Design of Sour Water Stripper

[ponderer]

We have a sour water stripper unit in our refinery.

The design of the stripper is as follows:

1.There is no overhead condenser and receiver.
2.There is a pump-around section for heat removal in the column upper section.

The designer state it is because ammonium salt may precipitate in the overhead condenser and receiver. So they eliminate it.

But we feel that this may cause too much water and ammonia carried with the H2S to the downstream Sulfur Plant.

This reduce the availabe capacity of the Sulfur Plant.

Is there any plant install overhead condenser and receiver in their sour water stripper unit?

Do they have salt deposit problem in their condenser and receiver?

 

[25362]

I've only seen SWS with top condensers and receivers. I've also seen a drawing showing sulphuric acid injections to the feed water to keep the pH=4, so the overhead gas is freed from ammonia. The ammonia rests with the water as a sulphate. If wished a second stripper with NaOH injection to keep the pH=11, could be used to strip out NH₃. The spent water should, of course, be neutralized for disposal.