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Browse case studies, articles and information sheets focused on our customer-oriented process optimization solutions for filtration and separation.

Case Studies: Custom Filtration and Separation Solutions in Action

Carbon beds are an integral part of most amine-based (MEA, DEA, MDEA, DIPA, DGA) gas treating units. Sometimes the carbon bed is on the rich amine stream, although it is often on the lean stream. In most cases, there is a small slip stream, 5-25% (of the main flow), that contacts the carbon. The primary reason to use a carbon bed is for hydrocarbon removal.

Refined product streams often have fluid quality specifications that must be met for a product to be saleable. Various contaminants may be present including catalyst fines, water, corrosion products and more. Transcend Solutions can identify the various contaminants and target them using effective separation technologies.

Sour water units suffer from hydrocarbon and particulate fouling, tower instability and hydrocarbon carryover to the sulfur plant. Refinery sour water streams contain free and emulsified hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons are difficult to settle out, despite 3–5-day residence time tanks. As a result, refineries are faced with heat exchanger fouling, energy costs caused by inadequate heat exchange, tower fouling, hydrocarbon ingress to the sulfur plants and increased oxygen demand in the sulfur plant. Development of advanced media and element technology that allows the removal of hydrocarbon dispersions without incurring high costs due to particulate contamination is critical to solving this problem. The elimination of the critical fouling agents before they enter the system results in a dramatic impact on operating profitability.

Optimal operation of amine absorption units requires efficient liquid/liquid or gas/liquid contact. The feed often contains heavy hydrocarbons that, if not effectively removed, will be washed into the amine. Hydrocarbons either build up in the regeneration column or recirculate depending on boiling range, and corrosion products form due to the acid gases. The recirculating hydrocarbon comingles with corrosion products to create a “shoe polish” which fouls trays, packing and exchanger surfaces, as well as blinds, filters and carbon beds. The hydrocarbon particulate dispersion can also stabilize foams. Each of these issues - tray fouling, exchanger fouling and foaming - impacts treating capacity. Transcend focuses on root cause solutions that eliminate critical fouling agents either before they enter the system or before they have an opportunity to recirculate within the system, resulting in a dramatic impact on operating profitability.

Black powder contamination is common in natural gas production and transmission. Persistent particulate contamination of natural gas streams include acid gas induced corrosion of carbon steel piping, formation contamination such as coal-seam dust, molecular sieve and catalyst dust. If the contaminants are not removed, they will foul amine systems, foul glycol systems, plug heat exchangers and destroy valves on compressor trains and damage turbines. These contaminants are difficult to remove and conventional approaches involve the use of horizontal filter separators which are not efficient and have limited dirt handling capacity. Transcend focuses on the application of the right media technology to efficiently capture the contaminant in a high-capacity envelope to minimize change out frequency and improve overall performance.

Fluid quality of gasoline and diesel during custody transfer is critical. The hydrocarbon product can contain particulate and emulsified aqueous contaminants. There are multiple operating issues (haze, particulate contamination, copper strip corrosion tests, filter and salt replacement costs) that are often symptomatically addressed. However, the root causes of each issue can often be traced back to poor separation prior to the salt-driers. Salt driers are intended to remove soluble water in the gasoline and diesel to an even lower level, which allows the gasoline and diesel to remain in specification despite moisture entering product tanks or low temperature storage. Sending emulsified water in a hydrocarbon stream to a salt drier can cause channeling in the bed, which leads to high localized velocities, salt carryover and poor hydrocarbon salt contact. Transcend focuses on the root cause solution – removing particulate and emulsified aqueous contamination before the salt driers and, in some cases, upgrading filters.

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