DEHYDRATION

Glycol Adsorption Dehydration

Basic Process Flow
Glycol Adsorption Dehydration
Alternate Process Flow
Glycol Adsorption Dehydration
Alternate Process Flow
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Problem: Size a glycol dehydration plant using Sivall’s method to meet
the following requirements
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 1: Calculate water content of inlet gas using Mcketta and Wehe
correlation chart
• Water content of inlet gas at 1000 psig and 1000F = 61 lb H2O/MMscf
Step 2: Calculate dew point of the exit gas based on the given outlet
gas water content and the line pressure, using Mcketta and Wehe
correlation chart
• Outlet gas water content = 6 lb H2O/MMscf (Given)
• Pressure = 1000 psig (Given)
• Dew point of the exit gas = 280F
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 3: Calculate dew point depression
• Dew point depression = Inlet temperature - dew point of the exit gas
= 1000F - 280F = 720F
Step 4: Calculate amount of water to be removed (Wr) in lbm/hr using ,
= q/24 *(Wi – Wo)
• Wi , Wo is inlet and outlet water content in lb H2O/MMscf
• q is gas flow rate in MMscfd
= 45.83 lbm/hr
Mcketta-Wehe correlation for
water content of natural gases
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 5: Size inlet Scrubber - Inlet scrubber size is chosen based on
working pressure and gas capacity
• In general , a two-phase scrubber with a 7.5 ft shell height is used
( Only need to find shell diameter and max working pressure)
• From either table/chart, based on gas capacity (20 MMscfd), 36’
scrubber is chosen
• Size of the scrubber 36-in. x 7.5-ft vertical two-phase scrubber , with a
1440 psig working pressure.
Inlet Scrubber Sizing - Tabular
Inlet Scrubber Sizing - Chart
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 5: Contactor Size – Contactor size is chosen based on the working
pressure and the gas capacity
• Based on 1400 psig and 20 MMscfd , 36 in. OD contactor is chosen
with qb = 27 MMscfd
Contactor Sizing – Tray Type, 0.7
specific gravity and 1000F
Contactor Sizing – Packed Type, 0.7
specific gravity and 1000F
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 6: Gas capacity correction based on gas gravity and operating
temperature
q = qb Ct Cg
q - gas capacity at operating conditions
qb - gas capacity at base conditions ( gas gravity – 0.7, operating
temperature – 1000F)
Since Ct and Cg are 1 , the contactor can handle gas rate upto 27 MMscd
Gas capacity correction factors for trayed glycol-gas contactors
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 7: Calculate no of trays required in the contactor – Based on glycol
to water circulation rate and the dew point depression from the chart
• Glycol to water circulation rate = 3.5 gal TEG/lb water
• Dew Point depression = 720F
• No of trays required ( from the chart) = 5
Trays or packing required for glycol dehydrators
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 7: Reboiler Heat Load – Calculated through empirical correlation
Q , Btu/hr = 2000 L
Where , Approximate
L is glycol circulation rate in gallons/hr calculation of heat
L is calculated by L = LW Wi * (q/24)
requirement in the
Reboiler
Where,
LW is glycol to water circulation rate in gal TEG/lb water
Wi is inlet gas water content in lb water/MMscf
q is gas flow rate in MMscfd
Q = 2000*3.5*61*20/24 = 3.56 x 105 Btu/hr
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 7: Reboiler Heat Load – Detailed Calculation
Q , Btu/hr = Ql + Qw + Qr + Qh Precise
Where , Estimate of
Reboiler Heat
Ql is sensible heat required for glycol
Load
Qw is heat of vaporization required for water
Qr is heat required to vaporize the reflux water in the still
Qh is heat loss from the reboiler and the stripping still
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 8: Size of Stripping Still – Estimated based on the glycol to water
circulation rate (gal TEG/lb water) and the glycol circulation rate (gal/hr)
D ( 177.92 gal/hr , 3.5 gal TEG/lb water) = 8.2 in.
The size of stripping still depends on the liquid and vapor loading conditions
 water vapor and stripping gas flowing ( 2- 10 ft3/gal TEG circulated) upward
 rich glycol and reflux flowing downward
• For Tray Type - One theoretical tray is sufficient
• For Packed Type - min 4 ft. packing height to max 8 ft. (1.5-in. ceramic type
saddle packing) (1 MMBtu/hr)
Stripping Still Sizing
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 9: Glycol Pump – Estimated based on the glycol circulation rate
(gal/hr)

