Proceedings of the ASME 2013 International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition
IMECE2013
November 15-21, 2013, San Diego, California, USA
IMPROVED BED SUPPORT FOR
MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATORS AND ADSORBERS
Cyrus R. Thomas
Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals, Inc.
Houston, Texas, USA
Robert G. Norell
Bilfinger Water Technologies
New Brighton, Minnesota, USA
ABSTRACT
Adsorbent beds supported by a support grid traditionally use
ceramic rope packing to fill an expansion gap between the
vessel shell and the bed support grid. This gap allows the bed
support grid to move under thermal expansion. The bed
support grid would be constricted from thermal expansion
without this gap, causing it to buckle or fail during process
heating operations. An unobstructed expansion gap is critical
for proper performance of the bed support grid. Preventing
molecular sieve granules and fines from filling around the
rope packing is crucial to long-term bed support performance
in molecular sieve dehydrators. Granules and fines converge
into an incompressible mass once they are in the expansion
gap, preventing bed support grid expansion upon heating. An
annular mesh screen or bolted cover plate typically covers the
rope packing as the primary sealing mechanism.
Nevertheless, gaps between the vessel shell and the annular
mesh screen or bolted cover plate allow fines and granules
into the expansion gap. Thermally cycled adsorbent beds,
such as molecular sieve dehydrators beds, continue to be
plagued by bed support grid damage due to the failure of these
traditional sealing methods to prevent migration of fines and
granules into the expansion gap.
This paper provides details of an improved adsorbent bed
support design that utilizes a superior sealing mechanism
which features a fixed hold down ring design. The fixed hold
down ring design provides an innovative method of sealing the
expansion gap that will effectively eliminate the pathway by
which molecular sieve granules and fines enter the expansion
gap. This is accomplished by welding the hold down ring
directly to the vessel shell above the bed support grid.
Additionally, the rope packing is moved from the expansion
gap to the gap between the hold down ring and the top of the
bed support grid. A relief gap is provided in the bottom of the
1 Copyright 2013 by ASME
IMECE2013-63206
Gordon T. Cartwright
Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals, Inc.
Houston, Texas, USA
Philip M. Diwakar
Bechtel Oil, Gas & Chemicals, Inc.
Houston, Texas, USA
banding around the periphery of the bed support grid to allow
expulsion of fines from the expansion gap. These features
provide an expansion gap sealing mechanism that eliminates
the chronic failures experienced by conventional bed support
grid sealing mechanisms. While the fixed hold down ring
design has been specifically developed to resolve the thermal
expansion issues associated with molecular sieve dehydrators,
it can be used for many types of packed beds requiring
modified bed support designs.
INTRODUCTION
In LNG plants, raw natural gas typically begins processing
into LNG at moderate temperatures from 15C (59F) to 30C
(86F) and high pressures from 50 barg (725 psig) to 90 barg
(1305 psig). Due to the high pressures and low temperatures
required to liquefy methane, nearly complete removal of CO2
and water vapor is required to prevent freezing during
liquefaction. Therefore, contaminants must be removed
before the liquefaction process is initiated. An Acid Gas
Removal Unit (AGRU) brings the raw natural gas into contact
with an amine solution which absorbs both the CO2 and H2S.
The final section of the AGRU absorber tower is a water scrub
which ensures no amines are carried downstream to the
dehydration unit.
Before entering the dehydrators, liquid contaminants are
removed first by filter coalescers which utilize a vapor/liquid
distributor in combination with a mesh pad and/or vane pack.
These separators are designed to remove 98 percent of the
water droplets from the gas stream.
Molecular sieve dehydrators are vessels holding highly porous
molecular sieve and are used extensively in LNG and gas
processing plants [1]. In natural gas service, molecular sieve
dehydrators are used for effective removal of water vapor
from natural gas during refinement and, in LNG plants, prior
to liquefaction. Due to uniform, ionic pore structures,
molecular sieves are able to selectively capture gas phase
polar molecules (H2O, CO2, H2S, NH4, MeOH, Mercaptans)
from the gas phase to very low partial pressures
(concentrations). Molecular sieve beds are unique in their
ability to achieve the very low effluent concentrations required
to meet LNG specifications. In LNG plants, the dry natural
gas produced by the dehydrators must have water vapor
concentrations less than 0.1 ppmv to prevent freezing during
liquefaction. Molecular sieve dehydrators undergo daily
cyclic operating conditions: a cycle of water vapor adsorption
at the gas operating temperature, followed by a molecular
sieve regeneration (drying) cycle using heated gas. A
dehydration unit process flow diagram which utilizes a three-
dehydrator arrangement is shown in Figure 1. In this
arrangement, two dehydrators are in adsorption mode and one
is in regeneration mode. The complete cycle time ranges from
24 to 36 hours for a dehydrator to undergo a complete
adsorption-regeneration cycle. A 36 hour operating cycle for
a dehydrator is detailed in Table 1 below. For a three-
dehydrator unit on a 36-hour cycle, this cycle is staggered 12
hours for each subsequent dehydrator.
TABLE 1: 36 HOUR CYCLE DETAIL
Mode Duration (Hours)
Adsorption 24.0
Depressurization 0.25
Regeneration Heating 3.5
Regeneration Cooling 4.5
Standby & Repressurization 3.75
Since adsorption is in the down-flow direction, the molecular
sieve at the top of the bed saturates with water first. The
longer the bed is online, the greater is the proportion of the
molecular sieve bed that is water saturated. The saturated
portion of the bed is at equilibrium. Beneath the equilibrium
zone is the mass transfer zone where the degree of saturation
starts at nearly 100 percent at the top and decreases to 0
percent at the bottom. As the gas flows downward through the
bed, the concentration of the water vapor in the gas decreases,
and it becomes more difficult for the molecular sieve to
capture the remaining water vapor. If the molecular sieve in
the bottom of the mass transfer zone were to become water
saturated, it would be very difficult for the bed to meet the 0.1
ppmv water vapor concentrations demanded for LNG
liquefaction. Therefore, regeneration of the molecular sieve
bed must take place before saturation of the mass transfer zone
occurs.
As the water is driven off during regeneration, the
concentration of water in the regeneration gas increases until
some of the water condenses out onto the cooler molecular
sieve above. Hot liquid water slowly degrades the molecular
sieve, leeching ions out of the matrix. This gradual
degradation of the molecular sieve causes a portion of it to
degrade into fines. Eventually, these fines will migrate down
to the bottom of the bed where they slowly collect in the grid
expansion gap, causing damage to the bed support grid.
2 Copyright 2013 by ASME
In addition to creating thermally inducted cyclic stresses on
the vessel [2], the thermal cycling resulting from the
adsorption-regeneration cycle produces design challenges
regarding the design of the internals. The internals must be
able to expand and contract without restriction while
containing the bed materials. During adsorption, the
dehydrator operates in the down-flow direction; during
regeneration, it typically operates in the up-flow direction.
The temperature varies from approximately 20C during
adsorption to 315C during regeneration.
The general configuration of a molecular sieve dehydrator is
shown in Figure 2. As explained below, the bed support grid
is omitted in installations in which the bed is supported by
ceramic balls filling the bottom head. In such installations, the
molecular sieve bed consists of three layers. Inert ceramic
balls in the bottom layer serve to separate the molecular sieve
from the bed support grid or bottom head. The middle layer is
the molecular sieve. Inert ceramic hold-down balls in the top
layer help prevent the molecular sieve from being disrupted by
the inlet flow through the top nozzle. As shown in Figure 2,
the dehydrator internals are comprised of the following
components:
Inlet Diffuser The inlet diffuser is a screen basket
installed on the inlet nozzle internal pipe. This
removable assembly is installed in the top head
manway. The inlet diffuser redirects the stream
direction from downward flow to horizontal flow.
Floating Screen A floating mesh screen is installed
between the molecular sieve and the hold-down balls.
This screen prevents the hold-down balls from
infiltrating into the molecular sieve bed.
Bed Support Grid The bed support grid consists of
a screen grid, the annular sealing mechanism and the
support beams.
Outlet Basket The outlet basket is a screen basket
that provides primary containment of the molecular
sieve when utilized in a bed that is supported by
ceramic balls filling the bottom head and secondary
containment when used in conjunction with a bed
support grid.
BED SUPPORT METHODOLOGIES
There are two basic methodologies for supporting molecular
sieve beds: The first method is a bed supported by ceramic
balls filling the bottom head, and the second method is a bed
supported by a support grid.
A bed supported by the bottom head is accomplished by filling
the bottom head with the ceramic support balls, and the
molecular sieve bed then rests on the ceramic support balls.
An outlet basket is installed over the bottom outlet nozzle to
contain the bed material. Although this method of supporting
the bed does not encounter the thermal expansion issues of a
support grid bed support, it is not the desired method for
supporting the bed as explained below.

