Sour Gas Separation and Destruction System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for handling sour and acid gases, particularly in maritime platforms, are inefficient and environmentally harmful due to high costs, complexity, and the need for exotic materials, with limited options for treating high H2S and CO2 concentrations, and generating substantial waste and atmospheric pollution.
Innovation Solution
A system that separates natural gas into a sweetened gas stream, liquid, and gaseous waste streams, using compression, pretreatment, acid gas separation, and destruction subsystems to minimize atmospheric emissions, utilizing membrane separation technology, incineration, and scrubber reactors with seawater to convert pollutants into harmless components, allowing for the use of standard pipeline materials and reducing waste generation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional methods (flaring, deep well injection, amine process) are used to handle sour and acid gas, then the gas can be treated or disposed of, but high costs, complexity, and substantial waste generation occur along with atmospheric pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the sour gas treatment process into distinct functional modules: compression subsystem, pretreatment subsystem, membrane separation subsystem, and destruction subsystem. Each module performs a specific function, making the overall system more manageable and efficient while reducing harmful emissions through targeted processing at each stage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical and chemical parameters of the sour gas stream through sequential processing: compression increases pressure, pretreatment removes liquids and particulates, membrane separation selectively removes H2S and CO2 based on permeability differences, and the destruction subsystem converts remaining contaminants into harmless substances through oxidation, transforming the gas from a harmful waste stream into usable sweet gas.
2Quantity of substance
If amine process is used to treat sour gas, then H2S and CO2 can be removed, but the process requires substantial chemicals, generates waste streams requiring disposal, and is complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the chemical absorption process (amine treatment) with a physical separation process using membrane technology. The membrane subsystem uses selective permeability based on molecular size and solubility differences to separate H2S and CO2 from the natural gas stream without requiring chemical reagents, thereby eliminating waste stream generation and chemical handling complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The membrane elements are designed as replaceable, cost-effective components that can be swapped out when performance degrades, rather than requiring complex regeneration systems or chemical disposal infrastructure. This approach simplifies system operation and reduces long-term complexity.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If sour gas is flared to dispose of H2S and CO2, then the gas is eliminated, but significant atmospheric pollution and carbon emissions occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system converts the harmful sour gas stream into a beneficial product by separating and removing H2S and CO2 through membrane technology, then selectively destroying only the remaining trace contaminants through oxidation. The majority of the natural gas is recovered as usable sweet gas, transforming a waste disposal problem into a value-added resource recovery process that eliminates pollution rather than creating it.
4Reliability
If exotic materials are used in pipeline construction to handle sour gas, then the pipeline can withstand H2S and CO2, but costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary treatment of the natural gas stream before it enters the pipeline by removing H2S and CO2 through membrane separation. This pre-sweetening action protects downstream pipeline infrastructure from corrosion, allowing the use of standard, cost-effective pipeline materials rather than expensive exotic corrosion-resistant alloys.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively reduces H2S and CO2 emissions, recovers energy, and produces sweetened gas suitable for fuel and enhanced oil recovery, with minimal chemical use and waste, achieving over 90% energy recovery and compliance with environmental regulations.
Implementation Method 1
a compression subsystem adapted to treat the natural gas feed stream to remove a first portion of the at least one liquid waste stream and to increase the natural gas feed stream to a process pressure greater than an initial entering pressure
Implementation Method 2
a gas pretreatment subsystem adapted to treat the pressurized natural gas stream to remove a second portion of the at least one liquid waste stream and to cool and filter the pressurized natural gas stream
Implementation Method 3
an acid gas separation subsystem adapted to separate the filtered natural gas stream into the sweetened gas stream and a first portion of the at least one gaseous waste stream
Implementation Method 4
an destruction subsystem adapted to incinerate the first portion of the at least one gaseous waste stream to form a flue gas
Implementation Method 5
utilizing membrane separation technology, incineration, and scrubber reactors with seawater to convert pollutants into harmless components
Data Source
AI summary
A system adapted to separate a natural gas feed stream into a sweetened gas stream and at least one gaseous waste stream, and to discharge, recover or destroy the at least one gaseous waste stream. The system includes an acid gas separation subsystem adapted to separate the natural gas feed stream into the sweetened gas stream and a first portion of the at least one gaseous waste stream, a destruction subsystem adapted to incinerate the first portion of the at least one gaseous waste stream to form a flue gas, and a scrubber reactor subsystem adapted to receive a water stream and/or an oxygen containing air stream, and to remove at least one portion of the flue gas using the water stream to form a vent gas stream and a wastewater stream, wherein the vent gas is exhausted to the atmosphere.