CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE
This manual is one of a series for your
use in learning more about equipment that
you work with in the petroleum industry. Its
purpose is to assist in developing your knowl-
edge and skills to the point that you can per-
form your work in a more professional man-
ner.
The manual was prepared so that you
can learn its contents on your own time, with-
out the assistance of an instructor or class-
room discussion. Educators refer to learning
by self-study as Programmed Learning. It
is a method widely used in all industries as a
means of training employees to do their job
properly and teach them how to perform
higher rated jobs.
You can demonstrate your desire to be a
professional by taking a positive attitude to-
ward learning the contents of this manual and
others that are applicable to your job.
The author of this manual has years of
experience in operating petroleum equipment.
He also has the technical knowledge of how
and why petroleum equipment functions. The
text was written for use by personnel with little
or no previous experience with petroleum
equipment. Consequently, some of the mate-
rial may be familiar to you if you have experi-
ence with oilfield equipment. From such ex-
perience, you have observed the effect of
making operating changes. The manual will
help explain why the changes occurred that
you observed. It will also teach you how and
why equipment functions.
© 2003 Petroleum Learning Programs Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form. Its use as a
reference in training courses is specifically reserved for Petroleum Learning Programs Ltd. All translation rights are
likewise reserved.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
In order for you to learn the contents of
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reading the material and answering the ques-
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Teaching yourself requires self-disci-
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Once you have established your final
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terial.
Achieving your final goal may take more
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your goal when you understand how and why
to operate oilfield equipment in order to ob-
tain the maximum product at the lowest cost.
Your sacrifice will have been worth-while from
the satisfaction of knowing that you can per-
form your job in a methodical professional
manner, instead of a trial-and-error approach.
 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS MANUAL
This your manual. You should write your
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for future reference.
Problems are included throughout the text.
The solutions to the problems are given at the
end of the book.
The manual is used in training programs
all over the world. In some countries, English
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pounds, etc, are used. In other countries,
Systems Internationale (SI) or Metric units,
such as meters, liters, kilograms, etc., are
used. In order for the manual to be of maxi-
mum use, both SI and English units are shown.
The SI unit always appears first, and the
English unit follows in brackets [ ]. Example:
the temperature is 25°C [77°F]. The English
equivalent of the SI unit will be rounded off to
the nearest whole number to simplify the text
and examples. A distance of 10 m may be
shown as 33 ft whereas the exact equivalent
is 32.81 ft.
If you are working in English units, you
may find it helpful to mark out the parts that
are in SI units and vice versa.
Some of the Figures have units of meas-
urement. In such cases, two figures are in-
cluded. The first one is in SI units, and the
second-figure will be on the next page and will
have English units. Each figure is identified
with SI or English units. Be sure you use the
figures in the units you are working in.
The following procedure is recommended
for using this manual:
1. Turn to Page 1. Read the material until
you come to the first problem or ques-
tion.
2. Work the first problem or answer the
question and enter the answer in the
proper space in ink. If the problem or
question is shown in both SI and En-
glish Units of measurement, answer
only the part in units of measurement
that you use.
3. Compare your answer with that shown
at the end of the book; be sure to use
solutions to the problems in the units
you are working in.
If your answer is correct, continue read-
ing until you come to the next problem
and work it. If not, restudy the manual
until you understand the reason for
your error. Rework the problem if
necesary. Leave your wrong answer
and note the correct one. This will keep
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later on.
4. Proceed stepwise as shown above
until you have completed the text.
The above approach will require thought,
making mistakes, and rethinking the situ-
ation. Concenrate on two things — the how
and why. Do not cheat yourself by taking
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vance. It saves time and errors but produces
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A validation or test covering the entire
manual is included at the back of the book.
Answers will be sent to your supervisor or
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CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
 ABBREVIATIONS USED UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
IN THIS MANUAL
SI UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
SI UNIT ABBREVIATIONS
Most of the SI units of measurement used in the
oilfield are traditional metric units. The exceptions we
s, min second, minute, time
are concerned with are pressure and heat units. The
h, d hours, day time
SI pressure unit is kilopascal; the heat units are joule
mm millimeter length and watt. A watt equals 1 joule per second. Coversions
cm centimeter length from traditional metric units to SI units are as follows:
m meter length
m2 square meter area METRIC SI
CONVERSION
m3 cubic meter volume UNIT UNIT
m3/d cubic meters per day volume rate Pressure bar kilopascal, kPa kPa = bar x 100
l liter volume joule, J or J = cal x 4.2
Heat calorie
g, kg gram, kilogram weight watt, W W = J ÷ time, sec.
Pa, kPa pascal, kilopascal pressure
kPa(a) kilopascal absolute pressure
MPa megapascal pressure
bar bar (1 bar = 100 kPa) pressure
STANDARD CONDITIONS
J, kJ joule, kilojoule heat, work FOR GAS
MJ megajoule (J x 106) heat, work
W,kW watt, kilowatt power Measurement units for gas volume are cubic meters
per day (m3) or thousands of cubic feet per day (Mcf/
ENGLISH UNIT ABBREVIATIONS d). The letters st or s are sometimes used with the
units to designate volume at standard temperature
s, min second, minute time and pressure: m3d (st) or Mscf/d. In this manual,
h, d hour, day time standard volumes are corrected to a temperature of
in, ft inch, foot length 15°C and a pressure of 101.325 kPa(a), or 60°F and
sq in square inch area 14.7 psia.
sq ft square foot area
cu ft cubic foot volume To simplify the text, the letters st and s are omitted.
gal gallon volume However, all gas volumes shown are at standard
bbl barrel (42 US gal) volume conditions unless specifically stated otherwise.
BPD barrels per day volume rate
lb pound weight
psi lbs per square inch pressure
psia lbs per sq in absolute pressure HEAT CAPACITY AND
Btu British thermal unit heat RELATIVE DENSITY
MBtu thousand Btu heat
MMBtu million Btu heat
Specific heat and specific gravity are traditional
W, kW watt, kilowatt electric power terms that have been used in both Metric and English
hp horsepower mechanical power units for many years. These names are being re-
cf/d cubic feet per day gas flow rate placed with the terms: heat capacity and relative
Mcf/d thousand cf/d gas flow rate density. The new names are used in this manual.
MMcf/d million cf/d gas flow rate When you see the term heat capacity (Ht Cap), it will
M thousand have the same meaning as specific heat, and relative
MM million density (Rel Dens) means specific gravity.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 CONTACTORS IN AMINE SWEETENING PLANTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................1
I. DESCRIPTION ......................................................................................................3
A. Vessel ..............................................................................................................3
B. Trays ..............................................................................................................3
1. Burping or Puking .......................................................................................7
2. Carryover ....................................................................................................8
C. Packing ............................................................................................................8
II. PRINCIPLES OF SWEETENING ..........................................................................9
A. Flow Description ..............................................................................................9
B. Theory of Sweetening ....................................................................................12
C. Tray Efficiency ................................................................................................14
D. Water Removal from Amine ...........................................................................15
III. APPLICATION .....................................................................................................16
IV. OPERATION AND CONTROL.............................................................................17
A. Start-Up Procedure ........................................................................................17
B. Shutdown Procedure .....................................................................................17
C. Routine Operation ..........................................................................................17
D. Control ...........................................................................................................19
1. Inlet Separator Level Control ....................................................................19
2. Lean Amine Flow Control .........................................................................25
3. Lean Amine Temperature Control .............................................................25
4. Bottom Level Control ................................................................................26
5. Other Control Points .................................................................................26
V. TROUBLESHOOTING ........................................................................................27
A. Procedure When Outlet Gas Contains Excessive Acid Gas ..........................27
B. Foaming or Carryover ....................................................................................29
C. Excessive Corrosion ......................................................................................29
VALIDATION - SI UNITS ................................................................................................31
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS .....................................................................32
VALIDATION - ENGLISH UNITS ....................................................................................33
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS .........................................................34

