Abstract: Systems and processes for removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. Sulfur compounds are extracted from a hydrocarbon feed stream with a caustic stream to provide a treated hydrocarbon stream and a rich caustic stream. The sulfur compounds in the rich caustic stream are oxidized in the presence of a catalyst to provide a lean caustic stream. The lean caustic stream is returned to extract sulfur from the hydrocarbon stream. Data such as a concentration of sulfurs species and degree of caustic saturation with the sulfur species in the rich caustic stream may be provided by a sensor, compared against other real-time or historical data and used to provide a recommended adjustment to process conditions associated with an extraction unit, or an oxidation unit, or both.

Abstract: Systems and processes for removing sulfur compounds from a hydrocarbon stream. Sulfur compounds are extracted from a hydrocarbon feed stream with a caustic stream to provide a treated hydrocarbon stream and a rich caustic stream. The sulfur compounds in the rich caustic stream are oxidized in the presence of a catalyst to provide a lean caustic stream. The lean caustic stream is returned to extract sulfur from the hydrocarbon stream. Data such as a concentration of sulfurs species and degree of caustic saturation with the sulfur species in the rich caustic stream may be provided by a sensor, compared against other real-time or historical data and used to provide a recommended adjustment to process conditions associated with an extraction unit, or an oxidation unit, or both.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing carbonyl sulfide (COS) from a hydrocarbon stream have been developed. The design allows removal of COS in the regeneration stream to less than 10 wppm, even at high concentrations of COS. The spent bed is regenerated using a portion of the treated product stream. The COS regeneration column provides increased contact and residence time.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for removing carbonyl sulfide in a gas phase hydrocarbon stream. The process may include combining the gas phase hydrocarbon stream with another stream including an alkali and an alkanolamine, and passing the combined stream to a prewash zone including a vessel. The gas phase hydrocarbon may include carbonyl sulfide, and the alkali can include at least one of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and ammonia. Usually, the vessel contains a contacting zone and a coalescing zone for removing the carbonyl sulfide.

Abstract: Processes and systems are provided for refining fuel gas. The processes involve first and second water wash stages, before and after a caustic wash stage, in which fuel gas is contacted with water for removing amine and caustic compounds from the fuel gas. The systems for refining LPG comprise a first water wash vessel and a caustic wash vessel, followed by a second water wash vessel, wherein the water wash vessels are each adapted for contacting the LPG with water to remove amine and caustic compounds therefrom.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for treating a liquid hydrocarbon stream. The process can include passing the liquid hydrocarbon stream previously contacted with a solvent having an alkanolamine consisting of diethanolamine, a methyl diethanolamine, or a mixture thereof, and an alkali to a vessel. Generally, the vessel contains a coalescing zone for removing at least one of hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide.

Abstract: A process of producing a sweetened liquid hydrocarbon stream. In order to prevent the forming of acid species in a sweetening zone, a oxygenate removal zone is disposed upstream of the sweetening zone. The oxygenate removal zone may comprise a water wash or an adsorbent zone, including a regenerable adsorbent. The sweetened stream is formed from a least a portion of liquid natural gas stream which may be scrubbed free of hydrogen sulfide and dehydrated before passing to the oxygenate removal zone.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for oxidizing one or more thiol compounds from an alkaline stream. The process may include passing a mixed stream having the alkaline stream to an oxidation vessel having a body and a neck. Often, the body contains one or more packing elements and the neck contains a packing, a distributor, and a mesh. The process can further include passing an oxidized alkaline stream to a separation vessel containing a first chamber and a second chamber. Usually, the first chamber contains a coated mesh.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing carbonyl sulfide (COS) from a hydrocarbon stream have been developed. The design allows removal of COS in the regeneration stream to less than 10 wppm, even at high concentrations of COS. The spent bed is regenerated using a portion of the treated product stream. The COS regeneration column provides increased contact and residence time.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for contacting an alkaline solution with kerosene or diesel. The process can include providing a stream of kerosene or diesel and at least one of a naphthenic acid and a salt thereof, with an additional alkaline solution to a prewash vessel, forming an emulsion interface between a kerosene or diesel phase and an alkaline phase in the prewash vessel, controlling an amount of the emulsion interface by withdrawing at least a portion of the emulsion interface between the two phases, and adding an acid to a withdrawn emulsion.

