GLYCOL DEHYDRATION UNIT

Removes Water Vapor from Natural Gas

Key Benefits Complete glycol

dehydration unit with
Reliability regenerator and tower
• Lower loss of lean glycol with greater
exchange area in the glycol/gas ex-
changer to ensure a lower approach
temperature to the top tray OVERVIEW
• Reduction in fuel cost by using flash gas The Exterran Production
separator to capture gas to fuel reboiler SolutionsTM Glycol Dehydration
Unit is a complete water
• Protection from scale, sludge, and
vapor removal system used
sediment with replaceable filter elements
on natural gas well streams
• Longer pump life due to better filtration to meet typical pipeline and
and a properly sized heat exchanger process specifications.

Efficiency Exterran’s unit provides you

with reliability, efficiency and
• Extend the life of the fire tube with lower
flexibility in a single package
BTU flux rate
and a wide range of options to
• Reduce air emissions with BTEX option meet your needs.
with recovery of pump gas used as fuel
for the reboiler
• On larger units a more efficient
HOW IT WORKS
combination vane/wire mesh mist Wet gas enters the integral scrubber at the bottom of the absorber
extractor tower. The gas ascends through a mist extractor where fine liquid
particles are coalesced and removed. As the gas rises through the
Flexibility absorber tower’s packing or bubble cap trays, lean glycol (water removed
• Better suited for ever-changing field through regeneration process) continually pumped to the top of the
conditions by not using heat exchanger tower, is distributed and descends while absorbing the water vapor from
duty in capacity rating the gas. Dry gas exits the top of the absorber tower and passes through
the glycol/gas heat exchanger to the gas outlet.
• Reduced diameter and weight with
structured packed tower with 10:1 The rich glycol (wet with absorbed glycol) collects in the hat tray at the
turndown and 10 tray equivalent bottom of the tower and flows to the power side of the glycol pump. From
capacity the pump, the rich glycol flows through the reflux coil and then to the
glycol/glycol heat exchanger where it is heated and passed to the flash
• High hat tray capacity can take the
gas separator. The flash gas separator separates gas and entrained
full capacity of glycol in the tower
hydrocarbons from the glycol. The gas then flows to the fuel gas scrubber
during shut down
and the lean glycol flows through a filter and into the reboiler.
As the reboiler drives off water vapor through the still column, the hot,
reconcentrated glycol flows from the reboiler to the sparger box to
remove additional water vapor. The lean glycol flows to the storage
compartment and then to the glycol/glycol heat exchanger for cooling.
The cooled, lean glycol then flows through a glycol sock filter before
passing to the glycol pump. Lean glycol and gas from the absorber
together power the glycol pump, which pumps the glycol through a
glycol/gas heat exchanger to minimize glycol loss and then to the
absorber tower to continue the dehydration process cycle.
www.exterran.com
 GLYCOL REGENERATOR
The glycol regenerator is an integral part of Exterran’s dehydration
unit consisting mainly of a reboiler and still column. It is used to
regenerate glycol by removing water vapor. Regenerator lean glycol is
Glycol Regenerator used to dry natural gas.
Standard Features Exterran manufactures a wide selection of regenerators with BTU
• Designed for ethylene and triethylene ratings from 125,000 MBTU/Hr to 2.5 MMBTU/Hr.
glycol (EG/TEG)
• Energy-saving shell insulation with
aluminum jacket
• Removable fire tube and stack
• Thermostat with thermowell
• 50-550 °F thermometer with thermowell Regenerator with still column

• High reboiler temperature fuel gas shut-off

with manual reset
• Fuel gas regulator, scrubber and pressure gauges
• Flame arrestor with burner and pilot assembly
• Integral insulated storage compartment
• Liquid level gauge assembly
• Glycol sock filter with initial elements
• High-pressure glycol strainer
• External glycol/glycol heat exchanger
• Pump bleeder valves
• Energy exchange glycol pump (electric on 2 MMBTU/Hr unit and larger)
• Heavy-duty welded structural steel skid with lifting lugs and pull bars
• Packed still column with reflux coil (all units larger than 125 MBTU/Hr)
• Complete piping for skid hookup, including absorber and reboiler isolating valves for units up to 500 MBTU/Hr
• Environmentally sound bent tubing and socket weld glycol piping and valves for one inch and larger pipe sizes to prevent leaking

Regenerator Specifications
Firetube Rating Glycol Recharge Nominal Glycol Recirculation Reboiler Size Skid Size
(MBTU/Hr) (Gallons) (Gal/Hr) OD (inches) x Length (feet) Width x Length (feet)
125 54 40 20 x 6 3 x 10

