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    Amine Sweetening

    Uploaded by

    Leslie Opoku
    Amine gas sweetening is a chemical process used to remove acid gases like H2S and CO2 from natural gas. It involves two sections - absorption in an absorber where the gases react with an amine solution, and regeneration where heat strips the gases to produce clean gas and regenerated amine solution. Different amines are used depending on the gas composition and desired selectivity. Key equipment includes absorbers, flash tanks, reboilers, and pumps to circulate the amine. Common operational issues involve failure to sufficiently sweeten the gas, amine solution foaming or losses, which can result from equipment problems, improper amine conditions, or contaminants in the feed gas.

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    Amine Sweetening

    Uploaded by

    Leslie Opoku
    518 views12 pages
    Amine gas sweetening is a chemical process used to remove acid gases like H2S and CO2 from natural gas. It involves two sections - absorption in an absorber where the gases react with an amine solution, and regeneration where heat strips the gases to produce clean gas and regenerated amine solution. Different amines are used depending on the gas composition and desired selectivity. Key equipment includes absorbers, flash tanks, reboilers, and pumps to circulate the amine. Common operational issues involve failure to sufficiently sweeten the gas, amine solution foaming or losses, which can result from equipment problems, improper amine conditions, or contaminants in the feed gas.

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    (Amine Sweetening)

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    Amine gas sweetening is a chemical process used to remove acid gases like H2S and CO2 from natural gas. It involves two sections - absorption in an absorber where the gases react with an amine solution, and regeneration where heat strips the gases to produce clean gas and regenerated amine solution. Different amines are used depending on the gas composition and desired selectivity. Key equipment includes absorbers, flash tanks, reboilers, and pumps to circulate the amine. Common operational issues involve failure to sufficiently sweeten the gas, amine solution foaming or losses, which can result from equipment problems, improper amine conditions, or contaminants in the feed gas.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pptx, pdf, or txt
    518 views12 pages

    Amine Sweetening

    Uploaded by

    Leslie Opoku
    Amine gas sweetening is a chemical process used to remove acid gases like H2S and CO2 from natural gas. It involves two sections - absorption in an absorber where the gases react with an amine solution, and regeneration where heat strips the gases to produce clean gas and regenerated amine solution. Different amines are used depending on the gas composition and desired selectivity. Key equipment includes absorbers, flash tanks, reboilers, and pumps to circulate the amine. Common operational issues involve failure to sufficiently sweeten the gas, amine solution foaming or losses, which can result from equipment problems, improper amine conditions, or contaminants in the feed gas.

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    The key takeaways are that amine gas sweetening is a process used to remove acid gases like H2S and CO2 from natural gas streams using alkaline amines in an absorption-regeneration process.

    The main components of an amine gas sweetening unit include an absorber, regenerator, flash tank, lean/rich exchangers, pumps, and scrubbers.

    The main reactions that occur during amine gas sweetening are the absorption of H2S and CO2 into the amine solution to form amine sulfides and carbamates, and the regeneration of the lean amine solution in the stripper.

    Amine Gas Sweetening

    Overview
    Amine MEA DEA TEA
    Gas Sweetening Property

    Processes are employed to remove the acid gases from the inlet stream in a gas Stronger than Type of Base Very Strong Weak processing plant. TEA Type of Amine Primary Secondary Tertiary Troublesome components in produced natural gas Solution strength(in water), include:reacts with water15-20 to 25-35 30-45 wt.% a.H2S form acidic gas Ability to selectively No No Yes b.CO2 H2S and CO2 absorbed Acid gas loading, mole/mole The Amines 0.3-0.35 0.3-0.35 0.5-1 (carbon steel) The term amine refers to an alkaline compound, Circulation rates Lowest > MEA used in a water solution, that can chemically tie-up and remove acid gas molecules (H 2 S and CO 2 ) Vaporization Losses Highest Less volatile Low from a natural gas stream. Lesser than Corrosive Action Very High Least MEA various The table shows the differences in the

    Amine Gas Sweetening DGA DIPA The AminesAmine


    DGA Property

    MDEA

    in the second group of amines can be used for both dehydration and gas sweetening. Type of Base Very Stronger Weak The table shows the differences in the various Strong than amines MDEA Type of Amine Primary Secondary Tertiary Solution strength(in 65-70 30 water), wt.% Ability to selectively No No Yes absorbed H2S and CO2 Degraded by COS Yes Yes No and CS2

