(19)
(11)EP 0 742 415 A3

(12)EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88)Date of publication A3:
09.07.1997 Bulletin 1997/28

(43)Date of publication A2:
13.11.1996 Bulletin 1996/46

(21)Application number: 96107127.1

(22)Date of filing:  06.05.1996
(51)International Patent Classification (IPC)6F25J 3/06
(84)Designated Contracting States:
ES FR GR IT NL

(30)Priority: 09.05.1995 US 437623

(71)Applicant: The M.W. Kellogg Company
Houston, Texas 77002-7990 (US)

(72)Inventors:
  • Coyle, David Alan
    Houston, Texas 77025 (US)
  • Fernandez De La Vega, Felix J.
    Houston, Texas 77077 (US)
  • Durr, Charles Arthur
    Houston, Texas 77024 (US)
  • Rastogi, Ashutosh
    New Delhi 110049 (IN)

(74)Representative: Huber, Bernhard, Dipl.-Chem. et al
Patentanwälte H. Weickmann, Dr. K. Fincke F.A. Weickmann, B. Huber Dr. H. Liska, Dr. J. Prechtel, Dr. B. Böhm, Kopernikusstrasse 9
81679 München
81679 München (DE)

  


(54)Process for removing nitrogen from LNG


(57) A process for removing nitrogen from liquefied natural gas (LNG) using an enhanced surface, reflux heat exchanger is disclosed. A relatively warm high pressure LNG stream is directed countercurrently in heat exchange with a cool low pressure LNG stream to chill the high pressure stream and partially vaporize the low pressure LNG stream in the reflux heat exchanger. Vapor produced thereby strips the low pressure LNG stream of nitrogen. The cool low pressure LNG stream is produced by expansion of the chilled high pressure LNG stream. Vapor produced by the expansion is combined with the vapor produced in the exchanger and withdrawn overhead. Product LNG which is lean in nitrogen is withdrawn from the bottom of the exchanger.







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