Afra Vandad Iranian Co.

Wire Mesh Foam Remover Water Separator Design

Prepared by PCS Group

May. 2025
 1. Establish Design Basis
Vapor Liquid separators are one of the most common types of process equipment.
This article provides step-by-step procedure for two phase vertical vapor liquid
separator design. Vapor liquid separation occurs in three stages.
a. The first stage, primary separation uses an inlet diverter so that momentum of the
liquid entrained in the vapor causes the largest droplets to impinge on the diverter
and then drop by gravity.
b. The next phase, secondary separation is gravity separation of smaller droplets as
the vapor flows through the disengagement area.
c. The final stage is mist elimination where the smallest droplets are formed which
will separate by gravity.
For secondary separation, maximum allowable vapor velocity is calculated by using
the Souders-Brown equation.

Define the process conditions and target droplet size.

• Procedure: Collect gas volumetric flow rate, operating pressure & temperature,
liquid density, and estimate the droplet size distribution (e.g. from downstream
cooler or compressor data). Choose the minimum droplet diameter you need to
remove with high efficiency.

• Example: Compressed air at 13900 Nm³/h (1.028 m³/s actual) at 3.5 barg and 50 °C;
water droplets with an assumed average of 2 µm to capture ≥99.9% of mist.

2. Select Separator Configuration

Choose a vertical vessel with a knitted wire-mesh pad for fine mist removal.

• Procedure: Compare gravity, vane, cyclone and mesh-pad separators. Use mesh
pads when you need high efficiency for droplets down to a few microns at moderate
velocities, and when liquid loads are modest.

• Example: A vertical knock-out drum with inlet diverter, 100 mm mesh pad near the
top, and bottom liquid sump—ideal for compact footprints and >99% removal of 2
µm droplets.
3. Determine Design Gas Velocity (Souders–Brown)
Calculate the maximum allowable superficial gas velocity to avoid entrainment.

• Procedure:

where ρL, ρG are liquid & gas densities, and K is an empirical capacity factor (mesh-pad
K≈0.05–0.107 m/s).

K=0.35−0.01(P−100)/100

where P is in psig, K is in feet/sec. K value is multiplied by a factor of 0.6 for Glycol or Amine
solution, 0.7 for compressor suction scrubber, 0.7 for expander inlet separators and 0.5
when there is no mist eliminator.

• Example:
• ρL=988 kg/m³ (water @50 °C), ρG≈4.8 kg/m³ (air @3.5 barg,50 °C)
• Choose K=0.07 m/s for 2 µm removal ⇒

4. Calculate Vessel Diameter

Size the cross-section to meet the gas throughput at Vmax.

• Procedure:

A = Q/Vmax

• Example:

Round up to a 1.2 m ID vessel for manufacturing tolerance.

5. Lay Out Internal Heights
Define the vertical spacing for inlet device, disengagement, mesh pad, and sump.

• Procedure: Use h1–h7 definitions:

• h1 : Low Liquid Level to Bottom Tangent Line

• For operating pressure less than 1000 psig (70 barg), it is taken as 6 inch (150 mm)
else it is kept 12 inch (300 mm).
• h2 : Level Range
• It is calculated based on holdup time required and slug capacity of the separator.
Holdup volume is calculated based on liquid flowrate multiplied by holdup
(residence) time.
• h2=4(VHoldup+VSlug)/(π.D2)h2=4(VHoldup+VSlug)/(π.D2)
• Minimum height is taken as 18 inch (450 mm) for proper level control.
• h3 : High Liquid Level to Inlet Nozzle
• For separator with half pipe at inlet nozzle it is taken as maximum of 0.3D or 12 inch
(300 mm).
• h4 : Diameter of Inlet Nozzle
• This height is taken based on outside diameter of inlet nozzle.
• h5 : Inlet nozzle to Mist Eliminator/ Top Tangent Line
• For separator without mist eliminator this height is taken as maximum of 0.9D or 36
inch (900 mm). For separator with mist eliminator this height is taken as maximum
of 0.45D or 24 inch (600 mm).
• h6 : Height of Mist Eliminator
 • Height of mist eliminator is typically 6 inch (150 mm).
• h7 : Mist Eliminator to Top Tangent Line
• This height is taken as maximum of 0.15D or 12 inch (300 mm).
• All heights are summed up to calculate overall length of separator. L/D ratio is
typically kept in the range of 3 to 5. If it is out of this range, new diameter is selected
and all above steps are repeated till desired L/D ratio is obtained.

