Cryogenics 8
Cryogenics 8
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Multiple inlet guide vanes generate a high vorticity, concentric swirl (up to 500,000 G)
A nozzle is used to expand the saturated feed gas to supersonic velocity, which results in
a low temperature and pressure. This results in the formation of a mist of water and
hydrocarbon condensation droplets followed by droplet growth..
The high vorticity swirl centrifuges the droplets to the wall. The liquids are split from the
gas using a cyclonic separator.
The separated streams are slowed down in separate diffusers, typically recovering 70 -
75% of the initial pressure. Dr. Tamer Samir © 132
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Slug catchers are used to catch large slugs of liquid in pipelines. Slug
catchers may be either a inlet vessel or manifolded piping.
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Condensate to
Solids Water LNG
Stabilization Units LNG Plant
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Loading
Loading
Loading
(b)
H2S Loading
H2S Conc. H2S Conc. H2S Conc. H2S Conc.
Loading limited Loading propor- Loading limited (a) Stoichiometry
by stoichiometry tional to H2S conc. by stoichiometry (b) Surface Area
Quantity of
H2S to be large Very Large Small Very Small
Removed
Purity (a) Very High
Moderate/High High Moderate/High
Required (b) High
(a) Not Regenerable
Desorption
High Low Moderate (b) Moderate
Energy
(a) Guard Bed (Batch)
Typical -General Purpose -Bulk Removal -Continuous
(b) Cyclic Operation
Application -Continuous -Continuous
Dr. Tamer Samir © 140
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The reaction is same for primary, secondary, or tertiary amines as well (Two Rs will be
H in the last equation for primary amines and one R will be H for secondary amines)
The reaction between the amine and the CO2 is more complex because CO2 reacts via
two different mechanisms:
First Mechanism: When dissolved in water, CO2 hydrolyzes to form carbonic acid, which, in
turn, slowly dissociates to bicarbonate. The bicarbonate then undertakes an acid−base
reaction with the amine to yield a salt. This acid−base reaction occurs with any of the
alkanolamines, regardless of the amine structure, but the reaction is not as rapid as that of
H2S, because the carbonic acid dissociation step to the bicarbonate is relatively slow.
Overall Reaction:
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Overall Reaction:
The stoichiometry of the carbamate reaction indicates that the capacity of the amine
solution for CO2 is limited to 0.5 moles of CO2 per mole of amine if the only reaction product
is the amine carbamate. However, the carbamate undergoes partial hydrolysis to form
bicarbonate, which regenerates free amine. Hence, CO2 loadings greater than 0.5 are
possible through the hydrolysis of the carbamate intermediate to bicarbonate.
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Solution Foaming:
Foaming of the liquid amine solution is a major problem because it results in poor
vapor−liquid contact, poor solution distribution, and solution holdup with resulting
carryover and off spec gas.
Among the causes of foaming are suspended solids, liquid hydrocarbons, surface active
agents, such as those contained in inhibitors and compressor oils, and amine degradation
products, including heat stable salts.
One obvious cure is to remove the offending materials; the other is to add antifoaming
agents.
Dr. Tamer Samir © 161
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