Application of Computational

Fluid Dynamic for Modelling

and Simulating Oil Movement
in Water

Oil Movement Simulation in Water

Modelling and simulation of oil
movement in water can be used for
several engineering applications,
such as:
Wastewater treatment such as in API
separator, plate oil/water separator.
Investigate the process of injection well and
production well in crude petroleum oil
drilling process.
Manufacturing process, such as food
processing, petroleum refinery, wet oil
extraction, etc.

Characteristics of Oil Dispersed in

Water
Water and oil are two immiscible fluids;
therefore, they cannot blend well.
Since oil is less dense than water, it
always resides on water surface.
When oil is dispersed in water, its
droplets will go up to the water surface
due to buoyancy effect.
The buoyancy effect results from
difference of water and oil density.
Then, oil is naturally separated from
water by gravity-aided separation.

Oil droplets dispersed in water

Neglecting frictional force, two forces act
to a single oil droplet:
Gravitational force (Fg) attracts the oil
to move downward,

Fb

While buoyant force (Fb) pushes the

droplet upward.
Fb = mw.g, since m = .V,
Fb = w.Voil.g
Where:
m = mass of water (g),
g = gravitational constant = 9.8
m/s2,
w = density of water (g/cm3)
V = volume of oil droplet (cm3)

Fg = oil.Voil.g,
Where:
m = mass of water (g),
g = gravitational constant = 9.8
m/s2,
oil = density of water (g/cm3)
V = volume of oil droplet (cm3)

Fg

Buoyant force on Oil Droplet

Resultant force: F = Fb - Fg
Downward force = (-) sign, upward force =
(+) sign,
The equation above is further rearranged
to:
F = w g.V - oil g.V = (w oil) x gV
Since water density (w) is greater
than that of Oil (oil), then,
(w oil) has (+) value, the oil is directed
upward.

Fb > Fg
Fb

Fg

Rise velocity
Due to buoyant force (Fb), oil droplet is
pushed to move upward. The distance the
droplet travels in unit of time is defined as
rise velocity.
To investigate required time for oil to reach
the surface and distance travelled by the oil
in the respective time, the Stokes Equation is
employed:

v = rise velocity (cm/s)

g = gravity constant
D = Oil droplet diameter
(cm)
L= viscosity of water

Rise velocity
High
D

High
Faster water and oil separation
Saving processing time

Coalescence a number
of droplets collide
together into larger size
Slow agitation, tilted
Low
plates
Elevate water temperature
Heat applied

Modelling and Simulation

A model is a simplified
representation of a system at
some particular point in time or
space intended to promote
understanding of the real system.
Real

A simulation is getting information

about how a phenomenon will behave
without actually testing it in real life.
A number of laborious and costly
experiments minimized
Reduce long period of time of
experiments.
Model

Modelling and Simulation

Software
Comsol
multiphysics

water

Oil motion
in water

Oil
Determine
geometry

Define problem

Establish governing
equation

Navier stokes
equation
Continuity equation

computation

Apply boundary &

initial condition

Wall condition

result

Modelling and Simulation

Boundary

Domain
1: water
Domain
2: Oil

Symmetry (left =
right); (identical)

discretizatio
n
Grid/
mesh
(x,y+2
y)
(x,y+y)
(x,y)(x+x,y) (x+2x,y)

(?,?
) hen initial conditions
W
are known, i.e (x,y), and
x, y are determined,
then the arrowed value
can be approximated.

Droplet
diameter =
2 mm

Droplet
diameter =
3 mm

Droplet
diameter =
4 mm

Comparison
of Rise
Velocity

6.00E-02
1mm
5.00E-02
magnitude of Rise velocity (m/s)

Diameter 2
mm=1.16E-02 m/s
Diameter 3 mm =
1.55E-02 m/s
Diameter 4 mm =
2.08E-02 m/s

1.5mm
2mm

4.00E-02

3.00E-02

2.00E-02

1.00E-02

0.00E+00
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

Time (second)

0.4

0.5

0.6

Oil droplets
movement
from
ruptured
cell walls

Thank
you