SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION

Must satisfy two constraints:

(1) Gas capacity determines droplet velocity
(2) Liquid capacity liquid must be retained in separator
long enough for equilibrium (retention time) for gas
to evolve from solution
Liquid
Desired path of liquid droplet
gas
Well
stream
gas
liquid
gas bubbles evolve,
travel to gas phase
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION
1. GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
Forces acting on a liquid droplet as it drops in
the gravity settling section of separator
gravity
drag = buoyant force
liquid droplet
gas
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
(1) .........
2
2
(
(

=
g
V
A C F
t
g D D

Drag force, F
D
, given by
( )
meter 10 micron 1
microns droplet, liquid of diameter
ft , 10 281 . 3
ft droplet, liquid of diameter
ft/s 32.2 constant, nal gravitatio
ft/s velocity, terminal
lb/ft density, liquid
lb/ft density, gas
ft area, sectional - cross droplet
t coefficien drag
6 -
6
2
3
3
2
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
=

m
m
t
l
g
D
d
d D
D
g
V
A
C

Buoyant force, F
B
, given by
( ) (2) .........
6
3
D
F
g l B
=
Equating forces gives
terminal velocity (V
t
):
(3) ......... 0119 . 0
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
D
m
g
g l
t
C
d
V

34 . 0
Re
3
Re
24
2 1
+ + =
D
C

V d
m g
0049 . 0 Re =
NOT Stokes law, C
D
=24/Re,
because gas is compressible
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
Liquid droplet size:
100 micron size removed in gravity settling
section,
10-100 micron size removed by mist
extractors

Retention time = liquid droplet must stay
long enough in separator to have gas-liquid
equilibrium, typically 0.5 3 minutes
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
P = separator pressure, psig
T = separator temperature, R
z = separator z-factor at T and P
Q
g
= separator gas flow rate, MMSCF/D
d = separator diameter, in
liqu
id
Liquid
gas
liquid
Q
g
4) .........(
) ft (
) /s ft (
) ft/s (
2
3
g
g
A
Q
V =
Assume separator half-filled with liquid.
( ) ) ........(5
367
in
2
2
d
A
g
=
Sizing of Horizontal Separators
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
From real gas law,
(6) .........
327 . 0
P
zTQ
Q
g
=
Subst. (5) and (6) in (4):
......(7)
120
2
Pd
zTQ
V
g
g
=
(8) ..........
120
2
eff eff
Pd
zTQ
L
V
L
t
g
g
g
= =
Time for gas to traverse length of separator:
Liquid
L
eff
liqu
id
gas
liquid
Q
g
d
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
Residence time = time for liquid droplet to fall to gas-liquid
interface
(9) ..........
24 2
t t
d
V
d
V
D
t = =
Subst. (3) in (9):
....(10) ..........
0119 . 0 24
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
m
D
g l
g
d
d
C d
t


Setting traverse time, t
g
= residence time, t
d,
gives
.....(11) 420
2
1
eff
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
m
D
g l
g g
d
C
P
zTQ
d L


2. LIQUID CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
(12) ........
/s) (ft rate liquid
) (ft volume
(s)
3
3
=
r
t
3) ........(1 10 73 . 2
144 4 2
1
eff
2 3
eff
2
L d
L d
volume

=
|
|
.
|

\
|

=
t
14) .........( ) b/d ( 10 49 . 6 /s) (ft rate Liquid
5 3
l
Q

=
Subst. (13) and (14) in (12):
l
eff
2
Q
0 . 42
L d
t
r
=
(15) . .......... ..........
minutes) in (
7 . 0
eff
2
r
l r
t
Q t
L d =
That is,
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION LIQUID CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
Seam-Seam Length, L
ss
Making allowance for separator internals:
(16) ..........
12
: constraint capacity gas For
eff
d
L L
ss
+ =
) .......(17
3
4
: constraint capacity liquid For
eff
L L
ss
=
Slenderness ratio, L
ss
/d
....(18) .......... 4 to 3
ss
=
d
L
Smaller ratios lead to turbulence, waves, re-entrainment
at gas-liquid interface.
Larger ratios (> 4 or 5) lead to re-entrainment
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION LIQUID CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION
Sizing of Vertical Separators
( ) 9) ........(1
183
in
2
2
d
A
g
=
......(20)
60
2
Pd
zTQ
V
g
g
=
Derivation similar to that for horizontal separators.
1. GAS CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
implies
t g
V V =
......(21) 5040
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
m
D
g l
g g
d
C
P
zTQ
d


