MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCE
This manual is one of a series for your
use in learning more about equipment that
you work with in the petroleum industry. Its
purpose is to assist in developing your knowl-
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perience, you have observed the effect of
making operating changes. The manual will
help explain why the changes occurred that
you observed. It will also teach you how and
why equipment functions.
© 2003 Petroleum Learning Programs Ltd. No part of this manual may be reproduced in any form. Its use as a
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likewise reserved.
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
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 INSTRUCTIONS FOR USING THIS MANUAL
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MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
 ABBREVIATIONS USED UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
IN THIS MANUAL
SI UNITS OF MEASUREMENT
SI UNIT ABBREVIATIONS
Most of the SI units of measurement used in the
oilfield are traditional metric units. The exceptions we
s, min second, minute, time
are concerned with are pressure and heat units. The
h, d hours, day time
SI pressure unit is kilopascal; the heat units are joule
mm millimeter length and watt. A watt equals 1 joule per second. Coversions
cm centimeter length from traditional metric units to SI units are as follows:
m meter length
m2 square meter area METRIC SI
CONVERSION
m3 cubic meter volume UNIT UNIT
m3/d cubic meters per day volume rate Pressure bar kilopascal, kPa kPa = bar x 100
l liter volume joule, J or J = cal x 4.2
Heat calorie
g, kg gram, kilogram weight watt, W W = J ÷ time, sec.
Pa, kPa pascal, kilopascal pressure
kPa(a) kilopascal absolute pressure
MPa megapascal pressure
bar bar (1 bar = 100 kPa) pressure
STANDARD CONDITIONS
J, kJ joule, kilojoule heat, work FOR GAS
MJ megajoule (J x 106) heat, work
W,kW watt, kilowatt power Measurement units for gas volume are cubic meters
per day (m3) or thousands of cubic feet per day (Mcf/
ENGLISH UNIT ABBREVIATIONS d). The letters st or s are sometimes used with the
units to designate volume at standard temperature
s, min second, minute time and pressure: m3d (st) or Mscf/d. In this manual,
h, d hour, day time standard volumes are corrected to a temperature of
in, ft inch, foot length 15°C and a pressure of 101.325 kPa(a), or 60°F and
sq in square inch area 14.7 psia.
sq ft square foot area
cu ft cubic foot volume To simplify the text, the letters st and s are omitted.
gal gallon volume However, all gas volumes shown are at standard
bbl barrel (42 US gal) volume conditions unless specifically stated otherwise.
BPD barrels per day volume rate
lb pound weight
psi lbs per square inch pressure
psia lbs per sq in absolute pressure HEAT CAPACITY AND
Btu British thermal unit heat RELATIVE DENSITY
MBtu thousand Btu heat
MMBtu million Btu heat
Specific heat and specific gravity are traditional
W, kW watt, kilowatt electric power terms that have been used in both Metric and English
hp horsepower mechanical power units for many years. These names are being re-
cf/d cubic feet per day gas flow rate placed with the terms: heat capacity and relative
Mcf/d thousand cf/d gas flow rate density. The new names are used in this manual.
MMcf/d million cf/d gas flow rate When you see the term heat capacity (Ht Cap), it will
M thousand have the same meaning as specific heat, and relative
MM million density (Rel Dens) means specific gravity.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................1
DEFINITIONS .................................................................................................................3
I. EQUIPMENT IN AN ADSORPTION PLANT ............................................................5
A. Inlet Separator ....................................................................................................5
B. Adsorber Tower ...................................................................................................6
C. Outlet Filter .........................................................................................................7
D. Regeneration Gas Heater ...................................................................................8
E. Regeneration Gas Cooler ...................................................................................9
F. Regeneration Gas Separator ..............................................................................9
G. Regeneration Gas Blower .................................................................................10
H. Regeneration Liquid Pump ...............................................................................10
II. APPLICATION OF ADSORPTION PLANTS ..........................................................11
A. Flow Dehydration ..............................................................................................11
B. Simultaneous Dehydration and Sweetening .....................................................12
III. PROCESS FLOW ..................................................................................................13
A. Flow in 2-Tower Plant .......................................................................................13
B. Flow in 3-Tower Plant .......................................................................................15
1. Flow in 3-Tower Plant with Regeneration Gas Blower .................................16
C. Flow in 4-Tower Plant .......................................................................................17
D. Flow When Pressure of Regen Gas is Different from Main Gas .......................19
E. Tower Switching Sequence ...............................................................................19
F. Switching Valve Operation ................................................................................21
IV. REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT .....................................................................23
A. Principles of Regeneration ...............................................................................23
B. Heat Transfer During Regeneration ..................................................................30
C. Optimizing Regeneration ..................................................................................31
D. Cooling Phase of Regeneration ........................................................................35
E. Source of Regeneration Gas ............................................................................36
F. Flow Direction of Regeneration Gas .................................................................37
G. Regeneration Gas Flow Control .......................................................................38
H. Regeneration Gas Channeling .........................................................................39
V. OPERATION ..........................................................................................................40
A. Start-Up After Adsorbent Replacement ............................................................40
B. Routine Operation.............................................................................................41
C. Shut Down ........................................................................................................44
D. Breakpoint Test Procedure................................................................................46
VI. CONTROL OF ADSORPTION PLANT ..................................................................48
VII. TROUBLESHOOTING ...........................................................................................52
A. Loss of Capacity ...............................................................................................54
B. Loss of Efficiency ..............................................................................................58
Troubleshooting Chart ............................................................................................61
VALIDATION, SI UNITS .................................................................................................63
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS .....................................................................64
VALIDATION, ENGLISH UNITS .....................................................................................65
SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS .........................................................66

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 LIST OF DRAWINGS, EXAMPLES, AND GRAPHS

Photographs of Adsorption Plants.....................................................................1, 5, 11,12

Breakpoint Curve .............................................................................................................3
Inlet Separator ..................................................................................................................6
Adsorber Tower ................................................................................................................6
Outlet Filter .......................................................................................................................7
Regeneration Gas Heater ................................................................................................8
Regeneration Gas Cooler ................................................................................................9
Regeneration Gas Blower ................................................................................................9
Flow Diagram of 2-Tower Plant ..........................................................................14, 23, 38
Flow Diagram of 3-Tower Plant ................................................................................15, 16
Flow Diagram of 4-Tower Plant ......................................................................................17
Flow Diagram of 3-Tower Plant with Regeneration Gas Blower .....................................18
Tower Switching Sequences ....................................................................................19, 20
Switching Valve Operation..............................................................................................21
Temperatures in Adsorber During Regeneration - SI Units ............................................26
Temperatures in Adsorber During Regeneration - English Units ...................................27
Regeneration Gas Temperature Recording Charts ............................................29, 33, 34
Breakpoint Test Procedure .............................................................................................47
Breakpoint Curves Showing Loss of Capacity & Efficiency ...........................................53
Temperature Traces of Regeneration Gas Leaving Tower when Heating
Time is not long enough or Regeneration Flow is Low ..............................................58
Temperature Traces of Regeneration Gas Leaving Tower when
Channeling Occurs.....................................................................................................59
Temperature Traces of Regeneration Gas Leaving Tower when
Temperature of Heating Gas is not High Enough .......................................................59

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PLANTS
INTRODUCTION
Almost all gas which flows from a gas
well or is produced from an oil well, con-
tains moisture and other impurities which
must be removed from the gas before it
can be used as fuel in homes or industry.
In addition, refinery and gasoline gas plant
liquid products, such as LPG, often con-
tain moisture and sulfur compounds which
must be removed before the products can
be sold.
There are several ways to perform
each of these purification steps. Some of
1
these processes are described in the
manuals for Glycol Dehydration, Amine
Sweetening and Lean Oil absorbers. This
manual covers the process for removing
water vapor and other contaminants from
a gas or liquid stream. It is different than
the other processes in that it can perform
more than one purification step in a single
process. For example, molecular sieves
may be used to remove both water and H2S
from gas in one operation.

4-TOWER DEHYDRATION

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

2 INTRODUCTION
Even when only one type of purifica-
tion is needed, the solid bed system is of-
ten used because it does the job more
completely than other processes. For ex-
ample, a solid bed dehydrator is normally
used to dry gas entering a cryogenic gas
plant. The adsorption process is used
rather than a glycol dehydrator because the
solid bed process dries the gas to a much
lower water content than the glycol pro-
cess. This is important when the cryogenic
plant must be protected from freeze-ups
at very low temperatures.
The adsorption process is a batch type
operation. The process fluid flows through
a bed of adsorbent until the adsorbent is
loaded or saturated with material removed
from the fluid. At this point, the process fluid
is diverted to a bed of fresh adsorbent, and
the saturated bed is regenerated. Regen-
eration is accomplished by boiling out the
adsorbed material from the saturated bed
by passing a stream of hot gas through it.
Since the system is a batch type, it
must have 2 or more towers containing
adsorbent. One or more towers are
adsorbing, and one or more towers are re-
generating.
There are several ways to arrange the
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
equipment in an adsorption plant. There are
also different adsorbents that can be used.
The number of adsorbers can vary from two
to more than a dozen. The stream used for
regeneration, and the disposal of this
stream, can vary from plant to plant. The
direction of both the process stream and
the regeneration stream, as they go through
the bed, may be either up or down. When
all of these possible variables are com-
bined, the differences in plants can be al-
most endless.
We will cover the most frequently used
combinations and arrangements of adsorp-
tion and regeneration in plants using mo-
lecular sieves. We will also learn why the
flow varies from one plant to another. If
you’re familiar with a plant that is different
than any described in the manual, you
should be able to figure out what specific
requirements led to the arrangement of that
particular plant. This manual is primarily
concerned with the entire adsorption plant.
Manual P-6 MOLECULAR SIEVE
ADSORBERS, covers the details of
adsorber towers, and adsorbent capacity
and efficiency. We will frequently refer to it,
so you should have a copy of it as you study
this manual.

Adsorbent - Solid material that re-
moves water vapor or other components
from gas or other process fluid. It is usu-
ally in a pellet or bead. In this manual the
adsorbent is molecular sieve.
Adsorbent Capacity - Weight of wa-
ter vapor or other material the mole sieve
removes from the process inlet stream,
expressed as weight % of adsorbent. Ex-
ample: 100 kg [100 lb] of adsorbent hav-
ing a moisture capacity of 12 weight % will
remove 12 kg [12 lb] of moisture from gas.
An adsorbent loses capacity with age. New
adsorbent has about twice the capacity of
that which has been in service for several
years.
Adsorbent Efficiency - The measure
of an adsorbent’s ability to remove 100%
of moisture or other components from a
process fluid. The efficiency is indicated by
the quantity of compo-
100
nent that remains in the
outlet process fluid after
treating. Example: an
% MOISTURE IN
TREATED GAS
adsorbent which dehy-
drates gas to a dew
50
point of -75°C [-103°F],
has a higher efficiency
than one which pro-
duces a dew point of the
same gas of -50°C [-
0
58°F]. Efficiency does
not change with age. In
other words, if a plant
DEFINITIONS 3
dries gas to a dew point of -50°C [-58°F]
with new adsorbent, it will produce the
same dew point months or years later at
the same operating conditions.
Breakpoint - The number of hours an
adsorbent can remain in adsorbing service
and produce an outlet process fluid that
meets quality specifications. Example: gas
leaving an adsorber tower has a moisture
content below the specified limit for 8.5
hours at design gas flow rate. At the end of
8.5 hours, the moisture content of the out-
let gas rises rapidly. The breakpoint is 8.5
hours.
Desiccant - Adsorbent used to re-
move moisture from process fluid.
Process Fluid - Gas or liquid stream
containing contaminants which are re-
moved as the stream flows through the ad-
sorption plant.
BREAKPOINT
0 4 8 12
HOURS IN ADSORPTION SERVICE
BREAKPOINT CURVE
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
4 DEFINITIONS

Dew Point - The temperature to which
gas must be cooled before moisture will
start to condense from it. Gas contains
moisture just as air has humidity. When gas
or air are cooled to the point at which the
gas is saturated with moisture, or the rela-
tive humidity is 100%, additional cooling will
result in water formation. The water con-
tent of the gas at its dew point temperature
will depend upon the gas pressure. This is
discussed in detail in Manual P-6. The dew
point of gas leaving a dehydration plant is
often the quality control measurement for
evaluating the performance of the plant. As
long as the outlet gas dew point is below
the specified temperature, the moisture
content of the outlet gas is below the speci-
fied limit.

Problem 1

Match the items in the column on the left with those on the right.

______ 1. Adsorbent capacity a. Gas stream flowing through adsorption

plant.

______ 2. Adsorbent efficiency b. Temperature that moisture will condense

from gas.

______ 3. Breakpoint c. Outlet gas dew point.

______ 4. Desiccant d. Wt % of adsorbent that represents the

quantity of water vapor it will remove from
gas.

______ 5. Dew Point e. Adsorbent that removes moisture from fluid.

______ 6. Process Fluid f. Hours process gas can flow through adsor-
bent tower before outlet gas moisture con-
tent rises above specification.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 I. EQUIPMENT IN AN ADSORPTION PLANT 5

The 2-tower adsorption plant shown adsorbent with hydrocarbon liquid, or

below has most of the equipment that is
common to almost all adsorption plants.
Some plants may have 3 or more adsorber
towers, others may have energy-saving
heat exchangers and compressors. Re-
gardless of the number of adsorber tow-
ers, the main items of equipment are the
same, and are discussed below.
A. Inlet Separator
The inlet separator in a treating plant
is of vital importance. It must remove liq-
uid from the gas to prevent coating of the
breakage of the adsorbent if water is
present. It must also remove particles of
scale, dirt, etc., from the gas to prevent
plugging the adsorbent.
The type of separator will depend upon
the source of the stream being processed.
If the gas is flowing from a multi-well gath-
ering system or from an offshore produc-
tion platform, the separator must be large
enough to catch slugs of liquid which may
enter with the gas. In addition, the separa-
tor should include some media to remove
solid particles which may be present in the

ADSORBER
TOWERS

REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR
REGENERATION
INLET GAS GAS COOLER
SEPARATOR
REGENERATION
GAS HEATER

EQUIPMENT IN ADSORPTION PLANT

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

6 ADSORBER TOWER

gas. Filters or a wire mesh must extractor B. Adsorber Tower

will adequately remove solid material from
the gas stream.
Regardless of the source of the gas,
the separator must remove essentially all
of the liquid and solid particles from the gas.
The double barrel separator shown below
is the preferred type. In this separator, liq-
uid falls to the bottom and collects in the
lower chamber, which is segregated from
the gas flowing through the upper cham-
ber. This segregation prevents the
gas from flowing across the surface
and possibly picking up some liq-
INLET
uid and carrying it out the vessel. PROCESS
FLUID
The adsorber tower contains molecu-
lar sieves which removes material from the
process fluid. The tower usually has a bed
support system to hold the adsorbent in the
tower. It is usually insulated, to prevent heat
loss during regeneration. Refer to Manual
P-6 for a detailed description of Adsorbers.
FILL MANWAY
RELIEF
VALVE

DISTRIBUTION
PLATE

DUMP
MANWAY

OUTLET
PROCESS
FLUID
INLET GAS SEPARATOR ADSORBER TOWER

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 OUTLET FILTER
C. Outlet Filter
When adsorbents are heated they ex-
pand, and when they are cooled they con-
tract or shrink. This means that during ev-
ery heating and cooling cycle of regenera-
tion, each particle of adsorbent in a bed
swells and shrinks. The total amount of their
change in size is so small it would be diffi-
cult to measure, but since there are mil-
lions of particles in a bed the total change
is enough to produce considerable pres-
sure on the individual particles.
They tend to move and rotate to estab-
lish a packing arrangement which will mini-
mize this pressure. In so doing, they rub
against each other and against the vessel
walls. This produces a small amount of very
fine dust or powder. Also, even the best
regulated plant may occasionally have a
slight upset which may result in the bed
being “bumped” or in gas “jetting” into the
OUTLET GAS FILTER
7
top of the bed. Either of these occurrences
will produce broken adsorbent particles,
and dust.
Therefore, the outlet process stream
must have a filter to keep dust and broken
adsorbent pieces out of the system beyond
the adsorption plant. If it is going to a cryo-
genic plant, a small amount of fine dust
could foul expanders or heat exchangers
so the filter should be capable of removing
everything over one micron in size.
The filter should be equipped with a dif-
ferential pressure gauge. This accurately
measures the pressure drop across the fil-
ter elements; as the filter gets coated with
solid particles the pressure drop increases.
Each installation should have a base pres-
sure drop, for a given gas flow rate with
fresh filters. This figure, along with a maxi-
mum pressure drop, and suitable flow rate
corrections, should be posted so that op-
erators can keep track of the degree of
plugging in the filter.
When the maximum
pressure drop is
reached, the filter
should be bypassed
and the elements
changed. If this is not
done, the pressure drop
may become large
enough that one or
more of the elements
will rupture. If
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
8 REGENERATION GAS COOLER

this happens, all of the dust and grit that tion gas can vary quite a bit, depending on
was trapped will suddenly be released into the source of this stream. Therefore, the
the system following the filter. heater must be capable of accommodat-
D. Regeneration Gas Heater ing these flow fluctuations while maintain-
ing the required temperature. The control
The purpose of this heater is to pro-
system should include a recorder for the
vide the hot gas necessary for regenera-
gas temperature as it leaves the heater.
tion of the beds. There are two types that
Quite often, the same recorder has a sec-
are frequently used. One is the so called
ond pen that indicates the temperature of
“direct fired heater” and the other is “indi-
regeneration gas as it flows out of the bed
rect fired.” Both types are described in other
being heated.
training manuals.
Some plants get heat for regeneration
Since regeneration of adsorbent is sen-
from a source other than a heater such as
sitive to temperature, it is important that
a waste heat recovery system in exhaust
the controls on the heater be adequate to
gas from turbines of engines.
control the regeneration gas temperature
within a few degrees of the desired setting
of 230 - 290°C [450 - 550°F].
In some plants the volume of regenera-