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 DRAWINGS, EXAMPLES AND ILLUSTRATIONS

Contactor ................................................................................................................2, 7, 10
Trays Used in Contactors .................................................................................................4
Packing Used In Contactors .............................................................................................5
Flow on Trays ...................................................................................................................6
Burping or Puking ............................................................................................................7
Contactor with Integral Inlet Separator ...........................................................................11
Gas Dehydration Plant ...................................................................................................16
Operating Procedures ....................................................................................................18
Example of Amine Solution Flow Calculation .................................................................21
Amine Solution Flow Control ..........................................................................................22
Lean Solution Flow Control to Hold Constant Temperature Rise .............................23, 24
Lean Solution Temperature Control ................................................................................26

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 INTRODUCTION
Gas produced from gas or oil wells,
or from crude oil refineries often contains
hydrogen sulfide, H2S, or carbon dioxide,
CO2. Hydrogen sulfide must be removed
from commercial gas because it is corro-
sive and highly toxic. Carbon dioxide must
be removed because it is corrosive. In ad-
dition, its presence reduces the capacity
of gas pipelines. CO2 will not burn so it has
no heating value. The useful capacity of a
pipeline gas stream that contains 10% CO2
is reduced to 90%. Removing the CO2 will
increase the capacity 10%.
H2S and CO2 are acidic. They are
referred to as acid gases. The pro-
cess for their removal is called sweet-
ening. Although the term applies pri-
marily to H2S removal, it is also used
to describe CO2 removal facilities.
The major items of equipment in
a sweetening plant are a Contactor
and a Stripper or Still. The Contactor
is covered in this manual. The Strip-
per is described in Manual P-12. The
GAS SWEETENING PLANT
1
sweetening process is covered in Manual
P-10. You should have copies of each as
you learn about sweetening.
A Contactor is a vessel in which a
chemical solution mixes with a fluid (usu-
ally gas) and some of the components in
the fluid transfer to the solution. The most
common applications of Contactors in the
oilfield are in removing water or acid gas
(CO2 or H2S) from natural gas.
A Contactor is often referred to as an
absorber. The distinction between the two
is in the method by which the transfer of
component takes place. In an ab-
sorber, Components dissolve in the
solution.
The component
CONTACTOR transfer in a sweet-
ening plant is due to
STRIPPER a chemical reaction
between the acid
gas and the amine
solution. This reac-
tion occurs in the
Contactor.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
2 CONTACTOR TOWER

OUTLET GAS

Mist Pad

LEAN AMINE

Trays

Vessel

INLET
GAS LEVEL
CONTROLLER

RICH AMINE

AMINE CONTACTOR

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 I. DESCRIPTION
A. Vessel
A drawing of a typical Contactor is
shown on the opposite page. The major
components are the vessel and the trays.
The vessel is a cylindrical shell with
heads welded on each end. Most
Contactors in the petroleum industry op-
erate at fairly high pressures. All metal
seams are welded, and the design and fab-
rication of the vessel must be in accor-
dance with rigid specifications for pressure
vessels.
The vessel par t of almost all
Contactors is made of steel. If corrosion is
anticipated, the inside may be lined with a
thin layer of corrosion-resistant material
such as monel or stainless steel.
Each nozzle on the vessel is attached
in a specified manner so that it will not pull
out or bend the vessel plate when pipe is
hung on the nozzle.
Most vessels that are 915 mm [36 in.]
in diameter or larger have a manway at the
bottom of the vessel, and often one at the
top, that a man (usually a small one) can
enter and inspect and repair the inside of
the vessel.
The diameter of the contactor is se-
lected so that the velocity of upflowing gas
is 300 - 600 mm/sec [1 -2 ft/sec]. Good
mixing of gas and liquid on the trays will
occur within this range of velocity.
B. Trays
The trays or packing are the other
3
major part of a Contactor. Two types of trays
are commonly used; a valve type or bubble
caps. Examples of each are shown on the
next page. The valves can be circular or
rectangular, depending upon the supplier.
Selection of valves or bubble caps is usu-
ally a matter of cost or preference. The ef-
ficiency of valves is usually a little higher
than bubble caps at low gas rates.
The trays are usually made of steel.
They can be welded to the vessel, or bolted
to a support ring that is welded to the ves-
sel. Trays having a diameter of 760 mm [30
in.] or more are usually made in 400 - 450
mm [16 - 18 in.] wide sections so that they
can be replaced through a manway in the
tower. Trays in towers having a diameter
more than 915 mm [36 in.] usually have a
450 mm [18 in.] square section in the cen-
ter of the tray that is held in place with
clamps that can be opened from the top or
bottom of the tray. The opening is for ac-
cess from above or below. Trays are usu-
ally 600 mm [24 inches] apart.
The opposite drawing shows only 8
trays. A sweetening plant Contactor nor-
mally has 20 - 25 trays.
Trays usually have two or more weep
holes that are simply 6 to 12 mm [1/4 to 1/2
in.] diameter holes that allow liquid on the
trays to drain when the tower is shut down.
An efficient mist eliminator is often in-
stalled above the top tray. It is made of wire
mesh in a thickness of 150 - 200 mm [6 - 8 in.].
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
4 CONTACTOR TRAYS

BUBBLE CAP
TRAY

VALVE TRAY

VALVE TRAY

DOWNCOMER

BUBBLE
CAP
TRAY
TRAY INSTALLATION
IN TOWER

TRAYS USED IN TOWERS

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 PACKING USED IN CONTACTORS 5

GAS OUT

LIQUID
LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR
IN
SLOTTED RINGS
PACKING
RESTRAINER

SHELL RANDOM
TOWER
PACKING

LIQUID
REDISTRIBUTOR RASHIG
RINGS

PACKING GAS IN
SUPPORT
LIQUID
OUT

DETAIL OF TOWER WITH

BERYL SADDLES
TWO PACKED SECTIONS

PLASTIC SADDLES

STRUCTURED TOWER PACKING RING & SADDLE TYPE PACKING

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

6 FLOW ON TRAYS

The Contactor has trays or packing in of liquid on the tray 50 - 75 mm [2 - 3 in.]

which the vapors flowing up the tower mix
with the liquid flowing down. Refer to the
figure below to follow the flow pattern on
a tray.
Liquid drops down the downcomer
from the tray above, flows across the tray,
and spills over the weir into the downcomer
to the next tray. The weir maintains a level
deep. The bottom of the downcomer is be-
low the liquid level on the tray to seal the
space behind the downcomer so that va-
por will not by-pass the tray and flow up
the downcomer.
Gas flowing up the tower passes
through the riser on the bubble cap, and
flows around the cap and bubbles through

