Simulación del proceso de endulzamiento de gas natural con dos aminas mediante DWSIM

Abstract

In the present work, a natural gas sweetening process was simulated in the DWSIM software using aqueous solutions of Diethanolamine (DEA) and Methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) as sorbents to adjust the content of acid gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or hydrogen sulfide (H2S), to the values allowed by the competent regulatory entity. Real data on flow, composition and operating parameters collected from the literature were used as the basis for the simulation calculation. A subsequent sensitivity analysis allowed identifying DEA as the most efficient amine that allows operating with optimal amounts of 0.1548 in mole fraction in aqueous solution that manages to remove almost all the acid gases, identifying only 1.04% in volume of CO2 in the fresh gas stream, complying with the established discharge standard. Then, the validation of the obtained results was performed taking into account important aspects such as: the used software complies with the process engineering standards being recognized by large technological firms and powerful commercial simulators such as Aspen Plus; the thermodynamic package has been used in similar works reported by authors such as (Casiano 2011), the molar composition of the gas processed in the simulation is within the required margins according to the NTE INEN 2489 Standard: 2009 and the results obtained from the optimal simulation are comparable to those reported by (Tixi 2019), being the CO2 mole fractions of 0.005 and 0.0014, respectively, in both cases there is a total H2S removal. Also, a preliminary estimation of the investment and production costs to carry out the simulated process is presented. Finally, it is recommended to carry out a study incorporating compounds such as the activated amine piperazine, currently used in this type of processes worldwide.