Process Description - ARU Rev B
Process Description - ARU Rev B
Process Description - ARU Rev B
DHT-ARU
DOCUMENT NO : 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4
Approved by HPCL:
Date:
Rev No.
Issue Date
Pages
Rev Description
Prepared
Checked
Approved
By
By
By
05.01.09
For BEP
MKK
AGB
RMK
21.05.09
MKK
AGB
RMK
Jacobs
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
Rev B
Page 2 of 8
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section
No.
Contents
1.0
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3
3.0
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Fuel Gas Amine Treatment Unit
Rich Amine flashing
Amine Regeneration
Amine filtration
Amine storage & drain collection system
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Jacobs
Rev B
Page 3 of 8
1.0
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
Hydrogen Sulphide from hydrocarbon gas is absorbed in 40 wt % aqueous solution of
MethylDiEthanolAmine (MDEA) in absorber located at DHT and LOUP units. Hydrogen
Sulphide in low pressure hydrocarbon gas from DHT, HGU and LOUP unit is absorbed in
40 wt% aqueous solution of MDEA in Fuel Gas Absorber located in Amine Regeneration
Unit. Rich amine from DHT, LOUP and Fuel Gas Absorber are flashed in Rich amine flash
drum & then regenerated in Amine Regeneration column. The treated gas from top of the
Regeneration column is condensed / cooled. Uncondensed gases are directed to Sulphur
Recovery Unit and condensed liquid (water) is sent back to the Amine regeneration column
as reflux. A bleed stream from reflux is sent to Sour Water Stripper.
Lean amine from Amine regeneration column bottom is sent to Absorbers in DHT, LOUP
unit and Fuel Gas Absorber in Amine Regeneration Unit.
Gases from Rich amine flash drum and Amine drain drum are routed to acid flare.
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Jacobs
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
Rev B
2.0
2.1
INTRODUCTION
Page 4 of 8
Process principle & chemistry are described in following paragraph for each step.
Hydrogen sulphide absorption step.
Amine regeneration step.
2.2
H2O
<-------> H3O
HS
The amines on the contrary are weak organic bases because, when dissolved in an aqueous
medium, they dissociates to form organic bases:
[Amine]
H2O
<--------->
OH-
[Amine]H+
H2S & amine base will combine chemically to form an acid base complex called salt, thus
removing the H2S from process streams.
Reaction between H2S & amine molecules occurs in liquid phase. Absorption occurs if three
steps sequence is completed.
1. H2S gas molecules must cross the gas phase to the vapour liquid interface. This
movement occurs by diffusion in response to concentration differential driving force.
2. The H2S gas molecules after reaching the vapour liquid interface must then travel into the
liquid phase until it comes in contact with amine molecule. This movement also occurs by
diffusion.
3. When H2S gas molecules & amine molecules finally come into contact they must react at
kinetic reaction rate.
H2S absorption occurs in response to partial pressure driving force from gas to liquid. At
equilibrium, the driving force become zero, hence no further absorption is possible.
Sweetening amines may be primary, secondary & tertiary, depending on the number of
hydroxyl groups bound to their nitrogen
The most known amines are.
Primary Amines
MEA (Monoethanol Amine)
RNH2
MW = 61
Secondery Amines
DEA (Di-ethanol Amine)
R2NH
MW = 105
Tertiary Amines
MDEA (Methyldiethanol Amine) R2NCH3
MW = 119
R = alcohol group (-CH2CH2OH)
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Rev B
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
Page 5 of 8
Each amine has at least one hydroxyl group & one amino group. In general, it can be
considered that hydroxyl group reduces the vapour pressure & increases water solubility,
while amino group provides necessary alkalinity in water solution to cause absorption of H2S
gases.
The reaction between an H2S and an amine molecule (MEA, DEA or MEDA) is called a direct
proton transfer reaction & in effect, kinetically occurs instantaneously, and it may be
represented as:
H2S
[Amine]
[AmineH]+
HS-
This unit has been designed by using MethylDiEthanol amine (MDEA) 40 wt % aqueous
solution.
