Heat Stable Amine Salt MANAGEMENT (HSAS-M)

APL has developed the APL HSAS-C™ to help operators calculate and manage the HSAS in the amine units. The subject of the HSAS is well covered by the amine vendors and process chemical suppliers. However, we would like to reiterate the following:

1.HSAS will decrease the amine unit capacity
2.HSAS will cause excessive corrosion
3.HSAS will cause foaming and corrosion by-products which will plug filters, cause amine losses and poor amine unit performance

HSAS are formed when trace-weak acids are coming into the amine unit with the sour gas and react with the amine solvent-weak base which gives the formation of soluble amine salts.
HSAS cannot be regenerated in a stripper and cannot be filtered (common mistake people still make). The amine bound to HSAS cannot react with the acid feed gas to the absorber. Therefore, the capacity of the amine unit is reduced.
With APL's HSAS-M an amine unit operator, can take to control of the HSAS problems, which has three corrective measures:
A. HSAS formation preventative actions
B. HSAS neutralization
C. HSAS removal