Lean Amine Analysis

Standard Analysis

• Alkalinity
• Gas Chromatography
• Residual Amine Salts
• Acid Gas Loading
Other Analysis Capabilities

Oil & Grease

Total Suspended Solids
Metals (Fe, Na, Cl)
 Appearance
Amine is normally water white to slightly pale yellow

Green  usually indicates finely divided iron sulfide

(<1 micron)

Black solids  iron sulfide (>3 microns) or carbon fines

Blue or green color  copper or nickel

Amber or dark red color  iron complex with some amines

 Appearance
Red to brown  oxidative or thermal degradation of the
amine

Multilayer solution  presence of heavy hydrocarbon or

silicon-based antifoam

Ammonia odor  oxidative or thermal degradation of the

amine

Impurities even in very small concentrations may cause

discoloration of the amine
 Alkalinity
Measures overall alkalinity of the solution and assumes amine
is the only species contributing to the alkalinity.

Some amine degradation products are alkaline and thus

contribute to the active alkalinity.

Wt% amine by AA >> Wt% amine by GC

 basic material present
ie. NaOH, amine heat stable salts
 Gas Chromatography
Measured by GC: MEA (for DEA analysis)
DEA
TEA
HEI
AEEA
OZD
DEP
EG
THEED
Gas Chromatography

Recommended range of amine strengths.

Amine wt%
MEA 15-20
DEA 20-35
MDEA 35-55
GAS/SPEC Solvents 35-55
 Acid Gas Loadings
Measures the amount of acid gas (CO2 and/or H2S) in the
sample.

Total lean loadings for conventional amine gas plants:

Amine Total Lean Loading (mol/mol)
MEA 0.10-0.15
DEA 0.05-0.07
MDEA 0.004-0.010
GAS/SPEC Solvents 0.004-0.030
 Heat Stable Salts (or RAS)
Amine + O2  acid
acid + amine  heat stable salt
OR

residual amine salt (RAS)

RAS levels should not exceed 10% of the total amine

concentration (5% for a 50% solution).
 Thiosulfates
H2S + O2  thiosulfate

• good indicator of oxygen ingress into the system

• as level approaches 1.0 wt% there will be a significant

increase in the residual amine salts level
 Metals

Dissolved iron <15 ppm

Sodium <500 ppm
Chloride <250 ppm

Oil and Grease <200 ppm

TSS <100 ppm
 Sample Analysis
Sample Date 10-Jul-00 10-May-00 09-Mar-00 11-Jan-00 08-Nov-99
TC # 00- 2213 00- 1889 00-1439 00-1055 99-3078
Description Lt.Yellowish- Lt Orange Brown Brown Yellowish-brown
Green Clear Clear Clear Clear

Alkalinity (as DEA) 28.9 27.8 29.2 32.1 30

MEA, wt% ND ND ND ND ND
DEA, wt% 27.3 24.1 25.2 26.8 26.6
TEA, wt% ND 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
HEI, wt% ND ND ND ND ND
AEEA, wt% ND ND ND ND ND
OZD, wt% ND ND ND ND ND
DEP, wt% 0.1 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.3
EG, wt% 0.7 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
THEED, wt% ND 3.3 3.4 4.2 3.6
Residual amine salts, wt% 0.7 0.1 0.3 0.3 0.3
Thiosulfate, wt% 0.01 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.07
H2S, actual, wt% 0.01 0.03 0.02 0.04 0.01
H2S, apparent, wt% 0.01 NT 0.02 0.04 0.02
CO2, wt% NT 0.16 0.2 0.25 0.22
Oil and Grease, mg/l NT <50 <50 <50 <50
TSS, mg/l
Lean H2S load, mol/mol 0.001 0.003 0.002 0.004 0.001
Lean CO2 load, mol/mol 0.01 0.02 0.02 0.02
Spread (AA- GC) 1.60 3.70 4.00 5.30 3.40
 ATCO CARBONDALE: LEAN DEA ANALYSIS
35

30

25
Weight Percentage

20

Alkalinity (as DEA)

15
DEA, wt%
Spread (AA- GC)

10

0
24-Jul-98 1-Nov-98 9-Feb-99 20-May-99 28-Aug-99 6-Dec-99 15-Mar-00 23-Jun-00 1-Oct-00
Sample Date
 Amine Make-up Water
pH no less than 6
Chlorides <20 ppm
(limits chloride corrosion-related problems)

Total Dissolved Solids <100 ppm

(limits ash build-up and foaming problems)

Total Hardness <50 ppm

(limits calcium and magnesium scale problems)

Sodium/Potassium <10 ppm

(limits heat-stable salts of H2S and off-spec product)
 Amine Make-up Water

Iron <10 ppm

(limits iron scale and iron sulfide build-up and fouling)

Bicarbonates <100 ppm

(limits the level of CO2 dissolved in the water)