Separator Fundamentals

Process Engineering Lunch and Learn Session (1 April 2008)

Overview
Safety Moment: Aerosol Cans in Cars
Basic Principles of Separation
Separator Components
Types of Separator
Separator Specifications
Separator Sizing will be discussed in another session


Safety Moment: Aerosol Cans in Cars
This information has been reprinted from a published
newsletter on August 12, 2003 for the San Antonio Works
EHS Department:
Do you keep WD-40, hair spray, etc. in your vehicle? If so,
you might want to reconsider.
The incident pictured happened at a refinery in Beaumont,
Texas.
A deodorant spray can was left in the back of the vehicle that
was parked in an open space in the middle of a hot, sunny
day.
Without warning, the can exploded inside the car.
Fortunately, no one was inside or near the car when it
happened.






Safety Moment: Aerosol Cans in Cars






Basic Principles of Separation
Three basic principles are used to achieve physical
separation of gas, liquids and solids:
Momentum
Gravity
Coalescing (a subset of momentum)
Any separator may employ one or more of these principles
to achieve separation.
Fluid phases must be immiscible and have different
densities for separation to occur.

Momentum
Fluid phases with different densities will have different
momentum.
If a two phase stream changes direction sharply, greater
momentum will not allow particles of the heavier phase to
turn as rapidly as the lighter fluid, so separation occurs.
Momentum is usually employed for bulk separation of the
two phases in a stream.
Gravity
Liquid droplets will settle out
if the gravitational force
acting on the droplet is
greater than the drag force
of the gas flowing around
the droplet.
Droplet attains terminal
velocity (Vt) when
gravitational force = drag
force
Vt is directly proportional to
Dp
Figure 7.2 GPSA Databook (11
th
Edition)
Coalescing
Very small droplets such as fog or mists cannot be
separated practically by gravity.
These droplets can be coalesced to form large droplets that
will settle by gravity.
Coalescing/demister devices in separator force droplets to
follow a tortuous path.
Droplets collide with other droplets on the coalescing device,
forming larger droplets which can then settle out by gravity.
Components of Separator
Inlet Piping (outside of
separator)
Primary Separation (A)
Gravity Settling (B)
Coalescing/Demister (C)
Liquid Collecting (D)
Figure 7.5 GPSA Databook (11
th
Edition)
Separator Inlet Piping
Minimises turbulence and velocity of fluid flowing into separator
Common specifications:
Straight length of pipe for 10 pipe diameters from separator
Avoid horizontal bends, elbows and control valves on inlet line immediately
upstream of separator (source of shear, turbulence and causes small
droplets)
Larger size of pipe to match separator inlet nozzle size for 10 pipe diameters
from separator
If inlet piping size cannot be modified (e.g. retrofit, space restriction):
Install guiding vanes or cyclone in inlet piping
Above specifications can minimise the amount of entrained liquid (mist)
therefore assisting separation
By providing piping data and process data, vendor can quantify amount
of bulk liquid, entrained liquid (mist) and particle size distribution to
greatly improve separator design
Primary Separation
Separates bulk liquid from gas
Uses inlet device to break the momentum and distribute the
flow

Figure 11.5 Campbells Volume 2
Half Pipe Inlet Device
Half Pipe Inlet Device





Gas shoots towards the back of the wall
Maldistribution of gas
Sends both gas and liquid downwards
Liquid entrainment in vapour flowing onto demister
www.cdsengineering.com
Vane Inlet Device
Distributes the fluid along the
vanes
Fluid (gas and liquid)
changes direction
Liquid follows the vane wall
and drops off
Gas follows the vane wall
and flows up

www.prosep.com
www.prosep.com
Cyclone Inlet Device
Fluid is directed by a swirl
element to spin along the
cyclone wall
Liquid flows downwards
along the cyclone wall
Gas flows downwards
together with liquid then
upwards
Liquid outlet can be
submerged in liquid phase
to minimise foaming


www.prosep.com
www.prosep.com
Gravity Settling
Utilises the force of gravity to enhance the separation of
entrained droplets.
Gas moves through the barrel at low velocity


D
L
h
L
g

V
gas

F
gravity

D
V
ga
s

F
gravity

Gravity Settling
Vertical vessel: specify diameter so that Vgas < Vterminal
Horizontal vessel: specify length of vessel to allow droplet to
settle
Straightening vanes are sometimes used to reduce
turbulence

Demister Section
Removes small droplets by coalescing small droplets to form
larger droplets so they can settle by gravity
Figure 11.5 Campbells Volume 2
Vane Pack and Wire Mesh
Vane Pack







Gas and liquid droplets forced
to change direction
Droplets absorbed by wet
surface and collected in
pockets
Can handle higher flow than
wire mesh



