5 MMscfd of NG of 0.7 SG is to be dehydrated in a solid bed dehydration plant.

It is water saturated at 500 psig and 100 F and must be dried to -120F dew point. Use 4A molecular sieve of 1/8` beads (i.e., 4X8 mesh) The regeneration gas is taken from dehydrated gas which is available at approximately 500 psia and 100 F. The bed must be heated to 500F for regeneration. Given Data : Gas Specific Gravity 0.7 = MWgas /MWair = MWgas / 28.97 MWgas = 20.279 lb/lbmole Z factor = 0.915 Pressure : 500 psig = 514.7 psia Temperature : 100F = 560R

Calculation of Supervelocity and the Bed diameter

Z factor ( from GPSA 23-6 ) Z factors for SG 0.7 at 100 F ; Z = 0.915

`Density of gas = P x MW / Z x R x T 514.7 x 20.279 / 0.915 x 10.73 x 560 = 1.898 lb/ft3 Density of gas = 1.898 lb / ft3

Viscosity of the gas from figure 23-23 GPSA = 0.0125 centipoise, below

The maximum supervelocity can be calculated by ( 20-16 GPSA ) equation. Vmax = * ( P / L )max / ( C p) ] - [ ( B / C ) ( / density ) / 2 ] Let P / L = 0.33 psi/ft

Where : P = pressure drop in psia L =length of packed bed , ft Cp = Heat Capacity Btu/(lb F) C = constant in equation 20-11 --- 0.0000889 for 1/8` beads ( 4X8 mesh) B = constant in equation 20-11 --- 0.0560 for 1/8` beads ( 4X8 mesh) Vmax ={ ( 0.33 psi/ft ) / ( 0.000089 x 1.898 lb/ft3 ) } 1/2 - { ( 0.056 / 0.000089 ) x ( 0.0125 /1.898 lb/ft3 ) / 2 } Vmax = 42.127 ft/min

m = ( 75 000 000 scf/day ) / ( 24 hrs/day ) ( 379.43 scf/lbmole )) x ( 20.279 lb/lb mole ) m = 167018.62 lb/hr of wet gas

q = ( 167018.62 lb/hr ) / (( 60 min/hr ) x ( 1.898 lb/ft3 )) --- [eq 20-13] q = 1466.61 ft3 / min

D min = [ ( 4 x ( 1466.61 ft3 / min ) / ( 3.14 x 42.127 ft/min ) ] 1/2 ---- ( Eq 20-12 GPSA ) D min = 6.6595 ft We round it off to 7 ft diameter and adjust V and P/L values ; V adjusted = ( 42.127 ) x { ( 6.6595 / 7 ) 2 } = 38.128 ft/min ( P / L )
adjusted =

0.33 x { (38.128 / 42.127 )2 }= 0.2703 psi / ft

Estimation of the amount of water to be removed from the feed per cycle for each bed
Calculations are based on 24 hrs cycle consisting of 12 hours of adsorbing and 12 hours of regenerating ( heating, cooling, standby and valve switching)

From the figure the water content of 514.7 psia gas at 100F is 103.5 lb/MMscf The water content at dewpoint -120F is practically zero so the water removal should be calculated as follows ; w = ( 103.5 lb/MMscf ) x ( 75 MMscf/day ) / ( 24 hr/day ) = 323.43 lb/hr

Wremoved = 323.43 lb/hr x 12 = 3881.16 lb of water needs to be removed in 12 hrs drying cycle or 24 hours cycle per bed

Determination of Sieve Required and the Bed Height

We assume the bulk density of sieve 45lb/ft3, the feed gas is saturated with water, the relative humidity is 100% so ; Css ( Saturation correction factor for sieve) 1.0 from fig 20.84

from fig 20-85 the CT is 0.93 for 100F

Calculation of the amount of Molecular Sieve Required in Saturated Zone

water removed per cycle Ss = amount of molecular seive req in sat zone lb = -----------------------------------------------------------( 0.13 ) x (Css is 1.0 ) x (CT is 0.93 for 100F) Ss = 32102.23 lb of Sieve for each bed We use two beds so we need 64204.46 lbs of Sieve

