The turbo

develope
natural g
achieves
heavier c
distillatio

The turbo
results in
expander
the reduc
Thomson

Turbo-ex
exchange
plant to a
reached b
most of t
the feed g

Fig. 5.21
arrangem
recovery
hydrocar

F
o-expander p
ed in the earl
as, as ethane
very low tem
compounds i
on.
o expander r
n a drop in pr
r to recover e
ction in gas t
n) expansion
xpander proc
ers. The gas
a very low w
by the gas be
the water, fo
gas. Gas pre
1 is an illustr
ments possibl
. Whether th
rbons from n
Fig. 5.21Sc
Tu
process for t
ly 1960s. Its
e is an impor
mperatures a
in natural ga
removes ene
ressure and t
energy from
temperature
n across a va
cess configur
entering the
water content
eing process
llowed by a
etreatment ca
ration of a re
le, dependin
he turbo expa
natural gas re
chematic dr
urbo Exp
treating natu
main applic
rtant feed sto
and, therefor
s. The variou
ergy from the
temperature
m the high pre
is greater th
lve.
rations can v
e turbo-expan
t so that no h
sed. This usu
molecular s
an also inclu
elatively simp
ng on the gas
ander is like
equires cons
rawing of tu
pander
ural gas strea
cation was to
ock for the p
re, liquefies
us fractions
e near isentro
by extractin
essure gas, th
han can be ob
vary greatly.
nder process
hydrates form
ually require
sieve unit to
ude CO
2
and
mple turbo-ex
s composition
ely the best c
iderable ana
urbo-expand
Process
ams for high
o improve th
petrochemica
a substantia
of the liquid
opic expansi
ng useful me
he refrigerat
btained by si
They all inc
s must be deh
m when the l
s a glycol de
remove virtu
H
2
S remova
xpander facil
n and the de
choice for rec
alysis.

der equipm
s
liquids reco
he recovery o
al industry. T
l portion of t
d stream are
ion of a gas
echanical ene
tion effect is
imple isenth
corporate va
hydrated ups
low tempera
ehydration u
ually all of th
al.
lity. There ar
esired level o
covering eth
ent.
overy was
of ethane fro
The process
the ethane an
recovered b
stream, whic
ergy. By usin
s enhanced, a
halpic (J oule-
arious heat
stream of the
atures are
unit for remo
he water fro
re many othe
of liquids
hane and hea

om
nd
y
ch
ng an
and
-
e
oving
om
er
avier

Gas Preconditioning
Expander processes for NGL recovery can chill the gas as low as 160F. To dry the gas to this
low a water dewpoint temperature requires the use of molecular sieves in drying towers as
illustrated in Fig. 5.15. A common class of molecular sieve used for deep drying has a pore
opening of 4 . Instead of drying the gas with molecular sieves, it is also possible to prevent
potential freezing problems with the addition of minor amounts of methanol into the gas stream
upstream of the chilling section.
Turbo-Expander Design
The design of a turbo-expander unit involves detailed heat and material balances and many flash
calculations. Such design calculations are performed by computer.