(19c) Successful Start-up of a DGA System

Aminoethoxyethanol (AEE, DGA®) is one of the common solvents in a gas processing plant for capture of CO2 to avoid carbon dioxide freeze-up at cryogenic temperature levels. The principal considerations affecting the performance of the plant when starting-up the gas treating unit are the product specifications, amine concentration, lean and rich amine loading (acid gas mole/amine mole), the number of absorption and regeneration stages, and equipment sizes.

The purpose of this paper is to review and illustrate the effect on plant performance of implementing key operating parameters, tuning controllers, and training of operating personnel for meeting the treated gas specifications, minimizing start-up time, number of show-downs, and capacity enhancement. This paper will address stabled operation in a gas treating unit using DGA aqueous solution by presenting the operating data and amine quality during start up period.