1.

Chemical Summary

The required chemicals for The Acid Gas Removal Unit (U-340) are shown in Table 2 below:
Table 2: AGRU Chemicals
Chemical

Remarks

Solfinol-X - solvent

43wt%

MDEA,

7wt%Piperazine,

25wt% Sulfolane and 25wt% Water

1.2.1

Antifoam agent (AFA)

Silicon based AFAs are recommended

AC Filters

Activated Carbon

Sulfinol-X Solvent

The estimated Sulfinol-X solvent inventory of 43wt% MDEA, 7wt% Piperazine, 25wt%
Sulfolane and 25wt% Water is approximately 70m3, which is equivalent to 75ton. These
volumes shall be verified by the contractor during detail engineering. The expected solvent
make up rate of pure MDEA solvent and pure Sulfolane per year is approximately 10% of
inventory. Piperazine losses are expected to be greater as this amine is more volatile, the
expected make up rate for Piperazine is approximately 25% of inventory.
The initial estimated solvent inventory and yearly make requirement is produced in the Table
3 below:
Table 3: Inventory (pure components)
Chemical

Unit

First Fill

Yearly make up rate

MDEA

ton

32.3

3.2

Piperazine

ton

5.3

1.3

Sulfolane

ton

18.8

1.9

It is recommended to procure at least an additional 10 20% volume of contingency solvent in

addition to the required initial fill volume. Each of the components of the solvent can be
procured separately as a generic chemical on the open market.

Sales specification for MDEA, Piperazine and Sulfolane

Indicative sales specification of MDEA and Sulfolane are given below, but deviations may
occur depending on the manufacturer of the chemical.
METHYLDIETHANOLAMINE
Property
MDEA (%wt)
Other tertiary amines (%wt)
Primary and secondary amines
(ppm wt.)
Colour
Relative Density 40/20oC

Specified Limit
98 min.
1.5 max.
1000 max.
colourless to light yellow
1.012/1.042

Water (%wt)
Apparent Molar Mass
Chloride content (ppm wt.)

0.5 max.
119
1.0 max.

SULFOLANE
Property
Relative Density 30/4oC
Distillation
Ash content (%wt)
2-sulfolene (%wt)
iso-propylsulfolanyl ether (%wt)

Specified Limit
1.256/1.276
>95% over 282oC,
< 5% over 288oC
0.10 max.
0.30 max.
0.50 max.

PIPERAZINE
Piperazine can be purchased in two forms. As solid chips or flakes and as a solution of 68%
piperazine in water. Piperazine flakes are colourless, hygroscopic crystalline chips.
Piperazine solution is a colourless liquid.
Flakes
Property
Piperazine min (%wt)
Water max

Specified Limit
99.0
1.0

Solution
Property
Piperazine (%wt)
Water

Specified Limit
Approx 68%
Approx 32%

Solvent supply:
The Sulfinol-X technology employs non-proprietary chemicals that can be sourced from
multiple suppliers in the open market, premixed or individually. Table 6 gives a list of
suppliers.
Table 6 Chemicals suppliers

Chemical
MDEA

Sulfolane

Piperazine

Supplier
Taminco
BASF
Dow
Huntsman
FLD Chemicals Ltd
The Sulfolane Company
Chevron
Philips
Chemicals
International
Liaoyang Guanghua Chemical Co Ltd
Casil Industries Inc
Huntsman
Dow

BASF
Taminco
Huntsman

Mixed solvent

1.2.2

Antifoam Agent (AFA)

A list of recommended AFAs is as presented in the following table:

Table 4: Recommended List of AFAs
Silicone based

Supplier

Nalco EC9204

Nalco/Exxon,

SAG 7133

GE Silicones (formerly Crompton / OSI)

The Anti-Foam Agent is normally administered as a shot (or shock) dose injected in the
system at a rate of 1 to 5 ppm weight on inventory of solvent. The number of shots of AFA
should be limited to 1 per 8-hour shift or 3 per day as maximum. A rough calculation to
estimate annual consumption, assumes two incidents every month (3 doses per incident).
Based on this calculation, Antifoam agent use is estimated at 27 kg/year.
Most silicon based AFAs have a limited shelf life (0.5 - 1 year) and should not be exposed to
frost or high temperatures (>30oC). If the latter happens the AFA will not be suitable for
injection and can cause foaming. Both SAG 7133 and Nalco EC 9204 have been used in
plants using sulfinol as the solvent with good experience in terms of foam control as well as
being less prone to fouling. Based on average temperature at site, silicon based AFAs
(preferably SAG 7133) are recommended.

1.2.3

Activated Carbon Filter

A number of recommended types of activated carbon and their typical properties are
presented below:
Table 5: Manufacturers for Activated Carbon Filters
Manufacturer

Norit

Norit

Norit

Norit

Calgon

Type

GAC 830

RO 0.8

Petrodarco

Petrodarco

SGL

8 x 30

4 x 10

8 x 30

Mesh size
3

Pore volume (cm /g)

0.85

1.0

0.95

0.90

0.85

Surface area (m /g)

1050

900

650

600

950-1050

Particle shape (-)

granules

extrudates

granules

granules

Granules

Particle size

>2.36 15%wt

>2.36 5%wt

>4.75 5%wt

>2.38 15%wt

(mm)

<0.60 4%wt

<0.60 5%wt

<1.70 5% wt

<0.60 4%wt

390

370

480

Apparent density
(kg/m3)

540

350

2.4 m3 is the expected carbon inventory & a typical change-out frequency of every 6-12
month (condition based).

1.3

Effluent Summary

By itself, the Acid Gas Removal Unit (U-340) does not generate any effluent stream.
However the Liquid/Effluent knocked out at the Feed KO drum (340-D-1001), can be
identified as an effluent stream for the AGRU. The liquid/effluent flow from the Feed KO
Drum (340-D-1001) is a continuous flow stream with a flow rate of 580kg/hr at design
conditions . This will be sent to a HP scrubber for further processing.
Mechanical filter elements and activated carbon from the filtration systems will require
disposal, local regulations shall be adhered to but are often sent to hazardous waste landfill.