D ( 177.92 gal/hr) = Model No 21015 PV with pump speed

of 28 strokes/min
Glycol Pump Selection
Design Calculation - Glycol Dehydration
Plant
Step 10: Size of Glycol Flash Separator – The Size is estimated based on
the Settling volume required in the separator from the tabular data
The settling volume is given by V = L t /60
Where,
t is retention time in min, should be at least 5 min.
L is the glycol circulation rate in gal/hr
V = 177.92 gal/hr * 5 min/60 = 14.8 gal = 0.35 bbl

D (0.35 bbl) = 20 in. OD, two-phase separator is required

 Adsorption Dehydration
Mechanism
• Surface phenomenon
• Use of solid desiccant
• Dehydrate gas down to less than 1 ppm ( used on streams for cryogenic
processing)
Type
• Physical
 Holds the water on the surface by surface forces
• Chemical
 Involves chemical reaction, called Chemisorption
Limited application in gas processing.
 Adsorption Dehydration
Properties of Physical Adsorbents
• Large surface area
 High capacity
Range : 500-800 m2/gm
• Good activity for the component to be removed (as low as 1 ppm)
• Good activity retention with time/use
• High rate of removal
• Easy and economic regeneration
• Small resistance to gas flow ( less pressure drop)
• High mechanical strength can withstand crushing and dust formation
 Adsorption Dehydration
Properties of Physical Adsorbents
• Cheap
• Non-toxic
• Non-corrosive
• Chemical Inert
• High Bulk density
• Large surface area
• Small volume change upon adsorption and desorption of water
 Type of Adsorbents
• Alumina
Hydrated form of Aluminum oxide (Al2O3)
Alkaline in nature and cannot be used for acid gases
Least expensive
Easily regenerated by heating
Excellent Dew point depression up to 1000F , required much more heat for
regeneration
Tendency to adsorb heavier hydrocarbon is high and difficult to remove
during regeneration
Good resistance to liquid
Little resistance to disintegration due to mechanical agitation by flowing gas
 Type of Adsorbents
• Silica Gel and Silica-Alumina Gel
Granular, amorphous solid
 Manufactured by chemical reaction
 Silica Gels – Reaction of sodium silicate ((Na2SiO2)nO) and sulfuric acid to silicon
dioxide (SiO2)
Alumina Gels – Hydrated form of aluminum oxide
Silica-Alumina Gels – Combination of silica and alumina gel
 Dehydrate gas up to 10 ppm
 Greatest ease of regeneration
Adsorb heavier hydrocarbon but release them relatively easy during regeneration
 Acidic in nature and therefore suitable for sour gases
Sulphur can deposit and block their surface , therefore restrict the use of sour gases
having H2S content less than 5-6 %
 Type of Adsorbents
• Molecular Sieves
Crystalline form of alkali metal alumino-silicates ( similar to natural clay)
High surface area, highly porous with narrow pore size
Narrow pore size allows selective adsorption and does not allow heavier
hydrocarbon to adsorb
Most expensive , manufacture by ion exchange process
Alkaline in nature and subject to attack by acid, special sieves are for handling
sour gases
Subject to contamination by carryover of liquids (oil and glycol)
Regeneration temperature is very high
 Dehydrate gas as low as 1 ppm
 Provides simultaneous dehydration and sweeting and best choice for sour gases
Adsorption Process
Adsorption Process
Regeneration Cycle
Typical Breakthrough Curve - Adsorption
Column