초록 ▼

The present invention utilizes a turboexpander coupled with a compressor in place of the Joules-Thomson expansion valve in a conventional refrigeration to achieve higher efficiency. More specifically the refrigeration is used in removing condensable hydrocarbons or chemical vapors from air which has

The present invention utilizes a turboexpander coupled with a compressor in place of the Joules-Thomson expansion valve in a conventional refrigeration to achieve higher efficiency. More specifically the refrigeration is used in removing condensable hydrocarbons or chemical vapors from air which has been contaminated during loading and unloading at bulk plants. The more efficient turboexpansion cycle allows the use of saturated lower aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as ethane as refrigerant, the use of which would be precluded from normal Joules-Thomson expansion cycles. The turboexpander work is used to drive a compressor which partially recompresses the expanded refrigerant gas, providing an essentially isentropic expansion. Because the turboexpander and the compressor operate on the same fluid, the mass flows through both are equal thereby alleviating control and loading problems.

대표청구항 ▼

A system for removing substantially all of the hydrocarbons or chemical vapors from an air-hydrocarbon or chemical vapor mixture, comprising: (a) a dehydration means for removing any water contained within said mixture; (b) a vapor chiller in fluid connection with said dehydration means to condense

A system for removing substantially all of the hydrocarbons or chemical vapors from an air-hydrocarbon or chemical vapor mixture, comprising: (a) a dehydration means for removing any water contained within said mixture; (b) a vapor chiller in fluid connection with said dehydration means to condense substantially all of said hydrocarbons or chemicals in said mixture by indirect heat exchange with a refrigerant gas at a cryogenic temperature; (c) a drain to remove substantially all of said condensed hydrocarbons or chemicals from said vapor chiller; (d) a vent means to remove said air less substantially all of said hydrocarbons coming from said vapor chiller; (e) a first compressor to compress said refrigerant gas; (f) a condenser in fluid connection with the outlet of said first compressor to condense substantially all of said refrigerant liquid; (g) a turboexpander in fluid connection with said condenser to reduce the pressure of and expand said refrigerant liquid back to a refrigerant gas thereby reducing the temperature of said refrigerant gas to a cryogenic temperature; (h) fluid connection between said turboexpander outlet and said vapor chiller wherein said refrigerant gas is heated by indirect heat exchange with said mixture thereby cooling said mixture; and (i) a second compressor driven by said turboexpander in fluid connection with the refrigerant gas outlet of said vapor chiller to partially compress said refrigerant gas thereby removing work and providing and essentially isentropic expansion across said turboexpander, the outlet of said second compressor being in fluid connection with the inlet of said first compressor.