Filter
Coalescer
Feed
Liquids Out
Dehydrator 1 Dehydrator 2
Liquids Out
Dry Gas Out
Hot or Cool Regeneration Gas
Heater
FIGURE 1: DEHYDRATION UNIT PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM
Molecular sieve dehydrators operate most efficiently when the
bed is supported by a bed support grid above the bottom head
of the vessel. There are several important advantages in using
this open plenum type of bed support system that make it
more desirable than the bed support method of filling the
bottom head with ceramic balls. These advantages are:
1. A bed support grid provides an open plenum beneath
the bed for optimum gas distribution during
regeneration. Regeneration is therefore more
effective due to uniform distribution of the heated
gas.
2. A bed supported by a support grid has a lower bed
pressure drop during adsorption than a bed supported
by the bottom head. This is due to less bed volume
since there is no need for the large quantity of
ceramic balls to fill the bottom head.
3. Adsorption is more efficient due to more uniform
drying of the molecular sieve, especially in large
diameter dehydrators.
4. Regeneration time is shorter due to a smaller mass of
ceramic support balls and due to better distribution of
the regeneration gas through the open plenum.
5. An outlet basket screen can be utilized to provide
secondary containment of the bed material [3].
6. The smaller volume of ceramic support balls (as
compared to a bed supported by ceramic balls filling
the bottom head) results in lower bed change-out
costs.
3 Copyright 2013 by ASME
ACHE
Recycle
Compressor
KO Drum
Molecular
Sieve Bed
Condensed
Bed Support Grid Liquids
Dehydrator 3
For these reasons, most users prefer the bed support grid
method for supporting the bed, and the bed support grid
method is the focus of the remainder of this paper.
BED SUPPORT GRID
The bed support grid consists of a screen or layers of screen
installed over a structural support grid which rests on a system
of beams and an annular support ring. Prior to the past
decade, the grid consisted of layers of mesh screen which
rested on a structural grating. The mesh screens were layered
with a 4 mesh screen on the bottom and a 20 mesh screen on
top. In this design, the 4 mesh screen provided the strength to
span the grating bearing bars while the 20 mesh screen
provided containment of the molecular sieve granules and bed
support balls. A 10 mesh screen was sometimes added above
the 20 mesh screen to protect it from damage during bed
change-outs.
Some users have come to dislike this design due to the
following problems: The 20 mesh screen has a tendency to
become plugged by the molecular sieve fines and particulates
as they infiltrate through the support balls. This results in an
increased pressure drop across the bed before the end of the
bed life. The mesh screens can also become dislodged and
gaps can open in the screen through which molecular sieve
granules and support balls can bypass the grid and migrate to
the bottom of the vessel.
During the past decade, users have begun replacing the
grating/mesh screen design with the V-wire screen grid design.
V-wire screens feature a non-plugging slot design [4], and the
V-wires on the grid are spaced to contain the molecular sieve
granule size so that a mesh screen is not needed. The V-wire
grid can be provided with its own support bars so that the
structural grating can be omitted in this design. The support
beams and annular support ring are the only additional
supports required.
provides good corrosion resistance. The grid will expand 16
mm (0.63") on the diameter with the use of 410S stainless
steel for the bed support grid on a 4570 mm (180") diameter
vessel. Grid thermal expansion, fabrication tolerances and
size of the bed support ring attachment fillet weld need to be
taken into account in determining the design width of the
expansion gap.

