Gas treating process
AssigneeFluor Corporation
InventorA. R. Valdes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Gaseous hydrocarbon streams such as natural gas streams are acid gas depleted and reduced to pipeline specification moisture content using a single absorbent: a particular amino ethyl ether; in two steps providing in sequence, counter-current multi-stage absorption and at least one dehydrating contact stage with fresh absorbent at low temperature, to effect moisture removal down to 4 pounds of water per MMSCF of gas and even lower water content. The use of a single chemical as absorbent rather than two absorbents means lower capital investment and operating expense than heretofore required to get pipeline specification gas.
Claims12
In the process of treating a gaseous hydrocarbon stream for the removal therefrom of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide or both acid gases, and moisture, by intimately contacting the stream with a lean absorbent, said absorbent comprising an hydroxy amino ether having the general formula
- HO -- (CH.sub.2).sub.x - O].sub.y (CH.sub.2).sub.z NH.sub.2
- wherein x is 2 or 3, y is 1 to 4 and z is 2 or 3, and gas-liquid absorbing the acid gas and a first quantity of vapor phase moisture in said absorbent, separating the acid gas-rich, moisture-containing absorbent and regenerating the absorbent with heat in a first stage;
- the improvement comprising in a second stage dispersing a dehydrating agent comprising additional lean absorbent in the hydrocarbon stream obtained from the first stage, cooling the absorbent-hydrocarbon stream mixture to condense residual moisture therein into solution in the absorbent separating a product gas having a moisture content of not more than 7 pounds of water per MMSCF;
- and regenerating the absorbent with heat.
In the process of treating a gaseous hydrocarbon stream for the removal therefrom of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide or both, and moisture, by intimately contacting the stream with a lean absorbent, comprising .beta., .beta.'-hydroxy amino ethyl ether or .beta.'-hydroxy (.beta.-amino ethoxy) ethyl ether, and absorbing the acid gas and the first quantity of vapor phase moisture in said absorbent and separating the acid gas-rich, moisture-containing absorbent from the hydrocarbon stream in a first stage, the improvement comprising in a second stage spraying dehydrating agent comprising additional lean absorbent as a 60 to 75% aqueous solution into the hydrocarbon stream obtained from the first stage, cooling the absorbent-hydrocarbon stream mixture to condense residual moisture therein into solution in the absorbent, combining the absorbents of the first and second stages, heat regenerating said absorbents together, and separating a product gas having a content of not more than 4 pounds of water per MMSCF.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.