An analytical study of TEG loss in a natural gas purification plant based on high-pressure droplet angular scattering.

AbstractIn the process of purifying natural gas, natural gas dehydration plants use triethylene glycol (TEG) as a solvent for absorption. However, the loss of TEGs in the form of droplets can pollute pipelines and create a technological challenge. Using the geometric optical approximation (GOA) method, a model was developed to predict the scattering of droplets at high pressure. Based on this model, a device was designed and constructed to inspect droplets in external pipelines and distillation column tailgate lines online, which are the outlets of the natural gas dehydration unit (TEG absorber tower) of four columns in stable production. This device analyzes the components of the sampled droplets and performs online inspection to ensure smooth and safe operation. The results of the experiment indicate that the TEG content in the droplet samples exceeded 80%, which helped identify the source of the loss. The amount of treatment directly affected the concentration and distribution features of the entrained droplets, whereas the impact of the gas-phase pressure change was negligible. This study investigated three different forms of filtration separation, which provided industrial data for the separation and recovery process of entrained droplets. This study provides a new testing tool and method to examine plate towers under high pressure and provides a theoretical reference for dewatering procedures in natural gas purification plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]