INDIRECT FIRED HEATER DIRECT FIRED HEATER

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 REGENERATION GAS COOLER & SEPARATOR 9

E. Regeneration Gas Cooler prevent it from adequately cooling the re-

The purpose of the cooler is to lower generation gas stream.
the temperature of the regeneration gas
F. Regeneration Gas Separator
so that water and sometimes hydrocarbons
will condense. It may be that the regen- The regeneration gas separator re-
eration gas enters a fuel system, which moves liquid from the stream of regenera-
requires cooling to avoid problems of con- tion gas flowing out of the cooler. The type
trol in the system. of separator used will depend upon the
The cooler may be an aerial type or it quantity and type of liquid contained in the
may be a water cooled exchanger, or some stream.
other form.
Regardless of the type of cooler, its
function is the same — to cool the regen-
eration gas to approximately ambient tem-
perature. The regeneration gas entering the
cooler has just left an adsorber tower. Con-
sequently, the gas may contain some par-
ticles of broken adsorbent. It will probably
be necessary to periodically shutdown the
cooler and remove the dust particles from
it. Otherwise, it may plug the cooler and

REGENERATION GAS BLOWER

HAIRPIN EXCHANGER AERIAL COOLER

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

10 REGENERATION GAS BLOWER
If the liquid is primarily water, a single
liquid removal system is all that is required.
If, on the other hand, the liquid is a mixture
of water and hydrocarbon, a level control
system should be provided for each liquid.
Quite often, the separator is similar to
the inlet gas separator described on page
6, except that it is smaller because the re-
generation gas flow is much less than inlet
gas.
G. Regeneration Gas Blower
Regeneration gas is withdrawn from
Problem 2
Match items in the two columns.
______ 1. Inlet Gas Separator
______ 2. Outlet Gas Filter
______ 3. Regeneration Gas Heater
______ 4. Regeneration Gas Separator
______ 5. Regeneration Gas Cooler
______ 6. Regeneration Gas Compressor
______ 7. Adsorber Tower
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
the treated gas stream, or from the sales
gas from the plant that processes the out-
let gas from the mole sieve dehydrator. As
the regeneration gas flows through the
plant, it has a pressure loss of 175 - 210
kPa [25 - 30 psi]. A blower or compressor
is often provided to make up this pressure.
H. Regeneration Liquid Pump
Dehydration plants treating liquid pro-
pane or LPG often use treated product for
regeneration. A pump is provided to make
up the pressure loss in the system.
a. Raise temperature of heating gas.
b. Make up pressure loss.
c. Removes contaminant from process
fluid.
d. Remove liquid and solids from pro-
cess inlet gas.
e. Lower temperature of regeneration
gas.
f. Remove adsorbent dust from pro-
cess outlet gas.
g. Remove liquid from regeneration
gas.
 II. APPLICATION OF MOLECULAR SIEVE
ADSORPTION PLANTS
A. Dehydration
The most common application of ad-
sorption plants is that of dehydrating gas.
Another process for removing moisture
from gas is that of glycol dehydration. Se-
lection of adsorption or glycol is based on
the relative cost and efficiency the two pro-
cesses, which, in turn, depends upon the
quantity of moisture that must be removed
from gas.
2-TOWER AIR DEHYDRATION
PLANT
11
Gas entering a pipeline usually has a
maximum moisture specification of 96 - 112
kg/million m3 [6 - 7 lb/MMcf], which is
equivalent to a dew point of -4° to 2°C [25°
to 35°F] at typical pipeline operating pres-
sures. The glycol dehydration process is
usually less expensive to install and oper-
ate in this application, which requires only
80 - 90% moisture removal from the gas.
The adsorption precess is more effi-
cient than glycol dehydration when the
application required 99 - 100% moisture
removal from gas. An example of this ap-
plication is that of gas entering a cryo-
genic plant, which required almost 100%
moisture removal from the gas to prevent
freeze-up.
2-TOWER GAS DEHYDRATION PLANT
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
12 APPLICATION OF ADSORPTION PLANTS

B. Simultaneous Dehydration and lecular sieves are used to simultaneously

Sweetening
Natural gas often contains moisture
and H2S that must be removed. The ad-
sorption process is ideally suited for remov-
ing moisture and H2S when the acid gas
concentration is less than 50 ppm H2S. A
sweetening plant using a chemical such as
amine is less costly for removing higher
concentrations of acid gas. Type 5A mo-
dehydrate and sweeten gas. A common
application of the dual adsorption process
is that of treating gas entering a cryogenic
plant.
Propane and LPG made in a gasoline
plant or refinery often contains moisture
and H2S and other sulfur compounds. Type
13X molecular sieves will remove the con-
taminants to meet product specifications.

3-TOWER PLANT DEHYDRATING GAS ENTERING A CRYOGENIC PLANT

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 III. PROCESS FLOW 13

An adsorption plant contains two systems: In the section that follows, the most com-
mon process flow plans are described. In
1. An adsorption system in which impuri-
order to simplify the discussion, the inlet
ties are removed from the process fluid
separator and outlet filter shown on the next
onto a bed of adsorbent.
page are omitted in subsequent flow de-
2. A regeneration system in which the
scriptions. However, these items are in-
adsorbed material is removed from the
cluded in adsorption plants.
adsorbent.
A. Flow in 2-Tower Plant
Although the adsorption and regen-
In a 2-tower plant, one tower is
eration systems are independent from one
adsorbing and the other tower is regener-
another, they must have a common ele-
ating. The regeneration time period is ob-
ment — time. A tower must be regener-
viously the same as the adsorption time.
ated and ready to switch into adsorbing
Process flow in a 2-tower system drying
service when an adsorbing tower is satu-
gas that enters a cryogenic plant is shown
rated with material it removed from the pro-
on the next page. The process inlet gas
cess fluid. The adsorbing time is the con-
enters the inlet separator, where water and
trolled time period. Towers are sized to
solid materials drop to the bottom and are
operate in adsorption service for a certain
dumped to a disposal system with a level
minimum time period — often 8 hours. The
controller. Gas flows out the top of the
regeneration system is then designed to
Separator and enters the top of Tower 2. It
complete its function in the allotted time
flows down the tower, which contains mo-
based on the adsorption time and the num-
lecular sieves that remove almost 100% of
ber of towers in adsorption service.
moisture from the gas. Dry gas flows out
Most adsorption plants have either 2,
the bottom of the tower and passes through
3, or 4 identical adsorber towers, although
a filter, which removes particles of adsor-
some plants have as many as 12. In a 2-
bent that the gas may have picked up. Gas
tower plant, one tower is adsorbing and the
leaving the filter enters a low temperature
other is regenerating. A 3-tower plant usu-
process plant.
ally has two towers adsorbing and one re-
Regeneration gas is often withdrawn
generating. Regeneration gas usually flows
from the residue gas leaving the process
up, although some plants have upflow on
plant. Its flow rate is usually 5 - 10% of the
heating and downflow on cooling. The re-
process inlet gas flow rate. Regeneration
generation gas may be process outlet gas
consists of 2 phases: a heating phase to
or gas from an outside source.
boil out the moisture and other adsorbed

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

14 PROCESS FLOW IN 2-TOWER PLANT

material that the molecular sieve removed
during the adsorbing cycle; a cooling phase
to lower the temperature of the adsorbent
to approximately that of the process inlet
gas temperature. During the heating phase,
control valves switch so that inlet regen-
eration gas flows through the heater, where
its temperature is raised to 230 - 290°C
[450 - 550°F]. The gas flows out of the
heater to the bottom of Tower 1 and passes
up the tower. Heat in the regeneration gas
transfers to the adsorbent and raises its
temperature. Water contained in the adsor-
bent boils out and is swept out of the bed
in the regeneration gas leaving the tower
at the top. The gas flows through a cooler
where its temperature is lowered to approxi-
mately ambient. Most of the moisture con-
denses from the gas in the cooler. The com-
bined gas and moisture stream out of the
cooler enters a Separator, where the mois-
ture drops to the bottom and is withdrawn
to a liquid disposal system. The regenera-
tion gas flows out the top of the Separator
and returns to its original source.

REGEN
GAS
OUTLET
REGENERATION
PROCESS REGENERATION GAS GAS COOLER
INLET FLUID TEMP RECORDER REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR

LIQUID
TO
DISPOSAL

INLET GAS
SEPARATOR

CYCLE
LIQUID TO
TOWER 1 SWITCHING
TOWER 2
DISPOSAL
REGENERATING VALVES
ADSORBING

TEMP
CONT

FUEL
GAS TEMP
REGENERATION RECORDER ∆P
GAS HEATER REGENERATION PROCESS
GAS FLOW OUTLET
CONTROLLER FLUID
OUTLET GAS
LINE SHADING LEGEND REGENERATION FILTER
PROCESS FLUID GAS FROM
REGENERATION GAS OUTSIDE SOURCE

2-TOWER ADSORPTION PLANT

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 PROCESS FLOW IN 3-TOWER PLANT 15

During the cooling phase of regenera-
tion, switching valves are activated at the
heater which by-pass the heater so that
inlet regeneration gas flows directly to the
bottom of Tower 1.
At the end of the adsorbing time pe-
riod, switching valves operate so that the
process inlet gas flows through Tower 1,
and regeneration gas flows to the heater
and to Tower 2.
B. Flow in 3-Tower Plant with 2
Towers Adsorbing and 1 Tower
Regenerating
When 2 towers are in parallel adsorp-
tion service, half of the inlet process gas
LINE SHADING LEGEND
PROCESS FLUID
REGENERATION GAS
flows through each adsorbing tower. The
3rd tower is regenerating. The regeneration
time period is half that of the adsorption time.
If the adsorption time is 12 hours, a tower is
regenerated in 6 hours. The 2 towers in
adsorbing service switch 6 hours out of
phase rather than switch at the same time.
The drawing below indicates the flow
immediately after a switch. Assume the
adsorbing time period is 12 hours. Flow is
as follows:
The process inlet gas stream is di-
verted to Towers 1 and 2. The gas enters
the top, flows downward and exits at the
bottom. Since the two towers are identical,
PROCESS
INLET FLUID

REGENERATION
GAS OUTLET

REGENERATION
GAS COOLER

REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR

LIQUID TO
DISPOSAL

FUEL
GAS TEMP
CONT
TOWER 1 TOWER 3
ADSORBING TOWER 2
ADSORBING REGENERATING

REGENERATION
GAS HEATER REGENERATION
GAS FLOW
CONTROLLER
REGENERATION
GAS FROM
OUTSIDE SOURCE

3-TOWER PLANT WITH 2 TOWERS ADSORBING IN PARALLEL

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

16 PROCESS FLOW IN 3-TOWER PLANT

flow through each tower should be approxi-
mately one half of the total inlet gas stream.
The regeneration gas flow to Tower 3
is the same as that in the 2-tower system
previously described.
After 6 hours, Tower 3 is regenerated,
and a switch occurs which results in flow
as follows:
Tower 1, which had been in adsorbing
service for 12 hours, switches to regen-
eration.
Tower 2, which had been in adsorbing
service for 6 hours, remains in
adsorbing service.
Tower 3, which just completed regen-
eration, switches to adsorbing service.
Six hours later, Tower 1 is regenerated,
and another switch occurs:
Tower 1, which has been regenerated,
switches to adsorbing service.
Tower 2, which had been adsorbing for
12 hours, switches to regeneration.
Tower 3, which had been adsorbing for
6 hours, remains in adsorbing service.
1. Flow in 3-tower plant with
regeneration gas compressor
As the regeneration gas flows through
the plant, it has a pressure drop of 150 -
200 kPa [20 - 30 psi]. In some plants, a
compresser is installed to make up the
pressure drop. The drawing below shows a
plant in which regeneration gas is with-
drawn from the plant outlet gas stream, and
after regenerating tower No 1, it recycles
to the process inlet line.
PROCESS
INLET FLUID

REGENERATION
GAS COOLER
REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR
LIQUID TO
DISPOSAL

FUEL TEMP
GAS CONT

TOWER 1
REGENER- TOWER 2
ATING ADSORBING TOWER 3
ADSORBING

REGENERATION
GAS HEATER REGENERATION
GAS FLOW
CONTROLLER

LINE SHADING LEGEND

PROCESS FLUID
REGENERATION GAS
PROCESS
OUTLET GAS
REGENERATION
GAS COMPRESSOR

3-TOWER PLANT WITH REGENERATION GAS COMPRESSOR

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 PROCESS FLOW IN 4-TOWER PLANT 17

C. Flow in 4-Tower Plant with Two
Towers Adsorbing and Two Towers
Regenerating
A 4-tower plant with 2 towers
adsorbing and 2 towers regenerating is
shown below. Assume towers 1 and 2 are
in adsorbing service for a period of 8 hours,
and the heating and cooling phases of re-
generation are each 4 hours long. Flow is
as follows.
The process inlet gas flows to Towers
1 and 2 which are in adsorbing service. Dry
gas leaves at the bottom and exits the plant.
Tower 3 is in the cooling phase of regen-
PROCESS
INLET FLUID
eration, and Tower 4 is heating. The inlet
regeneration gas flows to Tower 3 which
just switched from the heating phase, and
the gas cools the molecular sieve in it. The
temperature of cooling gas leaving Tower
3 has been raised as it removed heat from
the adsorbent in the vessel. The gas leav-
ing at the top of the tower flows to the
heater. Hot gas from the heater enters the
bottom of Tower 4 and flows upward. Gas
from the top of Tower 4 passes through a
Cooler and Separator and flows back to its
original source.
After four hours, Tower 4 has been
heated and Tower 3 has been cooled. A

REGENERATION
REGENERATION GAS OUTLET
GAS COOLER

REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR

LIQUID TO
DISPOSAL

TOWER 1 TOWER 2 TOWER 3

TOWER 4
ADSORBING ADSORBING COOLING
HEATING

FUEL
REGENERATION GAS
GAS HEATER

REGENERATION
GAS FROM PROCESS
OUTSIDE SOURCE OUTLET FLUID

4-TOWER PLANT WITH 2 TOWERS

ADSORBING IN PARALLEL & 2 TOWERS REGENERATING

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

18 PROCESS FLOW IN 4-TOWER PLANT

tower switch occurs. Flow is shown below.
Tower 4, which has been heated, switches
to cooling service. Tower 3, which has been
heated and cooled, switches to adsorbing
service. Tower 1, which had been in
adsorbing service for 8 hours, switches to
heating. Tower 2, which had been
adsorbing for 4 hours, remains in adsorbing
service.
At the end of 4 hours, another switch
occurs. Tower 4 has completed its cooling
cycle, so it switches to adsorption. Tower 1
has completed its heating phase, and it
switches to cooling. Tower 2 has been in
adsorbing service for 8 hours, so it switches
PROCESS
INLET FLUID
to heating. Tower 3 had been in adsorbing
service for 4 hours, and it remains in that
service for another 4 hours.
The advantage of the 2-Tower regen-
eration system is that gas entering the
heater has been pre-heated as it picked up
heat from the adsorbent in the cooling
phase. The net effect is to reduce the heater
fuel requirements about 20%. The main dis-
advantage of the 2-tower regeneration sys-
tem is that the regeneration gas flows
through 2 towers instead of one, so it has a
higher pressure drop which must e made
up with a compressor at some point.

