Continuous measurement of amine loading in gas processing plants using raman spectroscopy

1. A method of determining the concentration of an acid gas, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a sample of an amine or alkaline salt absorbing solution in which the acid gas comprising carbon dioxide or hydrogen sulphide is dissolved, and obtaining a Raman spectrum having characteristic peaks;

(b) comparing the sample Raman spectrum to a baseline or control Raman spectrum and determining a spectral change of the amine or formed species comprising ionized amine, carbamate, hydrogen carbonate, carbonate, or hydrosulfide ion;

(c) correlating the spectral change with the acid gas concentration.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the amine comprises liquid amine, monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, methyl diethanolamine, diglycolamine, triethanolamine, or a diisopropanolamine.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the alkaline salt solution comprises potassium carbonate solution, a caustic solution, a sodium carbonate solution, a sodium hydroxide solution or a potassium hydroxide solution.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the spectral change comprises an increase or decrease in the peak height, or area under the peak, or both.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the spectral change comprises a shift in a ratio of a first peak height or area to a second peak height or area.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the spectral change occurs at about 2500 cm −1 .

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the first peak and second peak are selected from the group consisting of:

First (cm −1 )

Second (cm −1 )

300

1280

280

200

900

1000

400

1000.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the ratio is a ratio of peaks corresponding to ionized amine and free amine.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein one component of the ratio is a peak at 2969, 2825, 2574, 1028, 881, or 758 cm −1 .

10. A method of determining amine concentration of an amine solution, comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a sample of the amine solution, and obtaining a Raman spectrum having characteristic peaks;

(b) comparing the sample Raman spectrum to a baseline or control Raman spectrum and determining a spectral change of the amine;

(c) correlating the spectral change with the amine concentration.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the amine comprises monoethanolamine, diethanolamine, methyl diethanolamine, diglycolamine, triethanolamine, or a diisopropanolamine.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the spectral change comprises an increase or decrease in the peak height, or area under the peak, or both.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the spectral change comprises a shift in a ratio of a first peak height or area to a second peak height or area.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first peak and second peak are selected from the group consisting of:

First (cm −1 )

Second (cm −1 )

300

1280

280

200

900

1000

400

1000.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the spectral change comprises a change in the peak area ratio of a characteristic peak for the amine and a characteristic peak for water.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the characteristic peak for the amine is about 2969 and the characteristic peak for water is about 1650.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the amine comprises MDEA and the Raman peak intensity ratio comprises 1467 (MDEA) /1640 (water) .