Ever get the feeling you’re talking to a wall? I am wondering (I seem to do that a lot) if there is a recommended maximum limit on sodium concentration in amine service for acid gas removal. I am also wondering if excessive sodium in an amine stream could be carried off with the acid gas to the reaction furnace. I have more wonders on what that sodium might be doing inside the furnace, but I will save those for later. Does anyone have a limit on Na and if so what do you do to control it? Is there any industry data on unplanned events caused by excessive sodium content in H2S?
Everyone who works in sulfur feels like they’re talking to a wall. Are you talking about Heat stable salts? If so what type of Amine do you use, MEA, MDEA, DEA? And what strength do you run at%
Thanks- it’s nice to know I’m not the only one stubbing my toe on the yellow brick road, or banging my head against a yellow brick wall. We use MEA in 10-18% strength. I’m not talking HSS but rather elemental sodium as measured in an amine test. I don’t know what form it is taking in the amine. My concern/wonderment is the potential for sodium to be carried out of the amine with the acid gas. Does anyone know of a transport mechanism for sodium or sodium hydroxide to leave the liquid stream and go out with the vapor stream?
Yes,
There is a limit for the sodium content. It is basically the maximum solubility of Sodium in amine solutions.
It is somewhere between 1 and 2 %.
The possibilities of Sodium entrainment from an amine unit are rather small. The amine itself (containing the sodium) can be entrained.
regards
Egbert van Hoorn