REGENERATION
REGENERATION GAS OUTLET
GAS COOLER

REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR

LIQUID TO
DISPOSAL

TOWER 1 TOWER 2 TOWER 3

TOWER 4
HEATING ADSORBING ADSORBING
COOLING

FUEL
REGENERATION GAS
GAS HEATER

REGENERATION
GAS FROM PROCESS
OUTSIDE SOURCE OUTLET FLUID

4-TOWER PLANT WITH 2 TOWERS

ADSORBING IN PARALLEL & 2 TOWERS REGENERATING

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 TOWER SWITCHING SEQUENCE 19

D. Flow When Pressure of Regenera-tion Small valves for pressuring and

Gas and Main Gas are Different
depressuring are provided so that a gradual
In most cryogenic facilities, regenera- pressure change can take place. Valve op-
tion gas is withdrawn from the cryo plant eration at the time of a tower switch is as
outlet gas line, which is often at a different follows:
pressure from the inlet pressure to the de- 1. Tower 1 will switch to adsorbing service.
hydrator. The flow sheet below shows a a. Close valve R-1.
situation in which the regeneration gas b. Close valve R-2.
c. Open valve P-1. Pressure in
pressure is 700 kPa [100 psi] lower than
Tower 1 will slowly rise to inlet gas
the inlet gas pressure. Significant damage
pressure.
could occur to the mole sieves if a pres- d. When pressure in Tower 1 and 2
sure shock of this magnitude should oc- equalize, open valves M-1 and M-2.
cur. Severe packing of adsorbent could TO GAS
SALES

occur with a sudden increase in pressure, 5300 kPa

[750 psi]

and severe breakage could result from a

sudden reduction in pressure. REGENERATION
REGENERATION GAS GAS COOLER
INLET FLUID TEMP RECORDER REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR FC
6000 kPa M-1
[850 psi] R-1 R-3 M-3
P-1 LIQUID
PRESSURING
TO
VALVES
DISPOSAL
P-2
INLET GAS
SEPARATOR
FC

LIQUID TO
TOWER 1 TOWER 2
DISPOSAL
REGENERATING DRYING

TEMP
CONT
R-4

FUEL M-2 R-2 M-4

GAS
REGENERATION ∆P
GAS HEATER
OUTLET
FLUID
OUTLET GAS
FILTER

REGENERATION GAS

RESIDUE
GAS
FROM
GAS DEHYDRATION PLANT WITH CRYOGENIC
PLANT
REGENERATION GAS PRESSURING VALVES

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

20 TOWER SWITCHING SEQUENCE

Tower 1 is now in adsorbing service. heater and start heater.

2. Tower 2 will switch to regeneration ser-
vice.
a. Close valve P-1.
b. Close valve M-3.
c. Close valve M-4.
d. Open valve P-2. Tower will
depressure.
e. When tower 2 pressure drops to
regeneration pressure, open valve
R-4.
f. Open valve R-3 and close valve P-2.
g. Open flow of regeneration gas to
E. Tower Switching Sequence
In a 2-tower plant, one tower is
adsorbing and the other is regenerating.
The regeneration time period is obviously
the same as the adsorbing time period. An
8-hour cycle is commonly used. One tower
adsorbs for 8 hours and the other tower
regenerates in 8 hours. Regeneration usu-
ally includes 5 hours of heating followed by
3 hours of cooling.
A daily switching sequence chart for
such a plant is as follows. The gray area
represents the regeneration phase.

SWITCHING SEQUENCE FOR 2-TOWER PLANT ON 3 HOUR CYCLE

TOWER 1 Heating Cooling Adsorbing Heating Cooling
TOWER 2 Adsorbing Heating Cooling Adsorbing
12 M 5 AM 8 AM 1 PM 4 PM 9 PM 12 M

In plants having two towers in adsorp-
tion service and one tower regenerating,
the time of regeneration will be half that of
adsorption. The most common multi-tower
adsorption plant has two towers in parallel
adsorption service, and the adsorption time
is often 12 hours. The regeneration time is
half the adsorption time. The daily switch-
ing sequence for a 12-hour adsorption cycle
is as follows:

SWITCHING SEQUENCE FOR 3-TOWER PLANT WITH 2 PARALLEL TOWERS

ADSORBING FOR 12 HOURS AND 1 TOWER REGENERATING IN 6 HOURS
TOWER 1 Adsorbing Heating Cooling Adsorbing
TOWER 2 Adsorbing Heating Cooling Adsorbing
TOWER 3 Heating Cooling Adsorbing Heating Cooling

12 M 3 AM 6M 9M 12 N 3 PM 6 PM 9 PM 12 M

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 SWITCHING VALVE OPERATION 21

Problem 3
A 2-tower plant has a 12-hour adsorption time cycle. Regeneration phases are 7
hours of heating and 5 hours of cooling. Tower switch occurs at midnight. Tower 1 switches
to adsorbing, and Tower 2 is regenerating. Indicate the service of each tower at times
shown. Service is either adsorbing, heating or cooling.

TIME SERVICE
Tower 1 Tower 2
12 M Adsorbing Heating
8 AM __________ __________
1 PM __________ __________
9 PM __________ __________

F. Switching Valve Operation towers in the plant. In most plants, switch-

Switching valves are operated periodi- ing valves are operated by an electro/pneu-
cally to divert the flow of process fluid and matic system triggered by a clock or timer
regeneration gas into or out of the various as shown in the drawing below.
TIMER
TIMER
0
0
18 6 1 18 6
12 At 0800, clock
1 12
trips switch in
circuit to ralay. At 1600, clock
trips switch in
2 circuit to relay.
RELAY RELAY
Relay closes switch 12 or 24
12 or 24
that completes cir- DC Volts 2 DC Volts
cuit to solenoid. Relay opens switch
that breaks circuit
INSTR to solenoid. INSTR
AIR AIR

4-WAY 4-WAY
3 SOLENOID 4 SOLENOID 4
VALVE 3 VALVE
Solenoid energizes When 4-way valve When 4-way valve
opens, air pressure Solenoid deenergizes
and moves 4-way closes, air pressure
above piston actuator and moves 4-way
valve to open position. below piston actuator
is vented, and air valve to closed position.
VENT is vented, and air
pressure is diverted VENT
pressure is diverted
below the piston, above the piston,
which moves upward which moves down-
and opens the switch- ward and closes the
ing valve. switching valve.

SWITCHING SWITCHING
VALVE VALVE
SWITCHING VALVE OPERATION

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

22 SWITCHING VALVE OPERATION
Switching valves are often ball valves
equipped with pneumatic piston actuators
that require air pressure on top of or below
the piston in order to change the position
of the valve. It is obviously necessary to
vent air from one side of the piston in order
for air pressure on the opposite side to force
it to move. This is accomplished with a 4-
way solenoid valve that diverts the flow of
air to one side of the piston and simulta-
neously vents air from the other side.
The switching lugs shown on the Timer
in the opposite drawing at 8 and 16 hours
are adjustable so that the cycle can be in-
creased or reduced. The drawing shows
only 2 lugs, whereas additional lugs are
required for by-passing the heater, and for
switching towers at midnight.
The switching control in plants built
after 1980 may include a micro-computer
and micro-switches instead of a timer and
relay. With this type of control, the cycle time
is changed by entering a series of num-
Problem 4
Match items in the two columns:
_______ 1. Switching valves
_______ 2. 2-tower plant
_______ 3. 3-tower plant
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
bers on a keyboard located on the control-
ler panel. The pneumatic actuated switch-
ing valves and 4-way solenoid valves are
still used.
Plants that remove close to 100% of a
contaminant from a fluid stream must be
thoroughly regenerated. One way of assur-
ing adequate heating during regeneration
is to use a temperature switch located in
the heating gas outlet line to switch from
heating to cooling. If the bed must be
heated to 260°C [500°F] to completely strip
adsorbed material, the temperature switch
is set at that point, and the heating phase
will continue until that temperature is
reached. The temperature switch will then
trip and by-pass the heater so that cooling
will begin.
Another temperature switch may be
located in the cooling gas outlet line to pre-
vent the tower from switching to adsorp-
tion service until the bed is cooled to the
set point of the temperature switch.
a. One tower adsorbing, one tower regenerat-
ing.
b. Two towers adsorbing one tower regenerat-
ing.
c. Divert gas flow from one tower to another.
 IV. REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT 23

A. Principles of Regeneration as much material from the process stream

Regenerating the adsorbent is the
most important and least understood
phase of an adsorption plant operation. It
is the most expensive part of the opera-
tion because fuel is consumed in heating
the regeneration gas.
Regeneration consists of a heating
phase to boil out the adsorbed material,
and a cooling phase to lower the adsor-
bent temperature to approximately that of
the process inlet stream. Cooling is essen-
tial because the adsorbent will not remove
at a high temperature.
Refer to the flow diagram for the 2-
tower plant shown below. Tower 2 is
adsorbing and Tower 1 is regenerating.
During the heating phase of regeneration,
the regeneration gas flows through the
heater prior to entering Tower 1. During the
cooling phase, the heater is by-passed and
the regeneration stream flows directly to
Tower 1. This gas flow should cool the ad-
sorbent to within about 20°C [35°F] of the
temperature of the process inlet fluid.

REGEN PROCESS
GAS INLET FLUID LINE SHADING LEGEND
OUTLET PROCESS FLUID
REGENERATION GAS

REGENERATION
GAS COOLER REGEN
REGENERATION GAS
GAS SEPARATOR TEMP
RECORDER

LIQUID TO
DISPOSAL

TOWER 1
REGENERATING TOWER 2
ADSORBING
TEMP
CONTR

FUEL
GAS
REGENERATION TEMP PROCESS
GAS HEATER RECORDER OUTLET FLUID
REGENERATION
GAS FROM
OUTSIDE SOURCE

2-TOWER DEHYDRATION

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

24 REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT

To simplify our discussion on regen- The heating phase of regeneration in-

eration, let’s consider a gas dehydration
plant. The regeneration principles which
apply to it will also apply to other types of
adsorption plants. During the adsorbing
phase, the adsorbent removes moisture
from the gas passing through it. The mois-
ture is in the form of steam in the gas, but it
changes to a liquid when it is adsorbed. At
the conclusion of the adsorbing period, the
adsorbent is saturated with water. The wa-
ter will be boiled out of the adsorbent dur-
ing regeneration.
Water boils at 100°C [212°F] at atmo-
spheric pressure. Its boiling point is higher
as the pressure is raised. At the operating
pressure of most adsorbers, its boiling tem-
perature is about 150°C [300°F]. The heat
of vaporization for water is 2264 kJ per kg
[970 Btu per lb]. This heat must be added
to water when it is at its boiling tempera-
ture in order to boil the water.
cludes 3 parts:
1. Heat the adsorbent to the boiling tem-
perature of water.
2. Add enough heat to vaporize most of
the water. About 90% of the water will
boil off at this point.
3. Heat the adsorbent to drive off the re-
maining 10% of the water.
The last step is the most important and
most difficult. Any adsorbed material that
remains on the adsorbent after regenera-
tion obviously reduces the capacity of the
adsorbent. It also lowers the efficiency of
the adsorbent, which results in a higher dew
point of treated gas in a dehydration plant.
About 25% of the total heater fuel is re-
quired to drive off the last 10% of adsorbed
material, so it is the most expensive part of
regeneration.

TYPICAL PROCESS REQUIREMENTS FOR

DEHYDRATION PLANTS
REGEN GAS REGENERATION HEAT
MOISTURE DEW FLOW TEMP TO HEAT
ADSORBENT REMOVED POINT OF SOURCE DIRECTION ADSORBENT HEATER FUEL GAS
CAPACITY FROM INLET TREATED OF IN m3/kg of cu ft/lb of
TYPE Wt% GAS % GAS GAS TOWER °C °F ADSORBENT ADSORBENT
Mol 10.0 99.9% Below Treated Up 232° 450° 0.062 1.0
Sieve -62°C Gas
[-80°F]

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT
Regeneration heat is provided with hot
gas which flows through a heater. The heat-
ing gas is a heat transfer fluid. It is trans-
ferring heat from the heater to the adsor-
bent. We would prefer to have the adsor-
bent flow through the heater, but this is not
practical. A secondary function of the re-
generation gas is to sweep out adsorbed
material as it boils off the adsorbent.
We said that the first step in the heat-
ing phase is to heat the adsorbent to the
boiling temperature of water or other
adsorbed material. At the time regenera-
tion starts, the piping, adsorbent, and
adsorber tower are at the temperature of
the process inlet fluid. In order to heat the
adsorbent to the boiling temperature of
water, it is also necessary to heat the pip-
ing and steel in the adsorber tower. In fact,
about 1/3rd of the total heater duty is to heat
the steel in piping and the adsorber ves-
sel. Another 1/3rd is used in raising the tem-
perature of the adsorbent, and the final 1/
3rd is the heat of vaporization required to
boil off the adsorbed material.
During the heating phase of regenera-
tion, hot gas from the heater flows through
the adsorbent, and some of the heat in the
gas transfers to the adsorbent. The figures
on the following pages indicate tempera-
ture profiles in a tower during an 8 hour
regeneration cycle. The bottom and top
profiles are gas temperatures entering
and leaving the tower. The 3 middle pro-
files are adsorbent temperatures.
Hot gas enters the bottom of the
25
adsorber at a temperature of 260°C
[500°F]. At the start of the heating phase,
the temperature of the adsorbent and pip-
ing is 38°C [100°F]. The adsorbent in the
bottom of the tower heats very quickly at
the start of the regeneration, because it is
contacting the hottest regeneration gas. It
approaches the maximum temperature
approximately 4 hours after heating starts.
The plateau in the temperature trace at
127°C [260°F] is due to water boiling off
the adsorbent.
By the time heating gas gets to the
middle of the tower, it has given up some
of its heat in the lower portion, so that it is
at a lower temperature. It takes about 5
hours for the adsorbent temperature in the
middle of the tower to reach the same tem-
perature that the bottom of the tower
reached in 3 hours.
The top portion of the tower is the last
portion to be heated. It reaches its peak
temperature at the end of the heating
phase, and cooling commences.
When the temperature of the adsor-
bent in the bottom of the tower reaches
127°C [260°F], the water starts to boil out.
However, the temperature of adsorbent in
the upper part of the tower is below the
boiling point of water, so most of the water
that boils out at the bottom condenses in
the upper section. If you could see inside
the tower during the heating phase, you
would observe rain falling in the upper part
as water condenses from the gas.
The temperature plateau in the top of
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
26 TEMPERATURE PROFILES IN ADSORBER
DURING REGENERATION - SI UNITS
300

REGENERATION
200
GAS OUTLET

100
OUTLET GAS
TEMP
0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
300

200

100
TOP
ADSORBENT
TEMP 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
300

200

100
MIDDLE
ADSORBENT
TEMP 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
300

200

100
BOTTOM
ADSORBENT
TEMP 0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

300

200

100
INLET GAS
TEMP
REGENERATION
0
GAS INLET 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
HEATING COOLING
ELAPSED TIME, HOURS

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 TEMPERATURE PROFILES IN ADSORBER 27
DURING REGENERATION - ENGLISH UNITS
500

REGENERATION
400
GAS OUTLET

300

OUTLET GAS
200
TEMP
100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

500

400

300

TOP
ADSORBENT 200
TEMP
100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
500

400

300

MIDDLE 200
ADSORBENT
TEMP 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
500

400

300

BOTTOM 200
ADSORBENT
TEMP 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
500