DOWNCOMER
RETAINING BUBBLE CAP
BOLT AND NUT LIQUID
FLOW

WEIR

RISER

VAPOR
DOWNCOMER FLOW

VALVE

VALVE RETAINING
TRAY EAR

FLOW ON TOWER TRAYS

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 BURPING OR PUKING
the liquid on the tray. On valve trays, gas
lifts the valve and bubbles through the liq-
uid. The function of the valves or bubble
caps is to disperse the gas so that it flows
evenly through the liquid rather than blow
through in a slug. The valves are made so
that as the gas flow increases, the valves
lift higher and allow more gas to pass. Gas
leaves the tray and flows up the next one
where it again bubbles through the liquid.
Both bubble cap and valve trays are
shown on the previous drawing for illustra-
tive purposes. An actual tower would have
either bubble caps or valves, but not both.
The number of trays or height of pack-
ing depends upon the difficulty of remov-
I'm getting
sick.
LIQUID
INLET
GAS
INLET
LIQUID FLOW DOWN THE TOWER BECOMES
RESTRICTED, AND LIQUID STARTS TO BUILD UP ON
THE TRAYS. GAS PRESSURE STARTS TO BUILD UP
IN THE BOTTOM OF THE TOWER.
BURPING OR PUKING
7
ing impurities from the fluid being treated.
Carbon dioxide, CO2, and/or hydrogen
sulfide, H2S, removed by an amine solu-
tion usually requires 20 - 25 trays to treat
to the desired level.
1. Burping or Puking
Refer to the figure on page 6. Liquid
from a tray flows down the downcomer to
the next tray. The space between the
downcomer and the vessel wall must be
enough to allow free flow of liquid down
the tower. If the downcomer becomes ob-
structed with scale or debris, or the liquid
flow is greater than the volume that will flow
out the bottom of the downcomer, liquid will
URP!
GAS PRESSURE BUILDS UP IN THE BOTTOM
UNTIL IT IS ENOUGH TO OVERCOME THE LIQUID
HEAD ON THE TRAYS. AT THAT TIME, A SLUG OF GAS
MOVES UP THE TOWER. IT TRAVELS AT A HIGH VE-
LOCITY AND CARRIES LIQUID WITH IT AS IT FLOWS
OUT THE TOP.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
8 BURPING OR PUKING
build-up in the tower. For example, if liquid
flow down a tower is 190 L/min [50 gpm]
but the maximum flow out the downcomer
is 150 L/min [40 gpm]. Eventually, the tower
will probably burp or puke.
When a tower pukes, most of the liq-
uid in the upper part of the vessel is blown
out the top of the tower. Puking occurs at a
high liquid rate. It happens like this: at a
high liquid rate, the liquid level on one or
more trays will rise. As the level rises, the
flow of gas up the tower is restricted. The
gas pressure in the bottom of the tower will
begin to rise. It will reach the point that a
surge of gas will suddenly move up the
tower with enough velocity to carry the liq-
uid with it.
Burping or puking is indicated by a
sudden loss of solution in the system, which
results in a drop in level in the Surge Tank.
The level in the bottom of the contactor will
suddenly disappear. Reducing the liquid
flow rate will usually eliminate burping. If
the liquid rate is not reduced, burping will
occur again as soon as the liquid has time
to build up.
2. Carryover
Carryover is usually caused by a high
gas rate. It occurs when the gas velocity is
high enough to agitate the liquid on the tray
so that some mist forms. The mist is car-
ried from one tray to the next one by the
gas, and flows out the top of the tower. The
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
result of carryover is to reduce the quantity
of acid gas removed from the gas, and to
lose some liquid solution in the outlet gas
stream.
Carryover occurs continuously at a
high gas flow rate. It is usually a fairly small
loss that results in a gradual drop in level
in the lean solution surge tank. The obvi-
ous way of eliminating it is to lower the gas
flow to the Contactor.
C. Packing
In some Contactors, packing is used
instead of trays. The figures on page 5
shows the types of packing that are avail-
able. Two types of packing are used: a struc-
tured type, or a ring or saddle type. Both
are shown on page 5. The structured type
is usually made of steel. Each bundle or
section is installed at right angles to the one
above or beside it to reduce the likelihood
of channeling.
Ring or saddle packing is made of plas-
tic, metal, or ceramic. Selection depends
upon the corrosive and solvent properties
of the gas and liquid in the Contactor. Spe-
cial attention must be given to the design
of a liquid distribution header above the
packing so that liquid will not channel as it
flows down the tower. Packing is supported
with a sturdy grid at the bottom.
The ring or saddle type packing will
break or distort if it is stacked over 4.5 - 6.0
m [15 - 20 ft]. If more height is needed, two
 PRINCIPLES OF SWEETENING
or more sections, each with a support grid
and distribution header is used. There is
no height limitation on structured type.
Selection of packing or trays is usu-
Problem 1
_______ 1. Weir
_______ 2. Valve tray
_______ 3. Contactor diameter
_______ 4. Downcomer size
_______ 5. Burping
_______ 6. Carryover
II. PRINCIPLES OF SWEETENING
A. Flow Description
Refer to the drawing on the next page
to follow the flow at the Contactor. Inlet gas
flows through a Separator where solids and
liquids are removed and dumped from the
bottom to a disposal system. Gas from the
Separator enters the Contactor below the
bottom tray and flows upward. It bubbles
through the amine solution on each tray,
and some of the H2S and/or CO2 in the gas
are removed by the solution. By the time
the gas leaves the top tray, the desired
quantity of H2S and/or CO2 have been re-
moved by the solution.
Gas from the top tray may contain
some entrained liquid in the form of mist.
The tiny mist droplets coalesce into larger
9
ally a matter of economics. The packed tow-
ers are usually cheaper for towers less than
610 mm [24 in.] diameter. The tray towers
are often less expensive in larger sizes.
a. Gas velocity.
b. Holds liquid level on tray.
c. Liquid flow rate.
d. High gas flow rate.
e. Lifts higher when gas flow rises.
f. High liquid flow rate.
drops in the mist pad, and fall to the tray
below. Mist-free gas flows out the top of
the tower.
Lean amine solution from a Surge
Tank enters the solution Pump, which
raises its pressure slightly above that of the
Contactor. The discharge from the pump
flows through a cooler which lowers its tem-
perature to approximately that of the inlet
gas, and the stream enters the top tray of
the contactor. It flows across the top tray,
where it contacts the upflowing gas, and
removes some H2S and/or CO2 from the
gas. The liquid drops to the tray below,
where it again contacts upflowing gas, and
additional impurities are removed. The liq-
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
10 FLOW DESCRIPTION

uid flows across each tray in the tower un-
til it reaches the bottom, where it is with-
drawn with a level control system and flows
to a still where the impurities picked up by
the solution are removed.
The inlet Separator may be built into
the bottom of the tower as shown on the
next page. Gas enters the separator sec-
tion, where solid and liquid particles drop
to the bottom and are withdrawn with a level

TREATED
GAS OUTLET

FLOW
INDICATOR

SURGE
TANK

LEAN AMINE
INLET GAS PUMP

LEAN AMINE
COOLER

INLET GAS
LEAN AMINE
SEPARATOR
RICH AMINE TO FROM
FLASH TANK LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX
TO LIQUID CONTACTOR
DISPOSAL

FLOW WITH POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 FLOW DESCRIPTION 11

control system. The gas passes through a previous case.

mist pad to remove liquid particles from the Rich solution accumulates on the
gas, and passes up a chimney tray into the chimney tray and is withdrawn with a level
Contactor and flows up the tower as in the controller and flows to a Stripper.

