Separator Inlet Device for Dirty Service

[KernOily]

Hi guys. Pretty new to 2Ø separators; looked at some old threads, read pertinent chapters from Campbell/GPSA/Arnold, still got questions.

Need an inlet device for a gas-liquid separator at the outlet of a fin-fan. Vapor mass fraction is about 32%; gas phase rate is 2.5 MMscfd. Service is dirty/fouling, mostly due to a cocktail of iron sulfide, trace heavy HC, tiny solids, and all their associated hangers-on. Mesh-type mist eliminators don't work in this service because they foul up in about three months. So we are going with a vane pack for the outlet mist eliminator.

The inlet device though is still unknown. I can do the rhoV2 calcs but that doesn't help much when it comes to what works in the real world. What say ye? Thanks guys! Pete

 

[don1980]

That's a very easy decision, and an easy problem to solve. Type "Peerless separators" into your Google search bar. Let them design and supply the separator based on your specific process and mechanical requirements. Gas-liquid separation is what they do, and I'd be shocked if they haven't sold at least hundreds of separators for this same service.

BTW, I don't have any personal of financial connection to Peerless, but I do have experience using their separators. If you design the separator yourself, you'll probably spend more money for a bigger separator that doesn't work nearly as well.

 

[georgeverghese]

How about this:
Fabricate a slotted feed pipe distributor for this service made out some corrosion resistant material - SS316 or similar. Select a feed pipe size to enable a rho-v2 of say 6000 max (rho=kg/m3, v=m/sec). Cut say 1inch wide slots to expose the bottom one third of the perimeter. And fit in as many slots to enable the same cross sectional area as that of the feed pipe. Cap off the downstream end of this internal distributor. Enable a straight piping length (of the same dia as this feed pipe) for about 10d upstream of the feed nozzle to cut out any turbulence that may shear the feed stream liquid droplets. Obviously you would ask for continously slope down piping from the fin fan cooler to this sep.

 

[KernOily]

Guys - Thank you for the helpful replies. Very much appreciated.

George - Thank you very much. Let me work on that and I'll see what I can come up with. Thank you!

 

[LittleInch]

Getting this unholy mix of crud into your separator is only part of the issue. You will need to think carefully about how to prevent this from settling in the bottom by having sparging nozzles, sand washout nozzles etc.

Lowering inlet velocity of the liquid is key in a controlled manner.

You can always go for one of these babies

https://www.sulzer.com/en/shared/pr.../shell-schoepentoeter-and-schoepentoeter-plus

Remember - More details = better answers
Also: If you get a response it's polite to respond to it.