Absorption method for separating hydrocarbon gases

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR SEPARATION OF LIGHT LIQUID HYDROCARBONS FROM GASES CONTAINING THE SAME, WHICH COMPRISES PASSING SUCH GASES INTO AN ABSORPTION ZONE IN CONTACT WITH AN ABSORPTION OIL WHEREIN SUCH LIQUID HYDROCARBONS ARE ABSORBED BY SAID OIL IN AN ABSORPTION ZONE OPERATING UNDER SUPER-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, SEPARATING FAT OIL CONTAINING SUCH ABSORBED LIQUID HYDROCARBONS FROM THE UNABSORBED GASES, INTRODUCING SAID FAT OIL INTO A STEAM DISTILLATION ZONE MAINTAINED AT A SUB-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, VAPORIZING A PORTION OF THE FAT OIL IN THE STILL AND THUS COOLING THE OIL REMOVING THE HYDROCARBON VAPORS CONTAINING STEAM FROM THE UNVAPORIZED RESIDUE, COMPRESSING THE MIXED VAPORS ABOVE THE PRESSURE AT WHICH DISTILLATION OCCURED, HEATING SAID MIXED VAPORS BY SUCH COMPRESSION ABOVE THE TEMPERATURE OF SAID DISTILLATION, COOLING SAID MIXED VAPORS TO PARTIALLY CONDENSE THE HYDROCARBON VAPORS AND TO CONDENSE WATER FROM SAID MIXED VAPORS AT SAID HIGHER PRESSURE, SEPARATING THE CONDENSED WATER FROM THE UNCONDENSED HYDROCARBON VAPORS AND FURTHER COOLING SAID UNCONDENSED HYDROCARBON VAPORS TO CONDENSE SAID VAPORS, REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON SAID WATER TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE PRESSURE OF SAID DISTILLATION AND PASSING SAID WATER IN INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE WITH THE COMPRESSED VAPORS, THUS COOLING SAID VAPORS, VAPORIZING SAID WATER AT SAID LOWER PRESSURE TO FORM STEAM, INTRODUCING SAID STEAM INTO SAID DISTILLATION ZONE, AND WITHDRAWING THE UNVAPORIZED OIL FROM SAID DISTILLATION ZONE AND PUMPING THE SAME TO THE ABSORPTION ZONE.