Using a carbon bed filter in a system with sulfolane 2

[ce1mjs]

I have an amine process with a proportion of sulfolane present. I was debating over whether or not to use an activated carbon bed filter in this system. I have had a thought that the sulfolane may be adsorbed in preference to the amine degradation products and therefore block the activated sites in the carbon. Can anyone confirm this for me please?

Regards

 

[epoisses]

I don't think sulfolane will, although sulfolane degradation products might. You could also try an ion exchange resin. Ask a few vendors to comment on your plans...

 

[Izaak]

Dear Ce1mjs,

The activated carbon will not do a great job on the removal of degradation products commonly found in Sulfolane amine mixture.
The kind of degradation product depends on the amine it could be oxazolidones in case of DIPA but also formamides, MIPA etc. There are different processes from different supliers in the market e.g. HSSX, oxex, versalt etc.

 

[Samiran]

Activated carbon filter is installed to remove the HCs picked up by sulfolane that may induce foaming. However, sometimes particles of activated carbon often themselves induce foaming and hence many operators keep it bypassed - like us.

Samiran