400

300

INLET GAS 200

TEMP
REGENERATION 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
GAS INLET HEATING COOLING
ELAPSED TIME, HOURS

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

28 REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT
the tower and in the outlet gas is more
prominent than that in the middle or bot-
tom because more water boils out of the
top adsorbent due to the condensation. The
outlet gas temperature often drops off a few
degrees before it reaches the water boil-
off plateau. This drop is due to water con-
densing from gas flowing up the tower.
As we previously said, only 90% of the
water boils out of the adsorbent when it is
heated to the water boiling point. About
10% of the water remains on the adsorbent
because the adsorbent still has some attrac-
tion for water. This attraction diminishes as
the temperature is raised. It approaches zero
at a temperature of 232°C [475°F].
At the end of the heating period, the
adsorbent in the lower part of the tower is
heated to a temperature of 246°C [475°F],
whereas the peak temperature at the top
of the tower is 218°C [425°F]. The average
temperature to which the adsorbent is
heated is 232°C [450°F]. The peak outlet
temperature of gas leaving the tower is
232°C [455°F], which is 3°C [5°F] above
the average temperature to which the ad-
sorbent is heated.
The peak temperature of gas leaving
the adsorber is the primary means for indi-
cating the completeness of regeneration.
However, the average temperature to which
the adsorbent is heated is 3 - 6°C [5 - 10°F]
below the peak outlet gas temperature dur-
ing the heating phase.
The heating gas inlet temperature is
260°C [500°F], and the peak outlet gas
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
temperature is 235°C [455°F]. The differ-
ence in the inlet and outlet gas tempera-
ture at the end of the heating cycle is 25°C
[45°F]. The significance of this is that of the
total heat in the regeneration gas, only 25°C
[45°F] or 11% transfers to the adsorbent at
the end of the heating cycle. The other 89%
of heat is in the regeneration gas leaving
the tower. To put it another way, only 11%
of the fuel burned in the Regeneration Gas
Heater is utilized during the last 20 - 60
minutes of the heating phase.
After 5 hours of heating, the cooling
phase commences. The regeneration gas
by-passes the heater and flows directly into
the regenerating tower. Its temperature is
38°C [100°F].
During the cooling phase, the adsor-
bent at the bottom of the tower is cooled
more than that in the middle or top. This, of
course, is because it is contacting the cool-
ing gas first. As the cooling gas cools the
bottom part, the gas is warmed so that it
does not cool the upper portion of the tower
as much as it does the bottom. The lower
part of the tower is cooled to a tempera-
ture of 52°C [125°F], whereas the top por-
tion is cooled to only 79°C [175°F]. The av-
erage temperature of adsorbent after cool-
ing is 66°C [150°F] which is 28°C [50°F]
higher than the temperature of the cooling
gas that enters the tower.
The adsorbent at the bottom of the
tower gets heated more and cooled more
than the adsorbent in the top of the tower.
Consequently, it will have more adsorbed
 REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT 29

material boiled out of it, and since it is the temperature of the regeneration gas as
cooler, it will adsorb more than that at the it enters the tower (approximately heater
top of the tower. To put it another way, the outlet temperature) and another recorder
adsorbent at the end of the tower that the showing the temperature of gas that leaves
regeneration gas enters will be the purest the tower. Quite often, a single instrument
and have the greatest capacity of any of with two pens is used to record the inlet
the adsorbent in the tower. and outlet temperatures.
At the conclusion of the cooling cycle, Typical 2-pen regeneration tempera-
the tower switches to adsorption. The tem- ture charts are shown below. Of course,
perature of the adsorbent is higher than different types of recording charts provide
that of the process gas passing through it, different kinds of plots. The plots shown are
so it will heat the process gas a few de- for a 2-tower plant with an 8-hour re-
grees for 15 - 30 minutes. At the end of generation period… 5 hours of heating,
that time, the process gas stream will cool and three hours at cooling. The regen-
the adsorbent so that both are at the same eration gas enters the bed at 300°C
temperature. The dew point of treated gas [575°F] during heating, and 30°C [86°F]
may rise a few degrees during this period. during cooling.
Most plants have recorders showing

300 600
PEAK OUTLET
TEMPERATURE PEAK OUTLET
TEMPERATURE OF TEMPERATURE OF TEMPERATURE
REGENERATION GAS 500 REGENERATION GAS
TO TOWER TO TOWER
TEMPERATURE, °C

TEMPERATURE, °F

WATER 400
200 BOIL OFF
WATER
BOIL OFF

300

100 200

TEMPERATURE OF TEMPERATURE OF
REGENERATION GAS 100 REGENERATION GAS
OUT OF TOWER OUT OF TOWER

HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME IN REGENERATION PERIOD, HOURS ELAPSED TIME IN REGENERATION PERIOD, HOURS

TEMPERATURE RECORDING CHARTS FOR REGENERATION GAS

ENTERING AND LEAVING A TOWER

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

30 REGENERATION OF ADSORBENT
In the outlet gas temperature trace,
you can see a plateau at about 150°C
[300°F]. This is quite typical in dehydrator
temperature profiles. It is the result of the
water boiling off the desiccant. If a slug of
water enters the plant, the plateau will be
more prominent when the tower that re-
ceived the slug is regenerated. Sometimes,
in rich gas systems, there will be other pla-
teaus where various hydrocarbon fractions
are leaving the adsorbent.
Temperature traces are individual
characteristics of each tower. They are al-
most as exclusive as fingerprint. Tempera-
tures in towers being regenerated may vary
from one tower to another at the same point
in each tower’s cycle. One tower may heat
to a temperature of 205°C [401°F] after 3
hours, whereas another tower in the same
plant heats to only 190°C [374°F]. Conse-
quently, temperature data must be com-
pared with prior readings on the same
tower at the same time in the cycle.
The temperature trace of gas leaving
the tower near the end of the heating phase
is one of the best means of determining if
the regeneration gas flow rate and the heat-
ing time period are properly set. The peak
outlet temperature should occur 15 - 30
minutes before the end of the heating pe-
riod. Once the bed is heated to the peak
temperature, no additional water will boil
out. However, most operators hold peak
temperature to insure 100% regeneration.
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
The exception to this is in sulfur removal
plants, where additional sulfur compounds will
boil out after the peak temperature is reached.
In these plants, the peak temperature should
occur 30 minutes to 1 hour before the con-
clusion of the heating phase.
B. Heat Transfer During Regeneration
As we said previously, the heating gas
is a heat transfer fluid. It receives heat in
the heater, and transfers some of it to the
adsorbent. Only 35 - 40% of the heat re-
leased by the heater actually transfers to
the tower. The other 60 - 65% remains in
the regeneration gas that leaves the tower
being heated. During the first part of the
heating cycle, the adsorbent is cool and
about 90% of the heat in the regeneration
gas transfers to the adsorbent. However
during the latter part of the heating phase,
the adsorbent temperature approaches the
regeneration gas temperature and only 15
- 20% heat transfer occurs.
The amount of heat that transfers from
the hot regeneration gas to the adsorbent
depends upon the difference in tempera-
ture between the gas and the adsorbent.
More heat will transfer when there is a
greater temperature difference. For ex-
ample, if the temperature of regeneration
gas out of the heater is raised 5°C [9°F],
6% more heat will transfer from the regen-
eration gas to the adsorbent. This means
that he adsorbent can be heated to the
same temperature in 6% less time. Rais-
 HEAT TRANSFER DURING REGENERATION
ing the temperature of gas out of the heater
by 5°C [9°F] will increase the heater fuel
about 3%. However, the heating time pe-
riod is reduced by 6%, so the net heater
fuel saving is 3%.
If the regeneration gas heater is firing
at its maximum rate, it will be necessary to
reduce the regeneration gas flow rate in
order to raise the temperature of gas leav-
ing the heater. A 2.5% reduction in flow rate
will allow you to raise the heater outlet tem-
perature 5°C [9°F] with the same fuel rate
to the heater. Lowering the flow rate and
raising the temperature will allow you to
regenerate the tower to the same tempera-
ture in 3.0% less time. The net heater fuel
savings is also 3.0%. The table below sum-
marizes the methods of heating the tower
at a lower heater fuel rate.
Either of the below methods will allow
you to heat the tower in a shorter period of
time, so the heating time period should be
lowered. If you raise the heater outlet tem-
perature without lowering the heating time
period, heater fuel consumption will in-
crease. In addition, more heat will be trans-
ferred to the tower, so more cooling time
MEANS OF HEATING TOWER WITH LESS HEATER FUEL
WHEN REGEN CHANGE REGEN RAISE HEATER
HEATER FIRING GAS FLOW OUTLET TEMP
RATE IS RATE °C
Below Max No change 5°
Maximum Lower 2.5% 5°
31
will be required.
C. Optimizing Regeneration
Fuel consumed in the Regeneration
Gas Heater is the major operating expense
of an adsorption plant. Significant savings
in heater fuel are often achievable by opti-
mizing the process operating conditions.
The 3 process variable in the regeneration
system are:
1. Regeneration gas flow rate.
2. Regeneration gas heater outlet tem-
perature.
3. Heating and cooling time.
The goal in optimizing is to satisfacto-
rily regenerate the towers with the lowest
fuel rate to the heater. Satisfactory regen-
eration is that which boils off all of the
adsorbed material so that when the tower
switches to adsorbing service, the treated
process fluid is slightly better than specifi-
cation limits.
The procedure to optimize involves
changes in the regeneration gas flow rate,
heater outlet temperature and heating time.
Changes are made in steps, and the effect
LOWER HEATER
HEATING FUEL
°F TIME SAVING
9° 6% 3.0%
9° 3.0% 3.0%
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
32 OPTIMIZING REGENERATION

of each step change is determined by ob-
serving the quality of treated gas when the
tower switches to adsorbing service.
For example, suppose the step change
is to lower the heating time period in 5
minute steps. The heating cycle time is re-
duced 5 minutes for each tower, and the
quality of treated gas is observed for each
tower for several cycles. If treated gas qual-
ity is okay, another 5 minute reduction is
made, and treated gas quality is observed
again for several cycles. The step changes
continue until treated gas quality reaches
its specification limit. At this point, back up
1 step (add 5 minutes to the heating time)
and proceed to the next process step
change.
In order to optimize, you must have
instruments to continuously measure the
quality of treated gas. In addition, the qual-
ity of treated gas must meet specification
limits before optimizing. If treated gas does
not meet specifications (has a high water
content) regeneration process changes
are first made which produce treated
gas of acceptable quality. Optimizing
can then proceed.
There are 2 factors that determine the
procedure to optimize:
1. The quality of treated gas — it does not
meet specification, it just meets speci-
fication, or is better than specification.
2. The temperature of regeneration gas
leaving the tower during the heating
phase — it peaks before the end of the
heating phase, or it peaks after the end
of the heating phase, or it peaks at the
end of or a few minutes after the end of
the heating phase.
The procedure to optimize for each of
the above cases is shown on the following
pages. It is a good operating practice to
calibrate instruments before optimizing.

Problem 5
List the first corrective action to take in each of the following situations to optimize
heater fuel.

DEW POINT TEMPERATURE OF

OF HEATING GAS OUT OF
TREATED GAS REGENERATING TOWER FIRST ACTION TO TAKE
a. Does not meet Rising at end of ___________________
specification. heating cycle.
b. Better than Peaks 30 min. before ___________________
specification. end of heating cycle.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 PROCEDURE TO OPTIMIZE REGENERATION WHEN PEAK
OUTLET TEMPERATURE OCCURS
BEFORE THE END OF THE HEATING PHASE
TREATED
GAS
QUALITY DIAGNOSIS
Bad - 1. Regen gas flow is OK or high. If flow
High rate was low, peak temp would not oc-
Water cur before end of heating phase.
Content 2. Heating time is too long. Peak temp
occurs before end of heating phase.
3. Since peak temp occurs before end of
heating phase, tower is heated to max
temp possible with heating gas. Temp
is not high enough to boil out all the
water, and treated gas quality is bad.
Heating gas temp must be raised to boil
out more water.
OK 1. Regen gas flow is OK or high. If flow
rate was low, peak temp would not oc-
cur before end of heating phase.
2. Heating time is too long. Peak temp
occurs before end of heating phase.
3. Heating gas temp out of heater is OK
because treated gas quality is OK.
Too 1. Since treated gas quality is better than
Good - necessary, tower is being heated too
Moisture much.
Content 2. Regen gas flow is too high, or heating
Less time is too long, or gas temp is too high.
Than 3. Max fuel saving is achieved by lower-
Spec. ing heating time.
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
300
SI UNITS
LEAVING TOWER, °C
200
100
HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE
0 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS
TEMPERATURE TRACES OF REGENERATION GAS LEAVING TOWER WHEN THE
PEAK TEMPERATURE OCCURS BEFORE THE END OF THE HEATING PHASE
33
CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PRODUCE TREATED GAS OF ACCEPT-
ABLE QUALITY AT MINIMUM REGEN GAS HEATER FUEL GAS
1. Raise heater outlet temp in 5°C [9°F] steps until treated gas quality is
OK. If heater fires at max rate before treated gas reaches acceptable
quality, cut regen flow in 2.5% steps and maintain maximum firing rate.
Gas temp out of heater should rise 5°C [9°F] at each flow reduction
step. Continue temp increase steps until treated gas quality is OK.
2. If peak outlet temp after step 1 still occurs before end of heating phase,
cut heating time in 5 min. Steps until treated gas quality goes off - spec
then add 5 min to heating time.
3. If heater is not firing at max rate after step 2, raise outlet temp 5°C
[9°F] again. The peak outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F]
above the peak temp at step 2 in 6% less time. Treated gas quality
should improve.
4. After step 3, if peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above peak temp
at step 2, and treated gas quality is OK, cut heating time in 5 min steps
until treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to heating time.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until heater is firing at max rate, or heating outlet
temp is raised.
1. Lower heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality goes off-
spec. Then add 5 min to heating time. Peak outlet temp should occur
near end of heating phase.
2. After step 1, if heater is not firing at max rate, raise outlet temp 5°C
[9°F]. The peak outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F] above
the peak temp at step 1 in 6% less time. Treated gas quality should
improve.
3. After step 2, if the peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above the peak
temp at step 1, and treated gas quality is OK, cut heating time in 5 min
steps until treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to heating time.
4. Repeat step 2 and 3 until heater is firing at max rate, or heating time
cannot be cut at least 3% when heating gas temp is raised.
1. Lower heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality just meets
spec. Then add 5 min.
2. After step 1, if heater is not firing at max rate, raise outlet temp 5°C
[9°F]. The peak outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F] above
the peak temp at step 1 in 6% less time. Treated gas quality should
improve.
3. After step 2, if the peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above the peak
temp at step 1, and treated gas quality is OK, cut heating time in 5 min
steps until treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to heating time.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until heater is firing at max rate, or heating time
cannot be cut at least 3% when heating gas temp is raised.
500
ENGLISH UNITS
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
LEAVING TOWER, °F
400
300
200
HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE
8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
34 PROCEDURE TO OPTIMIZE REGENERATION WHEN PEAK
OUTLET TEMPERATURE OCCURS
AFTER HEATING PHASE CONCLUDES
TREATED
GAS
QUALITY DIAGNOSIS
Bad - 1. Since treated gas quality is bad, tower
High is not heated enough to boil out all the
Water water.
Content 2. Since outlet temp is still rising at the
end of the heating phase, the heating
gas temp is probably OK, but the heat-
ing time is too short, or the regen gas
flow is too low to heat the tower enough
to boil all the water out.
3. If the heating time is increased, the
cooling time will be lowered, which will
result in a higher temp of treated gas
when tower switches to adsorption.
4. Raising regen flow rate will raise the
tower temp and boil out more water
without increasing the heating time,
providing the regen gas temp out of the
heater remains the same. If heater is
not firing at max rate, regen gas flow
can be increased and held at the same
temp.
OK 1. Since treated gas quality is OK, regen
flow, temp and heating time are OK.
2. Heater fuel can be lowered if heater is
not firing at max rate.
Too 1. Since quality of treated gas is better
Good - than necessary, tower is being heated
Moisture too much.
Content 2. Regen gas flow is too high, or heating
Less time is too long, or gas temp is too high.
Than 3. Max heat fuel saving is achieved by
Spec. lowering heating time.
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
300
SI UNITS
LEAVING TOWER, °C
200
100
HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE
0 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS
TEMPERATURE TRACES OF REGENERATION GAS LEAVING TOWER WHEN
TEMPERATURE IS RISING AT THE END OF THE HEATING PHASE
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PRODUCE TREATED GAS OF ACCEPT-
ABLE QUALITY AT MINIMUM REGEN GAS HEATER FUEL GAS
1. If regen heater is not firing at max rate, raise regen flow rate in 2.5%
steps until treated gas quality is OK, or regen heater is firing at max
rate.
2. After step 1, if regen heater is firing at max rate and treated gas quality
is still bad, increase heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas qual-
ity if OK.
3. If the quality of treated gas meets specification during step 1, and the
heater is not firing at max rate, raise heater outlet temp 5°C [9°F] again.
The peak outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F] above the
peak temp before raising the temp in 6% less time. Treated gas quality
should improve.
4. After step 3, if peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above peak temp
before raising heater temp, and treated gas quality is OK, cut heating
time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to
heating time.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until heater is firing at max rate, or heating time
cannot be cut at least 3% when the heater outlet is raised.
1. If heater is not firing at max rate, raise outlet temp 5°C [9°F]. The peak
outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F] above the present peak
temp in 6% less time. Treated gas quality should improve.
2. After step 1, if peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above its present
temp, and treated gas quality is OK, cut heating time in 5 min steps
until treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to heating time.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until heater fires at max rate, or heating time
cannot be cut at least 3%.
1. Lower heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality just meets
spec. Then add 5 min.
2. After step 1, if heater is not firing at max rate, raise outlet temp 5°C
[9°F]. The peak outlet temp of heating gas should be 5°C [9°F] above
the peak temp at step 1 in 6% less time. Treated gas quality should
improve.
3. After step 2, if the peak outlet temp is at least 4°C [7°F] above the peak
temp at step 1, and treated gas quality goes off-spec. Add 5 min to
heating time.
4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until heater is firing at max rate, or heating time
cannot be cut at least 3% when heating gas temp is raised.
500
ENGLISH UNITS
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
LEAVING TOWER, °F
400
300
200
HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE
8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS
 COOLING PHASE OF REGENERATION
D. Cooling Phase of Regeneration
Most of our discussion so far has em-
phasized the importance of heating the
adsorbent during regeneration. However,
cooling the adsorbent after the heating
phase is also important. When the cooling
phase is completed, the tower switches to
adsorption service. If the bed is hot at the
time of switching, it will have a low adsorp-
tion capacity, and may not remove enough
material from the main process stream.
The dew point of treated gas will rise.
Cooling gas flows through the entire
bed, so it is not possible to cool only a part
of it. However, the portion of the bed that
the cooling gas contacts first will cool more
than the portion the cooling gas contacts
last. The cool end will usually be 25 - 36°C
[45 - 65°F] cooler than the other end.
In most adsorption plants, flow of re-
generation gas —heating and cooling —
is only a fraction of the main process flow.
Consequently, when a tower completes its
cooling phase and switches to adsorbing,
the gas flow rate through the adsorber is
much higher. The higher flow rate of pro-
cess gas will cool the tower faster than the
fractional flow of cooling gas. The process
fluid will be heated by the adsorbent, and
it may not meet quality specification. This
condition lasts until the process fluid cools
the bed.
It is not always necessary to com-
pletely cool the entire adsorbent bed. In
fact, sometimes it is only necessary to cool
35
enough of the bed to adsorb for 15 - 30
minutes. During this period, the remainder
of the bed will be cooled by the main pro-
cess stream.
Cooling of the bed by the main pro-
cess fluid results in a temperature rise in
the outlet process fluid. It may be only a
few degrees, or it may be as much as 25°C
[45°F], depending upon how hot the bed is
when it switches to adsorbing. The tem-
perature rise will occur immediately after a
tower switches to adsorption, and will tail
off, usually in less than an hour. This tem-
perature rise generally has little effect on
the adsorption plant, but it may adversely
effect a downstream process plant… par-
ticularly if the gas enters a low tempera-
ture plant.
Thus, if the temperature of outlet gas
from an adsorption plant must remain fairly
constant, the cooling phase must be length-
ened, or flow of cooling gas increased, so
that very little heat remains in the bed when
cooling is completed.
We previously said that about !/3rd of
the heat input to the bed during heating is
to boil out adsorbed material. The remain-
ing @/3rds is to heat the adsorbent and steel
in piping and the adsorber tower. The cool-
ing phase only has to remove the heat that
transferred to the adsorbent and steel.
Thus, if the flow of cooling gas is the same
as the flow of heating gas, the cooling time
is about @/3rds that of the heating time.
Regardless of how long the cooling
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
36 COOLING PHASE OF REGENERATION
time is, we will never be able to completely
cool the entire bed during the cooling phase
unless the cooling gas temperature is be-
low the process fluid temperature. This
means that there will always be some tem-
perature rise in the outlet process fluid af-
ter a regenerated tower switches to
adsorbing.
The length of the cooling period will
vary with the type of plant, number of
adsorber towers in service, and the num-
ber of towers in regeneration service. If
there are two towers regenerating, one
cooling and one heating, the cooling time
is the same as the heating time. Thus the
length of the cooling period is of primary
concern in plants that have only one tower
in regeneration service. In this case, the
cooling period will equal the total regen-
eration time less the time for heating. If the
regeneration time is 8 hours, and 5 hours
are required for heating, then the cooling
period will equal 8 - 5 = 3 hours.
Suppose 3 hours is not long enough.
When the tower switches to adsorbing, it
is hot, and the process fluid is off-spec and
also has a high temperature. This condi-
tion may be tolerable if there are two paral-
lel towers in adsorption service. Half the
product is warm and off-spec, but the total
mixture from the two towers may be within
acceptable temperature and specification
limits.
If the outlet process gas does not meet
specifications after tower switching, the
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
cooling time will have to be increased, or
the flow of cooling gas will have to be raised.
Lengthening the cooling time will shorten
the heating time. If the heating time cannot
be shortened, flow of cooling gas must be
increased. This requires another flow con-
troller and selector valve in the regenera-
tion flow control system.
The dual flow control system is seldom
installed in adsorption plants. However, it
is a relatively inexpensive way of indepen-
dently controlling heating and cooling. If
more heating time is required, cooling can
be accomplished in less time by increas-
ing the flow rate.
The question at this point is: how do
we know when we have the proper cooling
time and/or flow rate? The answer is: when
the outlet process fluid meets quality and
temperature limits right after a tower
switches from cooling to adsorbing.
E. Source of Regeneration Gas
The source of regeneration gas may be:
1. Process outlet gas.
2. Gas from an adjoining process facility
such as residue gas from a cryogenic
plant.
In mole sieve plants, 99 - 100% of
water vapor is removed from the gas, and
regeneration efficiency must be 99 - 100%.
This requires pure gas for regeneration, so
process outlet gas or pure gas from an
outside source must be used.
When process outlet gas is the source
 SOURCE OF REGENERATION GAS
of regeneration gas, the gas leaving the
Regeneration Separator must either be dis-
posed of, or a compressor must be installed
to boost the pressure to that of the pro-
cess inlet. The pressure drop in the regen-
eration system is approximately 170 kPa
[25 psi]. A blower will provide this magni-
tude of pressure rise when regeneration
gas from the Regeneration Separator flows
to the inlet gas stream. The adsorber tow-
ers must contain enough adsorbent to
handle the process fluid plus the flow of
regeneration gas, which is usually 5 - 10%
of the process inlet stream.
F. Flow Direction of Regeneration Gas
In most mole sieve plants, the main
inlet gas flows downward; it enters the top
of an adsorber and exits at the bottom. If
process fluid flow is upward, the adsorbent
might fluidize and carry out the top of the
tower with the process outlet gas.
The volume of regeneration gas is
usually a fraction of the process inlet gas
so that it is highly unlikely that the adsor-
bent will fluidize from regeneration gas
flowing upward through it, unless there is
surge in the regeneration gas flow rate.
Thus, regeneration gas can flow upward
Problem 6
During the heating phase of regeneration:
a. ______ % of the heat in regeneration gas is used to heat steel.
b. ______ % of the heat is used to heat mol sieve.
c. ______ % of the heat is used to boil water.
37
or downward.
When a tower is regenerated, it is
heated to boil out the adsorbed material
and then cooled. If regeneration gas en-
ters at the bottom of the tower and flows
upward, the adsorbent at the bottom of the
tower will be the hottest, and more
adsorbed material will boil out than from
the adsorbent at the top of tower. During
cooling, the adsorbent at the end of the
tower that cooling gas enters will be cooled
to a lower temperature than the adsorbent
at the other end.
If the adsorption plant must remove
close to 100% of an impurity or impurities,
we want the process fluid to contact the
purest adsorbent in the tower just before it
exits. Since the process fluid flows down-
ward, the purest adsorbent should be a the
bottom of the tower so that it can remove
any components that remain in the process
fluid before it exits. Regeneration gas flow
is upward in such plants.
In most plants, flow of regeneration
gas during heating and cooling is upward.
However, some plants have upward flow
of heating gas, and downward flow of cool-
ing gas.
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
38 REGENERATION GAS FLOW CONTROL

