Process Technology

Kirston Balgobin
Process
Technology
Alcohol manufacturing and Natural Gas Sweetening
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Alcohol Processing
Introduction3
Diagrams outlining process4-6
DIAGRAMS OUTLINING PROCESS

Fig 1 showing the operation of a natural gas sweetening or amine plant
(http://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_0039/0901b803800391f8.pdf?
filepath=gastreating/pdfs/noreg/170-01395.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc)
Fig 2 showing a flow diagram of the gas sweetening process

Fig 3 showing the operations of a typical amine sweetening plant (http://www.pall.com/pdfs/Fuelsand-Chemicals/HCP25b.pdf)
Fig 4 showing the steps involved in the gas sweetening process (http://www.gassweetening.com/)
Fig 5
showing a
tray
tower absorber Fig 2 showing a flow diagram of the gas sweetening process
Role and function of the equipment used in

the Amine process for Natural Gas sweetening
The main equipment used for natural gas sweetening is an amine plant. Amine plants are used for "gas
sweetening" in the midstream oil and gas sector known as "gas processing." They provide H 2S removal as
well as CO2 removal from natural gas and liquid hydrocarbons. The process involves both absorption and
chemical reactions. The individual roles of the compartments of the amine plant ensure that the sour gases
or contaminants are successfully removed to ensure no hazards occur. The compartments are:
1) Inlet Separator catches liquid entrainments (water and hydrocarbon condensate and mist) to
prevent entries of contaminants in the amine system.
2) Absorber removes acid gas from feed and operates at the feed gas pressure.
3) Treated Gas KO Drum collects entrained liquid before being routed to the downstream facilities
and dries the treated gas by removing entrained amine
4) Amine Flash Drive allows the removal of dissolved gas and entrained liquid hydrocarbons
upstream the amine or amine heat exchanger and generator.
5) Amine/ Amine Heat Exchanger- preheats the rich solution to the regenerator
6) Regenerator- regenerates the rich amine by stripping of the acid gas
7) Reboiler- heats up the rich solution to produce the energy to reverse the chemical reaction to free
acid gas from the amine solution to generate steam to strip acid gas from solution. The stripping
efficiency is controlled by the overhead reflux. It is essentially a direct fired heater.
8) Reflux drum- catches the possible condensed hydrocarbons so the water condensed in the
condenser is recovered as stripper reflux.
9) Mechanical filter- removes the solids from the amine solution
10) Activated Carbon filter- removes products not stopped by the main filter.
11) Surge tank- spare capacity equivalent to amine solution hold- up for emergency or maintenance
unloading
DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL GAS