• Example (D=1.17 m):

6. Specify Wire Mesh Pad

Choose pad thickness, density, wire diameter and material for the required cut size.( 4CA )

• Procedure:

o Thickness: 100–150 mm

o Density: ~144 kg/m³ (9 lb/ft³) for general service; higher for finer droplets

o Wire diameter: ~0.28 mm (0.011") for 5 µm; consider fiber-co-knits for 2 µm

o Material: SS 314L for water service

Mechanism: droplets impact/intercept filaments, coalesce and drain.
•

Table 1.
 •

Table 2.

7. Size Nozzles (Inlet & Outlet)

Ensure velocities don’t cause re-entrainment or inlet jetting.

• Procedure:

o Inlet momentum limit ρV²≤2 100 kg/m·s² (half-pipe diverter)

o Outlet momentum limit ρV²≤4 500 kg/m·s² (avoid suction on pad)

o Use ANSI B16.5 flange sizes and actual ID to compute velocities.

• Example:
• Inlet: NPS 10 (ID≈273 mm) ⇒ V=1.025/(!π·(0.273)²/4)≈18 m/s ⇒ ρV²≈4.8·18²≈1 555
kg/m·s²<2 100 ✔
• Outlet: NPS 8 (ID≈219 mm) ⇒ V≈25 m/s ⇒ ρV²≈4.8·25²≈3 000 kg/m·s²<4 500 ✔

8. Estimate Mesh Pad Pressure Drop

Predict head loss to check against allowable pressure drop.

• Procedure:
𝜌𝐺
𝛥𝑃 = 0.4 𝑉𝑑2 𝜌𝑤
𝜀 𝑔𝑐
 • Example:

• Well under typical allowances (250-500 Pa).

9. Design Liquid Sump & Level Control

Ensure sufficient holdup and prevent carry-over during slugs.

• Procedure:

h2=4 (Vholdup+Vslug)/πD**2

with minimum h2≈450 mm for level control.

• Example:
Assume worst-case condensate of 0.1 m³ over 5 min ⇒ Vholdup=0.1 m³, negligible
slug ⇒
h2=4·0.1/(π·1.17²)≈0.093 m <0.45 m ⇒ use h2=0.45 m.

10. Final Check & L/D Ratio

Verify overall length/diameter ratio and iterate if needed.

• Procedure: Sum all heights for total T/T length, then L/D should be 3–5. If outside,
adjust diameter or internals.

11. Result

Based on two values of k(0.07&0.107) , two scenario cases were examined, whose values
are as follows:

1.

Souders–Brown capacity factor K: 0.107 m/s

Maximum allowable superficial gas velocity Vmax: 1.52 m/s

Estimated mesh pad pressure drop: 462.71 Pa

Raw vessel diameter: 0.93 m

Rounded vessel diameter: 1.0 m

Raw diameter in inches: 39.37 in

Rounded diameter in inches: 40 in

Internal heights (h1 to h7):

h1 (low liquid to shell tangent): 150 mm

h2 (level range, holdup & slug): 450 mm

h3 (high liquid to inlet nozzle): 300.0 mm

h4 (inlet nozzle to mesh pad): 273 mm

h5 (mesh-pad support height): 450.0 mm

h6 (mesh-pad thickness): 150 mm

h7 (mesh-pad to shell tangent): 150.0 mm

Existing internals (h_tt): 1923 mm

Calculated freeboard: 1.08 m (1077 mm)

New total height: 3.00 m (3000 mm)

New L/D ratio after freeboard: 3.00

Mesh Specification:

Mesh Style: 4CA

Mesh Density: 144 kg/m3

Mesh Diameter: 0.28 mm

Mesh Voidage: 98.2%

Mesh-pad Thickness: 150 mm

Mesh Material: SS304L

2.

Souders–Brown capacity factor K: 0.070 m/s

Maximum allowable superficial gas velocity Vmax: 1.00 m/s

Estimated mesh pad pressure drop: 198.03 Pa

Raw vessel diameter: 1.15 m

Rounded vessel diameter: 1.2 m

Raw diameter in inches: 47.24 in

Rounded diameter in inches: 48 in

Internal heights (h1 to h7):

h1 (low liquid to shell tangent): 150 mm

h2 (level range, holdup & slug): 450 mm

h3 (high liquid to inlet nozzle): 300.0 mm

h4 (inlet nozzle to mesh pad): 273 mm

h5 (mesh-pad support height): 540.0 mm

h6 (mesh-pad thickness): 150 mm

h7 (mesh-pad to shell tangent): 180.0 mm

Existing internals (h_tt): 2043 mm

Calculated freeboard: 1.56 m (1557 mm)

New total height: 3.60 m (3600 mm)

New L/D ratio after freeboard: 3.00

Mesh Specification:

