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HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM CORPORATION LIMITED

MUMBAI REFINERY

DHT-ARU

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR

AMINE REGENERATION UNIT

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

Updated as per revised

scheme and issued for
BEP

MKK

AGB

RMK

Jacobs
HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

Doc No. 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section
No.

Contents

1.0

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3

PROCESS PRINCIPLES AND CHEMISTRY

Introduction
Hydrogen sulphide absorption step.
Amine regeneration step

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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1.0

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

Doc No. 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4

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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HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100

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PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

Doc No. 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4

2.0

PROCESS PRINCIPLE AND CHEMISTRY

2.1

INTRODUCTION

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Process principle & chemistry are described in following paragraph for each step.
Hydrogen sulphide absorption step.
Amine regeneration step.
2.2

HYDROGEN SULPHIDE ABSORPTION STEP

Alkanolamines have been used for the removal of acid gases. Their action is based on
chemical absorption of the acid gas, followed by regeneration of enriched solution obtained by
stripping.
H2S gas when dissolved in an aqueous medium, dissociates to form weak acid
H2S

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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HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

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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

AMINE REGENERATION STEP

Higher pressure and lower temperature favour H2S absorption. Conversely, lower pressure &
higher temperature allows H2S to be desorbed from solution. The main characteristic of
amine solution is the possibility of regeneration by increasing the temperature of rich amine
solution to favour reverse reaction.
Steam reboiler is used as external source of heat.
The reboiler duty can be broken down into three components:
Sensible heat
The energy required to raise the temperature of rich amine solution
entering the regeneration column to the required temperature.
Heat of reaction
The energy required to break the bonds of absorbed H2S gas with
the amine.
Heat of vaporization The energy required to vaporize the fixed portion of water contained
in the entering stream to provide adequate dilution of the H2S
through the regeneration column, thus ensuring positive H2S driving
force.

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HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

Doc No. 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4

3.0

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

3.1

FUEL GAS AMINE TREATMENT UNIT

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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

RICH AMINE FLASHING

Rich amine 40 wt% MethylDiEthanolamine (MDEA) from DHT, LOUP & from Fuel Gas
Absorber is fed to Rich Amine Flash Drum 702-D-1001. Rich amine flash Drum operates at
0.5 kg/cm2(g) pressure & at 54C. The drum is designed to remove entrained hydrocarbon
gases & oil. Removal of hydrocarbons reduces the amine solution foaming potential. A
packed column is provided for absorption of H2S in Lean Amine, which gets flashed along
with hydrocarbon gas in Rich Amine Flash Drum. The flash gas is routed to the acid flare. The
oil is routed to the Amine Drain Drum 702-D-1003 (Oil compartment).
Antifoaming solution is added in Rich amine at the suction of Amine Regeneration Column
Feed Pump 702-P-1001 A/B.

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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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.

Sour water to SWS unit

3. Flash hydrocarbons from Rich amine flash drum (702-D-1001).

4. Saturation water with fuel gas from Fuel Gas Absorber.
Loss of water increases concentration of MDEA in the system. Clean condensate is cooled in
Condensate cooler 702-E-1007 and added along with reflux to maintain the lean amine
concentration (40 wt% MDEA solution).
Lean amine from Amine Regeneration Column 702-T-1001 is transferred through Amine
regeneration column bottom pump 702-P-1002. Lean amine leaving from Amine
Regeneration Column 702-T-1001 exchanges its heat to rich amine entering in the column in
Lean/Rich amine cross heat exchanger 702-E-1001. Lean/Rich amine cross heat exchanger
is a tubular exchanger which cools lean amine to 72C and heats the Rich amine to 111C.
Lean amine is then further cooled to 65C in Lean amine cooler 702-AFC-1002. Part of the
lean amine from Lean amine cooler 702-AFC-1002 outlet is fed back to Rich amine flash
drum 702-D-1001 for absorption of H2S gas. Balance lean amine is further cooled to 45C in
Lean amine trim cooler 702-E-1003.
3.4

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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HPCL, MUMBAI
44LK5100

PROCESS DESCRIPTION FOR ARU

Doc No. 44LK-5100-702/P.02/0005/A4

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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

AMINE STORAGE & DRAIN COLLECTION SYSTEM

Lean amine required for initial start-up is unloaded from drums into Amine storage tank 702TK-1001 by Lean Amine Unloading Pump 702-P-1005 through Eductor 702-J-1001. Clean
condensate from Condensate cooler 702-E-1007 is also provided to maintain the required
concentration (40 wt% MDEA) of lean amine. Nitrogen blanketing is provided to Amine
storage tank to avoid direct contact with air. During normal operation, Amine Storage Tank
702-TK-1001 is bypassed.
Make-up quantity of Lean Amine required during normal operation is added from drums to
Lean Amine Storage Tank.
All hydrocarbon drains and amine drains from ARU are routed to Amine drain drum 702-D1003 located in pit. Nitrogen blanketing is provided to Amine drain drum to avoid direct
contact with air. Vent from Amine drain drum is routed to acid flare.

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