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Removal of Foaming - Sigmapure Technology

An East Coast refinery was experiencing frequent upsets in their amine system due to foaming. MPR Services used their SigmaPure system to remove foaming agents, which returned the unit to optimal operations. SigmaPure technology removes foamers from amines without chemical injections, unlike antifoam agents, and also removes contaminants to prevent foaming.

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215 views1 page

Removal of Foaming - Sigmapure Technology

An East Coast refinery was experiencing frequent upsets in their amine system due to foaming. MPR Services used their SigmaPure system to remove foaming agents, which returned the unit to optimal operations. SigmaPure technology removes foamers from amines without chemical injections, unlike antifoam agents, and also removes contaminants to prevent foaming.

Uploaded by

peter2m
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

In a recent case history, an East Coast Refnery was experiencing frequent upsets

in their amine system due to foaming. MPR Services was contacted and brought
in their SigmaPure System. SigmaPure removed the foaming agents and the
unit returned to optimal operations. Operations management and Engineering
were very pleased and the refnery gas treating system signifcantly increased
performance completely eliminating upsets and reducing amine purchases.
Removal of Foaming SigmaPure Technology
The SigmaPure technology removes foamers (compounds that cause foam) from
amines without the hassle of chemical, antifoam injections. This technology also
removes the contributing contaminates to prevent foaming.
SigmaPure
SigmaPure, unlike antifoam agents, is a foam removal technology that works without injections of chemical
solutions. The foam will be mitigated from the amine or other solvent while the foamers (contaminates) responsible
for the foam are collected.
Summary of Foaming Problems & the best Solution:
Column differential pressure and liquid level instability are the two most common foaming symptoms
Their causes may be chemical or mechanical
Surfactants cause gas phase amine foaming by stabilizing froth into foam
Antifoam injection is the most common mitigation action
Antifoams do not remove or inactivate surfactants
Gas to liquid phase foam conversion can take place as a result of:
Surfactant concentration
Excessive antifoam use
Local increases in gas jetting
Question: Why not use an antifoam agent?
Answer:
Antifoams do not remove or inactivate foam causing surfactants
They have been shown to contribute to mass transfer inhibition by limiting MT area, and competing with
active amine for MT sites
May become inactive due to a variety of factors
Cause premature carbon and mechanical flter plugging
Removes a valuable troubleshooting tool by prejudicing surface tension and foaming tendency test data
Amine hygiene
Contaminant ingress
Differentiation between chemical and mechanical fooding causes
Contact MPR Services, Inc for additional information on SigmaPure
and an on site evaluation of your foaming problem.
Call +1 281-337-7424 or visit our web-site: [Link]
MPR Services, Inc, a member of the Tessenderlo Group, 1201 FM 646, Dickinson, TX 77539-3014 USA
Telephone +1 281-337-7424 Fax +1 281-337-6534
E-mail infomprservices@[Link] or mpreurope@[Link]
SigmaPure is a trademark of D-FOAM, Inc, U.S. 2007 TKI

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