SEPARATOR SIZING

SEPARATION THEORY
GAS/LIQUID SEPARATION THEORY

◼ Liquid droplet settling

 Liquid drops separated from gas phase when its
velocity reach terminal (settling) velocity
 Terminal velocity when Drag Force = Buoyant Force
 Drag Force depends on Drag Coefficient C D

24
◼ Re < 10 CD =
Re
24 3
◼ Re > 1000 CD = + 1/ 2 + 0.34
Re Re
CONT.

 Terminal velocity equations for different conditions

1.78 10 −6 (S.G.)d m

2

◼ Re < 10 Vt =
m
r l − r g  d 
1/2

◼ Re > 1000  m
Vt 0.0199   r 
 g  C D 
 The value of C is estimated and then used in the
D

calculation of gas capacity constraint

CONT.

◼ But in production facility, flow almost always has

Re > 1000. So how to find C ? D

➢ Start with Re >>1000 so that CD ~ 0.34

➢ Use CD = 0.34 to calculate Vt
➢ Use Vt to calculate Re
➢ Use Re to calculate new CD

➢ Repeat process until CD values beginning to be the

same
➢ Use this latest CD value in the gas capacity equation…
CONT.

◼ Liquid retention time

 Retention time is average time a liquid molecule is
retained in vessel
 To ensure liquid and gas reach equilibrium so that
gas molecule can evolve from liquid phase
 Retention time = Volume of liquid storage in vessel
Liquid flow rate
 Usually 1 to 3 minutes
OIL/WATER SEPARATION THEORY

◼ Oil drop/water drop settling

 Flow around oil drops in water or water drops in oil is
laminar – so water droplets fall at their terminal velocity

◼ Oil/water retention time

 Need certain amount of oil storage so that oil reaches
equilibrium, entrained gas liberated, and ‘free’ water
coalesced to fall into water storage
 Need certain amount of water storage for entrained large
droplets of oil have time to coalesce and rise to oil-water
interface
 Retention time 3 – 30 minutes
 SEPARATOR SIZING:
TWO-PHASE SEPARATOR
GENERAL SIZING PROCEDURE
CALCULATE
1. Gas capacity constraint
 Minimum vessel diameter OR Relationship between diameter
and effective length that satisfy gas capacity constraint
2. Liquid capacity
 Relationship between diameter and effective length OR height
that satisfy liquid capacity constraint
3. Seam-to-seam length, Lss
 For Gas capacity and Liquid capacity
4. Slenderness ratio
 For each Lss calculated

SELECT reasonable vessel size (diameter and length)!

 VERTICAL SEPARATOR
Gas outlet

Mist extractor

Gas capacity
Inlet

Seam-to-seam Length Lss

Liquid capacity Height h

Liquid Outlet

Diameter d
VERTICAL SEPARATOR SIZING PROCEDURE

1. Determine CD using iterative procedure

2. Calculate d for gas capacity constraint using

1/ 2
TZQg    r g  C D 
d = 5040
2  
 P  r l − r g  d m 

3. Calculate d2h for liquid capacity constraint

tr Ql
d 2h =
0.12
CONT.VERTICAL
4. Set retention time tr to be 1, 2 and 3 minutes
(usual case)

5. For each tr , calculate and tabulate values of

a) d
b) h
c) Lss
h + 76
▪ OD < 36” → Lss =
12
OD > 36” → h + d min + 40
▪
Lss =
12
d) Slenderness Ratio (SR), (12)Lss/d
CONT.VERTICAL

◼ From table, select possible choices of separator size

(d x Lss) based on the values of (12)Lss/d
➢ Select (12)Lss/d values range 3 – 4
➢ d values must be greater than the calculated minimum
vessel diameter for gas capacity constraint (Step 2)

❑ Your final selection should be based on your

judgment on the costs of each possible separator
EXAMPLE OF SEPARATOR SELECTION

Possible size

36” x 10’

30” x 10’

30” x 10’ or
30” x 8’
 HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR

Seam-to-seam Length Lss

Gas outlet

Gas capacity (50%)

Gas-oil interface

Diameter d
Liquid capacity (50%)

Inlet Liquid Outlet

Effective Length Leff

Gas molecule flowing at average gas velocity, Vg

Liquid droplet dropping at settling velocity Vt relative to gas phase

HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR SIZING PROCEDURE

1. Determine CD using iterative procedure

2. Calculate dLeff for gas capacity constraint

CD 
1/ 2

TZQg    r g
dLeff =420   
d 

 P   r l − r g  m

3. Calculate d2Leff for liquid capacity constraint
t r Ql
2
d Leff =
0.7
 CONT. HORIZONTAL

4. Set retention time tr to be 1, 2 and/or 3 minutes

(usual case)

