8.9 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones 89, __ STATIC HYDROCYCLONE. 392. 893, 8931, Introduction ‘The static hydrooyclone has rapidly been accepted as a compact and efficient meets of removing dispersed hydrocarbons from water. The basic design of the static hydrocyclone is illustrated ‘schematically in Figure 8.9.1 ‘The water containing the digpersed hydrocarbons enters the hydrocyclone through a tangential inlet at the top of the ewirl chamber, As the liquids swicl along the hydrocyclone, the centitugal feces generated ‘promote the separation ofthe hydrocarbon and water phases, with the hydrocarbon phase forming a thin ‘exe at the centre of the hydrocycion ty watr eed ‘trough tangential it Revers towing ytocuben cre Tapered thon orttow feject sean (ctreutey’ Uedertiow eter out) nda Figure 88.1 ‘Schematic diagram of tate hydrocyclone By maintaining a sullable pressure ratio between the clean water outlet stream and the reject oil outlet stream, the geometry of the hydrocyclone will result in the thin hydrocarbon core fiowing ina reverse rection, exlting fram the top of the swirl chamber. The clean water exits fram the tall section of the hydrocyclone. Definitions ‘The ollowing definitions are commonly used for hydrocyclones. Feed: ~ ‘The oily water feed stream entering the hydrocycione Undertio ‘The clean water stream exiing from the tal of the hydrocyclone Reject stream or Overflow: The concentrated hydrocarbon stream exiting from the head of the hydrocyclone though the reject pon. eject ratio (Fi ‘The rato ofthe reject and feed stream volumetric flow rates; = Sete (es Performance variables Introduction ‘The flow patterns and forces acting within a hydrocyclone are very complex and untike traditional gravity based separation equipment cannot be simply described in terms of Stokes law. Appendi ! presents & discussion of the some of the methods which can be used to model hydrocyclone separation Pane ao489 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones performance. However, in general terms, the variables presen in Stokes law wil have a strong Infaaes othe However performance of io hygocycione and tse varices are examined in deta in the folowing discussions. vn hese discussions gaps are prsetiod lasting the ince of hese variables on hyaseycrone inWcrance, ‘Those graphs present hycrooycone, perfomance in terns CL toe: wher dg 18 Pacormon’ droplet se that has ¢ 75% chan of bing removed fom fe water ereams Ts the ayes value of Gy, te beter the separation performance ofthe hysrorytone reference shoul also be mado to seclons 010 and 6.11 which contrast he performance of he ae Peteceytone gains the dynamic tyrooycione and ceniuge, Neha os noted that the esults in hyareeylane, 7 obianed under dferent expesmenta conditions and are hus not directly canpereb ie. ‘though the resus presoned in this section and sections 6.10 and 6.11 are based On qupOet trials, Auough 1 iustaive purposes only and shoud oot be used in lecalon te prac! potential fotomance of a hydrocycione. The actual peromance of ‘a particular hydrocyclone instalation will be Bartommerr‘on. the net eect of al performance variables, pariclaty the size cfstrbuion of the farocarbon droplets inthe feed to the hydrocyclone 89.32. Hydrocarbon droplet size sookes lew (Append F)Hustrates that lamar isthe dominant variable affecting te bunjoioy Of Sokes on opie. Athough Siokes law cannot be cect appa too hydrocyecon, droplet size hyarocarbon ar elect on the buoyancy forces which cause the hydrocarbon droplet to mgt te wll have as yaroeyeione, Thus, ste size of 2 hysrocaron droplet increases the rising vu St te erie eases and tho cepa ha a higher robatilty of migrating to the relent ol Skcan, ‘Similarly, droplet incrssize decreases, tera wil be a reduced probably tha tho dopa will migrate foe reject as the dropie gn increased probably ofthe hydrocarbon droplet exing wth the water stream. ‘This behaviour thstratd in Figure 8.8.2 where canbe sean that a dope size of € microns has only TS probability of being separated from the water stream. 