Inlet Spool A discussion of bed supports would not be complete without

reviewing the design loads. The required design value for the
dynamic pressure drop across the bed has increased over the
Hemispherical Inlet Diffuser years due to bed support grid failures. Currently, a minimum
Heads design value of 2.41 bar (35 psi) for the bed dynamic pressure
drop is used in the design of the bed supports. Some users
require a design value of 3.45 bar (50 psi). These values are
Bed Hold Down used not only to account for the increased pressure drop due to
Balls bed fouling but are also specified to ensure against failure
during an upset operating condition.
Floating Screen
In addition to the bed support grid, it is equally important that
the support beams for the grid are designed properly. Besides
checking bending stress, the designer needs to check the
Molecular Sieve
beams for web crippling at the beam seats and for lateral
Bed
stability. Figure 3 shows a beam failure due to web crippling.

Bed Support
Balls

Bed Support
Outlet
Grid
Basket
FIGURE 3: BEAM FAILURE DUE TO WEB CRIPPLING

SEALING OF THE SUPPORT GRID EXPANSION GAP

Reverse-flow heated gas causes the bed support grid to expand

FIGURE 2: MOLECULAR SIEVE DEHYDRATOR
INTERNALS CONFIGURATION
The material used in construction of the bed support grid is
important, not only for corrosion resistance, but also for
thermal expansion. Austenitic stainless steel would require a
wider expansion gap because it has a much larger coefficient
of thermal expansion than the carbon steel vessel. 410S
stainless steel is used for the support grid to minimize the
expansion gap width since it has a coefficient of thermal
expansion that is close to that of carbon steel and it also
at a faster rate than the vessel during regeneration. The
expansion gap is provided between the bed support grid and
the vessel shell to allow for this differential expansion.
Sealing of the expansion gap is problematic since the gap
width is constantly changing due to the temperature cycling
between the adsorption and regeneration temperatures.
Damage to the bed support grid due to failure of the traditional
methods of sealing the expansion gap continues to be a
problem. While this type of bed failure rarely results in a
complete failure of the bed support, it does result in costly
unscheduled shutdowns to repair the bed support grid and can

