration of the adsorption material, when employing multiple adsorption vessels, is accomplished by connecting one adsorption vessel to the suction side of the compressor, purified gas from another adsorption vessel in adsorption service is backflowed through the loaded adsorption vessel to desorb the previously adsorbed impurities, the flow of the compressed raw natural gas to the other adsorption vessel is terminated and the pressure within the two adsorption vessels is equalized. The regenerated adsorption vessel is then repressured with the compressed raw natural gas prior to returning it to the adsorption mode.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel conditioning process for improving the quality of a fuel portion of a reservoir gas stream, the fuel portion used to fuel an engine driving a compressor which compresses the reservoir gas stream to a pressure sufficient to pass the reservoir gas stream less than the fuel portion thereof to a

A fuel conditioning process for improving the quality of a fuel portion of a reservoir gas stream, the fuel portion used to fuel an engine driving a compressor which compresses the reservoir gas stream to a pressure sufficient to pass the reservoir gas stream less than the fuel portion thereof to a gas gathering conduit, the process comprising: passing the fuel portion of the compressed reservoir gas stream through a first adsorption vessel containing an adsorbent material capable of selectively adsorbing impurity compounds present in the reservoir gas stream to produce an outlet gas stream to produce an outlet gas stream suitable for use as a fuel for an internal combustion engine; passing the outlet gas stream from the first adsorption vessel as fuel to the internal combustion engine which, in the operating mode thereof, powers the gas compressor; terminating the passage of the reservoir gas to the first adsorption vessel after achieving a predetermined degree of saturation of the adsorbent material by isolating the first adsorption vessel from the compressed reservoir gas stream; passing the fuel portion of the compressed reservoir gas stream through a second adsorption vessel containing an adsorbent material capable of selectively adsorbing impurity compounds present in the reservoir gas stream to produce an outlet gas stream suitable for use as the fuel for the internal combustion engine; passing the outlet gas stream from the second adsorption vessel as fuel to the internal combustion engine; regenerating the adsorbent material in the first adsorption vessel by connecting the first adsorption vessel to the compressor inlet so that the pressure in the first adsorption vessel is lowered; backflowing a portion of the outlet gas stream from the second adsorption vessel through the first adsorption vessel for a period of time sufficient to substantially desorb the adsorbed impurities from the adsorbent material in the first adsorption vessel; terminating the backflowing of the outlet gas stream through the first adsorption vessel and partially repressuring the first adsorption vessel with a portion of the outlet gas stream from the second adsorption vessel; terminating the flow of the outlet gas stream from the second adsorption vessel to the first adsorption vessel; substantially equalizing the pressure in the first and second adsorption vessels; and passing the compressed reservoir gas stream to the regenerated first adsorption vessel.