Components of the Glycol Circulating System

The Glycol Circulating Pump

The circulation of glycol is done with a reciprocating pump. The pump is driven by an electric
motor, natural gas pressure, or the high-pressure, rich glycol returning from the contactor.

Electric-motor-driven pumps are usually employed in central dehydration facilities where
electric power is available. In field installations, a natural gas powered pump or a glycol powered
pump can be used. In the latter case, the high pressure, rich glycol, with the assistance of a small
amount of high pressure gas, flowing out of the contactor, is used to provide the power needed to
stroke the pump. The required pump rate in field dehydration units is usually small, and,
therefore, a single plunger pump is normally used. When the gas rate is large, duplex or triplex
pumps are used.

The main problems with glycol pumps are leaks through the packing around the plunger, as well
as sticking check valves. If the packing gland nut is tightened too much, the rod may get scored.
Usually, a small pan is placed under the pump or the plunger portion of the pump to contain the
leaked glycol.
Heat Exchange
Because glycol must be relatively cool when entering the absorber and is heated to near its
boiling temperature for regeneration, the liquid is continuously subjected to heating and cooling.
To minimize the use of energy in the regeneration of the glycol at high temperature, several heat-
exchange opportunities are built into most glycol circulating systems. Heat exchange usually
occurs in certain locations: coil in the top of the reboiler still; coil in the surge tank or separate
heat exchanger between rich and lean glycol; and pipe-in-pipe heat exchanger ahead of the
glycol absorber or a coil in the top of the absorber.

In some cases, an additional heat exchanger is necessary to exchange heat with air, to cool the
lean glycol ahead of the contactor. It is necessary to limit the temperature of the lean glycol to
only a few degrees above the temperature of the gas to increase the absorption of the water by
glycol. Too high a glycol temperature reduces the transfer of water from the gas to the glycol,
and the water dewpoint may not be met. This is frequently the problem in summer operations, in
which the gas is dehydrated after compression. On hot days, the glycol, as well as the gas, might
be above normal temperatures. Usually, by exchanging heat with the dried gas through a double
pipe exchanger or through a coil in the top of the contactor in small units, the temperature of the
glycol is adjusted to a few degrees above the temperature of the gas leaving the contactor.


Filters
It is very important to maintain the glycol in as clean a condition as possible. For this reason,
filters are always incorporated in a glycol circulating system. These filters are usually particulate
filters and carbon filters.

The particulate filters are intended to remove solids down to a 5-m diameter. Solids can occur
from corrosion in the glycol system. Carbon filters are designed to remove dissolved impurities,
such as compressor oil or condensate from the glycol solution. Particulate filters are usually
installed on the rich glycol side and are in operation all the time. Carbon filters may be bypassed
most of the time, if there is no dissolved hydrocarbon in the glycol. Impurities in the glycol
solution might promote foaming in the contactor or still.
Surge Drum
Because the glycol that is being circulated might not always flow evenly at the same rate
throughout the system, a vessel, the surge drum, is required that can handle any surges in the
circulation rate. The reboiler always contains a liquid level above the fire tube. Glycol levels in
the absorber or flash tank are essentially constant but might fluctuate slightly. Thus, there is a
need for a vessel that can absorb slight temporary differences in circulation flow between the
various vessels, as well as the thermal expansion of the glycol upon startup.

The surge drum is usually located below the reboiler, or at least at a level below the glycol in the
reboiler. The glycol level in the surge drum is important because in some instances there is a heat
exchange coil in the surge drum, as explained earlier. The level of glycol in the surge drum
should be about at the two-thirds full level. The liquid level in the surge drum is an item that is
usually checked by the operators. If the level is lower than normal, this might be the first
indication of trouble, such as high glycol losses with the treated gas, losses with the vapors
leaving the reboiler still, holdup in one of the vessels, or leaks in the piping.
Strainer
A strainer should always be installed upstream of the suction of the glycol pump. The glycol
strainer ensures that no solid particles enter into the glycol pump. The main problem with solids
entering the pump is that they might lodge in the suction or discharge valves and prevent the
pump from pumping at maximum efficiency.
Glycol Flash Tank
Whenever gas is in contact with a liquid at elevated pressures, such as natural gas and glycol in
the contactor, some of the gas physically dissolves in the liquid. The greater the contacting
pressure, the more gas dissolves in the liquid. Thus, some natural gas dissolves in the glycol in
the absorber in addition to the water vapor. When the glycol reaches the flash tank, its
temperature has been raised through the coil in the reboiler still, and the pressure in the flash tank
is at a much lower level, generally between 15 to 50 psig, than the pressure in the contactor. In
light of these changed conditions of pressure and temperature between the absorber and flash
tank, most of the dissolved gases evolve from the glycol in the flash tank.

On larger systems, the glycol flash tank can be designed as a three-phase separator to help
remove any condensate that becomes entrained in the glycol. This bulk separator increases the
operating life of the downstream filters.
Glycol Piping
All the vessels through which glycol is circulated are interconnected with steel piping. Glycol is
a substance that is prone to leak through threaded connections in piping, as well as through the
packing on glycol pump plungers. For this reason, some operators prefer welded piping rather
than threaded piping for the glycol system. There are, however, many threaded glycol systems
that have provided leak-free service.

Because the pump rate is usually small, the piping in most field installations is of small diameter.
It is important to check the piping for leaks and to repair them as soon as possible.