Liquid
gas
liquid
Q
g
L
eff
d
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION
2. LIQUID CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
) .......(22 ..........
12 . 0
2
l r
Q t
h d =
Derivation similar to that for horizontal separators.
h = height of liquid in separator, inches
Seam-Seam Length, L
ss

(23) ..........
12
76 +
=
h
L
ss
....(24) ..........
12
40 + +
=
d h
L
ss or
.....(25) .......... 4 to 3
ss
=
d
L
Slenderness ratio, L
ss
/d
SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION
CALCULATION PROCEDURE FOR SIZING
HORIZONTAL SEPARATORS
Step 1 Calculate d and L
eff
that satisfy gas capacity
constraint (Eq. 11)

Step 2 Calculate d and L
eff
that satisfy liquid capacity
(retention time) constraint (Eq. 15)

minutes) in (
7 . 0
eff
2
r
l r
t
Q t
L d =
.....(11) 420
2
1
eff
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
m
D
g l
g g
d
C
P
zTQ
d L


SEPARATOR SIZE SELECTION
Step 3 Estimate seam-to-seam length, L
ss
12
: 16) (Eq. constraint capacity gas For
eff
d
L L
ss
+ =
eff
3
4
: 17) (Eq. constraint capacity liquid For L L
ss
=
Step 4 Select slenderness ratio, L
ss
/d (Eq. 18)

4 to 3
ss
=
d
L
SEPARATOR SIZING PROCEDURE
ASSUMING 100 MICRON DROPLET

100
420 420
2
1
2
1
eff
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
D
g l
g g
m
D
g l
g g
C
P
zTQ
d
C
P
zTQ
d L




Horizontal separators:
Eq. 11
reduces to
..(26) .......... 0 . 42
eff
K
P
zTQ
d L
g
=
where
(27) .......... constant ,
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
D
g l
g
C K


What value of drag coefficient C
D
to
use to calculate K in Eq. 27?
SEPARATOR SIZING PROCEDURE
ASSUMING 100 MICRON DROPLET
Vertical separators:
Eq. 21
reduces to
where

2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
D
g l
g
C K


Again, what value of C
D
to use to calculate K?
2
1
2
1
100
5040 5040
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|

=
D
g l
g g
m
D
g l
g g
C
P
zTQ
d
C
P
zTQ
d




......(28) 0 . 504 K
P
zTQ
d
g
=
TWO METHODS TO ESTIMATE C
D
or K
1. Graphical method
- assumes 100 micron droplet

2. Iterative method on C
D

- more exact
- does not assume d
m
= 100 micron
1. Graphical method to estimate K
R] in is psia, in is 1), (air s.g. gas is : [Note
graph. from off read and Calculate

T P S
K SP/T
=
TWO METHODS TO ESTIMATE C
D
or K
TWO METHODS TO ESTIMATE C
D
or K
2. Iterative method on C
D
to calculate K

Re) large (for 34 . 0 34 . 0
Re
3
Re
24
2 1
~ + + =
D
C
Step 1 Assume (guess) C
D
= 0.34
Step 2 Calculate V
t
(assume d
m
= 100 micron) using Eq. 3
0119 . 0
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
D
m
g
g l
t
C
d
V

Note:

g
= gas density at separator pressure and temperature, lb/cu.ft.

l
= liquid density at std. cond., lb/cu.ft.
TWO METHODS TO ESTIMATE C
D
or K
Step 3 Calculate Re
Step 4 Calculate C
D
0119 . 0
2
1
(
(

|
|
.
|

\
|
=
D
m
g
g l
t
C
d
V

t m g
V d
0049 . 0 Re =
34 . 0
Re
3
Re
24
2 1
+ + =
D
C
Step 5 Calculate V
t
Step 6 If V
t
in Steps 5 and 2 differ significantly, go to
Step 3 and recalculate Re using V
t
from Step 5

Note: = gas viscosity at
separator pressure and
temperature, cp
Example Sizing a horizontal separator
(from Arnold-Stewart)
Example Sizing a horizontal separator
Example Sizing a horizontal separator
Example Sizing a horizontal separator
Example Sizing a vertical separator
(from Arnold-Stewart)
Example Sizing a vertical separator
Example Sizing a vertical separator
Example Sizing a vertical separator