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Lecture 8 - 3phase Vertical Separator

This document discusses sizing three-phase separators. It covers retention time and droplet settling methods for sizing separators. The retention time method calculates retention time based on the vessel length, diameter, and liquid flow rate. The droplet settling method uses Stokes' law to calculate the settling velocity of droplets. Design considerations include setting the weir plate at 3/4 of the vessel length and calculating diameter based on the required cross-sectional area. Wall thickness is also calculated using the internal pressure and design stress.

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Hadi Bapir Sleman
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33 views

Lecture 8 - 3phase Vertical Separator

This document discusses sizing three-phase separators. It covers retention time and droplet settling methods for sizing separators. The retention time method calculates retention time based on the vessel length, diameter, and liquid flow rate. The droplet settling method uses Stokes' law to calculate the settling velocity of droplets. Design considerations include setting the weir plate at 3/4 of the vessel length and calculating diameter based on the required cross-sectional area. Wall thickness is also calculated using the internal pressure and design stress.

Uploaded by

Hadi Bapir Sleman
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Separation processes

Lecture 8
Separator sizing 3 phase
separator
Dr. Pavel Spirov
Petroleum engineering

Lecture 8

3 phase separators

Separator
sizing:

Lecture 8

Separator sizing
Three-phase separator should follow these requirements:
-

liquid must be separated from the gas in the primary separation section
Gas velocity should be suitable for the liquid droplets to settle down
Gas must be scrubbed through an efficient mist extractor
Water and oil should be diverted to a turbulence free section of the vessel
Liquids should have enough retention time for the efficient separation to take place
Water and oil should be removed at their respective outlets

Lecture 8

Separator sizing
The basic key of separator design is based on;
(A) Retention time method and
(B) Droplet setting method. If the separator shape and size (L, D) are fixed, then the retention time can
be calculated
During the separation method was no chemical reaction involved and we estimate that
separation is based only on the gravity force and the density difference.
The assumption for a liquid droplet diameter used in a calculation is 150 m
The solubility of gas is high in HP separator and should be less in LP separator, because
of sudden expansion, which takes place in LP separator due to the pressure difference.
The inlet streams of both separators are heated to certain temperature in purpose to
reduce the viscosity, which makes better separation results.
It is supposed that the critical separation occurs in the LP separator (separated droplets
are smaller).

Lecture 8

Separator sizing
L
I
h
v
u
AI
AL
AH

= length
= with of the interface
= height
= velocity in the droplet
= cross-flow velocity
= Area of the interface between oil and gas
= Cross-sectional area allowed to gas
= Cross-sectional area allowed to liquid

Lecture 8

Lecture 8

Retention Time
Method

The calculations of the retention time are related to the vessels length and diameter. It is
needed to consider the settling of water droplets in oil for the horizontal separator, and the
equitation which is used determines the maximum diameter of the separator.

Retention time is related to the volume of the vessel and there are two conditions, which are making its
specification:
- Oil settling time to allow adequate oil removal from the oil
- Water settling time to allow adequate oil removal from water
These two conditions are matter of viscosity. The oil droplet will go faster in water and water droplet in the oil
will go slower because it has bigger viscosity than oil.

Lecture 8

Retention Time
Method

hLd Ad
Tret

Q liq Q liq

Where:
-

Tret = retention time [s]

= length of the vessel [m]

= height of the vessel [m]

Qliq = the volumetric flow of liquid entering the

= diameter of separator [m]

separator [m3/s]

Lecture 8

Retention Time
Method

Q lig Fliq V

Where:
Fliq = flow rate of water and oil [kmol/h]
V = molar volume [m3/kmol]
the volumetric flow of liquid
Qliq =
entering the separator [m3/h]

Exercise:
Qlig ? m 3 h

Lecture 8

Retention Time
Method

Q lig Fliq V

Where:
Fliq = flow rate of water and oil [kmol/h]
V = molar volume [m3/kmol]
the volumetric flow of liquid
Qliq =
entering the separator [m3/h]

Q lig 559,245 0,16156 90,35 m 3 h

Lecture 8

Retention Time
Method
Table 5 : Retention time = f (API) for three phase separators

Oil Gravity ( Temperatur


API)
e (F)

Typical retention
time (min)

Above 35

3 to 5

Below 35

100+

5 to 10

80+

10 to 20

60+

20 to 30
Lecture 8

Droplet settling method


We have to define the drop settling, which is calculated from drop settling is calculated from the fall of drops in oil
layer and for the rise of oil drop from the water layer and find which one of them is fester. We can assume that the
separator is half full of liquid and the particle shape is a sphere.
For rigid liquid particles of mass m are three forces acting on the particle. These forces are shown in the figure
below.

Fb = buoyant force acting upward


Fd = drag force
Fg = mpg = gravity acting downward

Lecture 8

Droplet settling method


The droplet settling method is using the velocity of the particles in the wrong phase which are
travelling to their own phase. The water droplets in the oil must be removed to have clean oil out
of this separator. The diameter of the water particles in oil has been presumed to be 150m. The
particles will be considered to be spherical in shape; this is why the Stokes Law has been
modified into this form:

vt

4 p gD p
3C D

Where:
-

vt

= settling velocity [m/s]

p = density of the particle [kg/m3]

Dp = particle diameter [m]

CD = drag coefficient [ - ]

= density of the fluid [kg/m3]

= gravity [m/s2]

Lecture 8

Droplet settling method


The drag coefficient for the rigid spheres has been shown to be a function of the Reynolds
number:

24
CD
Re

where

Re

D p v t

24
CD
D p v t

Where:
-

CD = drag coefficient [ - ]

Dp = particle diameter [m]

vt

= settling velocity [m/s]

= density of the fluid [kg/m3]

= fluid viscosity [Pa/s]

Lecture 8

Droplet settling method

Excercise

Lecture 8

Droplet settling method


The diameter of the water particles in oil has been
presumed to be 150m.

Substituting the drag coefficient into the modified


Stokes Law:

vt

gD p
2
p

18

9,81 150 10 1000 679,7

0,0023 m s
3
18 1,7 10
6 2

Lecture 8

What else will be


calculated
The length (L) of
the horizontal
separator is
calculated to the
weir plate. This
weir plate must
be situated 3/4 of
the whole length
(Lwhole) of the
vessel.

Lecture 8

Length of the separator:


The length (L) of the horizontal separator is calculated to the weir plate. This weir plate must
be situated 3/4 of the whole length (Lwhole) of the vessel.

For this case, the whole length is set to be 7m

3
3
L L whole 7 5,25m
4
4

Lecture 8

Separator diameter:
To find the diameter of the horizontal separator the cross-sectional area has to be known.
The cross-sectional area of the horizontal separator can be calculated through the following
formula:

Q oil

Q oil
Av t A
vt

90,35
3600 10,9m 2
0,0023

d 2
4A
4 10,9
A
d

3,7 m
4

Ad 3,7 10,9
Tret

1697s 26,8 min


90,35
Q liq
3600
Lecture 8

Wall thickness
Where:

Pd
t
20 d P

- P

= internal pressure [bar]

- t

= wall thickness [mm]

- d

= outer diameter of separator [mm]

- d =

design stress at working temperature

[N/mm2]
The internal pressure has been chosen at
35bar, which is the pressure out of the vertical
separator and slug catcher. This has been done
because of safety reasons. It was found that d
for butt welded steel pipe at 120C is 41,
4N/mm2
Lecture 8

35 3700
151,12mm 0,151m
Result t
20 41,4 35

35 bar

Lecture 8

Lecture 8

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