Regeneration gas flow in plants hav- ever, it requires an additional discharge

ing a regeneration gas compressor is regu-
lated with a flow controller on the compres-
sor discharge line as shown in the flow
sheet on page 16.
Another method of flow control is that
shown below. Gas is withdrawn from the
cryogenic plant outlet gas stream. A but-
terfly valve in the outlet line is pinched off
enough to force regeneration gas to flow
through the plant. This eliminates the need
for a regeneration gas compressor. How-
pressure of 175 - 200 kPa [25 - 30 psi] for
the entire outlet gas stream.
Regeneration gas flow rate is 7.5 to
10% of main gas flow in a 2-tower plant;
and 5 to 7.5% in a 3-tower plant. The rea-
son for the difference is that the weight of
adsorbent per tower in a 3-tower plant is
less than that in a 2-tower plant when each
remove the same weight of water from a
process fluid.

OUTLET GAS
TO SALES
INLET GAS

C O
O C

REGENERATION
GAS COOLER
REGENERATION
GAS SEPARATOR
3-way valve moves to VENT
position during tower switch. Liquid
to
FLOW Disposal
CONTR

F.O.
VENT

REGENERATION GAS

TOWER 1 TOWER 2
O REGEN DRYING
CRYOGENIC C
PLANT OUTLET GAS
C O
REGENERATION
GAS HEATER
FC OUTLET
Temp
Fuel Contr
Gas

MOLE SIEVE DEHYDRATOR

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 REGENERATION GAS CHANNELING
H. Regeneration Gas Channeling
When channeling occurs, the regen-
eration gas flows through only a portion of
the adsorbent. Since it is not contacting all
of the adsorbent, it will not give up as much
heat as normal, and the regeneration gas
outlet temperature will reach its peak be-
fore its normal time. The effect of channel-
ing is that the bed will be only partially re-
generated. When it switches to adsorbing
service, it will not remove as much mate-
rial from the process fluid, so the outlet
process fluid will not meet specification,
probably throughout all or most of the
adsorbing cycle.
If heavy hydrocarbons enter the plant,
such as lube oil from a gas compressor, or
glycol enters from upstream treaters, coke
may form during the heating phase which
will cement large lumps of adsorbent to-
gether. As gas flows through the bed on
regeneration, it by-passes the lumps, so it
does not regenerate the adsorbent in them.
During adsorbing, the flow is greater, and
more gas will pass into and through the
lumps. Gas that was dried in the upper
section of the bed can actually pick up
water and become wet in passing through
such lumps in the bottom of the bed that
were not properly regenerated.
Salt brine can do the same thing to a
bed. Systems that process fluids coming from
areas where there is salt water are subject
to carryover of the brine. During regenera-
tion, the water in the brine boils out, but the
39
salt remains, and can cement an entire bed
into one huge lump. These lumps eventually
break down and provide big cracks, or chan-
nels, for the gas to flow through, by-passing
virtually all the adsorbent.
Another cause of channeling is that of
plugging parts of the adsorbent bed with
adsorbent dust or fines. Some fines are
continuously produced as the adsorbent
expands and contracts during its normal
heating and cooling cycle. Additional break-
age may occur as a result of a sudden pres-
sure change, or from a sudden surge of
upflowing gas, or from a slug of liquid en-
tering with the inlet gas stream. The fine
particles can accumulate in the spaces
between adsorbent particles, or they may
build up on the support screen and outlet
nozzle at the bottom of the tower. Regen-
eration gas will by-pass the plugged por-
tion of the bed.
The effect of a bed caking or becoming
plugged with fines is to isolate those portions
of the bed from the flow of regeneration gas.
Since those portions are not being heated,
the regeneration gas temperature out of a
tower during the heating phase will reach its
maximum before its normal time period. This
shows up on the regeneration outlet gas tem-
perature recorder.
One way of partially compensating for
gas channeling during regeneration is to
increase the flow of regeneration gas. This
may reduce the degree of channeling, and
increase the volume of adsorbent that is
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
40 OPERATION
regenerated. However, it will obviously not
eliminate the cause of channeling. The per-
manent solution is to dump the adsorbent
Problem 7
Channeling is indicated by __________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
V. OPERATION
A. Start-Up After Adsorbent
Replacement
After towers are filled with new adsor-
bent, the entire system will be full of air,
including the pores of the adsorbent, all of
which should be removed. The individual
piping arrangements of each plant make
the exact air removal procedure difficult to
specify. Usually, there will be several vents
or pressure relief valves on the various
vessels in the adsorption plant. The plant
should be pressurized to 300 - 400 kPa [45
- 60 psi] by slowly introducing feed gas.
Then the various vent valves should be
opened in a sequence starting at the plant
inlet. It will be necessary to keep introduc-
ing more feed gas to maintain the pressure
as the various vessels are vented.
When most of the air has been re-
moved, the system pressure can be al-
lowed to build to the operating level at a
rate of about 350 kPa [50 psi] per minute.
Then, the inlet line can be opened com-
pletely. At this point there will still be con-
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
and remove the caked or plugged material
and replace it with new adsorbent.
siderable air in the pores of the adsorbent.
This can be removed by putting each bed
through a gentle regeneration. The normal
regeneration system is used, but the heater
temperature controller is set to hold the
outlet gas temperature at about 100°C
[212°F]. This is hot enough to force most of
the air out of the adsorbent, without pro-
moting the deposit of coke resulting from
hydrocarbon-oxygen reactions in the pores.
During this reactivation, the regeneration
gas should be sent to the flare. This should
be followed by a regeneration at normal
temperature.
The exception to this type of bed de-
aeration is if the feed gas or regeneration
gas contains H2S. In that case it will be
necessary to find an alternate source of
sweet gas, or purchase an inert gas to
purge the system and provide the initial
regeneration flow. This is because H2S will
react with oxygen on the surface of most
adsorbents. The reaction produces elemen-
tal sulfur which will partially plug the pores,
 START-UP
thus reducing the adsorbent’s capacity
right from the beginning.
As soon as one bed has been regen-
erated it can be switched to adsorbing ser-
vice. If the plant has 2 or more parallel
adsorbers, it will be possible to run at re-
duced flow as soon as one bed is ready.
When successive towers are regenerated,
inlet flow is increased.
Many of these steps in start-up will
require alteration to the normal sequenc-
ing for valve switches. The way this will be
accomplished is dependent on the type of
control system in the plant, and whether
the valves are manual or are automatically
controlled through electric or pneumatic
drives. There are too many possible sys-
tems to attempt a complete description in
this manual. It is quite obvious, with all the
necessary sequencing and temperature
modifications involved, that an instrument
man will be involved in any start-up.
If the plant is equipped with automatic
valves, each one should be closely
watched during the first few cycles. Start-
up seems to be the time when all the as-
sorted junk that has been in the pipe sys-
tem for years decides to settle in the valves.
The result can be valves that do not seat
properly, and, if allowed to progress
through several cycles the result can be
permanently damaged seats.
Some adsorbent manufacturers have
special precautions for the first few cycles
41
of a fresh bed. If these apply, they should
be incorporated in the start-up procedure.
During the first few weeks, the pres-
sure drop across the outlet line filter should
be watched closely. It will probably show a
much higher than normal increase, as bits
of adsorbent and dust created during the
loading come through the line. It may be
necessary to change the filter elements two
or three times during the first few days.
Then if the pressure continues to build rap-
idly it may be a sign of failure in the bed
support system.
Another pressure drop measurement
which should be made shortly after start-
up is that across each adsorber tower. An
increase in the pressure drop is one of the
most positive means of identifying plugging
or caking of adsorbent. However, in order
to know if an increase has occurred, pres-
sure drop measurement with new adsor-
bent is necessary as a basis for compari-
son for future pressure drop readings.
B. Routine Operation
One of the virtues of solid bed sys-
tems is their ability to operate unattended
for long periods. This tells you something
about the need for routine operating
checks. However, their reputation notwith-
standing, all plants are subject to the
variations in supply rate, temperature,
etc. The solid bed plants also have a large
number of valves that operate several
time each day.
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
42 ROUTINE OPERATION
1. Visual Inspection
Following are some of the visual
checks to make:
1. After each tower switch, check positions
of switching valves to see that each
moved fully to its proper position. Valve
stem indicators show the position of the
valve. Failure of a valve to move to its
full open or full closed position should
be corrected by stroking the valve a few
times. If this does not correct the con-
dition, the valve should be repaired or
replaced.
2. Check the heater fuel system for proper
pressures and reset regulators if nec-
essary. If a scrubber is installed in the
fuel system, check the level in it to see
that liquid is dumping.
3. Check the flame pattern in the heater
and adjust the burner air setting if nec-
essary.
4. Check levels in the inlet scrubber and
regeneration gas separator to see that
liquid is dumping. Clean sight glasses
if they are dirty.
2. Gathering and Interpreting
Process Data
Collecting process data — tempera-
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
tures, pressures, flows, etc. — is of little
value unless that data is interpreted as it
is observed. The main thing that the opera-
tor looks for is a change from the previous
reading.
This is not as simple as it sounds, be-
cause each tower in the plant operates
slightly differently from the others. Thus,
operating conditions on a tower must be
compared with the conditions on that same
tower during the same time in the previous
cycle in the same service.
Furthermore, if a problem develops
during regeneration, the effects of that prob-
lem will not show up until that tower
switches to adsorption service. Thus, de-
termining the cause for a change in pro-
cess data may require an examination of
data prior to the last tower switch. This
points out the importance of process re-
corders, and of properly maintaining them.
When a change in process data is ob-
served, the cause should be determined
and corrected before the condition wors-
ens. Refer to Chapter VII for troubleshoot-
ing the causes of operating problems.
 SUMMARY OF CAUSES OF PROCESS CHANGES
Following is a list of process conditions
which should be routinely observed and the
SUMMARY OF CAUSES OF PROCESS CHANGES
PROCESS CONDITION
Regeneration Gas Flow Rate.
Temperature of Regeneration Gas
out of Heater.
Temperature of Regeneration Gas
out of Tower (heating or cooling).
Temperature of Regeneration Gas
out of Cooler.
Pressure drop through plant.
(Process fluid inlet pressure minus
outlet pressure.)
Pressure drop across filter.
43
most common causes for changes in the
conditions.
CAUSE OF CHANGE IN
PROCESS CONDITION
1. Faulty flow control system.
2. Failure of switching valves.
1. Change in heater fuel gas pressure.
2. Improper air setting in burners in
heater.
3. Change in regeneration gas flow.
1. Change in temperature of gas entering
tower. See above.
2. Change in regeneration gas flow rate.
3. Gas is channeling in adsorbent. Adsor-
bent has broken, shifted, or solidified
from coke or salt.
4. Pressure drop is up.
1. Change in flow of regeneration gas.
2. Leak in cooler.
3. Cooler is plugged with adsorbent dust.
4. Change in flow of cooling fluid (air or
water).
5. Cooler is fouled on cooling fluid side.
Increase may be due to:
1. Adsorbent breakage.
2. Adsorbent has caked from salt or coke.
3. Switching valves plugged or partially
closed.
Decrease may be due to:
1. Bed support failure.
2. Low inlet gas rate.
Sudden increase indicates adsorbent
breakage which may be due to:
1. Failure of bed support.
2. Slug of liquid entered plant.
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
44 SHUT DOWN
PROCESS CONDITION
Level in inlet gas and regeneration gas
separators.
Fuel gas pressure to heater.
Fuel gas flow rate to heater.
Time of tower switch.
Time of regeneration switch from
from heating to cooling.
Quality of outlet process fluid.
(Dew point, moisture content, etc.)
C. Shut Down
With the possible exception of the re-
generation gas heater, there is nothing in
an adsorption plant that can be harmed by
sudden shut down. To make an emergency
shut down simply block in the process inlet
fluid. If the regeneration heater is running
at the time of shutdown, its burner should
be shut down, or reduced to maintain a
molten bed if it is a salt bath type. In some
units, the sudden shutdown of a heater can
cause damage to the refractory, so flow of
regeneration gas should be maintained
until a safe temperature is reached.
If an adsorption plant is to shutdown
for a relatively short period, like a week or
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
CAUSE OF CHANGE IN
PROCESS CONDITION
1. Failure of level control system.
2. High level may be due to plugged or
stuck level control valve.
1. Faulty pressure controllers.
2. Faulty temperature control system on
heaters.
1. Faulty heater temp control system.
2. Change in regeneration gas flow rate.
3. Change in temperature of gas out of
heater.
1. Switching timer failure.
2. Switching cams on timer have moved.
1. Switching cams on timer have moved.
1. Loss of capacity.
2. Loss of efficiency. See Chapter VII.
two, it will be possible to start up again at
the same point in the cycle. During the down
time the adsorbers should be isolated, by
closing both inlet and outlet valves. This will
prevent moisture or other adsorbed mate-
rial from migrating from a partially loaded
bed to other beds in the system.
If the shut down is to be for a longer
time, it should come just as the towers are
ready to switch. This way the tower that was
regenerated will be fresh for the first cycle
of the next start up. If possible, the loaded
bed should be regenerated right after the
shutdown. Otherwise it should be isolated
during the down period to prevent migra-
tion of its adsorbed load to other towers.
 SHUT DOWN
When an adsorption plant is shut
down to dump the adsorbent, each of the
beds should be regenerated just prior to
shut down. This is true whether the old
adsorbent is to be discarded, or removed
for screening, or for maintenance on the
internals of the vessel. It may seem strange
to regenerate a bed and then expose it to
the atmosphere or throw it away. There are
however, several good reasons for this
practice:
1. Adsorbents are physically weaker when
they are full of water. If a bed of adsor-
bent is dumped, and then put back in
the towers, it will suffer less breakage
if it does not contain moisture.
2. Adsorbents will hold some heavy hy-
drocarbon in their pores. When a bed
is dumped without regeneration, there
will be a considerable amount of hydro-
carbons which will diffuse from the par-
ticles over a fairly long period of time.
During this period, the adsorbent is a
fire hazard. By regenerating prior to
dumping, the heavier hydrocarbons are
removed and the adsorbent will hold
only light gases, such as methane and
ethane. These leave the particles very
rapidly when the pressure is released,
so the danger of fire or explosion is
greatly reduced.
3. In systems that use adsorbents for sul-
fur removal, there is a similar problem
with H2S. Depending on the condition
45
of the adsorbent, some of the highly
toxic H2S may leave the particles very
slowly, making the area around the
dumped adsorbent extremely danger-
ous, or, the H2S will react with oxygen
in the air and deposit elemental sulfur
on the adsorbent. This will ruin the ma-
terial for any future use. If there is a lot
of H2S, there will be considerable heat
generated by the reaction, and this in
itself can create a dangerous situation.
4. Even after the regeneration, the adsor-
bent from a sweetener should be
handled with extreme care. There is
usually a considerable amount of iron
sulfide scale and dust in such a bed. It
originated in the lines and accumulated
in the adsorbers, which act as a filter.
This material can spontaneously ignite
when exposed to air. It not only creates
a fire hazard, but the fumes generated
are toxic. If this type situation develops,
the dumped adsorbent must be soaked
with water to reduce the danger. This
will probably mean that adsorbent from
such a system cannot be returned to
service, even if it was not dumped be-
cause it has lost its capacity.
When an adsorber must be opened,
the unit will be depressured from line pres-
sure to atmospheric pressure. This should
be done in a controlled manner, so that the
reduction is not too fast. A rate of about
350 kPa [50 psi] per minute is usually a
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
46 BREAKPOINT TEST PROCEDURE

