Sodium transport mechanisms in process streams

[SREisme]

Can anyone tell me if there is a mechanism for sodium to migrate from a heat stable salt in an MEA solution to a liquid particle in an acid gas stream leaving an amine regenerator tower? More specifically, I am wondering if there is a connection between a caustic (sodium hydroxide)incursion into the amine system and high sodium contamination found inside a waste heat boiler in the acid gas stream. The conditions were right for the sodium to make a mess of the boiler, but I don't know how it would have gotten from the regenerator tower into the overhead acid gas stream.

 

[unclesyd]

Not know your system it sounds as though you have/had a leak of boiler water into the process side, If the leak is form the steam it normally means you don't have good control on the boiler chemistry. The water side of the boiler carries the sodium. You should have no carry over of Na to your steam.

 

[SREisme]

We backflowed caustic (sodium hydroxide) into an amine system due to a loss of amine pressure. The sodium levels in the amine went through the roof. What I don't know is whether or not the sodium will leave the amine when the acid gas is stripped out in the regenerator tower. Conventional wisdom says it should stay bound up in the dissolved salt form.

 

[unclesyd]

i wouldn't venture into amine chemistry but I would be willing to bet it will stay in the amine section until deliberately flushed our with DI water.
If I recall correctly that NaOH in an MEA scrubbing system under some circumstances can form some very high boiling residue. gunk. Unless the is some compelling reason I think it behoove you to clean out your system with the possibility of not recovering all the MEA. .