Gases are an important part of our atmosphere and each gas has its own quality and use. Although some cases are harmful for humans to inhale or even a mere presence may harm our health, these gases can have wide industrial applications, thus are handled with care. While working with various gases, many sources of contaminants can pollute the gases stored in storage containers or during their supply to the required destination. There are various types of gases used in industries and each gas type has a different contamination associated with it. Thus, for a perfect application of the particular gas in an industry, gas purification is necessary and various techniques are being developed for the purpose.
Contaminants in Gases and their Removal
The steps involved in the removal of contaminants and the disposal of gases are vital for the monetization process of the resources of natural gas.
Water needs to be removed from gases so as to prevent the pipes involved in the transfer process of the gases from being corroded, which are necessary for the recovery of Natural Gas.
Carbon Dioxide, present as an impurity in the gases, needs to be improved in order to maintain the capacity of the pipeline and to reduce the horsepower of compression.
Hydrogen Sulfide impurity present in gases is a toxic additive and need to be removed or to be reduced to the lowest possible levels.
Mercury, as a contaminant can lead to the damage of equipments used in the industries and can also pose various health hazards of the persons dealing with the handling and other processes.
Mercaptans, if present in high quantity levels, can lead to the increase of the specifications of the gas fed being supplied.
The issues of the disposal of gases need to be considered as important issues during the design of acid gases and the units for the removal of trace contaminants. The issues related to the emission of carbon dealing with the quality of air need a special addressing in order to meet the regulations of the local environment during the disposal of the gases. An increase in the consumption of natural gas worldwide needs an economical level solution to be provided to manage various trace contaminants and acid gases.
There are a number of technologies available in the world, provided by various companies for gas purification purposes. Some of these are chemical and physical solvent processes, adsorbents and membranes.