Gas Outlet

Mist Pad
Lean Amine

Trays

CONTACTOR

Chimney
Tray
Level
Controller

Mist Pad Rich

Amine

Inlet Gas

INLET GAS
SEPARATOR

To Liquid
Disposal

CONTACTOR WITH INTEGRAL INLET SEPARATOR

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

12 THEORY OF SWEETENING
B. Theory of Sweetening
As we have previously mentioned, the
impurities in sour gas are usually H2S and/
or CO2 which are acidic. The amine solu-
tion is alkaline. When an acid and alkali
combine, a chemical reaction occurs as
follows:
Acid + Amine V Salt
The chemical reactions in a Contactor are:
H2S + Amine V Amine Sulfide
CO2 + Amine V Amine Carbonate
The amine solution is a mixture of pure
amine and water. The sulfide and carbon-
ate salts that form dissolve in the solution.
Thus, the rich solution from the bottom of
the Contactor is a mixture of water and
amine sulfide and/or amine carbonate, and
unreacted amine.
Although H2S and CO2 are both acidic,
H2S is more acidic and reactive than CO2.
Furthermore, the chemical reaction be-
tween H2S and amine is slightly different
from that of CO2 and amine. Because of
the difference in chemical reactions, the
amine can be formulated so that it will re-
act with virtually all of the H2S and only part
of the CO2. MDEA is an amine solution
which will selectively remove H2S without
removing all of the CO2.
Almost any alkaline solution will chemi-
cally react with acid gases and remove
them from a sour gas stream. The reason
for using an amine type solution instead of
caustic soda or some other less expensive
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
alkali is that the amine solution can be re-
generated at a much lower cost than other
alkali solutions. Regeneration consists of
heating the foul solution and exposing it to
a stream of stripping steam, which removes
the acid gases from the solution so that it
can be reused.
Another means by which amine solu-
tion removes acid gas is that of physical
absorption. Some of the acid gas, and
some of the hydrocarbon gas also, will dis-
solve in the amine solution, just as carbon
dioxide dissolves in carbonated drinks,
such as Coca Cola. The quantity of gas
which is absorbed depends upon the type
of solution and the operating pressure of
the contactor - more absorption occurs at
higher pressure.
The quantity of acid gas absorption is
usually less than 1% of the total removed
by MEA, DEA, MDEA or DGA. The other
99% is removed by chemical reaction. Most
of the acid gas and hydrocarbon gas ab-
sorbed in the foul solution will come out of
the solution by lowering the pressure.
Sulfinol and other formulated solutions
are mixtures of amines and absorbents. The
ratio of amine to absorbent will depend upon
the selectivity of the solution to remove all of
the H2S and only a portion of CO2.
1. Acid Gas Pick-up in Contactor
The quantity of acid gas removed in a
Contactor by an amine solution depends
upon the following factors:
 PRINCIPLES OF OPERATION
1. Contactor pressure.
2. Contactor temperature.
3. Tray Efficiency.
4. Amine solution purity.
5. Amine solution flow rate.
Items 4 and 5 are covered in Manual
P-10.
a. Effect of Contactor Pressure on
Acid Gas Pick-Up
The rate at which the chemical reac-
tion occurs between acid gas and amine
is affected by the pressure at which the acid
gas and amine mix with one another in the
Contactor. The chemical reaction proceeds
at a higher rate at a higher operating pres-
sure. The point is that pressure in the
contactor should be held at the highest point
in order to remove the maximum quantity of
acid gas with the amine solution.
The effect of pressure on acid gas re-
moval is much more significant at low pres-
sure — below 1000 kPa [150 psi] — than at
high pressure — above 3500 kPa [500 psi].
Thus, holding the maximum Contactor pres-
sure is more critical in low pressure plants
than those operating at high pressure.
b. Effect of Contactor Temperature
on Acid Gas Pick-Up
Increasing the temperature in the
Contactor reduces the quantity of acid gas
that the amine solution will pick-up. Thus,
it is desirable to hold the lowest tempera-
ture in the Contactor in order to remove
maximum acid gas.
13
The temperatures of sour gas and lean
amine solution entering the Contactor are
usually within a few degrees of each other.
It would appear that the temperature in the
Contactor would be approximately the av-
erage of the inlet gas and inlet lean solu-
tion temperatures. However, when the acid
gas chemically reacts with the alkaline
amine solution, heat is given off. This heat
of reaction is 925 - 1975 kJ/Kg of acid gas
removed [400 - 850 Btu/lb of acid gas re-
moved]. It varies with the type of acid gas
— H2S or CO2 — and the type of amine
solution — DEA, MEA, etc. This heat raises
the temperature of the amine solution and
the gas. The temperature rise will be 2 -
40°C [3 - 75°F] depending upon the per-
cent of acid gas in the inlet gas, and the
type of amine used. The heat of reaction
(and temperature rise) using MDEA is
about 75% of that of DEA.
As we said, less acid gas is removed
by the solution at higher temperature. The
inlet gas should be cooled as much as pos-
sible. In many cases, the gas enters the
sweetening plant from a pipeline, and the
plant operator has no control over its tem-
perature.
It would appear that it would be desir-
able to cool the lean amine entering the
Contactor as much as possible in order to
lower the temperature in the Contactor so
that more acid gas can be removed by the
amine. Theoretically, this is correct. How-
ever, if the temperature of amine entering
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
14 TRAY EFFICIENCY
the Contactor is below the temperature of
gas flowing up the tower, the gas will cool
as it bubbles through the amine, and some
heavy hydrocarbons in the gas may con-
dense. Liquid hydrocarbons in a Contactor
usually result in foaming. The foam is a
mixture of gas, amine, and liquid hydrocar-
bon. It will carry out in the outlet gas line.
The net result is a loss of amine in the sys-
tem. In addition, some or all of the amine
that normally flows down the contactor will
exit in the outlet gas, so less acid gas will
be removed in the Contactor. Thus, the
outlet gas will have a high acid gas con-
tent.
In order to prevent the possibility of
hydrocarbon condensation in the
Contactor, the lean amine entering the
contactor should be 6 - 9°C [10 - 15°F]
above the temperature of inlet gas. The
amine Cooler should be adjusted to hold
the temperature of amine out of cooler
above the inlet gas temperature.
C. Tray Efficiency
The efficiency of a tray depends on the
thoroughness of mixing that takes place on
the tray. The degree of mixing is primarily
dependent upon the viscosity of the liq-
uid and the velocity of gas flowing through
the liquid. Gas will disperse and mix with a
free flowing liquid like water much more
readily than through a viscous liquid.
Consequently, the less viscous the liq-
uid, the higher the tray efficiency. It is impor-
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
tant that contaminants such as dirt, scale, salt,
etc. be removed form the solution in a filter,
so that its viscosity is not increased; other-
wise, tray efficiency will decrease, and the
solution will not remove the desired quantity
of acid gas from the gas.
Scale or debris on a tray can interfere
with mixing and reduce the efficiency of a
tray. New trays should be cleaned before
initial start-up to remove welding slag and
other debris that accumulated during fabri-
cation. Towers in service should be in-
spected and cleaned as necessary.
The velocity of the gas flowing up the
tower must be high enough for the gas to
agitate the liquid as it bubbles through it so
that good mixing occurs, but not so high
that it blows the liquid off the trays and pre-
vents a uniform liquid flow across each tray.
A gas velocity of approximately 300 to 600
mm/sec [1 to 2 ft/sec] will generally pro-
vide good mixing without blowing liquid off
the trays. The Contactor diameter is sized
to provide the proper gas velocity at de-
sign flow rate.
The tray efficiency is fairly constant at
gas rates of 60 - 115% of design. The effi-
ciency falls off at low and high gas rates.
The number of bubble caps or valves
on a tray is usually determined by the tray
manufacturer. He knows from experience
the number, size and layout required for
thorough mixing for the particular applica-
tion. The design of trays for one service
would not necessarily fit another service.
 WATER REMOVAL FROM AMINE 15

D. Water Removal from Amine addition is covered in Manual P-10.

As gas flows up a contactor, 3 things
occur:
1. Acid gas is removed.
2. Gas and amine temperatures rise.
3. As the warm gas bubbles through liq-
uid on each tray, it picks up some wa-
ter from the aqueous amine solution.
The net effect of the last item is to re-
move water from the system. This results in
an increase in amine concentration. Thus,
water must be added to the system to main-
tain a constant amine concentration. Water
The quantity of water that the gas picks
up depends on the gas temperature rise.
The temperature rise is the difference in
temperature between the outlet gas and
inlet gas. More water is picked up as the
temperature rise increases.
The water removed from the amine
enters the gas as a vapor, i.e. steam, and
not as mist.
A summary of factors at the Contactor
which effect the quality of treated fluid are
shown below.

