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TECHNOLOGY COMPARISON FOR DEHYDRATION UNIT SOLID BED
(Adsorption Separation) vs GLYCOL (Absorption Separation)
Research · September 2019
DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.31675.36645
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AM. Anggun Trantika Maranatha
Universitas Diponegoro
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TECHNOLOGY COMPARISON FOR DEHYDRATION UNIT
SOLID BED (Adsorption Separation) vs GLYCOL (Absorption Separation)
by: AM. Anggun Trantika Maranatha
SOLID BED DEHYRATION UNIT
GLYCOL DEHYRATION UNIT
A. Energy Conservation & Operation
A. Energy Conservation & Operation
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Less affected by changes in feed gas pressure or temperature
Adaptable to large changes in flow rates (low turn down)
Relatively high pressure drop (around 1 bar = 14.5 psi)
Batch process
Simple to operate and reliable process
Adsorbent service life is around 4 years
Producing very low water dew points (can be as low as -100ºC)
1. Feed gas temperature should be above 40ºC. Feed gas pressure and temperature
changes may change absorption process
2. Minimum turn down is around 50%
3. Pressure drop around 5 – 10 psi
4. Continuous process
5. Simple to operate and reliable process
6. Glycol make up is easily accomplished
7. Minimum product water dew point is -20ºC
TECHNOLOGY COMPARISON FOR DEHYDRATION UNIT
SOLID BED (Adsorption Separation) vs GLYCOL (Absorption Separation)
B. Site Installation
1. Package designed on skid, so installation can be fast
2. Required less hook up and less termination compared to Glycol dehydration unit
C. Separation process point of views
1. Separation based on adsorption process, where solid adsorbent (molecular sieve)
used to adsorb smaller size of molecules (H2O) and reject bigger one
2. Regeneration process is required by heating regeneration gas to require
temperature then flows to tower to desorb water and enters cooler to condense
water desorbed. When regeneration reach required temperature of tower, heater
then turned off to perform cooling process of tower
3. Solid bed dehydration unit turn down can be as low as 5% - 10%
4. There are no venting process during operating or regeneration which means
reduced environmental issue
5. High regeneration heat requirement
6. Susceptible to contamination require frequent cleaning or desiccant replacement
7. Mechanical breaking of desiccant particles
8. Less susceptible to corrosion or foaming
9. Sensitive to poisoning liquid or other impurities
D. Economic Point of views
1. Solid bed desiccant is one of expensive adsorbents
2. Regeneration system may require higher power consumption than Glycol
Dehydration unit
3. Solid bed performance can be maintained when it operated on when turn down
10% occur (0.7 MMSCFD turn down from 6 MMSCFD normal operation)
4. Replacement of adsorbent is normally around 4 years of normal operation
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B. Site Installation
1. Package designed on skid, only contactor usually stand alone and sometimes
difficult to install
2. Required more hook up and termination compared to Solid bed dehydration
C. Separation process point of views
1. Separation based on absorption process, where glycol absorb water when glycol
contact wet gas on contactor (absorber tower)
2. Regeneration process is required by distillation process of rich glycol to remove its
water content, then contacting free of water content glycol (lean glycol) back to
contactor.
3. Glycol dehydration unit turn down usually around 50%
4. Venting of methane and aromatic hydrocarbon during regeneration process means
environmental issue may occur
5. Possible foaming of sorbent during operation
6. Susceptible to contamination
7. Overheating of glycol may produce both low and high boiling decomposition
product
8. Corrosive when contaminated or decomposed
9. Resultant sludge may collect on heating surface causing some loss efficiency or in
severe cases complete flow stoppage
D. Economic Point of views
1. Unless decomposed, glycol may be used continuously
2. When glycol dehydration operated in lower than normal turndown, off spec product
of sales gas (high water content) may occur
3. Power consumption for regeneration may be lower than Solid bed dehydration
4. Glycol losses during absorption and regeneration process should be add by glycol
make up to maintain dehydration process product on spec
5. Stripping gas may be used to maintain glycol high purity