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[aanita]

In a gas sweetening process by MDEA what is the consequences of contactor bottom temperature if it is exceeding a high limt. How much is the MDEA degradiation temperature.
Regards.

[mav9rick]

Aanita,
Did you mean contactor or the regenerator? I have never seen a contactor operating close to the MDEA decomposition temperature!
Absorption of gases by amine is exothermic in nature and gence temoerature is bound to increase by a few degrees at the bottom of the contactor. Also, it is advisable to maintain a lean amine temperature at the entry of the absorber to be ~ 10degC higher than the incoming gas. This is to avoid condensation of hydrocarbon in the Contactor.
Higher contactor bottom temp due higher lean amine temp will reduces the acid gas absorption and perhaps, the corrosion rate of the pipe.
MDEA is a primary amine and but teh decomposition is accelerated after 160°C. Rule of thumb is to maintain amine bulk temperature below 130 °C in the Regenerator. Be aware that the skin temperature in the reboiler will usually be higher than the bulk

Edited by mav9rick, 20 October 2011 - 04:46 PM.