safe depressureing rate. If an adsorbent the adsorbed load can flash inside the ad-
that is loaded with hydrocarbons is sorbent particles and actually cause them
depressured too rapidly, the light ends in to break.

Problem 8
a. The adsorbers in a dehydration plant operate at 4200 kPa and 30°C [600 psi and
86°F]. The plant must be shut down for the replacement of the adsorbent. What is the
minimum time that should be allowed for depressuring? __________ min.
b. Why should the adsorbent in a gas dehydration plant be regenerated before it is dumped?
___________________________________________________________________

D. Breakpoint Test Procedure
Breakpoint tests should be run on
each tower periodically, and the adsorbing
cycle time changed as indicated by the
breakpoint test. The purpose of the
breakpoint test is to determine how long a
tower can remain in adsorbing service and
still produce treated fluid that meets qual-
ity specifications. Breakpoint tests must be
run on each tower in the plant. Although
each tower contains the same weight of ad-
sorbent and is made identically, there will
usually be some difference in the
breakpoint time from one tower to another.
Furthermore, a breakpoint test run during
the night when the gas temperature and
moisture content is lower, should give a
longer adsorbing time than a test run dur-
ing the day, when the gas temperature and
moisture content are higher. It is best to
run breakpoint tests on each tower during
the same time of the day, preferably during
the hottest part of the day when the mois-
ture content of the gas is at its peak.
In order to run a breakpoint test, you
must be able to continuously monitor the
moisture content of the outlet gas, and have
the means for manually controlling the
switching cycle.
The procedure to run a breakpoint test
is to allow the plant to go through its nor-
mal cycle until the heating phase is com-
pleted. After the cooling phase commences,
lock out the tower switching mechanism so
that the towers remain in adsorbing and
cooling service until you manually trip a
switch. Suppose your plant has two towers
on an 8 hour cycle. The heating phase of
regeneration is five hours, and the cooling
phase is 3 hours. After 5 hours the heating
phase has completed, and the regenerat-
ing tower has switched to cooling. The cycle
switching mechanism is taken out of ser-
vice so that the tower adsorbing will remain

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 BREAKPOINT TEST PROCEDURE 47

in that service until you manually trip the
switching cycle. The tower cooling will ob-
viously remain in that service also.
After the normal 8 hour adsorbing time
has elapsed, you watch the moisture indica-
tor on the outlet gas stream until it starts to
rise. At that time, you put the switching de-
vice back in service so that the towers switch
in their normal procedure. You note the time
the test started, and the time that the
breakpoint occurred. Suppose that this time
period was 10 !/2 hours. At this point it ap-
pears that you can increase the adsorbing
time from 8 to 10 !/2 hours. However, you must
test the other tower to see if its breakpoint
time is also at least 10 !/2 hours.
The breakpoint test on the other tower
or towers is run when they begin adsorbing
at about the same time of the day as that
of the first tower. When all towers have been
tested, the adsorbing time cycle should be
changed so that it is about 0.5 hour less
than the lowest breakpoint time of all
towers. If one tower in a 2-tower plant
tests 9.5 hours, and the other 10 hours,
the 9.5 hour tower will be the control-
ling one. The adsorbing cycle should be
set for 9.5 - 0.5 = 9.0 hours.

REGEN PROCESS
GAS INLET FLUID LINE SHADING LEGEND
OUTLET PROCESS FLUID
REGENERATION GAS

Note time tower

1 switch occurred.
REGENERATION
GAS COOLER REGEN
REGENERATION GAS Determine breakpoint time.
TEMP 4 Subtract time at step 1
GAS SEPARATOR
RECORDER from time at step 3.
LIQUID TO Repeat procedure for the
DISPOSAL 5 other tower.
When tower regenerating begins
2 cooling phase, deactivate tower
switching mechanism. TOWER 1
REGENERATING
TOWER 2
TEMP ADSORBING
CONTR
Continuously monitor moisture
3 content of treated gas. When it
starts to rise, activate tower
FUEL switching mechanism. Note time.
GAS
REGENERATION TEMP PROCESS
GAS HEATER RECORDER OUTLET FLUID
REGENERATION
GAS FROM
OUTSIDE SOURCE

BREAKPOINT TEST PROCEDURE

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

48 VI. CONTROL OF ADSORPTION PLANT
Ideal control of an adsorption plant is
that which results in producing an outlet
process fluid of specified quality at the low-
est operating cost.
The main operating expenses of an
adsorption plant are:
1. The cost of periodically replacing ad-
sorbent in the towers.
2. Fuel to the regeneration gas heater.
The life of adsorbent will depend on
the number of cycles that it goes through.
Each time it is heated and cooled, it loses
some of its capacity. Consequently, the
longest life is obtained by minimizing the
frequency of regeneration. This is accom-
plished by operating with the maximum
adsorption time period, which will reduce
the number of regeneration periods.
The capacity of new adsorbent is usu-
ally about twice that of material that has
been in service for a year or more. Refer to
the capacity curves in Manual P-6. Thus,
the adsorption time period for new adsor-
bent can be twice as long as that for used
material.
The adsorption time cycle is deter-
mined from breakpoint tests. The frequency
of testing new adsorbent is as follows:
1. Test at 25 cycle intervals for the first 100
cycles.
2. Test at 50 cycle intervals for the next
300 cycles (100 - 400 cycles).
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
3. Test at 100 cycle intervals for the next
600 cycles (400 - 1000 cycles).
4. Test at 250 cycle intervals thereafter.
The procedure for setting the
adsorbing time cycle after replacing adsor-
bent is as follows:
1. Run a breakpoint test on each tower
after a few cycles, and set the adsorbing
cycle time 45 minutes less than the
tower with the shortest breakpoint time.
We previously said that the adsorbing
time cycle should be 30 minutes less
than the lowest breakpoint time. How-
ever, during the first 250 generations,
the capacity of adsorbent drops rapidly.
The drop in capacity of new adsorbent
is equivalent to 1 - 2 minutes of
adsorbing time for each regeneration.
After 20 regenerations, the breakpoint
time will be 20 - 40 minutes less than
that of new adsorbent.
2. Run breakpoint tests at the frequency
shown above. Set the adsorbing time
cycle 45 minutes less than the lowest
breakpoint time during the first 250 re-
generations. Thereafter, set the
adsorbing time 30 minutes less.
As the adsorbent capacity declines
with age, less material is adsorbed, so less
regeneration heat is required. Conse-
quently, when the adsorbing time is low-
ered the heating time should be lowered.
 CONTROL OF ADSORPTION PLANT 49

The effect of lowering the adsorbing
time cycle will be that the bed will contain
less moisture or other adsorbed material
at the conclusion of the adsorbing cycle.
Since the bed has less adsorbed material
on it, less heat will be required during the
heating phase of regeneration. You recall
we previously said that of the total regen-
eration heat, about !/3rd is used to boil out
adsorbed material, and the other @/3rds is
used to heat the steel and adsorbent. Thus,
the heat reduction for regenerating a bed
that contains less adsorbed material is only
that heat required to boil out the material.
The net reduction in the heating time pe-
riod will be !/3rd of the percent reduction in
the adsorbing time period.

Example

Adsorbent has been in service 500 cycles on a 12 hour adsorbing cycle. Regenera-
tion includes 7 hours of heating and 5 hours of cooling. Breakpoint tests after 600 cycles
indicate the adsorbing time should be lowered 1 hour to 11 hours. Determine the heating
time period at the lower adsorbing cycle time.

Present adsorbing time 12 hours

Change in adsorbing time 1 hour

1’
% change in adsorbing tine 12 x 100 = -8.25%

Present heating time 7 hours

Present heating time to boil off water 7 x !/3 = 2 !/3 hrs or 2 !/3 x 60 = 140 min

Present heating time 7 hours

8.25
Reduction in heating time 140 x 100 = 11.55 min, call it 12 min

New heating time (7 hrs) - (12 min) = 6 hrs 48 min

The above calculation is confirmed by reducing the heating time in 5 minute steps
until treated gas quality fails to meet specification. Then add 10 minutes for safety.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

50 CONTROL OF ADSORPTION PLANT

Most plants do not optimize their lowest breakpoint time.

adsorbing time period. They have operated
on a fixed adsorbing time period since start-
up. Significant regeneration fuel savings are
often possible in such plants, particularly if
the process inlet gas flow rate is down.
The procedure to maximize the
adsorbing time is to run breakpoint tests
on each tower; and set the adsorbing time
!/2 hours less than the tower that had the
When the adsorbing time period is in-
creased after breakpoint tests are run, the
towers will contain more adsorbed mate-
rial when they switch to regeneration. More
regeneration heat will be required to boil
out the additional adsorbed material. The
regeneration hating phase should be in-
creased !/3 of the % increase in adsorp-
tion time.

Example
A 2-tower plant is on an 8-hour switching cycle. Regeneration consists of 5 hours heating
and 3 hours cooling. Breakpoint tests indicated the adsorbing cycle can be increased to 12
hours. Determine the additional heating time required at the longer adsorbing cycle.
New adsorbing time cycle 12 hours
Previous adsorbing cycle 8 hours
Difference 4 hours
4
% Difference 8 x 100 = 50%
% increase in heating time 50 = 16.7%
(!/3rd % increase in adsorbing time) 3
Present heating time period 5 hours
16.7
Increase in heating time at 12 hr cycle 5 x 100 = 0.84 hrs or 50 min

Length of heating phase on 12 hr cycle 5 hrs + 50 min Call it 6 hrs

Length of cooling phase on 12 hr cycle 12 - 6 = 6 hrs

Problem 9
A 3-tower plant operates with 2 towers adsorbing for 10 hours each, and one tower
regenerating in 5 hours. Regeneration includes 3 hours of heating and 2 hours of cooling.
Breakpoint tests are: Tower 1 = 13 hrs Tower 2 = 13.5 hrs Tower 3 = 12.5 hrs
(a) Adsorbing time should be _____ hrs, (b) Heating time should ______ hrs, (c)
Cooling time cycle should be ______ hrs.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 CONTROL OF ADSORPTION PLANT 51

The adsorbing cycle time should be flow rate is higher.

changed when there is a significant change
in the weight of adsorbed material enter-
ing the plant. An increase in gas flow rate
will obviously result in an increase in the
weight of moisture or other components to
be removed. However, a reduction in gas
temperature will reduce the weight of mois-
ture in the gas at the same flow rate.
An inlet gas temperature drop of a few
degrees in the winter months may result in
a reduction in moisture content of as much
as 25 - 50%. The adsorbing time cycle
should be increased by the percentage
reduction in the moisture content of inlet
gas. Refer to pages 23 and 24 of Manual
P-6, for the moisture content of gas at vari-
ous temperatures.
In many plants, the gas flow rate in-
creases during the winter months. How-
ever, the gas is usually at a lower tem-
perature, and the weight of moisture en-
tering the plant is lower, even though the
When the adsorption time is changed
because of a change in gas flow rate or
moisture content, no change in the heat-
ing phase of regeneration is necessary
because the weight of adsorbed material
in each tower remains the same. For ex-
ample, if the gas temperature is reduced
so that the gas contains 25% less water,
the adsorbing time can be increased 25%
and still remove the same weight of water
as it did before the gas temperature was
reduced. The heating phase of regenera-
tion will remain the same because the
weight of water to boil off remains the same.
The other phase of ideal control is that
of minimizing heater fuel during each re-
generation cycle. A detailed procedure for
minimizing fuel was covered on pages 33
and 34. Following the procedure will result
in minimum heater fuel to boil off a fixed
weight of water or other adsorbed material
from the bed.