    Amine Gas Sweetening


    Amine Chemistry
    conditions which favour both the trays or packing in the These reactions take place on reactions are: a. Forward reaction temperature of 38C contactor: b. Amine + Hreaction will occur at about 116 CH 2 the sulfide and the reversed 2 S ---------- Amine sulfide + for O 149 C for the carbamate reaction. An example of this reaction when the amine used is MEA: Amine sulfide and amine carbamate are the two water soluble salts HOCH 2 CH in the contactor. that are formed2 NH 2 + H 2 S ---------- HOCH 2 CH 2 NH 3 + HS Selective amines absorb practically all the H 2 S but leave a sizable Amine + CO 2 behind. amine portion of theCO 2 + H 2 O ---------- Amine carbamate + H 2 O H2S/CO2 HOCH 2 CH 2 NH 2 + an absorption process produces heat Amine acid gas reaction CO 2 + H 2 O ---------- HOCH 2 CH 2 exothermically. This heat of reaction is needed in the rich solution in NH 3 + HCO 3
    The

    order for the reverse reaction. The amine salts become unstable when heated; they break apart in the regenerator to form the acid gases again. If the amine salts are more heat-stable, it would take more heat to regenerate these salts which means higher operating costs.

    Amine Gas Sweetening

    Amine Sweetening Process

    The

    design of amine sweetening plants consists of two general sections that are the "sweetening" section and the "regeneration" section The monoethanolamine and diethanolamine sweetening processes are similar in their flow schemes and operations.

    Amine Gas Sweetening


    Absorber Principles Process Basics

    These variables are: gas sweetening is a chemical process. 1.The temperature Chemical process of the lean two separate segments:as can be in amine solution should be low as possible, but still about 5-8C warmer than the 1. Absorption in the contactor (absorber). incoming gas. 2. Adjust the amine solution in the regeneration solution 2. Desorption or stripping strength. The amine section. strength sets the minimum possible H 2 S content of the sweet gas. It is adjusted in the regeneration section of the amine system by the addition of water or amine to the system. The two operating variables to adjust in controlling stripper operation: 1.The flow of heating medium to the reboiler. The heating medium flow is adjusted depending on the lean amine H 2 S concentration.
    Amine

    Amine Gas Sweetening


    Amine Unit Process Description Gas Flow

    Amine Gas Sweetening

    Amine Solution Flow

    Major Equipment Inlet Scrubber

    Amine Gas Sweetening (Cont.)

    The primary purpose of the inlet scrubber is to remove liquids from the sour inlet gas.

    Outlet Scrubber The outlet scrubber is a two-phase separator and it recovers amine solution that has been carried over from the contactor and return it to the amine system. Amine Contactor -Basic

    Configuration
    Contactor operates at high temperature and low pressure

    Major Equipment Rich Amine Flash Tank

    Amine Gas Sweetening (Cont.)

    The flash tank is used to degas the rich amine coming from the high pressure contactor.

    Lean/Rich Amine Exchangers


    The rich/lean exchanger is a heat conservation device where hot lean solvent preheats cooler rich solvent.

    Regenerator
    The acid gas is removed from the rich amine in the regenerator to produce lean amine at the bottom of the regenerator.

    Amine Gas Sweetening (Cont.) Major Equipment


    Regenerator

    Reflux Circuit This vessel separates the reflux water and water-saturated acid gases. Regenerator Bottom and Reboiler This is either a direct-fired firetube type, cabin heater, indirect hot oil or steam heated unit and it provides the steam necessary for stripping. Regenerator Water Make-Up Continuous loss of water from the system is normal hence water must be continually added. Circulation Pump The reflux and booster pumps are normally centrifugal, inline or horizontal pumps Lean Amine Cooler Required for further cooling of lean amine before it flows into the contactor. This is done with a lean amine cooler.

    Troubleshooting The three common classes of operational problems which are: 1.Failure to Sweeten 2.Solution Foaming 3.Solution Losses

    Amine Gas Sweetening (Cont.)

    Troubleshootin g comes about


    Failure to Sweeten

    Frequent checks for leaks should be made and leak repair done.

    Solution Foaming
    Poor Solution Condition

    Solution losses
    Sudden loss of the contactor bottom level Swinging liquid levels Amine carryover into the contactor outlet scrubber Sudden sharp increase in contactor differential pressure

    Contactor Problems
    Hydrocarb on condensati on in the amine

    High residual H2S Amine circulation rate too high Damaged or plugged regenerator trays

    Poor maintena nce of solution

    Mechanical eg: carryover Chemical and Thermal Degradation caused by oxygen contact and other components of sour gas

    Solution foaming Tray flooding

    Problems with reboiler Leak in lean/rich exchanger

    Vapourization Losses. Dpends on Amine type. MEA>DEA

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