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Outline
Solid hydrate formation under certain conditions. Corrosion, especially in the presence of CO2 or H2S. Slugging (two-phase flow) and erosion. Increase in specific volume and decrease in the
heating value of gas. Freezing in cryogenic and refrigerated absorption plants.
Methods of Dehydration
Desiccant is substance that has an affinity for water Usually the choice of dehydration method is between Glycol dehydration is by far the most commonly used
Methods of Dehydration
large internal surface areas (200-800 m2/g) with very small radii of curvature (0.001-0.2 mm) Strong affinity for water Capacities between 5-15% by weight Can dry gas to less than 0.1 ppm of water or a dew point of 150 F.
Methods of Dehydration
Expansion Refrigeration:
J-T expansion requires large pressure drops. Because of large pressures drops, LTX is used only
when the prime objective is condensate recovery.
Calcium Chloride:
Lower installed cost (Kohl and Riesenfeld, 1979) Lower pressure drop (5-10 psi vs. 10-50 psi for dry Glycol dehydration is continuous rather than batch. Glycol makeup is easily accomplished. Glycol units require less regeneration heat per pound
desiccants).
of water removed. Glycol units can typically dehydrate natural gas to 0.5 lbm H2O/MMscf
and a Stahl column. Glycol is susceptible to contamination. Glycol is corrosive when contaminated or decomposed.
Comparison Continued
Dew points as low as 150 F. They are less affected by small changes in gas
pressure, temperature and flow rate. They are less susceptible to corrosion or foaming.
Comparison Continued
Higher capital cost and higher pressure drops. Desiccant poisoning by heavy HCs, H2S, CO2, etc. Mechanical breaking of desiccant particles. High regeneration heat requirements and high utility
costs.
Bottom Line:
process.
Choice of Glycol Ethylene glycol (EG) Diethylene glycol (DEG) Triethylene glycol (TEG) Tetraethylene glycol (TREG) TEG has gained almost universal
acceptance as the most costeffective choice because: TEG is more easily regenerated TEG has a higher decomposition
EG
DEG
TEG TREG
TEG dew point depressions range from 40 150 oF while inlet pressures and temperatures range from 75 2500 psig and from 55 to 160 oF, respectively.
temperature of 404 F while DEG is 328 F. Vaporization losses are lower than EG or DEG TEG is not too viscous above 70 F.
Additional Heat Exchangers Added to Reduce Fuel Consumption & Protects Glycol Pump
Gas
50% of All Dehydration Problems are Caused by Inadequate Scrubbing of Inlet Gas
Glycol
Or Three-Phase Separator with 20-30 Optimum Conditions are 100-150 F Better condensate-glycol separation is
obtained with horizontal flash tanks; vertical separators require less platform space.
Filters Purpose:
Prevent pump wear, plugging of heat
Operating Parameters:
exchangers, foaming, fouling of contactor trays, cell corrosion and hot spots on the fire tubes.
Keep solids below 100 ppm Sock filter designed to remove 5 Sock filters are designed for an initial
micron and larger particles pressure loss of 3 to 6 psi and change out at 15 to 25 psi. Activated charcoal filters used to remove condensate, surfactants and treating chemicals.
Returns LP lean glycol to HP contact Contains only moving parts in unit A spare pump should be provided
Operating Parameters:
since dehydration stops when glycol circulation stops. Typically a positive displacement (PD) pump. Can be HP gas, HP liquid, or electric motor driven.
Operating Parameters:
Reboiler Purpose:
Provides heat necessary to boil the
water out of the rich or wet glycol.
Operating Parameters:
onshore.
Direct fired heaters often used Indirect heating offshore. TEG does not undergo thermal
decomposition if temperature is kept below 400 F. U-shaped fire tube should be sized for 6000-8000 Btu/hr-ft2. Water comes off as steam.
