GPSA Section 21 · Campbell Gas Conditioning · LNG Feedstock Protection
Mercury contamination sources, removal technologies, bed sizing methods, regeneration vs. disposal economics, and LNG specifications
Mercury causes aluminum amalgamation and stress corrosion cracking in cryogenic heat exchangers, potentially resulting in catastrophic equipment failures costing $50-100M+ in replacement and extended production losses. LNG specifications typically require less than 10 ng/Nm³ mercury.
Sulfur-impregnated activated carbon is the industry standard for natural gas mercury removal. It has 10-20 wt% mercury capacity, is non-regenerable, and operates at ambient to 120°F. Mercury reacts with sulfur to form stable HgS.
Key design parameters include minimum contact time of 2-5 seconds for equilibrium, superficial velocity of 0.5-1.0 ft/s to prevent bed fluidization, L/D ratio of 1.5:1 to 3:1 for good flow distribution, and lead-lag vessel configuration for continuous operation.
Mercury levels vary significantly by region and reservoir. The calculator accounts for regional variations and designs the bed size to achieve the required outlet specification, typically less than 10 ng/Nm³ for LNG feed protection.
It designs mercury removal units for LNG and gas processing, calculating bed sizing, adsorbent mass, contact time, and pressure drop per GPSA and industry standards.
Mercury must be removed to prevent corrosion of aluminum heat exchangers in LNG plants and to meet environmental and product specifications.
It calculates adsorbent requirements, vessel dimensions, contact time, and pressure drop for mercury removal bed design.