Methods and systems for reducing contaminants in a feed stream

A method for reducing contaminants in a hydrocarbon based gas stream in a transportation fuel refinery to extend a compressor's maintenance time, the method comprising:

• directing a hydrocarbon based gas stream to flow into a first Knockout drum, the first Knockout drum being a two-phase separator;
• separating at least a portion of entrained liquid from gas in the hydrocarbon based gas stream;
• passing the gas through a plurality of pores of one or more reticulated particle traps to entrap at least a portion of solid foulant as the gas passes therethrough;
• expelling the gas from the first Knockout drum to form a filtered hydrocarbon based gas stream;
• directing the filtered hydrocarbon based gas stream to a compressor for compression, the filtered hydrocarbon based gas stream to include reduced contaminants to extend the compressor's maintenance time;
• monitoring a pressure of the gas expelled from the first Knockout drum;
• and
• while the pressure of the gas expelled from the first Knockout drum falls within a selected threshold, maintaining a second Knockout drum as a backup to the first Knockout drum.

A foulant reducing system to reduce foulants in a fluid feed stream prior to compression via a compressor to extend a maintenance time of the compressor, the system comprising:

• a first pipeline;
• a second pipeline;
• a first Knockout drum connected to the first pipeline and the second pipeline, and including a plurality of filters, and configured to (a) receive the fluid feed stream from the first pipeline, (b) remove liquid from the fluid feed stream to form a gas stream output via the second pipeline and a liquid stream, and (c) capture foulants via the plurality of filters;
• a third pipeline connected to the second pipeline;
• a second Knockout drum connected to the first pipeline and the third pipeline, and configured to operate as a backup Knockout drum while the first Knockout drum continues to operate as a primary Knockout drum;
• and
• a compressor connected to the second pipeline and the third pipeline to receive a gas stream from one or more of the first Knockout drum and the second Knockout drum, with access to the first Knockout drum and the second Knockout drum, the compressor including a third filtering system.

A controller for to reduce foulants in a fluid feed stream prior to compression via a compressor to extend a maintenance time of the compressor, the controller comprising:

• a first input in signal communication with a first pressure sensor, the first pressure sensor positioned within, on, or proximate a first Knockout drum and configured to measure pressure within the first Knockout drum, the first Knockout drum including one or more filters and configured to remove liquid from a fluid stream and foulants from the fluid feed stream;
• a first input/output in signal communication with a flow control device, the flow control device positioned along a pipeline and configured to redirect flow of the fluid stream;
• and
• the controller configured to:
• monitor the pressure within the first Knockout drum, and
• while the pressure within the first Knockout drum is below a selected threshold:
• maintain a second Knockout drum as a backup, and
• maintain a position of the flow control device that causes the fluid stream to be directed to the first Knockout drum.