Question
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What can be the possible reason for foaming in HP amine absorber in Hydrocracker unit? Though we have a centrifugal separator upstream of Amine absorber we face foaming & at same time level in HP centrifugal separator in upstream remain NIL.
Feb-2022
Answers
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Nathan Hatcher, Optimized Gas Treating, Inc., nate.hatcher@ogtrt.com
Submicron aerosols can evade most mist elimination equipment. Some filter/coalescer vendors offer services to assess the effectiveness of your existing upstream separation equipment, which you might want to consider.
Is the amine warmer than the inlet gas? Maintaining some differential temperature is helpful to avoid hydrocarbon vapor condensation inside the column.
Does this contactor share lean amine with other treating services? If so, the oil polluter may be coming from an entirely different treater.
If you can collect a sample of the overhead foam, extract and analyze the hydrocarbon content, this will provide a better idea of where the oil is coming from. The surface active hydrocarbon will be concentrated in the foam.
Feb-2022
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