FACTOR EFFECT ON QUANTITY OF ACID GAS IN TREATED FLUID

Pressure Less acid gas at higher pressure
Temperature Less acid gas at lower temperature
Tray Efficiency Less acid gas at higher efficiency

Problem 2
H2S in outlet gas will be more with
a. High/Low Contactor temperature
b. High/Low Contactor pressure

Problem 3
Inlet gas temperature is 30°C [90°F]. Lean amine temperature to the contactor should
be at least ___________.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

16 III. APPLICATION

The most frequent use of Contactors
in the petroleum industry is for removal of
impurities from natural gas. Acid gases,
such as hydrogen sulfide and carbon diox-
ide, are removed with an amine type solu-
tion in a sweetening plant.
Contactors are also used in refineries
and chemical plants to remove impurities
from lubricating oils, waxes, and chemical
solutions.
A. H2S Removal
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) must be re-
moved from gas prior to its entry into a pipe-
line because it is highly toxic and also cor-
rosive. Pipeline specification for H2S is 4
parts per million, maximum.
B. CO2 Removal
Carbon dioxide is removed from pipe-
line gas in order to increase the pipeline
capacity. It is not toxic so its presence in
gas is not dangerous. There is no maxi-
mum specification although it is usually
less than 2%.
CO2 removal from gas entering a low
temperature process plant must be almost
100% to prevent freezing or prevent con-
taminating ethane product form the plant.

CONTACTORS IN GAS SWEETENING PLANT

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 IV. OPERATION AND CONTROL
A. Start-up Procedure
Refer to the next page.
1. Start lean solution cooler.
2. Start the lean solution pump. Design
2.
liquid flow rate can be used.
3. When liquid shows up in the bottom of
the tower, put the bottom level control-
ler in service.
4. Slowly open the gas to the Contactor.
Do not allow a sudden surge of gas to
enter, as it might blow liquid out the
tower, or damage the bubble caps or
3.
valves on the tray.
B. Shutdown Procedure
Shutdown sequence is the opposite 4.
of start-up; shut in the flow of gas, and then 5.
shut in the flow of liquid. 6.
In most Contactors, some corrosion or
scale is present. When a tower is shut down
and drained, and allowed to dry out, some
of the scale flakes off and ends up in the rich
solution when the tower is restarted. This is
particularly true in sweetening plants. Extra
precautions need to be taken to remove the
corrosion products with filters or other means 7.
on restart of a Contactor.
C. Routine Operation
Routine operating checks include the 8.
following:
1. Check the lean solution for proper pu- 9.
rity which includes:
a. Concentration of amine
b. Residual acid gas concentration
c. Contamination with solids that will
Problem 4
In starting up a Contactor, should the lean amine or inlet gas be started first?
________________________________
17
discolor the solution or give it a haze.
d. Hydrocarbon film on surface of
amine. It should be removed in a
charcoal filter.
Check the lean solution for contami-
nation with salts or other chemicals
that will raise its viscosity and reduce
tray efficiency. The company that sup-
plies the lean chemical solution will
usually perform periodic chemical
analyses of the solution which will in-
dicate if impurities are present.
Check the level controller or other liq-
uid draw-off device on the bottom of
the Contactor for proper operation.
Check the tower pressure.
Check the temperature of the inlet gas.
Check the temperature of the inlet lean
solution. It should be 6° to 8°C [10° -
15°F] above the temperature of the en-
tering gas. If the solution temperature is
less than that of the gas, the gas will be
cooled as it bubbles through the solu-
tion, and liquid hydrocarbons may form
which can cause severe foaming.
Check the flow rates of solution and
gas and adjust the solution rate if nec-
essary to hold the proper ratio of gas
to solution.
Check level in Inlet Separator to see that
the level control system is dumping.
Last and most important, check the
concentration of acid gas in the outlet
gas to see that it is below the maxi-
mum allowable.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
 18 OPERATING PROCEDURES

TREATED
GAS OUTLET

START-UP SEQUENCE

SHUTDOWN SEQUENCE FLOW

INDICATOR

Stop SURGE
1 Flow TANK

Sta
rt
p
2 Sto LEAN AMINE
INLET GAS PUMP 2

Start
1

LEAN AMINE
COOLER

INLET GAS
LEAN AMINE
SEPARATOR
RICH AMINE TO FROM
FLASH TANK LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX
CONTACTOR 3 WHEN LIQUID APPEARS IN BOTTOM,
TO LIQUID
DISPOSAL PUT LEVEL CONTROLLER IN SERVICE.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 CONTROL 19

D. Control liquid particles from the gas prior to its en-

Proper control of a Contactor is that
which results in producing an outlet gas of
acceptable quality at the lowest operating
expense. If the quality of treated gas is
better than the specified limit, no economic
benefit results, and higher operating costs
are incurred.
The only significant operating expense
in the Contactor itself is that of solution loss
in the outlet gas stream. The quantity of
solution leaving in the outlet gas will de-
pend upon the gas flow rate, which the
Contactor operator usually has very little
control over.
try into the Contactor. If solid or liquid par-
ticles enter the Contactor with the inlet gas,
foaming is likely to occur, which results in
a loss of solution in the outlet gas stream,
and also a treated gas that contains ex-
cessive acid gas.
The level in the separator should be
closely observed, and the control system
checked to see that liquid is dumping as it
enters the vessel. It is a good practice to
stroke the level control valve periodically
to check for proper operation and also to
Gas Outlet

The main operating expense in a

sweetening plant is that of regenerating
the rich solution from the Contactor.
Mist Pad
Each L/min of lean solution flow to the Lean Amine
3
Contactor requires about 6000 m /yr of
fuel gas in the rich solution regenerat-
ing facilities. [Each gpm of lean solution Trays
requires about 800 Mcf/yr of fuel]. Con-
CONTACTOR
sequently, ideal control of the Contactor
occurs when flow of lean solution is at a
minimum.
Control points on a Contactor are: Chimney
Tray
Level
1. Level control on inlet separator. Controller

2. Lean solution flow rate.

Mist Pad Rich
3. Lean solution temperature. Amine

4. Level control on Contactor. Inlet Gas

Each is discussed in detail.
INLET GAS
1. Level Control on Inlet SEPARATOR
Separator
The inlet separator or scrubber may To Liquid
Disposal
be a separate vessel, or it may be an
integral part of the Contactor. In either CONTACTOR WITH INTEGRAL INLET
case, its function is to remove solid and SEPARATOR