4 Copyright 2013 by ASME

cause damage to downstream equipment if the bed materials
escape into that equipment.
ROPE PACKING
Rope packing has typically been used to fill the expansion gap
between the bed support grid and the vessel shell. The rope
packing has traditionally been made of twisted ceramic
material, but some users have changed to fiberglass rope on
account of environmental concerns with the ceramic rope.
The rope packing is initially flexible, compressing and
expanding with the expansion and contraction of the grid, but
it does not completely fill the void due to its cylindrical shape.
During operation, molecular sieve granules and fines work
into the voids around the rope packing with the fines actually
impregnating the rope packing. When the voids around the
rope packing are filled, the rope packing experiences even
greater compression but has less elasticity due to infiltration of
the fines into the rope. This results in damage to the support
grid.
Damage initially occurs in the banding around the periphery of
the bed support grid. The banding takes on a scalloped or
wavy shape. The scalloped shape is a result of the banding
yielding along the unsupported area between the grid support
bars as the expansion gap is filled, whereas the banding is held
in place at the grid support bar locations. The banding will
continue to yield until gaps open between the banding and the
bed support ring, allowing the support balls and molecular
sieve granules to escape into the bottom of the vessel. (It
should be noted that although the support balls are meant to
separate the molecular sieve from the bed support grid, the
molecular sieve nevertheless migrates through the support
balls.) As the fines continue to work their way into the gap,
they begin separating the grid sections. As these spaces
continue to open, larger amounts of support balls and
molecular sieve granules begin to bypass the grid through
these spaces.
An outlet basket that has been properly installed in the bottom
of the dehydrator will prevent the molecular sieve granules
and ceramic support balls from exiting the dehydrator and
passing into downstream equipment. Once the molecular
sieve granules and ceramic support balls start accumulating
around the outlet basket, the dehydrator will start exhibiting
pressure drops that are higher than normal. The pressure drop
will eventually become sufficiently high that a costly,
unscheduled shutdown has to be arranged to investigate the
reason for the high pressure drop across the dehydrator.
If an outlet basket is not installed to provide secondary
containment, or if it is improperly installed, molecular sieve
granules and support balls will exit the dehydrator through the
outlet nozzle and pass through the piping into downstream
equipment. The molecular sieve after-filter is the first
downstream equipment that will receive the molecular sieve
granules and support balls that have passed through the
dehydrator. The molecular sieve after-filter is designed to
filter the molecular sieve fines from the dehydrator. It is not
designed for a large influx of molecular sieve granules and
5 Copyright 2013 by ASME
ceramic support balls. The filter elements in the molecular
sieve after-filter will eventually collapse from this solids
loading. Following collapse of the molecular sieve after-filter
elements, the molecular sieve granules and ceramic support
balls flow downstream into the mercury removal bed. Once
fouled with molecular sieve, the mercury removal bed
becomes plugged and experiences high pressure drops across
the bed. This can lead to failure of the mercury removal bed
support grid and bypass of those bed materials into
downstream compressors.
The consequences of this scenario can be extended down-time
and costly repairs. Two traditional methods, an annular mesh
screen and a bolted annular ring have been used with limited
success to assist the ceramic rope in sealing the expansion gap.
ANNULAR MESH SCREEN
To minimize the migration of molecular sieve granules into
the rope packing, an annular mesh screen is sometimes
positioned above the expansion gap. The annular mesh screen
does not fit tightly against the vessel shell and has a tendency
to move out of position during operational cycling. To
prevent this, a clamping ring can be used to help hold the
mesh against the vessel shell. It is also helpful to fasten the
mesh to the grid with tie wires. A sketch of the annular mesh
screen design is shown in Figure 4. It is difficult to
manufacture rings that provide complete contact with the
vessel shell, so installations can have gaps that allow
penetration of molecular sieve behind the screen. Also, some
molecular sieve fines are small enough to penetrate the mesh
screen, thereby allowing fines to enter the expansion gap
around the rope, impregnating the rope packing and ultimately
damaging the support grid.
Optional Clamping Ring
Vessel Bed Support
Shell Mesh Grid
Screen
Rope
Packing
Bed Support Ring
FIGURE 4 - ANNULAR MESH SCREEN
There have been instances of clamping rings buckling on
larger dehydrators of approximately 4570 mm (180") in
diameter. Clamping rings for large diameter vessels can be
installed with spring joints to help prevent buckling, but there
is little operational experience with this design. Incorrect
assembly of a clamping ring with spring joints is shown in
Figure 5. This figure shows that nuts have been installed at
both ends of the bolt on the inside of the spring joint, leaving
the springs ineffective. Incorrect assembly of both the design
with spring joints and the design without spring joints
continues to be suspected as the possible cause of some of
these buckling instances. An extensive root cause analysis at
one users facility identified improper assembly as the cause
of just such a failure.
FIGURE 5: INCORRECT INSTALLATION OF
CLAMPING RING SPRING JOINT
Even with the addition of the clamping ring, users continue to
experience molecular sieve granule bypass around the
periphery of the bed support grid when using the annular mesh
screen in conjunction with the rope packing. One such failure
in an annular mesh screen is shown in Figure 6. This design
has fallen into disfavor with most users because of the
continuing problem of molecular sieve bypass.
FIGURE 6: FAILURE OF ANNULAR MESH SCREEN
BOLTED ANNULAR RING
The bolted annular cover plate design shown in Figure 7 has a
lesser tendency to allow penetration of the molecular sieve
6 Copyright 2013 by ASME
fines into the expansion gap. Unlike the annular mesh screen,
the solid cover prevents passage of the fines through the cover.
However, the 3mm (1/8") gap between the cover plate and the
vessel shell allows an entrance pathway for molecular sieve
fines to migrate into the expansion gap. A strip of ceramic or
fiberglass tape can be used to seal the gap but this new
addition to the design may become dislodged due to thermal
cycling during operation.
Vessel Optional Fiber Tape
Shell
Thru-bolt Bed
Support
Bolted Annular
Ring
Rope
Solid Slide Plate on Grid
Packing
Bed Support
FIGURE 7: BOLTED ANNULAR RING
The bolted hold down ring is a complicated design since it has
many parts that require precise clearances to accommodate
thermal expansion and contraction. Such complexity in the
design provides opportunities for design mistakes that would
compromise the operation of the mechanism.
Another new addition to this design is a high temperature
gasket installed between the annular ring and the slide plate on
the bed support grid. Continual movement between the
annular ring and the slide plate raises a concern that the gasket
may not withstand this constant abrasion.
Variations of the bolted hold down ring have been
successfully used on small dehydrators but it is uncertain if
they will provide dependable service on todays large diameter
dehydrators. Although it is an improvement over the annular
mesh screen design, some users remain apprehensive about the
reliability of the bolted annular ring design.
FIXED HOLD DOWN RING
In a joint effort between Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals, Inc.
and Bilfinger Water Technologies, manufacturer of Johnson
Screens, the fixed hold down ring has been developed to
eliminate the chronic problems that have plagued existing
designs. The fixed hold down ring design sketch is shown in
Figure 8. It employs an innovative design concept to remedy
the problems associated with rope packing used in conjunction
with an annular mesh screen or bolted annular cover plate.
The fixed hold down ring is welded to the vessel shell,
effectively closing the gravity-induced flow path through
which the ceramic support balls, molecular sieve granules and
fines enter the expansion gap. With this design, the only flow
 Vessel Shell