CONTROLS
PC on exit gas line PI on contactor TI on contactor LC on contactor PSV on reboiler shell TSH on glycol in reboiler (to shutdown panel) TI on glycol in reboiler TIC on glycol in reboiler connected to TCV on fuel gas to main burner TSH on stack gas temperature (to shutdown panel) BSL flame sensor on burner (to shutdown panel) PI on fuel line to main burner PCV on fuel line to main burner SDV on fuel line to main burner (activated by shutdown panel) SDV on pilot fuel line (activated by shutdown panel) LAH on glycol level in glycol flash tank LAL on glycol level in glycol flash tank BAL on flame in main burner TAH on glycol temperature in reboiler OR on stack gas temperature LAH on integral scrubber in contactor
BAL BSL LC LAH LAL PC PCV PI PSV SDV TAH TCV TI TIC TSH
LEGEND
Low burner flame alarm Burner flame sensor Level control High liquid level alarm Low liquid level alarm Pressure control Pressure control valve Pressure indicator Pressure shutdown valve Shutdown valve High level temperature alarm Temperature control valve Temperature indicator Temperature indicating controller High temperature shutdown
Reconcentrator
Shutdown Panel
Operating Temperatures
PROCESS LOCATION Inlet gas Glycol into absorber Glycol into flash separator or skimmer Glycol into filters Glycol into still Top of still Reboiler TEG entering pump TEMPERATURE OR TEMPERATURE RANGE (F) 80 100 5 15 warmer than gas 100 150 (prefer 150) 100 150 (prefer 150) 300 350 210 190 with stripping gas 380 400 (prefer 380) 350 yields 98.5 wt% TEG 400 yields 99.0 wt% TEG <200 (prefer 180)
Process Operation
rate, temperature, and pressure and also the lean glycol concentration, temperature, and circulation rate.
Process Operation
Inlet gas may be assumed to enter the absorber McKetta and Wehes correlation shows that at 1000
saturated with water vapor. psia, the water content increases from 33 to 62 to 102 lb H2O/MMscf as the temperature increases from 80, to 100 to 120 F. Pressure is not as severe: at 100 F, the water content is 62, 72 and 87 lbm H2O /MMscf at 1000, 800 and 600 psia.
liquid equilibrium of water between the gas phase and the liquid TEG phase.
Dehydration Temperature:
temperatures from 50 F to 130 F, the preferred temperatures range is 80-100 F. Below 70 F, glycol is too viscous. Above 110 F, the inlet gas contains too much water and the drying ability of the glycol is reduced.
Reconcentrator:
Stripping Column
Purpose:
Design Method
Required Information
Inlet gas flow rate, pressure & temperature Required water dew point or water content of
exit gas Inlet gas analysis or inlet gas gravity & acid gas content
Required Information
TEG-H2O-VLE Comparison
Parrish et. al. (1986) compared existing VLE data for TEG-waternatural gas and found considerable disagreement. Dehydrated natural gas leaving absorber cannot contain less water than that which would be in equilibrium with entering lean glycol. Equilibrium is never reached. In practice, the water dew point of dried gas leaving the absorber is 5-10 F higher than equilibrium dew point. Rule of thumb, dew-point depression is 60 F for first four trays and 7 F for each additional tray.
rL - rV rV
D=
4Q pVmax
Vmax = maximum gas superficial velocity (ft/hr) Ksb = Souders-Brown coefficient (ft/hr) = 660 ft/hr for towers 30 larger with 18 tray spacing.. rL = Glycol density (lbm/ft3) rV = Gas density at column conditions (lbm/ft3)
Horizontal Separator:
Height (ft) = 3.4 + (0.4) (gpm) Where gpm = gal TEG circulated/min Minimum height =4 ft Maximum height =10 ft Minimum diameter =1.5 ft
Diameter of stripping column is based on the required vapor and liquid loads at the base of the column. An approximate diameter equation is
D=9 Q
where D = Still diameter (in) Q = TEG circulation rate (gpm)
Conservative design and field test data dictate that the packed section should be at least 4 ft high, and that this height be increased to 8 ft for a 1 MMBtu/hr unit (Sivalls, 1976)
glycol-glycol
Design duty plus 5% for fouling. Seider-Tate correlation used for the heat transfer Design duty + 5% for fouling. Entering temperatures Set the approach or lean glycol in rich glycol out = Two or more heat exchangers should be placed in
60 F to minimize preheat of the rich glycol. series to avoid any temperature cross. for the lean and rich streams known.