Problem 10
a. The adsorbent in a 2-tower plant is replaced after 3 years. Tower switching time prior to
replacement was 8 hours. After plant start-up with new adsorbent:
1. The adsorbing time period should increase / decrease / remain the same.
2. The heating time period should increase / decrease / remain the same.
3. The cooling time period should increase / decrease / remain the same.
b. The main operating expense of an adsorption plant is ________________________..

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

52 VII. TROUBLESHOOTING
A problem occurs in an adsorption
plant when it does not produce a process
fluid that meets quality specification. Most
mole sieve plants are in dehydration ser-
vice to remove moisture from gas to a cer-
tain dew point or moisture content. The
plant is not performing its job when the
outlet gas dew point or moisture content is
more than the specified point.
The most obvious cause of off-spec
process fluid is a problem in an adsorber
tower. However, there are a number of
mechanical failures and other process
problems that will cause off-spec product.
These must be checked before the
adsorber towers are examined. They in-
clude the following:
1. The most obvious thing, and most fre-
quently overlooked, is to be sure the
quality of outlet process fluid is off-spec,
and not a failure of the quality measur-
ing device.
2. Tower switching valves do not fully open
or close. Most valves have position in-
dicators which show if the valve is fully
open or closed. Failure to close may be
caused by an accumulation of dirt or
adsorbent in the valve. This can often
be blown out by stroking the valve a few
times.
3. Cycle controller is not functioning
properly. The controller is often a clock
with cams attached to the face that
trip a switch when the time reaches
the cam. Be sure the cams have not
come lose or moved to a different po-
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
sition on the face.
4. The heater is not performing as it
should. Gas temperature out of the unit
may be below normal because fuel
pressure is low, or the burners may be
plugged. Flameouts are usually infre-
quent, but possible. Check the air ad-
justment on the burners to see that they
are firing with the proper fuel-air mix-
ture.
5. The regeneration gas cooler is not func-
tioning properly. Temperature of gas out
of the cooler is above normal. The prob-
lem will depend on the type of cooler. If
it is an aerial type, fan failure or plug-
ging of the fins on the outside of the
tubes should be checked. If water flows
through the cooler, check its flow rate
and temperature.
Regeneration gas flowing through the
cooler usually comes directly out of an
adsorber tower, so it will contain some
adsorbent dust. This will accumulate in
the cooler over a period of time. An up-
set in the switching system may result
in a slug of dust entering the cooler and
plugging it.
6. Flow of regeneration gas has changed.
It may be higher or lower than normal.
Check the flow controller and the entire
system for partially open switching
valves.
7. The regenerating gas separator is not
draining liquid properly. This results in
liquid carry-over in the regeneration gas
stream. If this stream flows to an
 TROUBLESHOOTING 53

adsorber tower, it will overload it. Most normal adsorption period. The product from
of the liquid that enters the separator the plant meets specification during the first
will flow about @/3rds of the way through few hours of adsorbing, and then it goes
the heating phase. This is the time the off specification during the latter part.
separator dump system must be Sometimes the product from an
checked. If the level controller is set for adsorber will be off specification from the
a low dumping rate, the liquid level may beginning of an adsorption period. The
appear normal most of the time, when amount of contaminant removed from the
there is little or no flow of liquid to the stream is less than required. It may hap-
separator. During the short period that pen when only one particular tower is on
liquid enters at a high rate, the level will stream, or it may happen with all towers.
rise because of the restricted dumping This type of problem is the result of a loss
rate. This is when the separator must of efficiency.
be observed to see the high level, and An adsorption bed will slowly lose ca-
take corrective measures. pacity as it ages. The time when the ca-
8. Visually check for leaks or insulation fail- pacity is too low for satisfactory operation
ures, particularly on adsorber towers. is usually several years after the bed is put
After you have eliminated the above in service. There are situations when this
items as the cause for producing off-spec time may be as short as a year, but those
product, you are ready to look at the special plants are aware of the rapid aging
adsorbers to find the cause. problem, and anticipate it. As a bed of ad-
A loss of capacity is indicated when sorbent ages it does not usually lose effi-
the breakpoint occurs before the end of the ciency. Its efficiency should remain about

15 END OF NORMAL Bed with high efficiency

ADSORPTION CYCLE and capacity. Treated gas
Bed with low efficiency and high capacity. moisture content is below
Treated gas moisture content is above specified limit for the
entire adsorbing cycle; and
OF TREATED GAS, PPM

specified limit for the entire adsorption

MOISTURE CONTENT

cycle. Breakpoint occurs after normal the breakpoint is one hour

10 longer than the normal
adsorption period.
adsorbing cycle time.

Bed with high efficiency and low

5 capacity. Treated gas moisture
content is below specified limit, but
TREATED GAS SPECIFICATION the breakpoint occurs before the
end of the normal adsorption cycle.

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
ADSORPTION TIME, HOURS

OPERATING CURVES SHOWING EFFECT OF EFFICIENCY & CAPACITY

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

54 LOSS OF CAPACITY
the same during its entire life.
So, if the capacity of a plant, or one
tower seems to fall suddenly, or if the effi-
ciency falls off, some troubleshooting is
needed.
A. Loss of Capacity
Loss of capacity is indicated by the
breakpoint occurring before its normal time.
When an adsorbent bed loses capacity it
may be a real loss, resulting from contami-
nation or damage to the adsorbent; or, it
may be a temporary situation which results
in an apparent capacity loss. The latter is
the most common, and fortunately is the
easiest problem to cure. Remember:
adsorbents slowly lose capacity with age.
In our discussion, we are talking about a
loss of capacity before the normal loss due
to age.
1. Overloading the Bed
If it appears that a plant has lost ca-
pacity rapidly, particularly if the loss occurs
suddenly, it may be the result of increased
loading. Make sure the inlet gas composi-
tion, or flow rate, have not increased. A rise
in inlet temperature of a few degrees can
result in a large increase in water content
of gas. Also, if the system pressure has
been reduced, there will be an increase in
the water load. Changes in temperature or
pressure do not affect the H2S or CO2 con-
tent. So, if the plant is removing acid com-
ponents, the inlet gas composition should
be checked by analysis. Sometimes, the
level of H2S or CO2 changes with the com-
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
bination of wells that are being produced,
even when all are in the same field.
There is usually competition for the
adsorption space in the adsorbent, so that
a change in capacity can occur if there is a
change in concentration of some mate-
rial other than that which is being removed.
Methanol that is injected to prevent hydrate
formation in gathering systems will com-
pete with water in most desiccants. So, if
the dehydrator starts to lose capacity as
the weather gets cold, it is a good idea to
check the methanol content of the feed. The
same thing can happen if the CO2 content
increases in a system designed for H2S
removal. In either of these cases the effec-
tive useful capacity of the adsorbent has
been reduced, but only as long as the com-
peting material is present in greater than
design concentration. As soon as the com-
position goes back to normal the bed ca-
pacity should also return to normal.
In order to correct an overload situa-
tion, flow of process inlet fluid must be re-
duced, or the adsorbing cycle time must
be lowered. When the adsorbing time pe-
riod is reduced, the regeneration time is
also reduced. Reducing the regeneration
time period will probably require raising the
flow of regeneration gas so that it will heat
and cool the bed in a shorter period of time.
2. Two Phase Flow
Adsorbers are almost always designed
to operate in either gas or liquid systems. It
is difficult to design a system which can
handle mixed flow. This can be a good clue
 LOSS OF CAPACITY
if the capacity in a gas treater seems to
decline in cold weather. Check the feed
composition and the hydrocarbon dew
point. If the feed enters the adsorber at a
temperature below the hydrocarbon dew
point, there will be liquid, as well as gas,
contacting the adsorbent. When this hap-
pens the particles are coated with a layer
of the liquid, and act as if they are in a liq-
uid system.
One of the big differences between a
gas and liquid system is the rate at which
material is adsorbed. It is much slower in a
liquid system. If the adsorption rate slows
down, the length of the mass transfer zone
increases. Sometimes this increase can be
as much as two or three meters [6 - 10 ft].
Such a situation can easily put most of the
bed in the mass transfer zone and leave
no adsorbent to remove impurities from the
process fluid. The overall useful capacity
of the adsorbent is reduced, which results
in very short breakthrough times. This, of
course, makes it appear as if there is a loss
in real capacity.
If there is a lot of liquid in the inlet gas,
it can overload the inlet separator and en-
ter the beds. Some plants are built with low
spots in the feed manifold. If there is a small
amount of condensation it will accumulate
in these low spots. Then, when a tower
change occurs, it will be swept into the bed.
When this is a problem, it is necessary to
drain the low spots just prior to each tower
change. Or, Condensation may occur in
piping between the separator and the beds.
55
In extreme cases it may be necessary to
insulate and heat trace the main feed line
to prevent hydrocarbons from condensing
during cold weather.
3. Inadequate Regeneration
Most gas dehydrators operate with an
effective capacity of 6 - 12 %. An increase in
the residual content of the bed after regen-
eration lowers the capacity of the beds. Nor-
mal regeneration is not perfect, so there will
usually be some residual left on the bed. It is
anticipated in the design of the system, and
the useful capacity is based on adsorption
over and above the residual. If for some rea-
son, the residual increases, it reduces the
useful capacity of the adsorbent.
The regeneration system is designed
to provide the amount of energy to strip the
design load from the bed, and usually has
little excess. Therefore, if there is a load
above design, as when the bed is slugged
with liquid, or when some unanticipated
compound in the feed is adsorbed, the re-
generation may not be adequate. This can
result in a residual buildup, and fast capac-
ity decline. The results of occasional slug-
ging will usually straighten themselves out
in a few cycles. If the plant has the flexibil-
ity of control, it is wise to give such beds
an extra high temperature regeneration or
increased time on heating for a few cycles
after the slugging.
If the overload, and resultant inad-
equate regeneration, is the result of co-
adsorption of some compound from the
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
56 LOSS OF CAPACITY
stream, it may be necessary to perma-
nently change the regeneration conditions,
or even install a larger heater.
An increase in the residual content
occurs because the bed is not heated
enough during the heating phase of regen-
eration to boil out adsorbed materials. The
temperature of heating gas leaving the
tower during the heating phase of regen-
eration will be below its normal peak tem-
perature. This condition is corrected by one
or more of the following means:
1. Lengthen the time of the heating cycle.
2. Raise the temperature of heating gas.
3. Raise the flow of regeneration gas.
4. Uneven Flow of Gas Through
Adsorbent
If the adsorbent becomes caked or
plugged, the process fluid will by-pass the
obstructed portion, and the breakpoint will
occur before its normal time. This situation
can occur from the first day of operation if
the adsorbent is not properly loaded into
the tower.
The net effect of gas channeling is that
only a portion of the adsorbent actually
contacts the gas. For example, if 25% of
the adsorbent is obstructed, the inlet pro-
cess stream will flow through the remain-
ing 75%, and will reach its breakpoint at
75% of its normal adsorbing time period.
Adsorbent obstruction due to caking,
coking, or plugging usually worsens over
an extended period of time. The permanent
solution to this problem is to remove the
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
contaminating material from the process
stream before it enters the adsorption plant.
This may require installation of high effi-
ciency separators to remove traces of
heavy hydrocarbon or glycol mist from the
gas entering the plant. Another method for
removing contaminants is to install a layer
of charcoal on top of the adsorbent to re-
move contaminating materials from the
stream.
Once caking or plugging has occurred,
it is necessary to dump the adsorbent and
screen out the fines and/or caked portion
before reusing the balance.
a. Pressure Drop Across Adsorber
One of the best means for determin-
ing whether or not obstruction has occurred
is that of measuring the pressure drop
across the adsorber tower. The pressure
drop will obviously increase as the adsor-
bent becomes obstructed. However, a pres-
sure drop measurement is of little value
unless it can be compared with a prior pres-
sure drop measurement made at the time
new adsorbent was added to the tower.
The pressure drop in a tower will in-
crease 10 - 20% a few months after filling
due to adsorbent packing. It will then level
off if no breakage or plugging occurs. Pres-
sure drop measurements should be made
weekly after adsorbent is changed out un-
til the pressure drop levels off. After the
pressure drop stabilizes, it should be re-
corded, along with the gas flow rate and
pressure in the log book or other perma-
nent records for future use.
 LOSS OF CAPACITY 57

The pressure drop is affected by a used for calculating the pressure drop at
change in gas flow rate and/or change in various flow rate and pressures from a prior
gas pressure. The following equation is pressure drop measurement:
2
(Present Gas Flow Rate)(Prior Gas Pres)
Present Pressure Drop = (Prior Gas Flow Rate)(Present Gas Pres) (Prior Pres. Drop)

Example
The pressure drop through an adsorber after 3 months operation was 55 kPa at a gas
flow rate of 1 million m3/d and a pressure of 6.0 MPa [8 psi at a flow rate of 35 MMcf/d and
pressure of 870 psi]. A year later the gas flow rate is 1.1 million m3/d at a pressure of 5.45
MPa [flow rate is 38.5 MMcf/d at a pressure of 790 psi]. Calculate the pressure drop.

SI UNITS ENGLISH UNITS

Prior Gas Pressure 6.0 MPa 870 psi
Prior Gas Flow 1 million m3/d 35 MMcf/d
Prior Pressure Drop 55 kPa 8 psi
Present Gas Pressure 5.45 MPa 790 psi
2 2
(1.1) (6) (38.5)(870)
Subst. in Pres. Drop Equation (1.0) (5.45) (55) (35)(790) (8)

= (1.21)2 x (55) = (1.21)2 x (8)

Calculated Present Pres. Drop = 80.5 kPa = 11.7 psi

If the observed pressure drop is significantly more than the calculated pressure drop,
plugging or caking is indicated.

Problem 11
The breakpoint in a gas dehydrator occurs 1 hour before the end of the normal
adsorbing cycle. The gas flow rate is 2 million m3/d at a pressure 5 MPa [70 MMcf/d at 720
psi]. Pressure drop across the adsorber is 75 kPa [10.5 psi]. Pressure drop measurement
a year ago was 50 kPa at a gas rate of 2.2 million m3/d and a pressure of 5.5 MPa [7 psi at
a flow rate of 77 MMcf/d and a pressure 792 psi].
a. Calculated pressure drop is __________.
b. What has apparently happened? _______________________________________.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

58 LOSS OF EFFICIENCY

B. Loss of Efficiency for the first half the adsorbing cycle, and it
Loss of efficiency in a dehydrator is goes up for the last half. This indicates part
indicated by an increase in the moisture of the adsorbent has been properly regen-
content of treated process fluid. The in- erated, and the other part has not.
crease may occur throughout the entire Regeneration of only part of a tower
adsorbing cycle, or during the latter part of occurs when:
the cycle. It may occur on one tower or all 1. The heating time cycle is not long
towers. enough.
2. Flow of regeneration gas is not high
1. Incomplete Regeneration
enough.
As we said previously, incomplete re-
3. Part of the bed of adsorbent is ob-
generation results in a loss of capacity. It
structed so that regeneration gas chan-
also reduces the efficiency of the adsor-
nels through part of the bed.
bent. In other words, the adsorbent will not
pick up as much material from the process The temperature trace of heating gas
fluid during the adsorbing cycle, and the leaving the tower during regeneration will
breakpoint will occur before its normal time indicate which of the above conditions is
period. In a dehydration plant, the moisture present. If the heating gas outlet tempera-
content of outlet gas will be high during the ture is rising at the end of the heating phase,
adsorbing cycle, and the breakpoint will and treated gas quality is bad, regenera-
occur before normal tower switch. tion gas flow rate is low, or heating time is
The loss of efficiency may be for the not long enough. Raise regeneration gas
entire adsorbing cycle or for the latter part flow in 2.5% steps, or raise the heating time
of the cycle. For example, the moisture in 5 minute steps until treated gas quality
content of treated gas meets specification is OK.