Hold Down Ring

Nubbin Stud Bolt
Welded to Hold Down Ring

Retaining Ring
Bed Support Grid
Minimum Gap

Rope Packing Solid Slide Plate on Grid Gap in Bottom

of Banding

Bed Support Ring

FIGURE 8: FIXED HOLD DOWN RING DETAIL

path for these bed materials to enter into the expansion gap is of the bed support grid and a canister of molecular sieve which
in the horizontal direction, and there is no driving force in this is loaded to simulate the bulk and dynamic loads on the bed.
direction to push the bed materials into the expansion gap.

The rope packing is located between the fixed hold down ring
and the top of the bed support grid. Here it is neither
subjected to repetitive compression and expansion nor will a
reduction in the elasticity of the rope packing due to
infiltration of fines jeopardize its performance. The packing is
held in place between the nubbin on the fixed hold down ring
and the retaining ring. In addition to retaining the rope
packing, the retaining ring also acts as a wiper, wiping the bed
materials away from the rope packing as the bed support grid
expands.

A gap is provided in the bottom of the banding around the bed

support grid. This gap provides a relief to allow any fines that
may accumulate in the expansion gap to escape to the bottom
of the vessel where they will pass into the molecular sieve
after-filter.
Although the rope packing is not subjected to repeated
compression and relaxation during operation as with the
traditional designs, it is subjected to constant abrasion due to
the movement of the bed support grid against the stationary
rope packing. Testing was conducted to determine if this
movement would abrade the rope and to evaluate the
effectiveness of this design in sealing the expansion gap. The
test fixture shown in Figure 9 was designed to simulate
operating conditions. The test fixture features a moving
section that simulates the thermal expansion and contraction
FIGURE 9: TEST FIXTURE
The molecular sieve canister is a 50 mm (2) square canister
with a top loading plate as shown in Figure 10. The top
loading plate can exert up to a 55 kg (120 lb) load to the top of
the molecular sieve granules to simulate the bulk and dynamic
loads on the bed support. During testing, the loading on the
molecular sieve in the test fixture was equivalent to 2.07 bar
(30 psi) loading on the sieve at the grid surface. Some
degradation of sieve granules occurred as the test plate moved
under the column of sieve. This required adjustment of the