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

20 LEVEL CONTROL ON INLET SEPARATOR

blow out solid materials which may ac-
cumulate in the valve and restrict liquid flow
out the valve.
If liquid enters the separator in slugs,
the proportional band on the level control-
ler should be set at a low point — 10 to
15% — so that the level control valve will
fully open with a small change in level and
dump liquid from the vessel at maximum
rate so that the liquid level does not rise
high enough to cause carryover in the gas
leaving the separator and entering the
Contactor.
If a pig is run in the inlet gas line, a
sizable slug of liquid often accumulates
ahead of the pig and enters the separator.
It is good practice to observe the separa-
tor at the time the slug arrives so that drain
valves and by-pass valves can be opened
to dispose of the liquid.
2. Lean Amine Flow Control
The amine solution entering a
Contactor usually has 10 - 15% excess
capacity for removing acid gas from the
sour inlet gas stream. In other words, flow
of amine solution to the Contactor can be
reduced 10 - 25% and still produce a
treated gas that meets quality specifica-
tions. However, if the solution removes acid
gas to its full capability, it becomes highly
corrosive and may eat through piping and
equipment in a few month’s time. Conse-
quently, flow of amine is controlled at the
minimum rate within two operating limits.
1. Acid gas content of treated gas meets
quality specifications.
2. Corrosion within the system is within
tolerable limits. This is of concern in
MEA and DEA plants.
If the plant is removing H2S from gas,
the outlet gas specification is usually a
maximum of 4 parts per million (4 ppm) of
H2S, or 1/4 grain H2S per 100 cu ft. If the
plant is removing CO2 from gas, the outlet
specification may vary from a few ppm to
0.5%.
In most plants, an amine pick-up rate
is determined which will meet the quality
and corrosion requirements. The pick-up
rate is the volume of acid gas that each
volume of amine solution will remove. Pick-
up rates are shown in the table below.

TABLE 2
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS OF VARIOUS ALKALINE SWEETENING SOLUTIONS
TYPE OF CONCENTRATION SOLUTION PICK-UP RATE USED WHEN VOLUME
ALKALINE OF LEAN m3 acid gas cu ft acid gas OF ACID GAS IS
3
SOLUTION SOLUTION per L solution per gal solution m /d Mcf/d
MEA 15 - 20% 0.023 - 0.030 3-4 0 - 7000 0 - 250
DEA 20 - 30% 0.030 - 0.038 4-5 0 - 14 000 0 - 500
MDEA 40 - 60% 0.038 - 0.050 5-7 14 000+ 500+
DGA 50 - 70% 0.038 - 0.053 5-7 14 000+ 500+
Sulfinol 50 - 70% 0.038 - 0.053 5-7 14 000+ 500+

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 AMINE FLOW CONTROL 21

Example

A sweetening plant using DEA is designed for a pick-up rate of 0.030 m3 of acid gas
per L of DEA [4 cu ft per gal of DEA]. Inlet gas contains 1.5% H2S and 0.5% CO2, and flow
rate is 2 million m3/d [71 MMcf/d]. Determine DEA flow rate to the Contactor.
SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS
Inlet gas flow rate 2 000 000 m3/d 71 000 000 cu ft/d
H2S content 1.5% 1.5%
CO2 content 0.5% 0.5%
Total acid gas 2.0% 2.0%
2 ’ 2 ’
Daily volume of acid gas (2 000 000) x 100 (71 000 000) x 100

= 40 000 m3/d 1 420 000 cu ft/d

DEA Pick-up rate 0.03 m3/L 4 cu ft/gal
40 000 1 420 000
Daily DEA flow rate 0.03 4
= 1 333 333 L/d 355 000 gal/d
1 333 333 355 000
Flow per minute 24 x 60 24 x 60
= 926 L/min 247 gpm

In the example above, the DEA flow
rate could probably be reduced up to 25%
and still produce a treated gas that meets
H2S specifications. The annual fuel sav-
ings by lowering the DEA circulation rate
by 25% would amount to about 125 000
US dollars per year. However, lowering the
DEA circulation rate will result in a more
corrosive foul solution, which could cause
repair expenses considerably greater than
the fuel savings.

Problem 5
In the above example, if MDEA was used instead of DEA, and its pick-up rate was
0.045 m3/L [6 cu ft/gal], the flow rate would be ____________.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

22 AMINE FLOW CONTROL

The method for changing the flow of
lean solution will depend upon the type of
lean solution pump that is used. If the pump
is a centrifugal type, flow is adjusted by
changing the set point in a flow controller
that regulates the position of a control valve
on the discharge side of the pump.
If the lean amine pump is a positive
displacement type, flow is lowered by by-
passing some of the discharge liquid back
to the surge tank.
A method of automatically controlling
the flow of lean solution to maintain a con-
stant pickup rate is that of changing the flow
to maintain a constant temperature rise
in the lean solution. You recall in the previ-
ous chapter we learned that the tempera-
ture of lean solution increases as it reacts
with acid gases. The temperature rise is the
difference in temperature between the rich
solution and the lean solution. The degrees
of temperature rise is primarily dependent
upon the percent acid gas in the inlet gas.
If it is less than 1%, the temperature rise
will be less than 8°C [15°F], which is not
enough for accurate control purposes.

TREATED TREATED
GAS OUTLET SOLUTION FLOW RATE IS CHANGED BY GAS OUTLET
CHANGING THE SET POINT IN THE
FLOW CONTROLLER.

FLOW FLOW
CONTROLLER INDICATOR

SURGE SURGE
TANK TANK

REDUCE
LEAN AMINE
LEAN AMINE FLOW BY
PUMP
PUMP OPENING
BY-PASS
VALVE.

LEAN AMINE LEAN AMINE

COOLER COOLER

LEAN AMINE LEAN AMINE

RICH AMINE TO FROM RICH AMINE TO FROM
FLASH TANK LEAN/RICH FLASH TANK LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX AMINE HEX
CONTACTOR CONTACTOR

LEAN AMINE CONTROL WITH LEAN AMINE FLOW CONTROL WITH

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT PUMP

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 AMINE FLOW CONTROL 23

However, if the acid gas content is
more than 2%, the temperature rise will be
greater than 12°C [20°F] which is enough
for controlling flow of lean solution. A solu-
tion flow control system using temperature
rise is shown below. The point at which to
set the temperature controller is deter-
mined by trial and error. The procedure is
to raise the set point temperature in small
increments (which will lower flow of lean
mine) and observe the quality of treated
gas and corrosiveness of lean solutions.
The ideal control point is the highest tem-
perature at which either the treated gas just
meets quality specifications or the rich so-
lution reaches the maximum limit of corro-

GAS OUTLET

LEAN AMINE

SET POINT IN
TEMPERATURE
CONTROLLER IS
THE TEMPERATURE
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE
LEAN AND RICH
AMINE. IF
TEMPERATURE
DIFFERENCE
INCREASES,
CONTROLLER
SIGNALS THE
CONTROL VALVE TO
OPEN, AND
INCREASE LEAN
AMINE FLOW, AND
INLET VICE VERSA.
GAS

RICH AMINE

CONTACTOR

CONTACTOR WITH LEAN SOLUTION FLOW CONTROLLED TO HOLD

CONSTANT TEMPERATURE RISE

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

24 AMINE FLOW CONTROL
SWEET
43°C
GAS
[110°F]

38°C
[100°F]
LEAN
AMINE
20

12

TEMP 10
CONTR.
8

32°C 1
[90°F]
TRAY TEMPERATURE
SOUR
GAS 40°C 60°C 80°C 100°C 120°C

100°F 150°F 200°F 250°F

RICH
79°C AMINE
[175°F]