200 103 90 20 x 9 3 x 14

300 225 180 24 x 10 5 x 19

500 304 250 36 x 10 5 x 19

750 628 400 36 x 15 6 x 28

1000 857 500 42 x 17 6.4 x 29

1500 1529 900 48 x 22.5 10.5 x 30

2000 2140 1440 60 x 28 12 x 38.5

2500 2640 1780 60 x 35.25 12 x 40

See the Options Checklist on the last page for available options.
ABSORBER TOWER Standard Features
The absorber tower is another key component of Exterran’s dehydration Absorber (Both Types)
unit. The tower is a pressure vessel with an integral scrubber and an • Glycol distributor
absorber section.
• 1440 psig design pressure
The scrubber removes free liquids from the gas and the absorber • Stainless steel mist extractor
section is used to contact the gas with glycol to remove remaining water
• External glycol/gas heat exchanger
vapor. Absorbers contain either bubble cap trays or stainless steel
structured packing for glycol/gas contact. • 0-200 °F dial thermometer with thermowell
• Pressure gauge with isolating valve
• Pneumatic liquid level controller
• Thermal relief valve
• Drain valve
• Dump valve
• Reflex gauge glass assembly with gauge cocks
Trayed absorber tower Packed absorber tower • Lifting lugs

Trayed Absorber
• 8 bubble cap trays
• 5:1 turndown
• Diameter sizes from 16 to 72 inches

Random Packed Absorber

• 7:1 turndown
• 8 tray capacity equivalence
• Diameter sizes from 6 to 16 inches

Structured Packed Absorber

• Hotter gas handling capability
• 10:1 turndown
Trayed Absorber Specifications
• 10 tray capacity equivalence
Diameter (inches) Gas Capacity (MMscfd) at Flow Pressure (psig)
• Diameter sizes from 24 to 60 inches
ID OD 400 600 800 1000 1200

16 3.1 3.7 4.1 4.6 5 Packed Absorber Specifications

20 4.6 5.8 6.6 7.2 7.9 Gas Capacity (MMscfd) at Flow Pressure (psig)
Diameter
24 6.8 8.2 9.5 10.4 11.3 (inches) 400 600 800 1000 1200
30 14.3 17.5 20.6 23.2 25.5 6 0.5 0.7 0.9 0.9 1
36 16.8 20.6 24 26.9 29.9 Random 8 1 1.2 1.4 4.6 1.8
42 23.4 28.7 33.5 37.7 42.5 Pall Ring
10 1.5 1.9 2.2 2.5 2.8
Packing
36 20.1 24.6 28.6 32.4 35.7 OD 12 2.1 2.7 3.1 3.6 4
42 25.5 31.2 36.4 41 45.8 16 3.6 4.3 4.8 5.3 5.8
48 34.4 42.1 49.2 55.4 61 24 20 24.5 28.5 31.5 34.5
54 43.6 53.5 62.2 70.1 77.7 250-X 36 43 54 62 70 78
60 53 65.3 76 86.1 96 Structured
42 61 74 87 97 106.5
Packing
66 61.1 79.5 93 98.6 108.4 ID 48 78 95 112 125 139
72 77.4 93.8 110.1 124.9 137.6 60 115 145 174 190 205

See the Options Checklist on the last page for available options. www.exterran.com
 7ft 7in

GLYCOL REGENERATOR and ABSORBER TOWER 19ft

Sizing and Options Form

Contact your local Exterran representative to submit sizing and options.

DIMENSIONS 29ft

Top View Side View

7ft 7in

19ft 19ft

Dimensions shown here are for 500 MBTU/Hr unit, are approximate, and may vary. Precise measurements for freight should be confirmed prior to shipping.

General Options Checklist Standard Available Services

o Burner safety low (BSL) for 125-500 MBTU/Hr unit o Full setup service
o Solar panels to power burner safety low detector o Glycol regeneration service
o Programmable logic controller (PLC) system o Complete glycol unit cleaning service
o Burner management system 29ft o Trailer-mounted reclaiming service
o LSL/LSH connections o Easy field cleaning service
o Adherence to API 14C recommended practices

Regenerator Options Checklist

o Stack arrestor and down-draft diverter
o Environmental drip pan
o Pilot flame-out safety shut-down with manual reset Absorber and Regenerator Sizing Requirements
19ft
o Spare glycol pump and manifold for standby service Rate (MMscfd)

o Alternate gas or electric standby pump on 500 MBTU/Hr Pressure (psig)

and smaller units Gas Flow
Temperature (°F)
o Glycol pump shut-down
Specific Gravity
o Glycol charcoal filter on 125 and 300 MBTU/Hr
(standard on larger units) Yes / No

o Glycol metering Sour Gas CO2 (mol%)

o Gas metering for sparger box H2S (ppm)
o Special paints and coatings Outlet Water Content lb/MMscfd
Skid Mounted Yes / No
Absorber Options Checklist
Setup Assembly Yes / No
o Additional packing or bubble cap trays
Standard Paint Yes / No
o Skid mounting
BTEX Option Yes / No
o Environmental drip pan

This brochure is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as
a representation or warranty of any kind, or as a statement of any terms or conditions of
Corporate Office sale. The information herein is believed to be correct, but is not warranted for correctness
16666 Northchase Drive or completeness, or for applicability to any particular customer or situation.
www.exterran.com Houston, TX 77060 Copyright © 2012 Exterran Holdings, Inc. All rights reserved. GLYCOL-PDS-08-04-EN-DE12-A4