7 Copyright 2013 by ASME

loading plate to maintain the intended load on the support grid.
The curved catch-tray located on the left side of the test fixture
shown in Figure 9 is for collecting any molecular sieve,
particles and fines that pass through the rope packing.
Molecular Sieve Filled Canister
Canister with Top Loading Plate Installed
FIGURE 10: TEST FIXTURE CANISTER
Initial tests were conducted with all fixed hold down ring
components sized to match design dimensions. The
relationships between the nubbin, the retaining ring and the
grid surface created the desired volume to be packed with
rope. The design gap between the retaining ring lower corner
and the grid surface was sized at 1.5 mm (1/16) for the first
series of tests.
Four types of rope were selected for the abrasion/sealing test:
Dense braided ceramic rope with Inconel mesh cover
Density: 529-577 kg/m3 (33-36 lb/ft3)
Dense braided ceramic rope
Density: 529-577 kg/m3 (33-36 lb/ft3)
Moderately dense twisted ceramic rope
Density: 400-529 kg/m3 (25-33 lb/ft3)
Low density twisted ceramic rope
Density: 320-400 kg/m3 (20-25 lb/ft3)
8 Copyright 2013 by ASME
All rope samples, shown in Figure 11, were defined by the
manufacturers as 20 mm (3/4). The dense braided ceramic
rope samples fit the space well and resulted in compression
within the desired range to provide a good seal. The
moderately dense twisted rope was functional but had a
noticeably looser fit than the dense rope. Low density twisted
rope in 20 mm (3/4) size did not fill the space, indicating that
a larger diameter low density rope would be needed for secure
sealing.
Dense Braided Ceramic Rope with Inconel Mesh Cover
Dense Braided Ceramic Rope
Moderately Dense Twisted Ceramic Rope
Low Density Twisted Ceramic Rope
FIGURE 11: CERAMIC ROPE TEST SAMPLES
The rope packing was subjected to 3000 simulated grid
expansion-contraction cycles in which the test fixtures slide
plate was moved 10 mm (0.39) in the horizontal plane. For a
24-hour adsorption-regeneration cycle time, this equates to
over eight years of operating cycles. This is well beyond the
number of cycles the rope will experience in a normal three to
five year bed change-out interval, at which time the rope
packing should be replaced.
With a retaining ring gap of 1.5 mm (1/16), all rope packing
styles performed well in the first series of tests, including the
low density twisted rope, which had been an immediate
concern because the rope did not fill the packing area and had
almost no compression. The molecular sieve fines that moved
under the retaining ring gap of 1.5 mm (1/16) were almost
completely retained by the first wrap of the dense and
moderately dense rope. Figure 12 shows the extent of
migration of fines into the sealing area between the rope
packing and grid slide plate.
Dense Braided Ceramic Rope with Inconel Mesh Cover
Dense Braided Ceramic Rope
Moderately Dense Twisted Ceramic Rope
Low Density Twisted Ceramic Rope
FIGURE 12: FINES MIGRATION INTO SEALING AREA
The tests were run for the full duration of test cycles and the
rope ends lifted as shown in Figure 12 to expose any particles
moving into the packing area. Fines moved further into the
packing with the twisted type rope, going as far as the third
wrap before being retained. Even the marginally compressed
low density rope was successful in the test. Sealing of full
size granules was accomplished by the retaining ring rather
than by the rope packing. Only fines penetrated through the
1.5 mm (1/16) opening which limited exposure of the rope to
9 Copyright 2013 by ASME
abrasion. Catch-tray monitoring during the tests confirmed no
passage of fines completely through all wraps of packing.
The test fixture was then modified to conduct a direct
retention test. In this test, an out-of-tolerance condition in the
retaining ring allowed the sieve granules through the retaining
ring so that they were in direct contact with the rope packing.
The retaining ring gap was increased from 1.5 mm (1/16) to 6
mm (1/4), allowing the granules to bear directly on the rope
packing. New coupons of the two ceramic rope styles most
common to this application (dense braided and low density
twisted) were again tested for 3000 cycles.
The low density twisted rope had immediate problems with
retention, allowing bypass of full size granules into the catch-
tray. With the minimal compression of this rope, such an
outcome was expected. To proceed with the test, the low
density rope was shimmed to compress it an additional 6 mm
(1/4) to achieve a functional seal, making the total
compression of the rope 45% of the supplied diameter.
Sealing of full size granules and fines was achieved after
increasing the compression on the low density rope. Full size
granules entered the packing area, pushing the rope to the
outermost extent of the space, in essence increasing the
compression even further. Even though sealing was achieved
with the extra compression, the presence of a large population
of granules in the packing area as shown in Figure 13 is not
desirable.
FIGURE 13: DIRECT RETENTION TEST
Braided dense packing fared much better in the direct
retention test. Initial retention was excellent with no fines or
granules passing the three wraps. The dense rope filled the
entire packing area and did not allow granules to enter the
space even during extended cycling. As the test reached the
2500 cycle range, a small amount of fines passed into the
catch-tray, but no full size granules were found except those
bearing directly on the innermost wrap from the 6 mm (1/4)
opening beneath the retaining ring.
The ability of even the lowest quality packing to achieve a seal
demonstrates the robustness of the new fixed hold down ring
design, even when the retaining ring gap tolerance has not
been maintained. Braided dense ceramic rope is the
recommended packing for the fixed hold down ring design
because the packing area remains filled, retention is excellent
and sealing is maintained even with a large gap in the
retaining ring.
The rope packing bears directly on a wrought slide plate
surface of the support grid. Abrasion of the rope from
simulated thermal movement of the grid and the roughness of
the plate surface were both documented. The plate surface
had an initial roughness of 4.2 m (167 in). Movement
under the molecular sieve column reduced the plate roughness
in the area to 3.1 m (125 in). Roughness in the area with
direct bearing of the packing varied in a range from 3.1 m
(123 in) to 3.7 m (145 in). Some polishing occurred in
the rope packing area, with most happening during the large
gap testing.
None of the ropes had discernible wear with the 1.5 mm
(1/16) gap arrangement. This means that a well installed
retaining ring will minimize or eliminate abrasion on the rope,
thereby providing an optimum seal for long term reliability. If
the retaining ring is poorly installed, as demonstrated with the
6 mm (1/4) gap, abrasion of the rope is significant; however,
the rope still provides a functional seal under extended service
cycles. Figure 14 shows wear on the rope exterior, but general
integrity is maintained. This figure also shows entrapment of
large partial granules and the general compressed condition of
the low density twisted rope.
Dense Braided Ceramic Rope Abrasion
Low Density Twisted Ceramic Rope Abrasion
FIGURE 14: ROPE ABRASION AFTER
DIRECT RETENTION TESTS
A major challenge in developing this design was in
determining realistic tolerances that would also provide the
10
needed compression of the rope packing to seal against
migration of fines into the expansion gap. After considerable
studies using various rope sizes, it was determined that the
desired dense braided rope compression range between 25 and
50 percent could be achieved with reasonable fabrication
tolerances using a 20 mm (3/4") diameter rope packing. The
tolerances developed for this design were reviewed with
pressure vessel fabricators and confirmed that they could be
maintained.
