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Slug Catcher Finger Type Design

Trunk lines transporting natural gas often operate in the two-phase flow mode due to liquid injection
and/or additional liquid formation by retrograde condensation. Slip in velocity between the gas and the
liquid in the pipeline (liquid hold-up). The largest slug that can ever occur is that caused by sphering. The
holding capacity of the Slug Catcher must therefore be essentially as great as the volume of the largest
slug. Although liquid carryover must be limited, a Slug Catcher is not meant to replace the high-efficiency
separator.
There are two types of Slug Catchers in operation throughout the world: vessel type and multiple-pipe
type (finger type). A major advantage of the finger type Slug Catcher is the ease of its operation. Apart
from level control, no other instrumentation is required. This procedure follows the finger-type Slug
Catcher sizing rather than the vessel type.
A vessel-type Slug Catcher is designed like a horizontal two-phase separator. Moreover, an additional
capacity shall be considered for holding the slug during the separation process. A finger-type Slug
Catcher is a device normally made from pipe and fittings that is designed and built to retain large, rapidly
accumulated volumes of pipeline liquids (slugs).
The Slug Catcher functions as a reservoir as these liquids are treated and pumped to storage or sales.
The main components of a Slug Catcher are shown in Figure 1.
It consists essentially of two parts: 1) A separation part, separating the liquid from the mixed stream
arriving under normal flow conditions (steady), 2) A storage part, receiving and storing the incoming liquid
slug created by upset conditions (which also include running a sphere through the pipeline).
An incoming liquid slug flows via the splitter into the inlet manifold and then via the horizontal separation
part into the sloping fingers. The downward flowing slug displaces the gas present in the fingers up
through the risers mounted on the fingers; from the risers, the gas flows through the outlet header,
carrying small liquid droplets (usually smaller than 150 microns) and then into the gas- treating plant. The
liquid/gas exchange that takes place in the fingers ensures that the gas supply to the downstream
facilities remains uninterrupted during liquid slug arrival provided excessive liquid carryover can be
avoided. Gas that boils off the liquid in the fingers is captured by the boil-off headers (risers) and fed back
into the main gas flow downstream of the Slug Catcher.
Two important factors that must be considered in the design of a Slug Catcher are flow tee and the sizing
of the main header. The main header should be sized so that the uppermost liquid particle in the
upstream end of the main header falls to the bottom of the main header well in advance of the down
comer of the last (most downstream) finger.
Although a properly designed Slug Catcher will remove more than 95 percent of the liquid from the gas
stream, a liquid separator (preferably centrifugal rather than vane or mesh) should always be installed
downstream of any Slug Catcher.


Slug Volume and Slug Catcher Capacity
The Slug Catcher capacity is based on an estimated maximum slug volume from holdup predictions.
Experience with Slug Catchers has shown that liquid carryout during slug arrival can occur whenever the
slug volume exceeds about 80% of the Slug Catcher volume. Thus, the effective Slug Catcher capacity is
assumed to be 80% of the Slug Catcher volume.
The liquid holdup is calculated by several methods as BBM, BBME, DE, etc. These data shall be reported
by Simulation Department. It is recommended to consider the average amount of these methods as slug
volume for sizing the Slug Catcher.



Definitions
g : Gas density, lbs/ft3; (Kg/m3)
f : Liquid density, lbs/ft3; (Kg/m3)
Dc : Main header pipe inside diameter, ft; (mm)
DL : Diameter of spherical liquid particles, ft; (mm)
P : Operating pressure, Psia; (kPa(abs))
Q : Standard Gas flow rate, scf/d; (sm3/d)
Qv : Gas flow rate, ft3/s; (m3/s)
T : Gas temperature, R; (K)
: Gas viscosity, lb/ft-sec; ( Pa-s)
Vh : Gas velocity in pipe, ft/sec; (m/s)
Vt : Terminal settling velocity of particle due to gravity, ft/sec; (m/s)
Z : Compressibility factor
g : Acceleration due to gravity (Assumed to be 32.2 ft/s2; 9.815 m/s2)
t : particle settling time, sec
A : Pipe cross sectional area, ft2;(m2)

Finger Diameter
It must be considered that the fingers diameter should be at least one and one half times the diameter of
the inlet line.
Finger Number and Length
The number and length of the fingers are normally based on economics, although in all instances the
fingers must have sufficient volume to contain the maximum anticipated slug size.
The Slug Catcher area on the Plot Plan shall be checked in order to finalize the available length of fingers.
It must be noted that if more than two fingers are required to contain the maximum anticipated slug size,
then those in excess of two should be equally spaced between the first and last finger. The fingers must
slop toward the liquid header.
Separation Part Length
This horizontal part of the Slug Catcher shall be sized as a two phase separator as follows:


High High Liquid Level (HHLL)
For calculating the HHLL of the Slug Catcher, the Slug Catcher must be considered to be totally filled with
slug (except the separation part).
High Liquid Level (HLL)
For calculating the HLL of the Slug Catcher, we should calculate the total slug volume per finger, first.
Then, by assuming that the calculated slug volume exists in Slug Catcher, the High Liquid Level can be
determined (It should be between HHLL and NLL).
Normal Liquid Level (NLL)
For calculating the NLL of the Slug Catcher, the liquid volume stored in each finger of the Slug Catcher
should be calculated using the normal liquid flow rate and the assumed retention time. Then, the Normal
Level of the liquid must be calculated considering that the calculated volume of the liquid exists in the
Slug Catcher. Low Liquid Level (LLL) first, we assume that the low liquid volume is 20-30% of the normal
liquid volume. Then by assuming that this calculated volume exists in the Slug Catcher, the Low Liquid
Level can be determined.

Slug Catcher Boot Sizing
We usually consider a boot to separate the inlet water, which is mixed with the liquid hydrocarbon and
may become separated during the liquid retention time in the Slug Catcher.
For boot sizing, we should consider the water flow rate into the Slug Catcher and assume a retention time
for the water in the boot. By considering the maximum water volume, we can choose the appropriate
diameter and height for the boot. Boots shall be sized for a minimum residence time between HLL and
LLL of 5 minutes as a guideline: their diameters shall be the same as the commercial pipe sizes as far as
possible. The height diameter ratio shall be 2:1 5:1, it shall be determined with consideration given to
operability and the minimum size of level instruments and equipment.
Boot diameters shall be 12 inches minimum because good operability cannot be provided if the boots are
smaller than 12 inches.
Slug Catcher Risers and Liquid Outlets
We should consider the maximum allowable liquid and gas velocities in pipes, which are defined in the
project Design Basis to size the risers and liquid outlets pipes.

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