Title: TEG Dehydration Simulation Basis & Equipment design considerations

Checked
Rev. Date Description Prepared Approved
Process Mechanical E&I
000 10/10/2021 Issue for Information MKu Mku N/A N/A SvD

It is forbidden to copy or use in whole or in part outside the strict contract terms, without the prior written consent of a Frames company
1 General

1.1 Introduction

The purpose of this document is to help (new and inexperienced) process engineers to get a good idea on how glycol
(TEG) simulation for gas dehydration is to be set up and what to look at to accomplish a good and reliable simulation.
This simulation is done in Unisim. By reading this document one will hopefully understand how glycol simulation is set
up and where to look at during simulating. It is best to keep this document with you during simulating.

1.2 Abbreviations

The following abbreviations are applicable:

gpm Gallons per minute

HMB Heat and Mass Balance

KO Knock Out

TEG Tri-Ethylene Glycol

MMBtu Million BTU

MMSCFD Million Standard Cubic Feet per Day

NPSHa Netto Positive Suction Head Available

N/A Not Applicable

PFD Process Flow Diagram

PWT Produced Water Treatment

SCFD Standard Cubic Feet per Day

TC Technical Clarification

wt% Weight percentage

1.3 Reference Documents

The referenced project documents are listed as below,

Document title
Scope of supply & client specifications. (SMS)

Process Flow Diagram or PID, if provided by client.

Units of Measure

TEG Regeneration Unit Specification

Technical Clarifications

Technical Query
Data Sheet Process TEG Regeneration Units

Datasheet- Utilities & Environmental Conditions

2 Simulation Basis

The program used for the simulation of the Process TEG Contactor & Regeneration is:

Simulation Tool: UniSim Design R442, R470.

a. Enter basis of environment.

b. Select the component provided by client.
c. Insert hypothetical components if provided by client.
d. Choose two property package for simulation, i.e. Peng Robinson & Glycol package.
e. Arrange all equipment in simulation as per PFD or PID or standard package equipment’s.
f. Enter the Feed Gas composition & properties.
g. Property package used is Peng Robinson for the TEG Contactor only and for the TEG regeneration
system the used property package is GLYCOL.
h. Perform the Suldry calculation for contactor to estimate required Glycol flow rate to achieved client dry
gas composition.
i. Enter calculated TEG flow rate & TEG Rich concentration from Suldry to simulation environment.
j. Reduced the Rich TEG pressure up to 5-6 barg with Pressure reducing valve in simulation, so flash drum
pressure will be around same.

k. Inlet parameters for regenerator,

i. Approx. temperature = 150 C
ii. Top pressure : 0.3 barg
iii. Bottom pressure 0.32 barg

l. Regenerator/ Reboiler
a. Three stages. (Two stages above Rich glycol feed & one below stage)
b. Rich glycol feed to third stage.
c. Pall ring #1 (1inch)
d. <70% flooding or Capacity.
e. Height = 0.5 m * stage.
f. Diameter is in the simulation or to be optimized with Reflux condenser.
g. Max temperature = 204 C
h. Max purity TEG without stripping gas: 0.987 at 1 atm. For higher purity add extra stripping
gas.
i. Reflux ratio ~ 20 wt.% (based on water only)
m. Stripper
a. Extra fuel gas can be used in the stripper to get to the lean TEG purity
b. Normally 2 trays, but can be increased to 3 if height doesn’t matter on the skid, or very high
purity is required to meet the dew point. This lowers fuel gas consumption.
c. Height = 0.5 m * stage.
d. Diameter is in the simulation
e. Minimum basket size (diameter) is 8”
n. Rule of thumb for reboiler duty
a. Reboiler duty is around 10% of the TEG flow (kg/h) in kW
b. 1 Nm3/h fuel gas = 10 kW duty
3 Contactor sizing using Suldry:

SULDRY CALCULATION BASIS:

