Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process
With the anticipated rise in global demand for natural gas (NG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), sour gas reserves are attracting the attention of the gas industry as a potential resource. However, to monetize these reserves, sour natural gas has to be sweetened by removing acid gases (carbon dioxid...
Main Authors: | , , , |
---|---|
Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-07-01
|
Series: | Energies |
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5286 |
_version_ | 1797406490836860928 |
---|---|
author | Hani Ababneh Ahmed AlNouss Iftekhar A. Karimi Shaheen A. Al-Muhtaseb |
author_facet | Hani Ababneh Ahmed AlNouss Iftekhar A. Karimi Shaheen A. Al-Muhtaseb |
author_sort | Hani Ababneh |
collection | DOAJ |
description | With the anticipated rise in global demand for natural gas (NG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), sour gas reserves are attracting the attention of the gas industry as a potential resource. However, to monetize these reserves, sour natural gas has to be sweetened by removing acid gases (carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide) before liquefaction. The solidification of these acid gases could be the basis for their separation from natural gas. In this study, a state-of-the art solid-vapor (SV) separation unit is developed for removal of acid gases from methane and simulated using a customized Aspen Plus operation unit. The operating principles and conditions, mathematical model, and performance results are presented for the SV unit. Further performance analyses, means of optimization and comparisons to conventional methods used by the industry were studied. Results showed that for similar sweet gas purity, the developed SV unit consumes only 27% of the energy required by the amine sweetening unit. Furthermore, it saves on capital costs, as it requires less equipment and does not suffer from high levels of corrosion. |
first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:13Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-43240604f8524c51a683caf556bd26dc |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 1996-1073 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:27:13Z |
publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
record_format | Article |
series | Energies |
spelling | doaj.art-43240604f8524c51a683caf556bd26dc2023-12-03T15:01:05ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-07-011514528610.3390/en15145286Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation ProcessHani Ababneh0Ahmed AlNouss1Iftekhar A. Karimi2Shaheen A. Al-Muhtaseb3Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarDepartment of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117585, SingaporeDepartment of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Qatar University, Doha P.O. Box 2713, QatarWith the anticipated rise in global demand for natural gas (NG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG), sour gas reserves are attracting the attention of the gas industry as a potential resource. However, to monetize these reserves, sour natural gas has to be sweetened by removing acid gases (carbon dioxide and/or hydrogen sulfide) before liquefaction. The solidification of these acid gases could be the basis for their separation from natural gas. In this study, a state-of-the art solid-vapor (SV) separation unit is developed for removal of acid gases from methane and simulated using a customized Aspen Plus operation unit. The operating principles and conditions, mathematical model, and performance results are presented for the SV unit. Further performance analyses, means of optimization and comparisons to conventional methods used by the industry were studied. Results showed that for similar sweet gas purity, the developed SV unit consumes only 27% of the energy required by the amine sweetening unit. Furthermore, it saves on capital costs, as it requires less equipment and does not suffer from high levels of corrosion.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5286natural gas sweeteningsolid phase formationternary mixture separationsolid-vapor equilibriumcryogenic CO<sub>2</sub> separation |
spellingShingle | Hani Ababneh Ahmed AlNouss Iftekhar A. Karimi Shaheen A. Al-Muhtaseb Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process Energies natural gas sweetening solid phase formation ternary mixture separation solid-vapor equilibrium cryogenic CO<sub>2</sub> separation |
title | Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process |
title_full | Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process |
title_fullStr | Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process |
title_full_unstemmed | Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process |
title_short | Natural Gas Sweetening Using an Energy-Efficient, State-of-the-Art, Solid–Vapor Separation Process |
title_sort | natural gas sweetening using an energy efficient state of the art solid vapor separation process |
topic | natural gas sweetening solid phase formation ternary mixture separation solid-vapor equilibrium cryogenic CO<sub>2</sub> separation |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/14/5286 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT haniababneh naturalgassweeteningusinganenergyefficientstateoftheartsolidvaporseparationprocess AT ahmedalnouss naturalgassweeteningusinganenergyefficientstateoftheartsolidvaporseparationprocess AT iftekharakarimi naturalgassweeteningusinganenergyefficientstateoftheartsolidvaporseparationprocess AT shaheenaalmuhtaseb naturalgassweeteningusinganenergyefficientstateoftheartsolidvaporseparationprocess |