Calculation of the Length of Packed Bed Saturation Zone

( 4 ) x Ss amount of molecular sieve req in sat zone, lb

Ls = lenght of packed bed saturation zone, ft = ----------------------------------------------------------------( 3.14 ) x ( D2 ) x ( bulk density )

Molecular sieve bulk density is 42 to 46 lb/ft3 for spherical particles and 40 to 44 lb/ft3 for extruded cyclinders. We assume the bulk density 44 lb/ft3 We assume that the bed will contain all the water to be removed . Ls = lenght of packed bed saturation zone, ft = 18.9677 ft

Calculation of the Length of Mass Transfer Zone

L MTZ = ( V adjusted / 35 ) 0.3 x ( Z ) Z = 1.7 ft for 1/8 inch sieve

L MTZ = (38.128 ft/min / 35 ) 0.3 x ( 1.7) L MTZ = 1.7442 ft for mass transfer zone Ls ( lenght of packed bed saturation zone ) + L MTZ = 20.711 ft of sieve for each bed The total sieve = (20.711 / 18.9677 ) x ( 32102.23 ) = 35054.27 lb for each bed

Bed Design and the Pressure Drop Confirmation

Pressure drop in the bed can be calculated as ; ( P / L )
adjusted

( 0.27 psi / ft ) x total bed height ( 20.711) = 5.592 psi

which meets the criteron of not exceeding 5-8 psi / ft

Calculation of Total Heat Required to Desorb Water

P design = 500 x 1.1 = 550 psia

t ( thickness of vessel wall , inches )= 12 x 7 x 550 / 37600 - ( 1.2 x 550 ) = 1.25 inch

Approximate weight of steel 43207.53 lbs

Qst ( Heat required for steel ) = 43207.53 x ( 0.12 x (500 100) ) =2073961.7 Btu

Qw = 1800 x 3881.16 = 6986088 Btu

Qsi = 35054.27x ( 0.24 ) x 400 = 3365210 Btu

Qheat loss = ( 6986088 + 3365210 + 2073962 ) x ( 0.10 ) = 1242526 Btu

Qtotal req heat = ( 2.5 ) x ( 6986088 + 3365210 + 2073962 + 1242526) = 34169465 Total heat required is about 34.2 million Btu

Calculation of the Flow Rate For the Regeneration Gas

We assume the heating time be 60% of the total regeneration time 60% x 12 hrs = 7.2 hrs of heating

Cp (Btu/lb/F) = 0.63 Btu/lb/F

mrg = { 34169465 / [ 0.63 ( 550 100 ) ( 7.2 ) ] } mrg = 16739.89 lb/hr Check that the P/L > 0.01 psi/ft at 550F Density of regeneration gas = 20.279 x 500 / 10.73 x 0.99 x 1010 = 0.945 lb/ft3

q = 16739.89 / 60 x 0.945 = 295.22 ft3/min of hot regenerative gas V = 4q / D2 = ( 4 x 295.22 ) / ( 3.414 ) x ( 72 ) = 7.059 ft/min = 0.023 cP from Fig 23-23 given above

q = 295.22 ft3/min V = 7.059 ft/min = 0.023 cP Density of regeneration gas = 0.945 lb/ft3 P/L = 0.01328psi/ft which is > 0.01 , so the channeling will not occur

Design Results
Number of Vessels : Two Vessel Dimensions : 84 inches, 7 feet Weight of Molecular Sieve : 2 x 35054.27 = 70108.5 lb Total heat required is 34.2 million Btu Approximate Heat Loss in the system : 1242526 Btu Regeneration Gas Rate : 16739.89 lb/hr Regeneration Gas Temperature : 550 F Cycle time : 24 hours 12 hours of adsorbing 12 hours of regenerating ( heating, cooling, standby and valve switching) Heating time : 7.2 hours Density of regeneration gas : 0.945 lb/ft3 Cp of regenerative gas (Btu/lb/F) : 0.63 Btu/lb/F Approximate weight of steel for two towers : 86415.06 lbs Thickness of vessel wall , inches : 1.25 inches Water to be removed : 3881.16 lb Super velocity of gas : 42.127 ft/min Weight of wet gas per hour : 167018.62 lb/hr