CONTACTOR IN GAS SWEETENING PLANT USING TEMPERATURE

ON 12TH TRAY TO CONTROL LEAN SOLUTION FLOW RATE

siveness. This will be the lowest lean solu-
tion flow rate.
If the inlet gas contains 10% or more
acid gas, the temperature rise will be more
than 20°C [38°F]. In this situation, a tem-
perature controller located about midway
in the tower is used for regulating flow of
lean solution as shown above. This type of
system is often used in MDEA or sulfinol
plants where the lean solution temperature
rise may be more than 30°C [50°F].
The temperature control system for
regulating flow of lean solution will auto-
matically change the solution flow rate
when there is a change in flow of acid gas
entering the Contactor. Change in acid gas
flow may be due to a change in the inlet
gas flow rate, or due to a change in the
concentration of acid gas in the inlet gas.
In either case, the temperature control sys-
tem will automatically adjust the lean solu-
tion flow to maintain a constant pick-up rate
in the Contactor.
The figure above also shows a tem-
perature profile, which is the temperature
on each tray in the tower. The temperature
profile shows that most of the component
removal is occurring above the fourth tray,
and that the inlet gas is cooling the hot so-
lution in the 3 bottom trays.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 CONTACTOR CONTROL
SUMMARY OF AMINE FLOW CONTROL
1. Flow of amine is controlled at the low-
est rate that results in treated gas
meeting quality specification and cor-
rosion is within tolerable limits.
2. Flow of amine is regulated with a flow
control system if the amine pump is a
centrifugal type; or by by-passing dis-
charge liquid to the surge tank with a
reciprocating pump.
3. Lean Solution Temperature Control
The third control point is the lean so-
lution temperature. The solution usually
passes through a cooler before it enters
the Contactor. The flow of cooling fluid in
the cooler — usually air or water — should
be adjusted to hold the temperature of so-
lution out of the cooler 6° to 8°C [10 to 15°F]
above the temperature of the gas entering
the Contactor. If the temperature of the lean
solution is lower than the temperature of
the inlet gas, the gas may be cooled as it
bubbles through the solution, which may
result in some hydrocarbon condensation
that will cause foaming in the Contactor.
This is of particular concern in sweetening
plants using MEA or DEA, where the tem-
perature rise of lean solution is only a few
degrees.
Problem 6
The temperature of rich amine will be higher / lower / the same as lean amine tem-
perature.
25
The solution temperature is controlled
by regulating the flow of cooling liquid or
by-passing some solution around the
cooler, as shown on the following page.
4. Bottom Level Control
The final Contactor control point is the
bottom level control. The control system has
a controller that transmits an air signal to a
diaphragm actuated control valve to open
when the level rises and close as the level
falls. The rich solution usually flows to a
Stripper, so a constant flow is desirable to
stabilize operation of the Stripper. This is
achieved by setting the proportional band
in the level controller at about 75%.
5. Other Control Points
Other control points which may be
used on a Contactor are:
1. Pressure control - The controller
should be adjusted to hold a constant
pressure at the design operating pres-
sure.
2. Inlet gas flow control - The flow rate
should be held constant and changes
should be made gradually.
3. Inlet gas temperature control - The
temperature should be held constant,
and kept as low as possible.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
26 CONTACTOR CONTROL

TREATED
GAS OUTLET SOLUTION FLOW RATE IS CHANGED BY
CHANGING THE SET POINT IN THE
FLOW CONTROLLER.

FLOW
CONTROLLER

SURGE
TANK

LEAN AMINE
PUMP

LEAN AMINE
COOLER

LEAN AMINE
RICH AMINE TO FROM
FLASH TANK LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX
CONTACTOR

LEAN SOLUTION TEMPERATURE CONTROL

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 V. TROUBLESHOOTING
Troubleshooting the cause of an op-
erating problem is a trial-and-error process
in which each possible factor that could
cause the problem is checked and elimi-
nated until the culprit is found. In many
cases, the cause is so obvious that it is
often overlooked. The general rules for
troubleshooting operating problems are:
check instruments that indicate a problem
A. Troubleshooting Procedure When Outlet Gas Contains Excessive Acid Gas
CAUSE OF EXCESSIVE ACID GAS
IN OUTLET GAS
1. Low Contactor Pressure.
2. High Contactor Temperature.
3. High solution pick-up rate, which is
indicated by an increase in the
temperature difference between the
rich and lean solution.
4. Low amine concentration.
5. Contactor is fouled.
27
to be sure a problem exists, then check the
flow, temperature, pressure, level, and
other process conditions that can be quickly
read from a gauge or instrument; finally
check the factors that require more time,
such as solution concentration, etc.
Following are recommended se-
quences for troubleshooting the most fre-
quent problems that occur in a Contactor.
TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURE
Check pressure. Raise to design point.
a. Check inlet gas temperature. Lower to
design point.
b. Check lean solution temperature.
Lower if more than 6 - 8°C [10 - 15°F]
above inlet gas temperature.
a. Check for high inlet gas rate. Lower to
design rate.
b. Check for low amine flow rate. Raise to
design rate.
c. Check for high concentration of acid
gas in inlet gas. Lower gas flow rate or
increase solution flow rate if concen-
tration is up.
Check concentration by analysis or
other means. Add pure amine to bring
concentration up to design.
Pressure drop is up. Internally inspect
and clean.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
28 TROUBLESHOOTING

B. Foaming or Solution Carryover in Outlet Gas Stream

Foaming or carryover is apparent from two observations:
1. An unexplained loss of amine from the system. Level in the surge tank is down.
2. An accumulation of solution in a separator that the outlet gas from the Contactor
passes through.
When foaming occurs, foam inhibitor injection should begin immediately. Troubleshoot-
ing can then commence.
TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURE FOR FOAMING OR CARRYOVER
CAUSE OF FOAMING
OR CARRYOVER TROUBLESHOOTING PROCEDURE
1. Lean solution contains solid particles. a. Check solution for discoloration or
cloudiness.
b. Change or clean filter elements.
2. Liquid hydrocarbons are present in a. Check for oil film on sample of rich
Contactor. solution. If oil is present, lean solution
temperature is too low, or liquid hydro-
carbons are entering Contactor in inlet
gas.
b. Remove hydrocarbons in a charcoal
filter.
c. Check lean solution temperature of 6 -
8°C [10 - 15°F] above inlet gas tem-
perature. Raise solution temperature.
d. Check level control system on inlet
Separator.
3. Lean solution contains soluble a. Check lean solution for soluble con-
contaminants. taminants. Use reclaimer to remove
contaminants, or replace solution.
4. Downcomers are plugged or trays a. Confirm with high pressure drop
are fouled. measurement.
5. High gas flow rate. Check rate. Lower to design rate.
6. Chemicals used in treating oil or gas Remove chemicals from solution with
wells are contained in inlet gas. They charcoal filter.
dissolve in the solution.