The bed support ring and hold down ring can be fabricated
from a forging or by welding the rings to the vessel shell. In
the forged option, the vessel shell and the rings are forged into
one piece which is then milled to the specified dimensions.
This is a precise method of fabrication and will likely result in
as-built tolerances which are well within the specified
tolerances. The disadvantage of the forged option is cost. For
a large dehydrator, the forged option will add approximately
$100,000 USD to a dehydrator cost compared to welded rings.
Holding the tolerances is more difficult in the welded ring
option. Proper jigs/bracing need to be used to limit movement
of the rings during welding and a proper welding procedure to
limit shrinkage and draw of the rings is essential. During post
weld heat treatment (PWHT), bracing is needed to prevent
movement due to changes in residual weld stresses. Clearance
between the rings is also a concern because of the need to
maintain clearance for welding. After consulting with vessel
fabricators, it was determined that a 100 mm (4") clearance
between the rings is sufficient clearance for welding.
From the standpoint of a users representative, the engineering
contractor must schedule sufficient inspections to ensure the
rings are properly braced for welding and PWHT and that the
welding procedure is properly executed. Inspection must also
ensure that tolerances are being held. In the event that
tolerances are exceeded, there are modifications to the design
that can be made to accommodate minor out-of-tolerances.
The nubbin on the hold down ring can be milled or weld
build-up and the retaining ring dimensions revised to
compensate for an out-of tolerance condition. Also, the rope
packing diameter can be changed to maintain proper rope
compression.
There is no rope packing between the bed support grid and the
vessel shell to center the bed support grid. Therefore, the
expansion gap must be reduced to minimize the grid
movement and the width of the bed support ring and fixed
hold down ring. A 25 mm (1") wide expansion gap has been
set as a standard for the fixed hold down ring design. The gap
was set based on a 6100 mm (240") maximum diameter
dehydrator. This narrow expansion gap necessitates that the
bed support grid be manufactured to fit the curvature of the
vessel shell. Inside diameter measurements of the vessel are
taken during vessel fabrication and sent to the bed support grid
manufacturer for use in sizing the bed support grid.
COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS COMPARISON
Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models were generated
for both the bolted annular ring design and the fixed hold
Copyright 2013 by ASME
down ring design [5]. Since the fixed hold down ring
protrudes further into the flow field than the bolted annular
ring, a comparison between these two designs is needed to
determine how this affects the flow during regeneration and
the pressure drop during adsorption. A CFD model was not
run for the annular mesh screen design because this design is
no longer being offered for new installations.
The overall flow field plots for regeneration (upward flow)
and adsorption (downward flow) for the fixed hold down ring
design are shown in Figure 15. Note that the velocity scaling
is different for regeneration than for adsorption due to the
significantly larger flow rate during adsorption.
Velocity Velocity
m/s m/s
Regeneration Flow Field Adsorption Flow Field
FIGURE 15: OVERALL FLOW FIELDS
Both CFD models were run using an identical vessel size:
4570 mm (180") inside diameter x 6400 mm (21'-0") tangent-
to-tangent length. These are typical dimensions for todays
larger dehydrators. In both models, the bed support ring is
located at the bottom head tangent line. A flow rate of 400
MMSCFD was used for adsorption flow, and a flow rate of 50
MMSCFD was used for regeneration flow in both models.
Hexahedral cells were used for the CFD models and aspect
ratios were maintained close to unity. The mesh size is the
same for both CFD models. The bed support grid, ceramic
balls and the molecular sieve bed are simulated as porous
media using Darcys law for calculating the inertial and
viscous pressure drop characteristics. The inlet diffuser and
outlet basket are simulated as jump conditions, applying the
perforated plate pressure drop characteristics pertaining to the
percentage of open area.
Figure 16 provides a flow field comparison of the bed support
region for each design, bolted annular ring and fixed hold
down ring, for regeneration and adsorption. The velocity
magnitude contours for the two regeneration plots in Figure 16
are scaled at 0-3 m/s in order to determine the separation
distance and the recirculation zone upstream of the rings.
11
The regeneration plots indicate that there is very minimal
change in the regeneration flow field due to the additional
width of the ring in the fixed hold down ring design. The flow
separation distance increases from 200 mm (7.87") to 300 mm
(11.81") due to the increase in the ring width. The effect of
the two designs on the flow field is localized and the flow
velocities above the rings are comparable for the two designs.
This indicates that the efficiency of the dehydrator during
regeneration will not be affected by the wider fixed hold down
ring design.
The comparison of the flow field for each design during
adsorption shown in Figure 16 indicates only a slight
difference in the flow field between the designs. Since the bed
support rings are below the molecular sieve bed, flow
disruption is not as much a concern during adsorption as
pressure drop. A pressure drop comparison between the two
designs shows a 5 to 10 Pascal (0.02 to 0.04 inches of water)
increase in the bed pressure drop using the fixed hold down
ring design versus the bolted annular ring design. This
increase is insignificant compared to a normal operating bed
pressure drop of 40 kPa (5.8 psi).
CONCLUSION
Although the failure of the mechanism that seals the bed
support grids peripheral expansion gap rarely results in
complete failure of the bed, it does result in costly
unscheduled shutdowns to repair the bed support grid and can
cause damage to downstream equipment if the bed materials
escape downstream. A single two-week unscheduled
shutdown can cost an operating company as much as $56MM
USD in lost production to repair the dehydrator bed support
grid (based on 5.2 MM tonnes LNG/year). Users continue to
repair these existing designs, all the while knowing that
another failure could happen in a few months or years, causing
another expensive outage.
Rather than focusing on a permanent solution for sealing the
expansion gap for the bed support grid, some users have
accepted lower production outcomes. Some accept reduced
production volume by using a less efficient bed supported by
ceramic balls that fill the bottom head in order to gain
reliability; other users accept the risk of using an unreliable
design for sealing the expansion gap for the bed support grid.
That is unfortunate. Based on the findings detailed in this
paper, users of molecular sieve dehydrators can now utilize an
improved adsorbent bed support sealing mechanism featuring
the fixed hold down ring design. It is a permanent, reliable
and most efficient design solution for the problem of sealing
the expansion gap for the bed support grid.
The fixed hold down ring design was specifically developed to
solve the chronic failures that industry has experienced in
sealing the bed support grid expansion gap on molecular sieve
dehydrators, but this design can be used on all types of
adsorbers. The fixed hold down ring design is currently being
implemented on 21 dehydrators. Nine of these designs utilize
a forged ring option and 12 utilize the welded ring option.
These dehydrators are expected to be placed into service in
2015. The fixed hold down ring design can be implemented
Copyright 2013 by ASME
 Velocity
m/s