• Contactor sizing is most important step in the entire unit price determination
o TEG flow, purity and dew point to be determined.
• Contactors are often equipped with structured packing
o Enables contact between the liquid and gas phase
o Able to handle high gas rates
o Ensures good wetting
o Mellapak 250Y most frequently used
• Key determinations for contactor height simulation in Suldry:
o Water content of natural gas
o TEG-water equilibrium ( Dew point as per worly-Perish & achieved results)
o Theoretical Stages required
o HETP
o Packing height calculation to be based on transfer unit concept
o Packing height = Stages x HETP
o Packing height required to achieve water outlet spec
o Column diameter based on F-factor or demister size
o Acid gases can hold considerably more water than hydrocarbons
o Saturated water content: CH4 < CO2 < H2S

GUIDELINES FOR SULDRY CALCULATION:

o TEG flow = 2-3 USgal/1 lb of MMSCF

o Liquid load to be between 0.8 and 2.5 m3/m2h preferably (read economic)
o Volumetric liquid hold up of about 5%
o F-factor to be between 2.5 and 3.3 Pa^0.5.
o Always check the contactor diameter with a demister calculation, whichever is greater should be
considered same.
o For Top Demister, TEG entrainment flow to be considered along with Gas for Demister sizing. (K-
factor be considered 0.1056 m/s)
o For bottom, V-Demister to be considered above FAVID & below Chimney tray, so heavy
condensate, shearing droplet will coalese & drop at bottom sump. V-Mister has V-Shape angle
below demister bottom side, so it will take care more condensate carry over to go along with gas. (K-
Factor to be considered 0.1507 m/s).
o TEG to be at least 5 °C above gas temperature to prevent hydrocarbon condensation and
subsequently foaming
o Always check Lowest required Lean TEG concentration or without strip gas case is governing for
Contactor packed height estimation & overall height.
STEPS FOR SULDRY CALCULATION:

o Enter the composition provided by the client

o Enter process parameters like temperature & pressure.
o Provide TEG purity required with Min 3°C higher temperature than Gas temperature
o Click on components button

o Suldry will provide Gas properties based on composition & Temperature & pressure like density,
compressibility, molecular weight & Gas water content
o It calculates Equilibrium dew point based on Worley & Parrish method & GPSA method. Approach
to equilibrium of minimum 3 °C in the contactor
o To size absorber click on absorber page with TEG as glycol in above window.
o Next window will open as shown below-
 o Provide gas flow rate & required Gas dew point & click on Ok.
o So as to size contactor packing & required TEG flowrate provide F-factor between 2.5 – 3.3 Pa^0.5.
o Ensure Liquid lod in between 0.8 to 3.5 m3/m2h on packing surface area, to ensure the weeting of
packing.
o For FPSO (roll & pitch angle motion) / offshore liquid load consideration is > 2 m3/m2h.
o Select packing type M252Y
o Maintain packing capacity 50-65%.

Results :
o Based on above calculation so as to achieve 2.5 lb/MMscfd in outlet gas required flow is 2964 kg/hr
with 99.7 % TEG purity with packing height of 4.54 m.
o Therotical stages required to be 5.48 as per above results, so we will considered 6 stages in
Simulation.
o Max Packed bed should be less than 5 meter for M252 Y.
4 Layout Considerations:

o Perform project specification review.

o Go through all process specifications listed in SMS , also go through piping , Instrumentation &
mechanical specifications requird for process design.
o Note down the dimentions available in for plot plan in specifications (SOW).
o Do simulation as mentioned in section 2 of this document.
o Perform vessel sizing for Reboiler, Flash Drum & Surge drum.
o Check NPSHa for Main TEG circulation pump if booster pump is not included in scope of work.
o Check for the length required for total skid with all equipment with calculated equipment dimension
& pump NPSH head.
5 Turndown case & Heat exchanger design:

1. Perform the simulations for Gas & Liquid side turndown cases during Proposal & Basic engineering stage.
 During Gas side turndown case, Heat duty required will be more for Heat exchangers as compared to
100% Gas flow case.
See below exercise from south ghawar project:
Recommended Pressure drop in Simulation

Equipment Pressure drop in bar

Process TEG Cartridge Filter 0.5
Process Cold Glycol/Glycol Exchanger 0.5
Process Hot Glycol/Glycol Exchanger Shell side less than 10 kPa
Lean Process TEG Cooler 0.5
Process TEG Carbon Filter 0.5
Control valve(s) 0.5