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 TROUBLESHOOTING
Use of foam inhibitors to eliminate
foaming in the Contactor is a symptom-
treating procedure rather than one of elimi-
nating the cause. In some situations, it is
the only means of combating foam. How-
ever, most foaming is due to liquid hydro-
carbons entering with the inlet gas, or a
dirty solution.
A charcoal filter is often included in
sweetening plants. Its primary function is
to remove liquid hydrocarbons from amine
to prevent foaming. The filter usually has a
differential pressure gauge which is often
used as a guide for replacing the charcoal.
A rise in the differential pressure indi-
cates the charcoal has become packed, or
it has removed solid particles from the
stream. It has no bearing on whether the
charcoal is still active or not.
The activity is checked by getting
samples of filter inlet and outlet streams in
small bottles, and violently shaking them
and setting them on a table. The foam in
the sample of the outlet stream should
break before that of the inlet. If it doesn’t,
the charcoal is not doing anything.
Some operators have attempted to
Problem 7
Match the items in the right column that most closely describe the items in the left column.
_____ 1. Corrosion measurement.
_____ 2. Foaming.
_____ 3. Excess acid gas in outlet gas.
_____ 4. Excessive corrosion.
_____ 5. Liquid hydrocarbons in Contactor.
29
regenerate charcoal with steam. This is a
waster of time unless a steam temperature
of 425°C [800°F] is available.
C. Excessive Corrosion
Amine plants often experience corro-
sion around the Stripper. The Contactor is
usually not a corrosive area. However, cor-
rosion should be checked by installing cor-
rosion coupons, and/or measuring metal
thickness by ultrasonic means.
The corrosion rate should be less than
0.25 mm/yr [10 mils/yr]. The corrosion rate
can be reduced in two ways:
1. Lower the solution pick-up rate by in-
creasing the amine flow rate or reduc-
ing the inlet gas rate.
2. Add corrosion inhibitor to the solution.
Increasing the solution flow rate is the
preferred method of reducing corrosion, but
if the flow is at the maximum capacity of
the amine pump, injection of corrosion in-
hibitor is necessary.
Corrosion is more of a problem in MEA
or DEA plants. It usually is not a problem
in other amine plants provided amine con-
centration does not exceed 70%.
a. Low amine flow rate.
b. Coupon.
c. Low lean solution temperature.
d. Dirty solution.
e. High amine solution pick-up rate.
CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS
30 NOTES

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

CONTACTORS IN VALIDATION 31
SWEETENING PLANTS Trainee ___________________
SI UNITS
SWEET GAS
H2S Spec - 4 ppm
1. CONTACTOR IN DEA SWEETENING PLANT

FLOW
a. The volume of acid gas that enters the INDICATOR

Contactor is _____________ m3/d.

b. The DEA circulation rate is ________
L/min. SURGE
TANK

c. The temperature of DEA SOUR GAS 3

1.4 million m /d
H S = 1.0%
to the Contactor should 2
CO = 1.0%2
LEAN AMINE
PUMP

be ___________ °C. 40°C

d. Outlet gas contains

LEAN AMINE
2 ppm H2S and max COOLER

corrosion is 0.15 mm/yr.

INLET GAS
LEAN AMINE
What should you do? SEPARATOR
RICH DEA
FROM
LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX
________________________ TO LIQUID CONTACTOR
DISPOSAL DEA pick-up Rate = 0.03 m3acid gas/L of DEA
________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________

Check the correct item or items to each of the following statements.

2. Foaming in a Contactor is caused by:
_____ High temperature ______ High pressure
_____ Liquid hydrocarbons ______ Dirty solution
3. Excess acid gas in the outlet gas from a Contactor is caused by:
_____ Low solution concentration ______ Low solution flow rate
_____ High solution concentration ______ High solution flow rate
4. Burping is usually caused by:
_____ Low liquid flow rate ______ Low gas flow rate
_____ High liquid flow rate ______ High gas flow rate
5. List the proper order of events at start up.
_____ Start gas flow ______ Start lean amine flow
_____ Start rich amine flow ______ Start amine cooler

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

32 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS

1. 1. b
2. e
3. a
4. c
5. f
6. d

2. a. Low temperature
b. High pressure

3. 35 - 40°C

4. Start flow of lean solution.

40000 m3/d Acid Gas 888 889

5. = 888 889 L/d or = 617 L/min
0.045 m3/L 1440

6. Higher

7. 1. b
2. d
3. a
4. e
5. c

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

CONTACTORS IN VALIDATION 33
SWEETENING PLANTS
ENGLISH UNITS Trainee ___________________
SWEET GAS
H2S Spec - 4 ppm
1. CONTACTOR IN DEA SWEETENING PLANT

FLOW
a. The volume of acid gas that enters the INDICATOR

Contactor is _____________ cf/d.

b. The DEA circulation rate is ________
gpm. SURGE
TANK

c. The temperature of DEA SOUR GAS

50 MMcf/d
H S = 1.0%
to the Contactor should CO = 1.0%
2

2
LEAN AMINE
PUMP

be ___________ °F. 100°F

d. Outlet gas contains

LEAN AMINE
2 ppm H2S and max COOLER

corrosion is 6 mils/yr.
INLET GAS
LEAN AMINE
What should you do? SEPARATOR
RICH DEA
FROM
LEAN/RICH
AMINE HEX
________________________ TO LIQUID CONTACTOR
DISPOSAL DEA pick-up Rate = 4 cu ft acid gas/gal of DEA
________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

Check the correct item or items to each of the following statements.

2. Foaming in a Contactor is caused by:
_____ High temperature ______ High pressure
_____ Liquid hydrocarbons ______ Dirty solution
3. Excess acid gas in the outlet gas from a Contactor is caused by:
_____ Low solution concentration ______ Low solution flow rate
_____ High solution concentration ______ High solution flow rate
4. Burping is usually caused by:
_____ Low liquid flow rate ______ Low gas flow rate
_____ High liquid flow rate ______ High gas flow rate
5. List the proper order of events at start up.
_____ Start gas flow ______ Start lean amine flow
_____ Start rich amine flow ______ Start amine cooler

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

34 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS

1. 1. b
2. e
3. a
4. c
5. f
6. d

2. a. Low temperature
b. High pressure

3. 100 - 105°F

4. Start flow of lean solution.

1 420 000 cf/d Acid Gas 236 667

5. = 236 667 gal/d 1440 = 164.4 gpm
6 cf/g pick up

6. Higher

7. 1. b
2. d
3. a
4. e
5. c

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS

 PLP TRAINING MANUALS
NUMBER TITLE

F-1 Basic Units of Measurement

F-2 Measurement of Energy
F-3 Hydrocarbons
F-4 Fluid Flow

E-1A Centrifugal Compressors Part 1

E-1B Centrifugal Compressors Part 2
E-2 Piston Type Compressors
E-3 Centrifugal Pumps
E-4 Reciprocating Pumps
E-5 Gas Engines
E-6 Fractionators
E-7 Heat Exchangers
E-8 Indirect Fired Heaters
E-9 Pneumatic Process Instruments
E-10 LACT Units
E-11 Lean Oil Absorbers
E-12 Separators

P-1 Cryogenic Gas Plants

P-2 Glycol Dehydration Process
P-3 Contactor in Dehydration Plant
P-4 Stripper in Dehydration Plant
P-5 Molecular Sieve Dehydration Process
P-6 Adsorber in Dehydration
P-7 Crude Oil Emulsion Treating
P-8 Hydrate Inhibition
P-9 Mechanical Refrigeration
P-10 Amine Sweetening Process
P-11 Contactor in Sweetening Process
P-12 Stripper in Sweetening Process
P-13 Stabiblizing Crude Oil & Condensate

M-1 Flow Measurement

M-2 The Gas/Oil Well
M-3 Oilfield Safety

305 WELLS FARGO DR., SUITE 4 • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77090 • (281) 444-7632 • FAX: (281) 586-9876
E-MAIL: PetroLearning@aol.com

CONTACTORS IN SWEETENING PROCESS