SEPARATOR DESIGN

There are two accepted methods for sizing

horizontal and vertical separators
 Retention time method
 Droplet settling method

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 1

 Retention Time Method
Gas-Liquid Separation
 Sufficient residence time must be allowed
for liquid to fall out of the gas phase and the
gas bubbles to escape the liquid phase.
 Specifying the liquid phase retention time
and height of the gas-liquid interface
provides the following sizing equations.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 2

 Horizontal:  D2 M L  q t
  eff L r
4

Vertical:  D2 H  q t
  L L r
 
4
D = inside diameter of separator, ft.
Leff= separator length available for separation, ft.
M = fraction of vertical area filled with liquid
3
qL = total liquid flow, ft /min.
t r = liquid retention time, min.
H L = height of liquid in separator, ft.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 3

 Two Phase Retention Time (API spec. 12J, 1989)

Oil Gravity, Liquid Retention Time,

API min.
Above 35 1
20 - 30 1 to 2
10 - 20 2 to 4

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 4

 Oil-Water Separation

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 5

  After 3 to 20 minutes, the height of the water
emulsion interface grows so slowly that the
remaining water is considered entrained or
emulsified.
 The separated water is called free water.
 In the retention time approach, the separator
is sized to provide the residence or retention
time required to break out this free water.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 6

  Sizing three phase separators starts by
specifying the two retention times for:
 Adequate removal of water from oil.
 Adequate removal of oil from water.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 7

   2
VL    D M Leff  qw trw  qo tro
4

Oil API Temp., Liquid Retention Time,

o
F min
above 35 3 to 5
below 35 100+ 5 to 10
80-100 10 to 20
60-80 20 to 30
Note: API 12J (1989) allows equal retention time for
both oil and water
Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 8
 Droplet Settling Method
Vertical Separators
 The downward flow of any liquid drops is
inherently counter-current to the rising vapor
flow in the top part of the vertical separator.
 Drop settling theory is based on a force
balance on liquid droplet in a moving gas
field.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 9

  A gravity force is balanced by a drag force
trying to move the droplet out the top of
separator.
 The gas flowing area does not change as the
liquid phase rises or drops.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 10

 Fd

Fb

Fg

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 11

    3 g 
Gravity Force   L   d d  
 6   gc 

   3 g 
Boyant Force   g   d d  
 6   gc 

dd = droplet diameter, ft.

3
L = liquid density, lbm/ft
3
g = gas density, lbm/ft
2
g = acceleration of gravity, 32.2 ft/s
2
gc = conversion factor, 32.2 lbm.ft/lbf.s

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 12

  C D  g vd2 
Drag Force   Ap    Ap
 2 gc 
 

CD = drag coefficient, dimensionless

  2 2
Ap = projected droplet area    d d , ft
4
vd = droplet velocity, ft/s

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 13

 A force balance of the droplet results in the
minimum drag velocity required to prevent
droplet from falling (terminal velocity).

Gravity Force - Bouncy Force = Drag Force

      2

  d d  L   g    CD  d d  g 
3 g   2 v d 
6  gc  4  2 gc 

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 14

 Solving for the drag (terminal) velocity yields:
 4  g d d   L   g 
vt  vd    
 3  C D   g 

where:
24  g 
CD   24  
 Re  1 ( Stock ' s Law)
Re d v 
 d d g

24 3
CD   0.5  0.34 Re  1
Re Re

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 15

  For the oil droplets to be separated and flow
downward, upward gas velocity should not
exceed the terminal velocity, i.e., maximum
allowable gas velocity.
 The terminal velocity is determined by:
 Iteratively solving vt and CD equations
assuming dd  100 micron (recommended).
 Using the following Eq.
L  g
vmax  K SB
g

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 16

  In the absence of field or pilot data the
following API specifications 12J (1989)
recommendation are available.
Sep. Type Sep. Height Recommended K SB ,
or Length, ft. ft/s
Vertical 5 0.12 to 0.24
10 0.18 to 0.35
Horizontal 10 0.4 to 0.5
Other length (0.4 to 0.5)x(L/10)0.56
Spherical All 0.2 to 0.35

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 17

 Horizontal Separators
 The droplet’s downward velocity is
perpendicular to the horizontal gas flow.
 The time for the most remote liquid droplet to
fall through the entire gas phase is given as:
D (1  hD )
td 
vd
where:
Liquid Height
hD 
D

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 18

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 19
  The theoretical time for the gas to flow
through the separator is given as:
Leff
tg 
vg
 Setting the two times equal and solve for vg yields:
vd Leff
vg 
D (1  h D )

This vg is the maximum allowable velocity of

the gas phase in order for the most remote
liquid droplet to fall out in the liquid phase.
Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 20
 If the actual gas velocity exceed this vg , no
separation will occur. But, if the actual gas
velocity is less than this critical vg , then
separation will take place. Also, Souders-
Brown equation is applicable for horizontal
separators where cross flow takes place.
L  g
vmax  K SB
g

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 21

 Because this equation is for vertical gas flow,
and the flow in horizontal separator is cross
flow, this equation will give a conservative
value of maximum velocity.
Note: Conservative values are preferred for
design purposes.

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 22

 The K SB factor should be adjusted at high
pressure and for foamy liquids.
 High pressure:
K SB  K SB (100 psi )  0.0001( p  100)

 For Amines or Glycols:

K SB  C K SB where C  0.6  0.8
 For compressor suction scrubbers:
K SB  C K SB where C  0.7  0.8

Phase Separation Theory and Separator Design 23