Ammonium and Amine Chloride Salt Control in Refinery Processes

Chloride salts have long been a problem in petroleum refining. Damaging chloride salts are formed from the reaction of hydrochloric acid (HCl) with ammonia and/or amines. Common sources of HCl in refineries include the hydrolysis of inorganic salts in the desalted crude, organic chloride contamination, and reformer catalyst regeneration. HCl reacts downstream with ammonia and/or amines from several sources. The resultant salts contribute to corrosion in most refinery units. The salts and corrosion products they create are a major cause of fouling in many units. The Chloride Salt Control (CSC) presentation illustrates a technology that renders the corrosive salts harmless and minimizes or eliminates fouling chloride salts.