2.3
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Jacobs
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
3.0
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
3.1
Rev B
Page 6 of 8
Sour Fuel Gas from DHT, LOUP unit and HGU at a temperature of 31C & at 4.7 kg/cm2g
pressure are fed to Sour Fuel Gas KO Drum 702D-1005 to remove traces hydrocarbon oil /
water if any. The gas is then fed to Fuel Gas Absorber 702-T-1002 located in Amine
Regeneration Unit. Fuel Gas Absorber operates at 4.5 kg/cm2g at top. H2S present in
incoming sour fuel gas is absorbed in Lean Amine in Fuel gas Absorber. Sweet fuel gas from
top of fuel Gas Absorber is routed to refinery fuel gas grid through Sweet fuel Gas KO Drum
702-D-1006 to remove entrained liquid if any. Rich amine from Fuel Gas Absorber is routed
Rich amine flash drum 702-D1001.
3.2
3.3
AMINE REGENERATION
Rich amine from Rich Amine Flash Drum 702-D-1001 is transferred to Amine regeneration
column 702-T-1001 through Lean/Rich Amine cross Heat Exchanger 702-E-1001 by Amine
regeneration column feed pump 702-P-1001 A/B.
Rich amine is preheated to temperature of 111C by regenerated lean amine in Lean/Rich
Amine cross Heat Exchanger 702-E-1001 before feeding to Amine Regeneration Column
702-T-1001.
Amine Regeneration Column is a tray column with 1 chimney tray at bottom, 20 fixed valve
trays for regeneration and two fixed valve wash trays in the top of the column. The column
operates at 1.1 kg/cm2g pressure at top and at a temperature of 101C (top) to 129C
(bottom). The lower operating pressure of the regeneration column reduces the column
bottom temperature to avoid thermal degradation of MDEA.
Rich Amine solution flashes partly at the column entrance and on the feed tray. Liquid flows
down across the trays to Amine Regeneration Column Reboiler 702-E-1004. Sour gases are
stripped out of Rich Amine solution by up flowing steam through the trays. Up flowing steam
is generated in the Amine regeneration column reboiler 702-E-1004 by vaporizing fraction of
water out of amine. Saturated low-pressure steam is used as a source of heat to the reboiler.
Low pressure steam is used to avoid overheating of amine in the reboiler.
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Rev B
Page 7 of 8
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
Amine solution from the chimney tray flows to Amine regeneration column reboiler 702-E1004. The reboiler has an internal baffle to maintain the tubes of the reboiler submerged in
the amine solution. Lean amine overflows from reboiler weir to the Amine regeneration
column 702-T-1001.
The overhead vapour of Amine Regeneration Column 702-T-1001 consists of water vapour,
hydrogen sulphide and Ammonia. Most of the water vapours are condensed in Amine
regeneration column overhead condenser 702-AFC-1005 followed Amine regeneration
column overhead cooler 702-E-1006. Wet sour gas and condensed water are separated in
Amine regeneration column OVHD drum 702-D-1002 at 40C. Acid gases saturated with
water from Amine regeneration column OVHD drum are sent to Sulphur Recovery Unit
(SRU). Sour water from Amine regenerator column OVHD drum 702-D-1002 is pumped by
Amine regeneration column reflux pump 702-P-1003 A/B to
1. Amine regeneration column as a reflux
2. Bleed stream to Sour Water Stripper (SWS) unit to avoid accumulation of ammonia in
system.
Water from amine solution is lost in following ways
1. Saturation water with acid gases from Amine regeneration column OVHD drum (702-D1002) to SRU
2.
AMINE FILTRATION
At the downstream of Lean amine trim cooler 702-E-1003 a slipstream (20 vol %) is sent to
filtration system. Filtration system consists of following equipments
1. Lean amine pre filter 702-FIL-1001 which removes iron sulphide, iron oxide, corrosion
products debris, amine polymers scales etc
2. Lean amine active carbon filter 702-FIL-1002 which removes traces of entrained
hydrocarbon & heavy ends formed by thermal degradation of MDEA. These components,
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Jacobs
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100
Rev B
Page 8 of 8
if allowed to accumulate in the lean amine solution cause foaming in the Amine
regeneration column and absorbers in ARU and other units.
3. Lean amine after filter 702-FIL-1003 which removes carbon fines of activated carbon that
slipped out from activated carbon filter.
Filtered & unfiltered lean MDEA streams are combined before sending to fuel gas absorber
and to battery limit.
3.5
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