110 EP OEP of oie oles gies 100 _* g2 © Be 7 $8 oo S50 \ He | Sh 2 g 2» \ 4 0 Eo os SB Drplt a0 om) Figure 89.2 Hyeroearbon droplet removal probably ‘erous droplet diameter ‘hs a reul, itis important to maximise the droplet size reaching the hyérocycione by avoiding shearing As reul ig coacorence wherever possble. Hyéroeylones should be located close to the source Fe eerie preferably upaream of conl valves. For pumped hysrycione instalation, the feed pumps should be a low shear design. “Tne cutoff roplet diameter for @ hyeroeyclone is dependant on number of variables euch a8 wale’ The cattery dileroncas ol. However, a8 a guide, it can be assumed tha he curent gene/avon, faconly, Se wil have dificult separaing croplets smaller than 10-5 pm winen operating at design conditions. seperation of opel sizes in the order of 6 to 7 jm can be achieved using the latest designe of “Ba Be Manoa EP OD TII Rev hor 8 Fie we» WHEVELE.DOE39.33. 8.9 Dispersed hydrocarbons ~ Static hydrocyctones tyérocyctone (09, Vor K tne if condtons ar favourable (6g. high density dierance between the Phases, 1OM water visosiy). Flow rate: ‘The physical geometry ofthe hydrocyclone is designed to generate the optimum swirl charactoristics at @ pariourar design flow rate, maximising the centrifugal separation acceleration while miniising, shearing ithe dispersed phase into smaller droplets. [At low flow rates, separation is reduced due to lower centrifugal forces. This behaviou is ilustrated in Figure 8.9.3 where can bo soen that as the flow rate is reduced, the value of dye fses, indicating cesied “separation performance. in general, to achiove satisfactory separation it is recommended thal hydrocyclones are not operated below 40% of their design capacity. 20 ws : 150 - g Sus = hy] 18 50 0 2 4 9 oD 70 e0 9 100 110 12 “% ol design fow capacty Fioweona Variation n nyérocyetone performance ith low rate (of Segn expect) ‘At some point above the design flow capacity the performance of the hydrocyctone will deteriorate. This Goterioration can be due to a number of factors. Al higher flow rales more shearing may be experienced fhine hydrocyclone, reducing droplet siza and separation performance. As flow rates increase, the pressure drop across the hyérecycione will increase until eventual the available feed pressure is not Bencient 10 ceive the reject stream out of the hydrocyclone. Even belore this point is reached, the increased pressure drop may lead to gas breakout in the hydrocarbon core, upsetting the performance of the hydrocyeione. Inlet hydrocarbon concentration Hydrocyctones can tolerate large surges in oll concentrations. Normal hydrocarbon removal efficiencies fave been observed with hydrocarbon concentrations in the order of 12,000 mg hydrocarbons However, it must be recognised that the hydrocarbon removal efficiency is simply a ratio between the itt and out hyetecarben concentrations, Thus ab the fet concentraon es, the cult Concentration wil also ris. Figure 8.9.4. ilustrates a numberof effects of higher feed concentrations on hydrocycione performance. Firstly, as shown by the points marked by squares, as the hydrocarbon content of the feed increases the Zaparation efficiency of the hydrocyclone also increases. The reason for this improvement is apparent fam the figures in the small table included within the figure. it can be seen that as the hydrocerbon Concentration Increases, the average droplet size also increases. “Tis increase in droplet size is due to the higher chance of droplet collisions and coalescence at the higher hydrocarbon concentrations. The hydrocyclone can more readily remove the laiger droplets, hence the separation performance of the hydrocyclone improves. ‘Secondly, the bars on Figure 8.9.4 highlight the relationship between separation efficiency and outlet Concentrations, It can be seen that even though the separation performance of the hydrocycione Improves with the increasing feed concentration, at a feed concentration of S00 mg/l the outlet ‘concentraon has exceeded the desired concentration of 40 mg/l. At @ feed of 2200 mg/l, the outlet I gana BPTI Rs is Pa r= TRV OOE feb ir 149 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones concenvation has inceesed to over 99 maf This simply highlights the pein that the hydrooione wit concentatcyee 2 fred oulet concentration, high inlet concontatens wil lead to hgh oultet concentrations. 