500
ENGLISH UNITS
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
LEAVING TOWER, °F

400
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS

300
SI UNITS
LEAVING TOWER, °C

200 300

100 200

HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE

0 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS

TEMPERATURE TRACES OF REGENERATION GAS LEAVING TOWER

WHEN HEATING TIME IS NOT LONG ENOUGH
OR REGENERATION GAS FLOW IS LOW

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 LOSS OF EFFICIENCY 59

When channeling occurs, heating gas adsorbent removes. Treated gas is the
outlet temperature rises faster than normal. source of regeneration gas in these plants.
Treated gas quality may be bad for the en- However, if the gas used for regeneration
tire adsorbing cycle. It is confirmed by high contains oxygen, even in very small
pressure drop across the tower during the amounts, it can react with hydrocarbons
adsorbing cycle. Adsorbent must be and produce water and carbon dioxide. This
dumped. reaction takes place on some adsorbents,
When the peak outlet temperature oc- which act as catalysts, and also in the tubes
curs before the end of the heating phase, of the heater, where the iron oxide cata-
and treated gas quality is bad, the tempera- lyzes the reaction. Thus it is possible to start
ture of heating gas is not high enough. with a perfectly dry regeneration gas
Raise heating gas temperature in 5°C [9°F] stream, and find that the hot gas out of the
steps until treated gas quality is OK. heater is partly wet. In most systems, there
The regeneration gas must not con- is a threshold temperature above which this
tain any moisture or other components the reaction occurs. The exact temperature will

500
ENGLISH UNITS
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
LEAVING TOWER, °F

400
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS

300
SI UNITS TEMP TRACE
WHEN GAS CHANNELS
LEAVING TOWER, °C

TEMP TRACE 300

200 WHEN GAS CHANNELS NORMAL
TEMP TRACE

NORMAL 200
100 TEMP TRACE

HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE

HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE 100
0 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS

TEMPERATURE TRACES OF REGENERATION GAS LEAVING TOWER

WHEN CHANNELING OCCURS
500
ENGLISH UNITS
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS
LEAVING TOWER, °F

400
TEMP OF REGENERATION GAS

300
SI UNITS
LEAVING TOWER, °C

200 300

100 200

HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE HEATING PHASE COOLING PHASE

0 100
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS ELAPSED TIME DURING REGENERATION CYCLE, HOURS

TEMPERATURE TRACES OF REGENERATION GAS LEAVING TOWER

WHEN TEMPERATURE OF HEATING GAS IS NOT HIGH ENOUGH

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

60 LOSS OF EFFICIENCY
vary with the composition of the gas and
the system pressure, but it is usually above
260°C [500°F]. So, if this is a problem, it
may be necessary to hold regeneration
temperatures in the range of 230°C [450°F]
to avoid the effects of the reaction. This may
have an adverse influence on capacity, and
also on adsorbent life, so it should be thor-
oughly studies before a lower regeneration
temperature is adopted.
2. Leaking Switching Valves
If pressure in the regeneration system
is higher than that in the adsorption sys-
tem, a leaking switching valve will result in
some regeneration gas flowing through the
valve into the process stream. The most
critical leaking valve is that in the line in
which hot regeneration gas leaves the
tower. If some of this gas leaks into the
main process line, it may result in the out-
let process fluid not meeting quality speci-
fications.
Leaking switching valves can usually
be detected by observing valve position
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS
indicators or by feeling piping around the
valves that are supposed to be closed. If a
valve in a hot gas line is leaking, the tem-
perature of the piping on the outlet end of
the valve will obviously be hot.
If a leaking valve is discovered, it
should be stroked a few times to see if it
will seat. If this does not correct the leak,
the valve will have to be repaired or re-
placed.
3. By-Passing the Adsorbent
One of the most common causes of
loss of efficiency is that of by-passing the
adsorbent by some of the process stream.
It does not take much of a by-pass to result
in a real problem. The treated process fluid
will be off specification for the entire cycle
that the affected tower is adsorbing.
The usual cause of by-passing is that
of plugged or caked adsorbent. This condi-
tion usually occurs over a period of time
and gradually worsens. You will eventually
have to dump the adsorbent and screen out
the fines or remove caked material.
 TROUBLESHOOTING 61

TROUBLESHOOTING CHART
PROBLEM CAUSE OF PROBLEM CORRECTIVE ACTION
Breakpoint occurs A. Bed overloaded during adsorption Shorten adsorbing cycle
before end of cycle. or reduce flow of process
normal adsorbing 1. Increase in process fluid flow. fluid.
cycle (Loss of 2. Increase in concentration of
Capacity) adsorbed component in
process fluid.
3. Increase in quantity of
competing component in
process fluid.
B. Liquid in process inlet gas stream.
1. Inlet separator not dumping Correct inlet separator
properly. level control system.
2. Condensation occurs in Heat trace inlet piping.
inlet piping.
C. Adsorbent is obstructed.
1. Adsorbent coked from glycol 1.Confirm obstruction with
or heavy hydrocarbons in pressure drop measure-
inlet gas. ment.
2. Adsorbent caked from salt 2.Dump adsorbent &
water in inlet gas. screen fines or remove
caked portion.
3. Adsorbent plugged from
fines.
D. Inadequate Regeneration
1. Heating gas temp is down. Raise gas temp out of
heater.
2. Regen gas flow is low. Raise regen flow.
3. Heating time is low. Lengthen heating cycle.
4. Regen gas contains oxygen, Lower heater outlet temp.
which reacts in heater to form
water and CO2.
Treated Process A. Inadequate Regeneration. Refer to item D above.
Fluid is off B. Leaking switching valve. Stroke valve. Repair if it
specification for will not close.
part or all of C. Process fluid by-passes some Refer to item C above.
adsorbing cycle adsorbent. Adsorbent is
(Loss of Efficiency) obstructed.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

62 TROUBLESHOOTING CHART

Problem 12
List the symptoms of each of the following operating problems in a gas dehydration
plant.
PROBLEM SYMPTOMS
a. Slug of liquid enters with inlet gas. 1. ________________________________
________________________________
b. Bed is coked. 1. ________________________________
________________________________
2. ________________________________
________________________________
c. Temperature and moisture content 1. ________________________________
of inlet gas rises. ________________________________
________________________________

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

MANUAL P-5 VALIDATION - SI UNITS 63
MOLECULAR SIEVE
DEHYDRATION PROCESS Trainee _________________________
Operating conditions in a dehydration plant are 32° 4800 kPa
REGEN
as shown. The plant has been in service for 750 GAS
PROCESS
INLET FLUID
OUTLET 1.4 million m /d
3
days with an adsorbing cycle time of 10 hours. Heat- Moisture Content = 900 kg/million m3

ing time is 6 hours, and cooling is 4 hours. The dew 245° max

point of treated gas is -75°C. REGENERATION

GAS COOLER REGEN
1. The dew point of treated gas has been below REGENERATION GAS
TEMP
GAS SEPARATOR
the specified point. It suddenly rises 7 hours after RECORDER
Pres Drop =
LIQUID TO 60 kPa
a tower switch. What has apparently happened? DISPOSAL

–––––––––––––––––––––– TOWER 1 275°

TOWER 2
What should you do? (List 2 items) REGENERATING during
heating ADSORBING
TEMP
______________________ CONTR phase

______________________
2. A tower switch just occurred and towers are FUEL GAS

operating as shown above. Regeneration gas REGENERATION

GAS HEATER
TEMP
RECORDER
PROCESS
OUTLET FLUID
pressure is 5300 kPa. The switching valve in REGENERATION
GAS FROM
Dew Point Spec = 60
OUTSIDE SOURCE
the process gas outlet line from Tower 1 did not
fully close. How is this condition discovered?
____________________________________________________________________________________
What should you do? ____________________________________________________________________
3. The temperature of regeneration gas out of the heater drops to 250°C. List 2 effects it will have _________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. When adsorbent is replaced in a plant,
(a) The adsorbing cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain the same.
(b) The heating cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain in the same.
(c) The cooling cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain the same.
5. During the winter, the inlet gas temperature is 24°C. Gas flow and pressure are unchanged.
(a) The adsorbing cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
(b) The heating cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
(c) The cooling cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
6. Treated gas dew point is -75°C. During the heating phase of regeneration, the maximum temperature of gas
out of the tower occurs 1 hour before the end of the heating cycle. The regeneration gas heater is firing at 75%
of its maximum. List the sequence of steps to perform in order to minimize heater fuel.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. How do you detect channeling during regeneration?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. The dew point of treated gas rises to -50° for the entire adsorbing cycle on both towers. List 3 possible causes:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
9. The gas flow rate rises to 1.54 million m3/d at a pressure of 4400 kPa. The pressure drop across the towers
should be ________ kPa.
10. Breakpoint tests should be run more / less / the same frequency during the first 6 months after adsorbent
replacement than after 2 years of service.
11. Breakpoint tests show 12 hours on Tower 1 and 12.5 hours on Tower 2. Cycle times should be changed as
follows:
(a) The Adsorbing time _____ hrs, (b) The Heating time _____ hrs, (c) The Cooling time _____ hrs

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

64 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - SI UNITS

1. d 1 2. d 1 3. Time Service ’ 4. c 1
c 2 f 2 Tower 1 Tower 2 a 2
f 3 a 3 8 am Adsorbing Cooling b 3
e 4 g 4 1 pm Heating Adsorbing
b 5 e 5 9 pm Cooling Adsorbing
a 6 b 6
c 7
5. a. Raise regen heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality of OK.
b. Lower heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality just meets specification.
6. 33 a 33 b 33 c
7. Heating gas outlet temperature peaks before its normal time. High ∆P on tower. High
dew point of treated fluid.

4200
8. a. 350 = 12 min b. To boil out heavy hydrocarbons
9. a. Tower 3 has lowest breakpoint time - 12.5 hrs.
Set adsorbing cycle 1/2 hr less than it. 12.5 - 0.5 = 12 hrs
b. Percent change in heating time is 1/3rd % change in adsorbing time.
New adsorbing time = 12 hrs
Old adsorbing time = 10 hrs
Diff 2 hrs

2’
% Diff = 10 x 100 = 20%
20
% Change in heating time = 3 = 6.67%
Hrs change in heating time = 3 x 6.67 = 0.2 hrs
New heating time = 3.0 + 0.2 = 3.2 hrs
12
c. Total regen time = 1/2 of adsorbing time = 2 = 6 hrs
Cooling time = 6 - 3.2 = 2.8 hrs
10. a. 1. Increase
2. Increase
3. Increase
b. Fuel to regeneration gas heater
2 x 5.5 2
11. a. Pres. drop = 2.2 x 5 x 50 = 50 kPa
b. Observed pressure drop (75 kPa) is 50% more than that calculated. Adsorbent is
obstructed from caking, coking, or fines.
12. a. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time. 2. High ∆P. 3. Takes longer to heat.
b. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time.
2. Regen gas channels - peak temp occurs before normal time.
3. High pressure drop in tower.
c. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

MANUAL P-5 VALIDATION - ENGLISH UNITS 65
MOLECULAR SIEVE
DEHYDRATION PROCESS Trainee _________________________
Operating conditions in a dehydration plant 90° 800 psi
are as shown. The plant has been in service for REGEN
GAS
PROCESS
INLET FLUID
750 days with an adsorbing cycle time of 10 OUTLET 50 MMcf/d
Moisture Content = 50 lb/MMcf
hours. Heating time is 6 hours, and cooling is 4 475° max
hours. The dew point of treated gas is -100°F.
REGENERATION
1. The dew point of treated gas has been be- GAS COOLER REGEN
GAS
REGENERATION
low the specified point. It suddenly rises 7 GAS SEPARATOR TEMP
RECORDER
Pres Drop =
hours after a tower switch. What has appar- LIQUID TO 8 psi
DISPOSAL
ently happened?
–––––––––––––––––––––– TOWER 1
REGENERATING
525°
during TOWER 2
ADSORBING
What should you do? (List 2 items) TEMP heating
CONTR phase
______________________
______________________ FUEL
2. A tower switch just occurred and towers are GAS
REGENERATION TEMP PROCESS
operating as shown above. Regeneration GAS HEATER RECORDER OUTLET FLUID
REGENERATION Dew Point Spec = 80°
gas pressure is 850 psi. The switching valve GAS FROM
OUTSIDE SOURCE
in the process gas outlet line from Tower 1
did not fully close. How is this condition discovered?
____________________________________________________________________________________
What should you do? ____________________________________________________________________
3. The temperature of regeneration gas out of the heater drops to 475°F. List 2 effects it will have __________
____________________________________________________________________________________
4. When adsorbent is replaced in a plant,
(a) The adsorbing cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain the same.
(b) The heating cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain in the same.
(c) The cooling cycle time should be increased / reduced / remain the same.
5. During the winter, the inlet gas temperature is 24°C. Gas flow and pressure are unchanged.
(a) The adsorbing cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
(b) The heating cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
(c) The cooling cycle time should increase / reduce / remain the same.
6. Treated gas dew point is -100°F. During the heating phase of regeneration, the maximum temperature of gas
out of the tower occurs 1 hour before the end of the heating cycle. The regeneration gas heater is firing at 75%
of its maximum. List the sequence of steps to perform in order to minimize heater fuel.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. How do you detect channeling during regeneration?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. The dew point of treated gas rises to -60° for the entire adsorbing cycle on both towers. List 3 possible causes:
1. ___________________________________________________________________________________
2. ___________________________________________________________________________________
3. ___________________________________________________________________________________
9. The gas flow rate rises to 57 MMcf/d at a pressure of 760 psi. The pressure drop across the towers should be
________ psi.
10. Breakpoint tests should be run more / less / the same frequency during the first 6 months after adsorbent
replacement than after 2 years of service.
11. Breakpoint tests show 12 hours on Tower 1 and 12.5 hours on Tower 2. Cycle times should be changed as
follows:
(a) The Adsorbing time _____ hrs, (b) The Heating time _____ hrs, (c) The Cooling time _____ hrs

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

66 SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS - ENGLISH UNITS

1. d 1 2. d 1 3. Time Service ’ 4. c 1
c 2 f 2 Tower 1 Tower 2 a 2
f 3 a 3 8 am Adsorbing Cooling b 3
e 4 g 4 1 pm Heating Adsorbing
b 5 e 5 9 pm Cooling Adsorbing
a 6 b 6
c 7
5. a. Raise regen heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality of OK.
b. Lower heating time in 5 min steps until treated gas quality just meets specification.
6. 33 a 33 b 33 c
7. Heating gas outlet temperature peaks before its normal time. High ∆P on tower. High
dew point of treated fluid.

600
8. a. 50 = 12 min b. To boil out heavy hydrocarbons
9. a. Tower 3 has lowest breakpoint time - 12.5 hrs.
Set adsorbing cycle 1/2 hr less than it. 12.5 - 0.5 = 12 hrs
b. Percent change in heating time is 1/3rd % change in adsorbing time.
New adsorbing time = 12 hrs
Old adsorbing time = 10 hrs
Diff 2 hrs

2’
% Diff = 10 x 100 = 20%
20
% Change in heating time = 3 = 6.67%
Hrs change in heating time = 3 x 6.67 = 0.2 hrs
New heating time = 3.0 + 0.2 = 3.2 hrs
12
c. Total regen time = 1/2 of adsorbing time = 2 = 6 hrs
Cooling time = 6 - 3.2 = 2.8 hrs
10. a. 1. Increase
2. Increase
3. Increase
b. Fuel to regeneration gas heater
70 x 792 2
11. a. Pres. drop = 77 x 720 x 7 = 7 psi
b. Observed pressure drop (10.5 psi) is 50% more than that calculated. Adsorbent is
obstructed from caking, coking, or fines.
12. a. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time. 2. High ∆P. 3. Takes longer to heat.
b. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time.
2. Regen gas channels - peak temp occurs before normal time.
3. High pressure drop in tower.
c. 1. Breakpoint occurs before normal time.

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS

 PLP TRAINING MANUALS
NUMBER TITLE

F-1 Basic Units of Measurement

F-2 Measurement of Energy
F-3 Hydrocarbons
F-4 Fluid Flow

E-1A Centrifugal Compressors Part 1

E-1B Centrifugal Compressors Part 2
E-2 Piston Type Compressors
E-3 Centrifugal Pumps
E-4 Reciprocating Pumps
E-5 Gas Engines
E-6 Fractionators
E-7 Heat Exchangers
E-8 Indirect Fired Heaters
E-9 Pneumatic Process Instruments
E-10 LACT Units
E-11 Lean Oil Absorbers
E-12 Separators

P-1 Cryogenic Gas Plants

P-2 Glycol Dehydration Process
P-3 Contactor in Dehydration Plant
P-4 Stripper in Dehydration Plant
P-5 Molecular Sieve Dehydration Process
P-6 Adsorber in Dehydration
P-7 Crude Oil Emulsion Treating
P-8 Hydrate Inhibition
P-9 Mechanical Refrigeration
P-10 Amine Sweetening Process
P-11 Contactor in Sweetening Process
P-12 Stripper in Sweetening Process
P-13 Stabiblizing Crude Oil & Condensate

M-1 Flow Measurement

M-2 The Gas/Oil Well
M-3 Oilfield Safety

305 WELLS FARGO DR., SUITE 4 • HOUSTON, TEXAS 77090 • (281) 444-7632 • FAX: (281) 586-9876
E-MAIL: PetroLearning@aol.com

MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATION PROCESS