Abstract: Processes and apparatuses for removing mercaptans from feed streams are provided. In one embodiment, a process for removing mercaptans from a feed stream includes extracting mercaptans and a polymeric precursor from the feed stream with a caustic solvent to form a polymeric precursor rich spent caustic solvent. The polymeric precursor rich spent caustic solvent is contacted with a polymeric precursor-deficient hydrocarbon stream in a multistage vessel and the polymeric precursor is extracted from the polymeric precursor rich spent caustic solvent to form a treated spent caustic solvent. The process contacts the treated spent caustic solvent with oxygen and oxidizes the mercaptans to disulfides to form an oxidized caustic solvent stream. The process includes separating the oxidized caustic solvent stream into an offgas stream, a disulfide stream, and a caustic solvent stream.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for treating a liquid hydrocarbon stream. The process can include passing the liquid hydrocarbon stream previously contacted with a solvent having an alkanolamine consisting of diethanolamine, a methyl diethanolamine, or a mixture thereof, and an alkali to a vessel. Generally, the vessel contains a coalescing zone for removing at least one of hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for removing carbonyl sulfide in a gas phase hydrocarbon stream. The process may include combining the gas phase hydrocarbon stream with another stream including an alkali and an alkanolamine, and passing the combined stream to a prewash zone including a vessel. The gas phase hydrocarbon may include carbonyl sulfide, and the alkali can include at least one of potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, and ammonia. Usually, the vessel contains a contacting zone and a coalescing zone for removing the carbonyl sulfide.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for oxidizing one or more thiol compounds from an alkaline stream. The process may include passing a mixed stream having the alkaline stream to an oxidation vessel having a body and a neck. Often, the body contains one or more packing elements and the neck contains a packing, a distributor, and a mesh. The process can further include passing an oxidized alkaline stream to a separation vessel containing a first chamber and a second chamber. Usually, the first chamber contains a coated mesh.

Abstract: A new valve is designed for the transport of solids using a motive fluid. The valve includes an inlet conduit for carrying solids, where the solids are fed through gravity. The solids are carried by fluid transport out an outlet where the outlet conduit has a smaller diameter than the inlet conduit carrying the solids. The conduit should be sufficiently smaller to prevent instability in the flow. A second inlet provides the source of motive fluid to drive the transport of solids.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for removing one or more disulfide compounds from a caustic stream. The process can include passing the caustic stream, previously contacted with a hydrocarbon stream for removing one or more mercaptans, through a column to remove the one or more disulfide compounds downstream of a mercaptan oxidation zone.

Abstract: One exemplary embodiment can be a process for removing one or more disulfide compounds from a caustic stream. The process can include passing the caustic stream, previously contacted with a hydrocarbon stream for removing one or more mercaptans, through a column to remove the one or more disulfide compounds downstream of a mercaptan oxidation zone.

Abstract: The invention covers a method for treating spent regeneration gas from one or more molecular sieve treaters, first in an amine solvent unit and then in a caustic unit. The amine solvent unit removes hydrogen sulfide and carbonyl sulfide and the caustic unit removes mercaptans. Optionally, there are additional treatments before the treated gas has met specifications for burning as a fuel or used for other purposes.

Abstract: A new valve is designed for the transport of solids using a motive fluid. The valve includes an inlet conduit for carrying solids, where the solids are fed through gravity. The solids are carried by fluid transport out an outlet where the outlet conduit has a smaller diameter than the inlet conduit carrying the solids. The conduit should be sufficiently smaller to prevent instability in the flow. A second inlet provides the source of motive fluid to drive the transport of solids.

Abstract: A vessel is provided for collecting a process stream and fractionating the process stream into a liquid and gas phase in the vessel. Cooling may be provided by an internal bath and/or an external bath. The liquid phase retained in the vessel and the gas phase collected in lots from the vessel may be delivered to a lab for analysis.