Abstract
A strategy for process configuration design and debottlenecking of natural gas processing plants based on turboexpansion is presented. The approach combines a rigorous process simulation model and a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) optimization methodology that embeds different expansion alternatives within a superstructure. A wide range of natural gas mixtures with 6−25% of condensable components is studied in order to determine optimal plant topology and operating parameters under different process conditions. Inlet feed gases with varying CO2 content are also analyzed to evaluate the impact on plant design and operation. Special attention is devoted to an actual gas mixture, currently processed in a large-scale ethane plant in operation. Different turboexpansion configuration designs are further analyzed to explore the possibility of operating in propane recovery mode.
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