Hydro-Flo Technologies, Inc.

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API Separator Calculations

USER INPUT IN YELLOW

Design Flow rate (in gpm) 250
Temperature (in deg F) 150
Specific Gravity of the Oil (in g/cm3) 0.34 An "oil droplet size" of 150 is typical
Oil Droplet size (in microns) 150 API separators. Do not change this
Density of the Water (in g/cm3) 0.98022 you have a specific need. The mini
Viscosity (in Poise) 0.00439 value is 60

For more detailed information go to www.HydroFloTech.com

RESULTS
Width of separator in feet 5.000
Depth of separator in feet 2.500
Length of separator in feet 25.000

Oil Droplet (in cm) 0.015

Call 630-762-0380 to talk to a Hydro-Flo application engineer

Minimum Maximum
Allowable Design Allowable
Result Result
terminal velocity (in cm/s) 1.80 1.80 1.80
terminal velocity (in ft/min) 3.54 3.54 3.54
Minimum cross sectional area needed (in ft) 11.14 11.14 11.14
Cross Sectional Area (in square feet) 11.14 12.50 160.00
maximum horizontal velocity (15*vt, but must be <=3) 3.00 3.00 3.00
horizontal velocity (in ft/min) 3.00 2.67 0.21
vh/vt 0.85 0.76 0.06
short-circuiting factor 1.20 1.20 1.17
Length of unit (must be at least 5X of width) (in ft) 5.00 25.00 100.00
length/width 5.00 5.00 5.00
minimum horizontal area 11.34 11.31 11.08
Width of channel (in feet) (must be 6 to 20) 1.00 5.00 20.00
Depth (in feet) 0.30 2.50 10.00
Depth/Width Ratio (must be .3 to .5) 0.30 0.50 0.50

Step 1:
Adjust the width and depth of the chanel until you achieve a
horizontal velocity <=3. Ideal horizontal velocity should be in
the <=2 range at average flow. Make sure that you maintain
a depth/width ratio of .3 to .5
 An "oil droplet size" of 150 is typically the norm for
API separators. Do not change this value unless
you have a specific need. The minimum useable
value is 60

of the chanel until you achieve a

eal horizontal velocity should be in
ow. Make sure that you maintain
.5
 Density vs. Temperature

1
Temperature (in deg F)

f(x) = 0.00000000277462147773447 x³ − 0.00000211838753585720000 x² + 0.00013993394855035800000 x

+ 0.99753287920394200000000
R² = 0.99995045835253700000000
0.99

0.98

0.97

0.96

0.95

0.94

0.93
0 50 100 150 200 250
Density (in g/cm3)
Temp Absolute Viscosity Kinematic Viscosity
°F Centipoises Poise Density (g/cm3) Centistokes SSU ft²/sec
32 1.79 0.0179 0.9998 1.79 33 1.931E-05
50 1.31 0.0131 0.9997 1.31 31.6 1.41E-05
60 1.12 0.0112 0.999 1.12 31.2 1.217E-05
70 0.98 0.0098 0.99797 0.98 30.9 1.059E-05
80 0.86 0.0086 0.9966 0.86 30.6 9.3E-06
85 0.81 0.0081 0.9958 0.81 30.4 8.69E-06
100 0.68 0.0068 0.993 0.69 30.2 7.39E-06
120 0.56 0.0056 0.9885 0.57 30 6.09E-06
140 0.47 0.0047 0.9832 0.48 29.7 5.14E-06
160 0.4 0.004 0.9771 0.41 29.6 4.42E-06
180 0.35 0.0035 0.9704 0.36 29.5 3.85E-06
212 0.28 0.0028 0.95836 0.29 29.3 3.19E-06
 t u r b u le n c e a n d s h o r t c ir c u it in g f a c t o
vh/vt turbulence factor f=1.2*turbulence factor
20 1.45 1.74
15 1.37 1.64
10 1.27 1.52
6 1.14 1.37
3 1.07 1.28

1.8
f(x) = − 0.00002135979347904
1.7
+ 0.0000986213627510133 x²
1.6
+ 1.1713602582357000000
R² = 0.9981820238082630000
1.5

1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1
1.4

1.3

1.2

1.1

1
97934790414 x³
7510133 x² + 0.0349403358078105000 x
7000000
82630000
vh/vt
00 x
 Viscosity vs. temperature

0.02
Viscosity (in poise)

0.018
f(x) = 0.0000000000314883016339438 x⁴ − 0.0000000198359271686222000 x³ + 0.0000047858489752853000000 x²
− 0.0005579906068530540000000 x + 0.0314145949124697000000000
0.016 R² = 0.9997858425917630000000000

0.014

0.012

0.01

0.008

0.006

0.004

0.002

0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Temperature (deg F)