Integrated gas dehydrator

Abstract

The present invention related to an apparatus, in particular an integrated gas dehydrator, comprising an integrated dehydrator processing unit and a refrigeration unit for efficient and cost-effective removal of moisture in a variety of gases, in particular the natural gas.

1 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit comprising: 
 a pre-cooler;    a transition section;    a chiller;    the above sections are arranged in tandem, i.e., in an end-to-end configuration;    a gas-liquid/solid particle separator incorporated between the pre-cooler and the transition section, as appropriate;    a gas-liquid/solid particle separator incorporated between the transition section and the chiller, as appropriate;    a final gas-liquid/solid particle separator connected to the exit end of the chiller;    a water discharge pipe connected to each of the relevant gas-liquid/solid particle separators;    a reflux gas pipeline connects the final separator and the pre-cooler;    a gas inlet and a gas outlet pipe; and    a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet pipe.    
     
     
         2 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit comprising: 
 one or a pair of pre-coolers;    one or a pair of transition sections;    a chiller;    the above sections are arranged in a side-to-side configuration;    a gas-liquid/solid particle separator incorporated between the pre-cooler and the transition section, as appropriate;    a gas-liquid/solid particle separator incorporated between the transition section and the chillers, as appropriate;    a final gas-liquid/solid particle separator connected to the exit end of the chiller;    a water discharge pipe connected to each of the relevant gas-liquid/solid particle separators;    a pair of reflux openings connects the final separator and the pair of pre-coolers respectively;    a pair of gas inlets and a gas outlet pipes; and    a refrigerant inlet and a refrigerant outlet pipe.    
     
     
         3 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  and  2  wherein the pre-cooler comprises a multiplicity of sub-sections.  
     
     
         4 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  and  2  wherein the pre-cooler comprises a multiplicity of sub-sections with different heat transfer coefficients.  
     
     
         5 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  and  2  wherein the pre-cooler comprises a multiplicity of sub-sections with a gas-liquid/solid particle separator and an associated water discharge pipe between every two adjacent sub-sections.  
     
     
         6 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  and  2  wherein the pre-cooler comprises a multiplicity of sub-sections with a reflux gas inlet for each sub-section.  
     
     
         7 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  or  2  and wherein the required refrigeration is provided with an industrial refrigerator.  
     
     
         8 . An integrated dehydrator processing unit according to  claim 1  and  2  wherein the required refrigeration is provided with a gas expander/compressor unit.