Lessons from Lithuania

Sometimes my habit of assuming equilibrium gets me into trouble. A few years ago I was hired by a refinery in Lithuania to redesign their hydrogen production plant, to increase plant capacity by 25 percent, and to reduce the CO content of the hydrogen product. The CO content of the hydrogen was 2 percent, and the new specification was 

The process for CO absorption is the same as shown in Fig. 33.1. The only difference is that a potassium salt solution is used instead of the amine solution to absorb the COj from the hydrogen product. The potassium salt solution is called Catacarb, as shown in Fig. 33.2. 

To accelerate the rate of absorption and deabsorption of CO, a catalyst called LRS-10 is added to the Catacarb. I had ordered a fresh supply of LRS-10 catalyst for start-up. When I arrived in Lithuania, I was informed that the LRS-10 catalyst was stuck in customs and would be delivered any day now. I decided not to worry about the LRS-10 catalyst for two reasons  

The plant operations chief informed me that there was already a catalyst in the Catacarb solution that would be used for start-up. It was a di-ethanol amine catalyst, not LRS-10, but still it was a catalyst. 

As lower temperatures favor the absorption of CO by the Catacarb solution, I had expanded the capacity of the circulating Catacarb solution aerial fin-fan cooler to cool the absorber tower and thus reduce CO in the Hj product. Liz stood next to me at the panel when we started the Catacarb circulation pumps. I was totally confident. 

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Zalitniene, Laimute. Fotthcoming. Program Implementation Matters for Targeting Performance— Evidence and Lessons from Eastern and Central Europe. Country Study Lithuania. Social Protection Discussion Paper. Washington, DC World Bank. 

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