METHOD TO DECREASE DECOMPOSITION PRODUCTS IN SOLUTIONS THAT ABSORB ACIDIC GASES SUCH AS CARBON DIOXIDE AND THE LIKE IN THE PRESENCE OF OXYGEN

• US 20110232489A1
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Huntsman Petrochemical LLC (Huntsman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Huntsman Petrochemical LLC (Huntsman Corporation)
• Inventors: Critchfield, James E., Holub, Patrick E., White, Larry R., Grigsby, Robert A. JR.
• Granted Patent: US 8,945,280 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/156
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/604 Stabilisers or agents inhibiting degradation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2252/606 Anticorrosion agents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1456 Removing acid components
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/1493 Selection of liquid materials for use as absorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/26 by extraction
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/68 by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water medicinal water A61K
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/38 containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/18 from the purification of gaseous effluents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/343 from the pharmaceutical industry, e.g. containing antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2650/50 containing nitrogen, e.g. polyetheramines or Jeffamines(r)
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 21/20 Nitrogen-containing compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/201 Impurities
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/207 Acid gases, e.g. H2S, COS, SO2, HCN
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/4075 Limiting deterioration of equipment
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/44 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/80 Additives

Abstract

An amine solvent solution that is useful in absorbing acid gases from a liquid or gas feed stream may have an amine additive added thereto. Additionally or alternatively, the amine additive may be added to a liquid or gas feed stream. The addition of the amine additive decreases the presence of amine-derived contaminants and/or degradation of amine in the amine solvent solution. As such, the amine solvent solution is available for effective reuse in treating the liquid or gas feed stream and there may be a decrease in the corrosion within an amine treating system.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

treating a liquid or gas feed stream with an amine solvent solution;

adding an amine additive to the amine solvent solution, the liquid or gas feed stream, or both; and

in response thereto, decreasing the presence of an amine-derived contaminant, decreasing degradation of the amine in the amine solvent solution, or both as compared to that which would have occurred in an amine additive-free amine solvent solution, liquid or gas, or both.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein decreasing the presence of an amine-derived contaminant includes decreasing the presence of a heat stable salt, amine-derived degradation product, or both in an amine treating system such that the amine solvent solution containing the amine additive can be regenerated and reused within the amine treating system without requiring fresh amine to be added to replenish the amine solvent solution due to the formation of amine-derived contaminants.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein adding the amine additive to the amine solvent solution, treated liquid or gas, or both includes adding the amine additive to the amine solvent solution, treated liquid or gas, or both at any juncture in the amine treating system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding an ethyleneamine derivative selected from one or more of:

ethylenediamine;

aminoethylethanolamine;

diethylenetriamine;

triethylenetetramine;

tetraethylenepentamine;

pentaethylenehexamine;

1,2-propylenediamine;

N-(2-hydroxypropyl)ethylenediamine;

N-(2-hydroxybutyl)ethylenediamine;

N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,2-propylenediamine;

N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-1,2-propylenediamine; and

N-(2-hydroxybutyl)-1,2-propylenediamine,

5. The method of claim 4 wherein adding an adding the tetraethylenepentamine includes adding a tetraethylenepentamine selected from one or more of:

N-(2-aminoethyl)-N′

-{2-{(2-aminoethyl)amino}ethyl}-1,2-ethandiamine), 4-(2-aminoethyl)-N-(2-aminoethyl)-N′

-{2-{(2-aminoethyl)amino}ethyl}-1,2-ethandiamine), 1-(2-aminoethyl)-4-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl]-piperazine), and 1-[2-[[2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl]-amino]ethyl]-piperazine.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding a polyalkyleneamine of the formula:

NH₂CH(CH₃)CH₂—

[OCH₂CH(CH₃)]_X—

NH₂, wherein X is between 2 and 70.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding a substituted propylamine selected from one or more of:

dimethylaminopropylamine, methoxypropylamine, aminopropylmorpholine, N,N-Dimethylaminoethyl 3-aminopropyl ether or (2-(2-[(3-aminopropyl)methylamino]ethoxy)ethyl)dimethylamine.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding a substituted piperazine selected from one or more of:

1-(2-aminoethyl)-4-[(2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl]-piperazine), 1-[2-[[2-aminoethyl)amino]ethyl]-amino]ethyl]-piperazine), and N-aminoethylpiperazine.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding the amine additive in an amount of from 0.005% to 7% of the total composition of the amine solvent solution and the amine additive.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding the amine additive in an amount of from 0.05% to 3% of the total composition of the amine solvent solution and the amine additive.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein adding an amine additive includes adding an amine additive in an amount of from 0.2% to 1% of the total composition of the amine solvent solution and the amine additive.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein treating a liquid or gas feed stream with an amine solvent solution includes treating the liquid or gas feed stream with an amine solvent solution selected from one or more of:

monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, dimethylethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, monomethylethanolamine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, aminoethylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, piperazine, and derivatives thereof.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein treating a liquid or gas feed stream with an amine solvent solution treating includes absorbing acid gases from the liquid or gas feed stream, and wherein adding the amine additive to the amine solvent solution includes adding an amine additive that is an amine degradation inhibitor, amine-derived contaminant inhibitor, or a corrosion inhibitor.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein decreasing the formation of amine-derived contaminants includes decreasing the formation of amine-derived heat-stable salts, amine-derived degradation products, or both.

15. A composition comprising:

an amine additive selected from one or more of;

aminoethylethanolamine, tetraethylenepentamine, dimethylaminopropylamine, and a polyalkyleneamine;

an amine solvent solution selected from one or more of;

monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, triethanolamine, dimethylethanolamine, N-methyldiethanolamine, monomethylethanolamine, 2-(2-aminoethoxy)ethanol, aminoethylethanolamine, diisopropanolamine, piperazine, and derivatives thereof; and

water.

16. The composition of claim 15 wherein the amine additive is from 0.05% to 3% of the total composition.

17. The composition of claim 15 wherein the composition is an amine-derived contaminant inhibitor.

18. The composition of claim 15 wherein the composition is an amine degradation inhibitor.