ProblemCommon problems in an amine unit are foaming and fouling.Foaming in the contactor can result in huge amine losses,reduced operating capacity, and off-spec product. Aminecarried over into the sweet gas can result in fouling ofdownstream equipment including compressors and burners.Foaming is initiated when condensable hydrocarbons enterthe contactor with the feed gas and mix with the circulatingamine causing a reduction in surface tension.

Fouling can result in reboiler tube failure, tray plugging in both the contactor and the regenerator, exchanger failures and frequent pump seal replacements. The typicalcontaminant is iron sulfide which is formed in the circulatingamine system. Iron sulfide particulates tend to be less than10 micron in size.

Pall SolutionPall SepraSol Liquid/Gas coalescers are installed in gasfeed line upstream of the amine contactor and removevirtually all of the entrained liquids in the feed gas. Thiseliminates the problem of hydrocarbons mixing with theamine, minimizing any problems with foaming.

Pall Nexis T filters or Coreless Profile filters arerecommended upstream of the carbon bed to remove ironsulfide particulates from the circulation amine. Since theamine is a circulating system, the solids concentration willgradually increase unless removed by a filter. The highsolids result in equipment fouling and stabilize foaming. Thecirculating amine should contain less than 1 ppm by weightof suspended solids and should be filtered to an efficiencyof 10 micron (m) absolute. This circulating amine systemoften requires that coarser filters be installed at first to cleanthe system of solids which have been accumulating over aperiod of time. Progressively finer filters are introduced tothe system until a filter efficiency of 10 m absolute isobtained. Pall Nexis T or Coreless filters are also installeddownstream of the carbon bed to remove any carbon finesin the system.

In units where amine losses are significant due to operatingat higher than design capacities, Palls SepraSol Liquid/Gas coalescers are installed downstream of the contactor orregenerator overheads to recover amine. Pall offers acoalescer that is completely compatible in amine solutions.

Sour Gas Treating-Amine Units

Field Applications HCP-25b

SweetGas

SepraSol Liquid/GasCoalescer to RemoveAmine from Sweet Gas

SepraSol Liquid/GasCoalescer to RemoveHydrocarbon fromSour Gas

SourGas

Pall Nexis T or Coreless Profile Filters (rated at 10 micron) to remove solids from circulating amine

SepraSol Liquid/GasCoalescer

CarbonBed

Pall Nexis T or Coreless ProfileFilters (rated at 10 micron) to remove carbonfines circulating amine

Rege

nera

tor

Reboiler

SepraSol Liquid/GasCoalescer to RemoveAmine from Acid Gas andProtect Sulfur Catalyst

Acid Gas

AmineMake-up

5

16

2

4

3

Flash Tank

Cont

acto

r

Accumulator

Amine Sweetening Unit

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LocationsGas processing plantsPetroleum refineriesAmmonia plantsEthylene plantsPropylene plants

ReferencesGAS 4301A Texas Gas Plant

GAS 4302B Analysis of Foaming Mechanism

GAS 4305 Louisiana Gas Plant

GAS 4307A Predicting Equilibrium ContaminationLevels for Variable Slipstream Filtration

GAS 4100C Guide to Gas Filter & Housings

PR-900 Separations Technology in PetroleumRefining

Filter Recommendations

Filter Recommended Purpose of Filtration Benefits of FiltrationLocation Pall Assembly

1 Pall SepraSol Liquid/Gas Removes hydrocarbon, Reduces foaming problemscoalescer, CC3LG7A water and other liquids and Increases absorption efficiency

solids from sour gas feed Increases carbon bed efficiency

2 Pall Nexis T cartridge, Removes scale, solid Reduces foaming problems10 m, Coreless Profile - 10 m particles (e.g. iron sulfide) Prevents carbon bed pluggingfilters Prevents exchanger and

reboiler fouling

3 Pall Nexis T or Coreless Profile Removes carbon bed fines Reduces foaming problemscartridges, 10 m Prevents exchanger and

reboiler fouling

4 Pall SepraSol Liquid/Gas Removes water, amine, and Protects downstream equipmentcoalescer, CC3LGB7H13 liquid hydrocarbon Decreases maintenance costs This product was specifically and downtime at sulfur designed for amine and recovery unitammonia systems

5 Pall SepraSol Liquid/Gas Removes carried over amine Protects downstream equipmentcoalescer, CC3LGB7H13 and processes

6 Pall SepraSol Liquid/Gas Removes carried over amine, Provides quality fuel gascoalescer, CC3LG7A water, and heavy hydrocarbons Protects downstream equipment

New York - USA888.873.7255 toll free in the USA516.484.5400 phone+01 516 484 0364 faxfuelsandchemicals@pall.com email

Portsmouth - Europe023 9230 3303 phone023 9230 2509 faxfuelsandchemicals@pall.com email

Pall Corporation has offices and plants throughout the world in locations including:Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India,Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand,Norway, Poland, Puerto Rico, Russia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, and Venezuela. Distributors are located inall major industrial areas of the world.

Visit us on the Web at www.pall.com

Copyright 2005, Pall Corporation. Pall, , Nexis, Profile and Seprasol are trademarks of PallCorporation. Indicates a Pall trademark registered in the USA. is aservice mark of Pall Corporation.

0-HCP-25b.qxd 12/5/05 1:40 PM Page 2

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