Amine systems become contaminated with organic and inorganic contaminants due to various reasons. These solids can cause severe problems like foaming, resulting in poor system performance, or corrosion, which reduces the equipment’s lifetime. This process requires an amine filtration system installation.
In the amine treatment, particle filters in combination with activated carbon bed filters are used. Due to the high investment cost, and complex and difficult replacement of the activated carbon of these filters, Sulphurnet offers a solution in which the activated carbon is added to the amine and will be removed in the particle filter downstream. This setup guarantees enough contact time with the activated carbon and efficient removal of the carbon.
The system consists of the following components:
A side stream of 10-20% is separated from the main stream. With a positive displacement pump, a slurry of activated carbon is injected in the feed pipeline. In the static mixer, the activated carbon is mixed thoroughly with the amine solution, bind the hydrocarbons and other impurities. The mixture flows to the pre-coat filter where all particles are retained. A polishing filter is installed to retain the fines passing the primary filter. The quantity of carbon can be adjusted based in the level of hydrocarbons in the amine solution.
A cartridge polishing filter is installed at the outlet of the SCCF filter to prevent fines from entering the amine circuit. Filters must be designed as oversized filters, only to be opened annually or as smaller units designed on pressure differential.