1 : : * Ew eo § on: S ° 500 1000 1500 Hydccnbon encanta (mo) TIT eiconsymqurecto © Ollmmova eticioney —— Acual achorge ol Eehove som ‘cual aoneves Concentration Figure 2.34 Voriation in hydrosyelone performance with feed concentration at constant shesr ‘2000 2500 secondly, it can be seen that the efficiency of the hydrocyclone tends to increase auth increasing Sesettson feed content Ths i tobe expucid asthe argr Cope sizes with the figher hyérocabon bydrocararins wil be easier forthe hysrocycione to separate. Evenival” the removal effciency galing concentra Taina with Increasing fod hydrocarbon content. This behaviour is thought te fepresent & become mevneen the coalescing frcas ofthe higher hydrocarbon content and the shearing forces being balance be the large hydrocarbon droplets inside the hydrecycione. 8.9.85, Reject stream ratio -tpacecharge rte of the reject sam must be adjusted to ensure thal the contrat hydrocarbon core Tne ceca tne hyatorjtone. Belo a minima reject rato, the efenoy ofthe fyarocyetone wal be remove jel eam fot ale wl be to foto purge the hysrocabone trom the hyaeeylone and oor eg yarocarbon willbe ischarged withthe watar sean Figure €,9.5 lusrates thea typical reatonsip betwean cil moval eiclency and rjen rato. As, the Four ii is creased, he efficiency of the hydrosyclone improves, Higher reject ratios will achiove ‘elec Fl provementa in hydrecarbon removal offiency, however ts i atthe expense of larger resrainre flow rate of reject stream, hence a lower process efficiency. “The optimum rlec rato wil be dependent on the particular operating conditions of the hydracycione re oni Satisfactory efficiencies have been obtained with reject ratios as low ac 0.5%, especially wih instal ace of mligting factors such as large density cfferences between the hycrocatbon and waler hases or elevated temperatures fo reduce the water viscosy. ‘though operation atthe minimum reject ratio has the advantage of minimising the flow rate of the react ‘Although Practice an operating margin should be provided abave the minimum reject rai. Ths margin stream. fr Fhydtocyclone to maintain satistactory performance under upsct conditions. A reject ratio in the order of 15 - 2.0% is typical. oars eter ar air abr aber ge a ae a= oe eg Ew | Fuge “roe Mane BP OTS: Re iw ine NACE DOCwooo = or ir ir or os aoi h 8.9 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones P Figurea.85 Variation in nydrocyelone hydrocarbon emoval efitency with reject ratio During severe upset conditions, with the presence of hydrocarbon inlet concentrations greater than 1% (Qe) (710,000 mgM), the reject ratio may be increased to assis in the removal of the excess hydrocarbons. ‘The required reject ratio for operating under upset conditions should be determined from. operating experience, however the settings given in Table 6.9.1 may be used as a starting point, Table 3.9.1 ‘Recommended settings for rect ratio Wirocarbon cantent | Recommended sating infeed for rajectratio Up te Tis rycrocabon 2 Upto 2% nycrocaroon % pia 54 srocaon 40% Density difference ‘The performance of a hycrocycione wil improve with increasing density difference, Thus in principle a light condensate should be easier to separate than a heavy ol ‘The influence of the densiy difference is ilustrated in Figure €.9.6.It can be seen that dys rises rapidly with lower density diferences. The minimum recommended densi difference for a hydrocyclone is in the order of 50 kg/m®, measured at oparating temperatures. 