Method of purifying a natural gas by mercaptan adsorption
AssigneeInstitute Francais du Petrole
InventorsMichel Thomas, Eszter Toth, Fabrice Lecomte, Peter Meyer, Jean-Louis Ambrosino
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Abstract
The raw natural gas is deacidized and dehydrated in units DA and DH. The treated gas is then purified by adsorption of the mercaptans in first enclosure A1. Part of the purified gas is heated in E1, then fed into second enclosure A2 so as to discharge the water adsorbed by the adsorbent material contained in this second enclosure. A steam-rich stream is fed into third enclosure A3 containing a mercaptan-laden adsorbent material. In A3, the mercaptans are desorbed and replaced by the steam.
Claims11
A method of purifying a natural gas containing mercaptans, comprising the following stages:
- a) contacting the natural gas with an adsorbent material so as to obtain a purified gas, the mercaptans being adsorbed by the adsorbent material, then
- b) contacting the mercaptan-laden adsorbent material obtained in stage a) with a stream comprising at least 50% by volume of steam so as to obtain a mercaptan-laden fluid and a water-saturated adsorbent material, then
- c) contacting the water-saturated adsorbent material obtained in stage b) with a dry gas so as to desorb the water from the adsorbent material and to obtain a water-laden gas,
- and wherein the steam contained in the fluid obtained in stage b) is condensed and the mercaptans are separated from the condensed water.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.