SWEETENING PROCESS
The chemical solvent process, using the various amines, is the most widely employed gas treating
process. These processes utilize a solvent, either an amine or an alkali-salt (hot carbonate processes) in an
aqueous solution, which reacts with the acid gas constituents (H2S and CO2) to form a chemical complex
or bond. This complex is then reversed in the regenerator at elevated temperatures and reduced acid gas
partial pressures releasing the acid gas and regenerating the solvent for reuse.
The feed gas (sour gas) containing H2S and CO2 always must enter the plant through an Inlet Separator to
remove free liquids and entrained solids. The gas from this separator enters the bottom of the Absorber
and flows upward through the column in a counter current contact with the aqueous amine solution (lean
solution). In the column the chemical reaction between the amine and the feed gas acid gas occurs and the
amine solution absorbs the acid gas. The chemical gas occurs and the amine solution absorbs the acid gas.
The chemical reaction is exothermic due to the heat of reaction between the amine and the acid gas, and it
will raise the temperature of the gas.
Treated gas (sweet gas) leaves the top of the column and the amine solution loaded with acid gas leaves
the bottom of the column. The absorber column operates at the feed gas pressure. A minimum pressure of
4/5 b.a. is required to make the process operable and possible. The top of the absorber can be equipped
with additional trays (2 to 4) to accommodate a water wash section. The injected water will remove the
amine carried over with the treated gas. It is injected at the top tray and completely withdrawn at the last
tray of the water wash section. The treated gas is then handled by a separator (or Treated Gas KO Drum)
to collect entrained liquid before being routed to downstream facilities. The rich solution form the
Absorber is then let down and generally routed to the Amine Flash drum. This drum allows to remove a
portion of acid gas which changes form the solution by the pressure let-down effect. The acid gas stream
from the Amine Flash Drum is routed either to the fuel gas pool of the facilities or to the acid gas disposal
system. The rich solution form the Amine Flash Drum then passes through an Amine or Amine Heat
Exchanger. The heat exchanger serves as a heat conservation device and lowers the total heat
requirements for the process. The rich solution is heated by the regenerated solution coming from the
regenerator. Then the rich solution is let down to the operating pressure of the Regenerator also called
stripper is a fractionation column (with trays or packing) with a condenser and a reboiler.
The Reboiler can be a direct fired heater. The regenerated solution from the reboiler at temperatures
generally between 1100C and 1300C, is then routed back to the Amine/ Amine Exchanger. The top product
of the Regenerator is a water vapour or solid gas mixture. This stream is handled by the condenser where
the water vapour is condensed to produce reflux to the Regenerator. A reflux drum is provided to collect
the condensed water and acid gas disposal system. Water from the reflux drum is handled by the Reflux
pumps and routed back to the top of the regenerator. The temperature of the lean solution leaving the
Amine Exchanger is generally still far above the feed gas inlet temperature. Final lean circulation pumps
are provided to cool the solution. Circulation pumps are provided to send the cooled lean solution back to
the absorber. Acid gas, primarily H2S and water vapour from the regenerator is cooled in the Amine
Regenerator Overhead Condenser. The mixture of gas and condensed liquid is collected in the Amine
Regenerator Overhead Accumulator. The uncondensed gas is sent to sulfur Recovery. The Amine
Regenerator Reflux Pump pumps the condensate in the Regenerator Accumulator, mainly water, to the top
tray of the Amine Regenerator. A portion of the pump discharge is sent to the sour water tank.
Solid impurities such as iron sulphide, iron oxide, sand, pipeline dust must be removed from the solution
in order to prevent erosion and foaming. The mechanical filter (main filter) is located on the lean solution
stream to the Absorber after the Amine exchanger. An activated carbon filter can be added downstream of
the main filter to remove products not stopped by the main filter. An amine storage tank is provided to
collect the pure amine or sweet gas.
CONCLUSION
The Amine process also known as the Gas Sweetening Process can be summarised through the following
steps:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Sour gas enters the contactor tower and rises through the descending amine.
Purified gas flows from the top of the tower
The amine solution is now considered rich and is carrying absorbed acid gases.
The lean amine and rich amine flow through the heat exchanger, heating the rich amine
Rich amine is then further heated in the regeneration still column by heat supplied from
thereboiler. The steam rising through the still liberates H2S and CO2, regenerating the amine.
6) Steam and acid gases separated from the rich amine are condensed and cooled.
7) The condensed water is separated in the reflux accumulator and returned to the still
8) Hot, regenerated, lean amine is cooled in a solvent aerial cooler and circulated to the contactor
tower completing the cycle.
REFERENCES
Abdulrahman, R.K., and I.M. Sebastine. 'Natural Gas Sweetening Process Simulation and Optimization:
A Case Study Of Khurmala Field In Iraqi Kurdistan Region'. Journal of Natural Gas Science and
Engineering 14 (2013): 116-120.
Butwell, K. F., D. J. Kubek and P. W. Sigmund, "Alkanolamine Treating", Hydrocarbon Processing,
March (1982).
Campbell, J. M., Gas Conditioning and Processing, Vol. 2, Campbell Petroleum Series,
Form@an,@Oklahoma @19/9).
Gas Sweetening | GasSweetening.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
http://www.gassweetening.com/
How Rum is Made. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
http://www.ministryofrum.com/article_how_rum_is_made.ph
Industrial Production of Ethanol from Sugar Cane - EasyChem - The Ultimate Resource for HSC
Chemistry: Syllabus-Based Dot-Point Study Notes/Summaries, Past Exam Papers, and More. (n.d.).
Retrieved March 14, 2015, from http://www.easychem.com.au/production-of-materials/renewableethanol/industrial-production-of-ethanol-from-sugar-cane
Kohl, A. L. and F. C. Riesenfeld, Gas Purification, 3rd Ed., Gulf Publishing Co., Houston, (1979)
Make Cocktails at Home. (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from http://makecocktailsathome.com/easyguide-to-alcohol-pt-1-fermentation-distillation-and-spirits
(n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from http://www.pall.com/pdfs/Fuels-and-Chemicals/HCP25b.pdf
Seminar SP01 - Gas Processing Plant Design and Operation -Part IV (Gas Sweetening) - April 1992
Patent US4326036 - Production of ethanol from sugar cane ... (n.d.). Retrieved March 14, 2015, from
http://www.google.com/patents/US4326036

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Kirston Balgobin

DIAGRAMS OUTLINING PROCESS

Fig 2 showing a flow diagram of the gas sweetening process

Fig 3 showing the operations of a typical amine sweetening plant (http://www.pall.com/pdfs/Fuelsand-Chemicals/HCP25b.pdf)

Role and function of the equipment used in

DESCRIPTION OF THE NATURAL GAS

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