Separation of Components from a Gas Mixture

A method for removing acid components from a source fluid, the method comprising:

• passing the source fluid through an absorbent in an absorber column;
• absorbing acid component from the source fluid with the absorbent to form an acid-depleted fluid and an acid-rich absorbent;
• cooling the absorbent in the absorber column;
• passing the acid-rich absorbent to a regeneration unit and removing at least some of the acid component from the acid-rich absorbent to form a regenerated absorbent and an acid-rich vapour;
• compressing at least a part of the acid-rich vapour generated in the regeneration unit to form a compressed acid-rich vapour;
• passing the compressed acid-rich vapour to a heat exchange system;
• wherein the heat exchange system facilitates the exchange of heat to or from at least a part of each of the following streams:
• (i) the acid-rich absorbent;
• (ii) the compressed acid-rich vapour;
• and
• (iii) the regenerated absorbent.

A system for removing acid components from a source fluid using an absorbent, the apparatus comprising:

• an absorber column comprising an absorbent configured to absorb the acid component from the source fluid to form an acid-depleted fluid and an acid-rich absorbent;
• a heat exchange system;
• a draw/return path extending from the absorber column to the heat exchange system, wherein the draw/return path is configured to pass the absorbent from the absorber column to the heat exchanger and return a draw/return stream from the heat exchanger to the absorber column;
• a path extending from the absorber column to the heat exchange system, wherein the path is configured to pass the acid-rich absorbent from the absorber column to the heat exchange system;
• a first regeneration unit comprising a separation apparatus coupled to the absorber column and configured to separate at least some of the acid component from the acid-rich absorbent to form a regenerated absorbent and an acid-rich vapour;
• a compressor coupled to the separation apparatus and the heat exchanger, wherein the compressor is configured to compress at least a part of the acid-rich vapour generated in the separation apparatus to form a compressed acid-rich vapour and pass the compressed acid-rich vapour to the heat exchange system;
• wherein the heat exchange system is configured to exchange heat to or from at least a part of each of the following:
• (i) the acid-rich absorbent;
• (ii) the compressed acid-rich vapour;
• (iii) the regenerated absorbent;
• and
• (iv) the draw/return stream from the absorber column.