Cryogenic fractionation for natural gas sweetening

Abstract

This chapter presents the already in use and the potential candidates Cryogenic-fractionation methods for natural gas sweetening. Mainly, this work describes the thermodynamics involved, the characteristics of different sweetening processes, and the differences according to transport properties, conditions, and purity of the products. Authors explain in detail technologies that have gained more attention such as non-conventional technologies, especially CryoCell®, and hybrid technologies. In this sense, authors present cryogenic packed bed, cryogenic separation based on multi-compression stages with intercoolers, external cooling loop cryogenic carbon capture, cryogenic liquid, heat exchange, and CryoCell®. Although cryogenic CO2 separation is a promising technique towards carbon capture improvements, more research must be carried out in order to reduce capital costs and the energy requirements, and to improve the purity of the final products. Finally, the chapter summarizes the applications, energy consumption, cost investment, cost operation, and produced CO2 purity for the aforementioned technologies.