Scrubber characterization and performance using hydrocarbons at elevated pressures

•2 Mesh pads in scrubber using Natural gas and N2N2/Exxsol at 20, 50 and 85 bars.•Pressure drop, separation efficiency, separated droplet size and flooding point.•Re-entrainment affects separation efficiencies at high pressures.•Droplets deposit via inertial impaction for the N2N2/Exxsol fluid systems.•Droplets deposit by direct interception for Natural gas systems.

Separation efficiencies for a scrubber containing only an inlet vane was investigated. In addition holdup distribution, pressure drop, separation efficiencies and droplet separation characteristics of two wire mesh pads mounted in a scrubber were investigated experimentally at 20,50 and 85 bars using N2N2/Exxsol and a synthetic Natural gas mix. The liquid holdup was recorded at five locations for the two pads. A new method was developed to allow for accurate determination of flooding point in wire mesh pads. The flooding point was determined at four inlet stream liquid volume fractions at a given pressure and fluid system. In addition droplet size measurements were performed above the wire mesh pads. The results show unexpected phenomena occurring when moving to higher pressures using liquids with low surface tensions.