Can MDEA decarbonization remove sulfur from high-sulfur natural gas?

MDEA decarburization is mainly used to remove CO2, and it has limited effectiveness in removing sulfur-rich natural gas and organic sulfur; therefore, it needs to be combined with other desulfurization processes. .

Mixed amine solutions can remove some organic sulfur, but not methanethiol

Could organic sulfur affect the absorption efficiency of the mixed amine solution?

MDEA mainly removes hydrogen sulfide

The MDEA (N-methyldiethanolamine) decarburization technology is a widely used decarburization process that employs a solution composed of methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) along with activators, offering both physical and chemical absorption capabilities for carbon dioxide. This solution can effectively remove CO2 and H2S from synthetic ammonia, methanol feed gas, refinery gas, city gas, and natural gas. In the treatment of high-sulfur natural gas, MDEA decarboxylation technology also performs excellently. Due to the high hydrogen sulfide (H2S) content in natural gas with high sulfur levels, and the strong absorption capacity of MDEA solutions for H2S, these sulfides can be effectively removed. Furthermore, the MDEA solution can also remove inorganic sulfur from natural gas, as well as hydrolyze organic sulfur. Specifically, the principle of MDEA decarboxylation is as follows: pure MDEA solution does not react with CO2, but its aqueous solution can undergo a series of reversible reactions with CO2, ultimately resulting in the formation of bicarbonates. At the same time, to accelerate the CO2 absorption rate, activators are usually added to the MDEA solution. These activators react directly with CO2, thereby accelerating the rate at which CO2 is transferred into the liquid phase. Similarly, these activators also aid in the absorption and removal of H2S and organic sulfur. It should be noted that although the MDEA decarburization technology can effectively remove CO2, H2S, and organic sulfur from natural gas, other factors such as operating conditions, equipment selection, energy consumption, and costs also need to be considered in practical applications. Therefore, when selecting decarbonization technologies, a comprehensive evaluation is required based on the specific composition of the natural gas, the processing volume, and the processing requirements.