Twister is a gas conditioning technology. Applications include natural gas dehydration, hydrocarbon dewpointing, natural gas liquids (NGL)/liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) extraction, heating value reduction and bulk hydrogen sulfide (H2S) removal. Condensation and separation at supersonic velocity is the key to unique benefits. An extremely short residence time prevents hydrate problems, eliminating chemicals and associated regeneration systems. The simplicity and reliability of a static device, with no rotating parts and operating without chemicals, ensures a simple facility with a high availability, suitable for unmanned operation.
Feed gas is cooled using a combination of air/seawater coolers (1) and gas/gas crossexchange (3). In case of deep NGL extraction, upstream dehydration will be required (2). Inlet cooling is operating just outside the hydrate regime. Condensed liquids are removed in an inlet separator (4). The gas is directed through Twister tubes (5). The tubes (5) expand the gas isentropically to supersonic velocity, cooling the gas to cryogenic temperatures and condensing
water and NGLs, which are then separated using an in-line cyclone separator.
The separate product streams are recompressed using a diffuser, reducing the velocity. The gaseous liquid stream contains slip gas, which is removed in either a two- or three-phase liquid degassing vessel (6) and recombined with the dry gas stream. Dry export gas is directed through the exchanger (3) to cool the feed stream. In case the operating conditions of the degassing vessel (6) are within the hydrate regime, Twister BV proprietary LTX technology is used to melt the hydrates. Depending on the application, water and condensate from the separators (4,6) is treated, processed, re-injected and/or disposed (7,8).
Licensor: Twister BV