Mist Mat/Wire Mesh




Gas and liquid droplets
forced to change direction
Droplets strike surface
then flow downwards
More effective at
separating smaller
particles than vane pack


Figure 7-13 GPSA Databook 11
th
Edition
www.natcogroup.com
Cyclone Demister Device
Uses centrifugal forces to separate
liquid droplets from a gas stream.
Gas and liquid enter the cyclone tube
and is set into rotation by vanes
mounted on a central body.
Gas flows axially along the tube.
The heavier liquid droplets are
thrown to the wall due to the
centrifugal action.
The liquid is then transported through
slits at the cyclone wall into a liquid
collecting chamber and drained back
to the vessel through downcomers.
Not effective below certain velocity.

www.prosep.com
Liquid Collection
Provides enough residence time:
to allow vapour to be released from the liquid.
to allow 2 liquid phase to separate
Contains volume to handle sudden surge in inlet liquid flow.
One of liquid collection issues is foaming.
Presence of chemicals such as corrosion inhibitor and glycol can
increase the likelihood of foaming.
Foaming can be minimised by reducing shearing, turbulence and
velocity of fluids into separator.
Foaming can be dealt with by increasing the height of the separator to
allow foams to settle.
Liquid Levels Definition

NLL Normal Liquid Level
Liquid level maintained by controls during operation
HLL High Liquid Level
First liquid level above NLL to trigger an alarm
HHLL High High Liquid Level
Second liquid level above NLL to trigger a shutdown
LLL Low Liquid Level
First liquid level below NLL to trigger an alarm
LLLL Low Low Liquid Level
Second liquid level below NLL to trigger a shutdown
Hold-up time
(Residence Time)
Time to fill separator from empty to NLL at design
liquid feed rate.
Surge Time Time to fill separator from NLL to HLL at design
liquid feed rate.
Liquid Collection Devices
Calming baffle reduces turbulence, creates uniform velocity.
Coalescing pack causes discontinuous phase to form larger droplets.
Weir separates different liquid phases.
Liquid Collection Devices
Vortex breaker prevents vortex formation and gas
carryunder.
Figure 11.10 Campbells 7
th
Edition Volume 2.
Separator Types
Basic types: Vertical Separator and Horizontal Separator

Vertical Separator Horizontal Separator
Gas flows vertically upwards against liquid
settling. Therefore, gas velocity must be less
than the liquid droplet terminal velocity for
effective separation.
Gas flows horizontally and hence
perpendicular to droplet setting.
Therefore, the gas velocity can be
larger than the liquid droplet velocity
For the same application, vertical separator is
generally less efficient than horizontal
separator.
Horizontal separator is generally more
effective in separating vapour and liquid
due to a larger surface area for vapour
to be released from liquid.
Vapour flow area is constant therefore
performance of separator is not sensitive to
changing liquid level.
Vapour flow area depends on liquid
level therefore the performance of
horizontal separator can deteriorate as
liquid level rises.
Separator Types
Basic types: Vertical Separator and Horizontal Separator

Vertical Separator Horizontal Separator
For the same application, vertical separator
generally takes less plot space.
For the same application, horizontal
separator generally takes more plot
space but less height.
Vertical separator is generally used when gas
is the dominant phase.
Horizontal separator is generally used
when gas and liquids are of equal
proportions or liquid is the dominant
phase.
Separator Specifications
What separator vendor requires:
Process data:
Max. liquid, max vapour and max Rho V (momentum) cases
Inlet flow rate, density and viscosity
Liquid surface tension
Presence of solids
Presence of corrosive materials
Required separation efficiency carryover, particle size removed

Separator Specifications
What separator vendor requires:
Inlet piping data (optional):
Length of straight run into vessel
Pipe size
Presence of bends, elbows, control valves
Specifications:
Applicable industry standards
Applicable client standards


Separator Specifications
What performance guarantee is required from vendor:
Vapour and liquid flow capacity
Liquid carryover:
total liquid carryover (e.g. 0.1 US gallon liquid carryover/MMSCF gas)
particle size carryover (e.g. 99.9% of 30 microns and above removed)
Beware of particle size carryover, this does not reflect the total
amount of liquid carryover.
On some separators, particle size carryover is important (e.g. flare
scrubber, compressor scrubber and filter coalescer).
On some separators, particle size carryover is not important (e.g.
production separators). In this case, total liquid carryover is more
important.
Future Topic: Separator Sizing
Some of the topics which can be covered:
Separator Sizing Formula (K-Factor)
Cautions about using K-Factor (GPSA extract)
Nozzle sizing
WorleyParsons Standard Spreadsheet
Design Guides and Standards
Case Study

Question Time
Questions?