Separator (Remove H2O)

Introduction
Separator is common equipment that has been used widely in chemical industry. Normally, the
separation consists of two or more phases which have different compositions. These substances
can be compounds or element and can be separated using one or more proper techniques. The
separation is done physically by exploiting the differences between the mixture phases density
(klmtechgroup, 2011). The phase separations that likely to be carried out are: Gasliquid (or
vaporliquid), Gassolid (or vaporsolid), Liquidliquid (immiscible), Liquidsolid and Solid
solid.

This chapter is basically discusses more on the separator design used in propylene
production plant. The overhead products from the reactor which are methane, ethylene,
hydrogen, propylene and propane are feed in to separator with 99% efficiency separation. This
separation process objective is to remove the hydrogen gas which is more volatile and easy to
evaporate. A low pressure and high temperature is applied to divide vapour-liquid mixture into
individual components. The evaporation causes the decrease in temperature and an increase in
concentration as well as causes some heat loss inside the separator. The formed vapor which is
hydrogen gas is separated from liquid at the top stream of the separator. Whereas, the liquids
flows from the bottom stream of the separator and then feed in the distillation column for further
separation process.

The important of this vapor-liquid separation process was to enhance product purity by
increase in propylene concentration. Secondly, is to remove undesirable component (hydrogen)
to produce more valuable products. Thirdly, when it is involve in gases or liquids phase which
have high tendency for equipment to have rupture or corrosion separation is necessary for
preventive. Lastly, is to protect downstream equipment that cannot handle gas-liquid mixtures.

In designing separator, it is very important to ensure the purity of product therefore some
consideration need to be taken in order to design separator. The flow stream characteristics are
highly affects the design and operation of separator. Therefore, below shows the factors that
required to be considered before separator design:

Operating temperature and pressure in separator

Established preliminary compositions for the top and bottom products

The condition of Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, and maximum)

The feed streams have the Surging or slugging tendencies.

Fluids physical properties (density and compressibility)

Designed degree of separation and presence of impurities

Foaming and corrosive tendencies of the liquids or gas

CHEMICAL DESIGN

In petrochemical production, a separator is a large drum designed to separate production fluids

into their constituent components of oil, gas and water. In the event that water is not present, the
bottom output would consist of only oil. It works on the principle that the three components have
different densities, therefore allowing them to stratify when moving slowly with gas on top,
water at the bottom and oil in the middle. Any solids such as grit and sand will also settle at the
base of the vessel.

In the separation process, the operating condition such as temperature, pressure, flow
rate, efficiency or degree of separation and properties of components need to be determined
before vessel selection and sizing of the separator. The parameters that feed in the separator
should determine such as the operating pressure, feed composition (mol fraction) which are
based on the materials balance.

PROCESS BACKGROUND
The purpose of the calculations in this chapter is to size the two phase separator that performs
the separation of the incoming vapor from the catalytic reactor into a waste liquid stream and
vapor that would enter the second separator. This separation therefore involves only vapor and
liquid, which is water and it operates under high pressure and high temperature, at 6 atm to 7 atm
and 300C.
Stream 8

Stream 6

Stream 7