Mesh Style: 4CA

Mesh Density: 144 kg/m3

Mesh Diameter: 0.28 mm

Mesh Voidage: 98.2%

Mesh-pad Thickness: 150 mm

Mesh Material: SS304L

12. Project Code

import math

# 1. Input parameters
Q = 1.028 # Gas flow rate in m³/s (actual)
rho_L = 988 # Liquid density (water at 50°C) in kg/m³
rho_G = 4.8512 # Gas density (air at 3.5 barg, 50°C) in kg/m³
K = 0.07 # Souders–Brown capacity factor (m/s) ; k=
0.07~0.107 for metal wire mesh
inlet_OD = 273 # Inlet nozzle OD to mesh-pad support (mm)
target_LtoD = 3.0 # Desired L/D ratio (between 3 and 5)
C_wet = 0.25 # Pad wet pressure drop coefficient
t_pad = 150 / 1000 # Pad thickness in meters (150 mm); 100~150 mm

# 2. Calculate Vmax
Vmax = K * math.sqrt((rho_L - rho_G) / rho_G)

# 3. Calculate raw vessel diameter

A = Q / Vmax # Cross-sectional area
(m²)
D_m_raw = math.sqrt((4 * A) / math.pi) # Raw diameter in meters
D_m = math.ceil(D_m_raw * 10) / 10 # Rounded diameter in
meters

# 4. Calculate raw and rounded vessel diameter in inches

D_in_raw = D_m * 39.37 # Raw diameter in
inches
D_in = math.ceil(D_in_raw) # Rounded up to next
whole inch

# 5. Internal heights (mm), with proportional caps

h1 = 150 # Low liquid level to
shell tangent
h2 = 450 # Level range (holdup &
slug)
h3 = min(0.3 * D_m * 1000, 300) # High liquid to inlet
nozzle
h4 = inlet_OD # Inlet nozzle to mesh
pad
h5 = min(0.45 * D_m * 1000, 600) # Mesh-pad support
height
h6 = 150 # Mesh-pad thickness
h7 = min(0.15 * D_m * 1000, 300) # Mesh-pad to shell
tangent

h_tt = h1 + h2 + h3 + h4 + h5 + h6 + h7 # Total tangent-to-

tangent height (mm)

# 6. Freeboard calculation
required_total_m = target_LtoD * D_m # Required total height
in m
required_total_mm = required_total_m * 1000 # Required total height
in mm
freeboard_mm = required_total_mm - h_tt # Freeboard height in
mm
freeboard_m = freeboard_mm / 1000 # Freeboard height in m

# 7. New L/D check

new_total_mm = h_tt + freeboard_mm
new_LtoD = (new_total_mm / 1000) / D_m

# 8. Estimate mesh pad pressure drop

#deltaP = C_wet * t_pad * (rho_L - rho_G) * Vmax**2 # Pressure drop in Pa
deltaP = 0.4 * (rho_L * rho_G/(0.98*9.81)) * Vmax**2 # Pressure drop in
Pa

# 9. Display results
print(f"Souders–Brown capacity factor K: {K:.3f} m/s")
print(f"Maximum allowable superficial gas velocity Vmax: {Vmax:.2f} m/s")
print(f"Estimated mesh pad pressure drop: {deltaP:.2f} Pa")
print(f"Raw vessel diameter: {D_m_raw:.2f} m")
print(f"Rounded vessel diameter: {D_m:.1f} m")
print(f"Raw diameter in inches: {D_in_raw:.2f} in")
print(f"Rounded diameter in inches: {D_in:.0f} in\n")

print("Internal heights (h1 to h7):")

print(f" h1 (low liquid to shell tangent): {h1} mm")
print(f" h2 (level range, holdup & slug): {h2} mm")
print(f" h3 (high liquid to inlet nozzle): {h3:.1f} mm")
print(f" h4 (inlet nozzle to mesh pad): {h4} mm")
print(f" h5 (mesh-pad support height): {h5:.1f} mm")
print(f" h6 (mesh-pad thickness): {h6} mm")
print(f" h7 (mesh-pad to shell tangent): {h7:.1f} mm\n")

print(f"Existing internals (h_tt): {h_tt:.0f} mm")

print(f"Calculated freeboard: {freeboard_m:.2f} m
({freeboard_mm:.0f} mm)")
print(f"New total
height: {new_total_mm/1000:.2f} m
({new_total_mm:.0f} mm)")
print(f"New L/D ratio after freeboard: {new_LtoD:.2f} \n")

print("Mesh Specification:")
print("Mesh Style: 4CA")
print("Mesh Density: 144 kg/m3")
print("Mesh Diameter: 0.28 mm")
print("Mesh Voidage: 98.2%")
print(f"Mesh-pad Thickness: {h6} mm")
print("Mesh Material: SS304L")