100 150 200 250 ensiy tere (fa) Figure 0.3.6 \Veration in hydroeyotone performance ‘with density citer It should be remembered that characteristics of the hydrocarbons other than density difference will also ‘9 ng Mn EF FTBIS ev FB 198, Fe = WHEVETO DO Page8.9 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones e ave animpacct on the soparaion perfomance, Ths a condensate wih igh density dieu Tay be ra a ences to sepa, however ter facors such a he resilance lhe corensaies meng consider ote hydrooyione ofthe ably ofthe condensate to coalescer wil also have «snificant (efeet on the -ovverall separation performance. ‘Temperature / Viscosity Varian in temperature wil influence bot he dens derence baween the phases and te vscosty q Variation ous war phase In general, higher temperatures assist separation, particulary reeluciog of the coy of the weer phase. However, a8 dscussed in Appendtx Fin somo cases, advess density ii Ganges with temperature can hinder the phase separation. ; a9: sre intuence of the water vecosty is Hustraled i Figue 89.7 Hl can be seen that dy see, wih roe sen ecosiy, indicating reduced peromance. Thus pacing the hydrosyciones ina leeaton where Increasing perature is maximised wil assel in maintaining @ high seperaion efficiency, f 180 130 . . | rd it 5 a0 f 10 ‘ 50 on 089 100 140 180 220 Water vlsosty (cP) Figure 8.7 u ‘Variation in nydrooyelone performance ‘wth continuous phase viscostty t 1a effects on the hydrocarbon/water emulsion, such as altering surface Temperature May have adcition iy. These elects may infuence the overall hydrocycione perfomance I Teen aaa 8.9.3.8, Pressure drop - Definitions Under normal operation there are two distinct pressure drops across a hydrocyclone, a. Poat AP, =a ~Pej | Where: Pp, = Feed stream pressure Water outlet stream pressure f Hydrocarbon reject stream outlet ul ure drop to the reject stream (AP,) is the most significant as itis the greater ofthe two an wil ately determine the capacity ofthe hydrocyclone. il ran eaty stage fn the development of hydrocyciones it was founé tha ©, the ratio between AP and AP, 2 aaa care relaonship with the reject ratio, a ilustated in Equation 8.8.1 i u = Faxes \_( AP. is proportional to cn{ Faapet | =| FE) proporiona tok Eq.891 7 Where: = constant t R= reject ratio rp i I I The presi i I e 1 Pogo BS “Ta Bling Mana EP OF B15 Rev Bos 183, Fie ame © RHEYELO.BOE n8.9 Dispersed hydrocarbons - Static hydrocyclones This relationship is schematically tustrated in Figure 8.9.8, 60 20 40 oo © Figure ..8 ‘elaionehip between reject ratio and ¢ The slope of the cures in Figure 8.9.8 are characteristic foreach hydrocyctone insaation, but are mainly @ function ol the geomty ofthe Hyrocyclone, As the pressure in and out of he Mcronions are oasily measured his relationship may be used as the basis for measurement and Gontioy eon reject ratio ol the hydrosycione,. Minimum pressure drop 8.9.3.10. Maximum allowable pressure drop ‘The maximum allowable pressure drop across a hydrocyclone may be limited by a numberof factors. * _, Erosion considerations, especialy if solid particles are prosontin the water stream. Excessive shear energy input, resuting in reduced seperation eficencies, + Gas rgakout inthe hydrocarbon core due to the reduced pressure, interfering wih the separation process. Fee ony andor shoud acvise the maximum recommended pressure drop for given hydrocyclone and process configuration. As a first estimate, pressure drop shouldbe fented oar maximum of 80 bar. 8.9.3.1. Gas breakout Fre ett ol 99 breakout on hyGroeylone perfomance should be considered. As well as promoting dhoplet shear, high pressure drops across hycrocyctone systems can result in the formaion. of gos bubbles. Gas Dubbles may impose addtional shear forces on dispersed hydrocarbon droplets and Teay ‘upset the stability ofthe hydrocarbon core at the centre of the cyclone Tests athe OVITC iusrated thatthe performance of tydrocytones wit deteriorate i suficiont ree ges is present inthe hydrocycione, [WE Deng Ma BF ONT. Rov Ran TP, Fic = RPEWELO DOS ean