Degradation of aqueous solutions of alkanolamine blends at high temperature, under the presence of CO2 and H2S

An experimental study on the degradation of aqueous solutions of alkanolamine blends, under the presence of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide, was carried out. The studied alkanolamines were: diethanolamine (DEA), methyldiethanolamine (MDEA), and 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP). Degradation experiments were carried out at a temperature of 200 degrees C. The mass fraction of DEA and MDEA in the studied aqueous solutions was 10% and 35%, respectively. AMP was incorporated into the MDEA-DEA aqueous solutions, with concentrations of (0-8) mass fraction. Partially degraded alkanolamine aqueous solutions were analyzed, after about 90 hours, by gas chromatography. It was found that in all the studied alkanolamine aqueous solutions the MDEA degrades more slowly than DEA under the same experimental conditions. Degradation of both alkanolamines was found to be almost independent of the AMP concentration. AMP exhibits an intermediate stability; it is more resistant to degradation than DEA but less than MDEA. In addition, thermal degradation of DEA and MDEA is minimal up to 200 degrees C.