Fixed Hold Down Ring During Regeneration Bolted Annular Ring During Regeneration
Velocity
m/s

Fixed Hold Down Ring During Adsorption Bolted Annular Ring During Adsorption

FIGURE 16: FLOW FIELD PLOTS OF BED SUPPORT REGION

on an existing dehydrator, but the amount of site welding and 2.
the close tolerances associated with this design could be a
challenge for site construction. In this instance, it may be a
better option to replace the equipment, especially if the
3.
remaining fatigue life of the vessel is limited.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Bechtel OG&C engineers 4.
Ramesh Amin and Gerry Graven for their valued contributions
to the development of this design.
5.
REFERENCES
Diwakar, P. and Thomas, C., Thermal Fatigue Analysis
of Molecular Sieve Dehydrators using Fluid-Structure
Interaction, Gastech CoTE, 2011.
Mock, J., Hahn, P., Ramani, R. and Messersmith, D.,
"Experiences in the Operation of Dehydration and
Mercury Removal Systems in LNG Trains,"
ConocoPhillips Co., 2008
Johnson Screens, Internals for Down Flow Reactors,
2006.
Fluent CFD, "Theory and Reference," Release 12.1, 2009

1. Hunter, P., "Trinidad LNG The Second Wave,"

Gastech, 2002.

12 Copyright 2013 by ASME