Refinery
SATS Gas Plant Decontamination
The SATS gas plant (saturated gas plant) separates saturated gaseous hydrocarbons, such as methane, ethane and propane. Through column fractionation, dispersal of the hydrocarbons into their discrete streams occurs.
Chemicals Utilized
SATS Gas Plant Process
Despite it being more difficult than crude distillation, the gas plant process is quite clean. In fact, SATS gas plant decontamination is primarily to enable maintenance work to occur safely.
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Either supercooling or high-pressure application occurs to liquefy gases for separation.
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Then, columns containing many trays, reboilers and reflux activity allow the separation to occur.
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Once the gases liquefy, they are drawn off.
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Then, the remaining gases go to an absorber.
Absorber Process
The top of the absorber pumps in fresh naphtha, (also referred to as lean oil). Another name for naphtha that absorbs gases is fat oil. The column used for the absorber is the tallest column in a gas plant.
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Fresh naphtha trickles down the column absorbing both propane and butane.
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The debutanizer column separates the butane from the propane in the naphtha.
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The top of the debutanizer column feeds the butane to the depropanizer column.
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Then, the overhead of the depropanizer is propane and the bottom of the depropanizer is butane.
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Finally, butane charges to the deisobutanizer. Because of the close boiling points, this process is difficult.
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The top of the absorber loses some lean oil with ethane or methane. In order to recover this product, the lean oil charges to another absorber, also known as the sponge absorber.
What Problems do the SATS Gas Plant Cause?
Although this process is typically very clean, SATS gas plant decontamination must occur prior to maintenance to ensure safety. Some heavier liquids carry over from the atmospheric tower into the phase separator. In addition, LEL vapors exist in the plant and need to be neutralized. And, it is also common to encounter iron sulfide deposits.
Our Chemical Cleaning Solution
SATS Gas Plant decontamination is required for safe maintenance to be performed.Â
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Degas and De-oil Equipment
For complete decontamination of the SATS gas plant, FQE® LEL-Vapor can be applied.
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Neutralize Iron Sulfide
FQE Pyrophoric can be used at the end of the degassing process to mitigate the iron sulfide deposits.