5. For each tr , calculate and tabulate values of

a) d
b) Leff for
➢ Gas capacity → from equation Step 2
➢ Liquid capacity → from equation Step 3
CONT. HORIZONTAL

c) Lss for
d
➢ Gas Capacity → Lss =L eff +
12

➢ Liquid capacity → Lss = 4 Leff

3

d) Slenderness ratio (SR), (12)Lss/d

CONT. HORIZONTAL

◼ From table, compare the values of Leff for each gas

and liquid capacity that governs the design of the
separator
 The one with larger required length governs

◼ Then, select possible choices of separator size

(d x Lss) based on the values of SR
➢ Select SR values range 3 – 5
➢ Lss values selected are the one that governs the design
EXAMPLE OF SEPARATOR SELECTION
Use the liquid Lss values
to select separator size
Horizontal Separator Example
Diameter vs. Length

Liquid Liquid
Possible size
tr d Gas Leff Leff Gas Lss Lss SR
16 2.5 33.5 44.7 33.5

20 2 21.4 28.5 17.1

24 1.7 14.9 19.9 9.9

3 30 1.3 9.5 12.7 5.1

36 1.1 6.6 9.1 3 36” X 10’

42 0.9 4.9 7.4 2.1

48 0.8 3.7 6.2 1.6

Liquid capacity constraint governs since it has the largest required length
 THREE PHASE OIL SEPARATION
➢ Three phase separators will have additional control devices and may have additional
components.

➢ Liquid collection section of the tree-phase separator handles two immiscible liquids(oil
and water) rather than one.

➢ This section therefore be designed to separate the two liquids to provide means for
controlling the level of each liquid and to provide outlets for each liquid.

➢ Initial bulk separation of the gas and liquid takes place due to the change in
momentum and difference in fluid densities.
 CONTD..

• The bulk of liquid separated at the inlet diverter, flows downward.

• The liquid collection section should have sufficient volume to allow
enough time for the separation of the oil and emulsion from the water.
• The oil and emulsion layer forming on top of the water is called the oil
pad.
• The oil and emulsion flow over the weir and collect in a separate
compartment where its level is controlled by a level controller that
operate the oil outlet valve.
THREE PHASE SEPARATOR
REQUIRED DATA FOR HORIZONTAL THREE PHASE
SEPARATOR SIZING

• To size horizontal three phase separator, we need the following data:

• Oil rate, water rate, and gas rate
• Operating pressure and operating temperature
• Properties (density, viscosity) of oil and gas, respectively
• Retention time of oil and water, respectively
• Droplet size of liquid and oil to be removed
 RETENTION TIME

• A certain amount of oil storage is necessary to ensure that the oil reaches equilibrium
and flashed gas is liberated.
• The most common retention time ranges from 3 minutes to 30 minutes, depends on
laboratory and field data.
• Similarly, a certain amount of water storage is required to ensure that most of the large
droplets of oil entrained in the water have sufficient time to coalesce and rise to the oil-
water interface.
• Retention times for water phase is commonly 3 minutes to 30 minutes, depends on
laboratory and field data.
WATER DROPLET SIZE IN OIL

• It is difficult to estimate the size of water droplet that must be

settled out of the oil phase.
• Good results have been obtained by sizing the oil pad such that
water droplets 500 microns and larger are settled out.
MODEL DESIGN FOR THREE PHASE
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR
 1.KEY DESIGN PARAMETERS

• Operating Pressure: 50–150 psig (adjustable based on field

requirements)
• Operating Temperature: 70–150°F
• Gas Flow Rate: QgQ_gQg (e.g., 10 MMscfd)
• Liquid Flow Rate: QlQ_lQl (e.g., 5,000 BPD oil and 2,000 BPD
water)
2.KEY COMPONENTS

• Inlet Section:
• Inlet Device:Vane-type or cyclonic to reduce velocity and
initiate bulk phase separation.
• Slug Catcher: Space to handle large volumes of liquid slugs.
2.1 Gas Section:

Where:
•V: Maximum gas velocity (ft/s)
•Cs: Sizing constant (typically 0.3–0.4 for separators)
•Ρl: Liquid density (lb/ft³)
•Ρg: Gas density (lb/ft³)
•Demister Pad: High-efficiency mesh to remove entrained liquid droplets.
2.2 Liquid Section:
2.3 WATER SECTION

• Water Outlet: Sump or boot for water collection and discharge

• Control valve: Maintains water level

2.4 Safety Features

• Pressure relief valve (PSV) and rupture disk for overpressure

protection.
• Drain points for maintenance and sampling.
 3.DIMENSIONS

•Length (L): Determined based on retention time,

typically 6–10 ft per 1,000 BPD of liquid flow.

•Diameter (D): Sized for gas capacity and liquid

holdup. Typical diameters range from 36–96 inches
.
•Length-to-Diameter Ratio (L/D): Typically 3:1 to
5:1 for horizontal separators.
 4.MATERIAL SELECTION

•Shell: Carbon steel (e.g., ASTM A516 Grade 70) with corrosion allowance.

•Internals: Stainless steel (e.g., SS316) for better corrosion resistance.

•Coating: Epoxy-lined interior for handling corrosive water or sour gas.