Two Phase vertical Separator sizing: -

Sample Problem Statement

Design a vertical gas-liquid separator for separation of fuel gas bubbles entrained in water flow.
Flow rate of water = 182 m3/hr
Entrained Flow of fuel gas = 32 m3/hr
Operating temperature of separator = 25 0C
Operating pressure of separator = 0.2 barg (near atmospheric)
Separation efficiency required is to remove 80% of gas bubbles above the size of 10o microns.
Fuel gas properties can be approximately taken as properties of ethane.

Step 1
Water density at 25 0C = 994.72 kg/m3
Water viscosity at 25 0C = 0.9 cP
For fuel gas properties,
Molecular weight of ethane = 30 gm/gmole
Fuel gas density at 25 0C = 1.45 kg/m3
Fuel gas viscosity at 25 0C = 0.0069 cP

Step 2
The gas liquid separation can be modeled using Stokes law. Where gas bubble terminal velocity is
expressed as,

The subscripts L and G stand for liquid phase and vapour phase respectively. And the gas bubble
diameter Dp is described in microns. Thus, using Dp = 10o micron, Vt = 6.02 10-3 m/s
(It should be noted that the use of Stokes law is valid only for Reynolds number lower than
2.EnggCyclopedias vertical degasser sizing calculator uses an iterative procedure for calculation of
Reynolds number and terminal velocity to make sure that the correct correlation is used. For higher
Reynolds number, other equations govern the phase separation)

Here Reynolds number is calculated below,

As Re < 2 Stokes law is valid.

Step 3
A tentative H/D ratio needs to be fixed for the vessel. Since the diameter of vessel (D) and TL-TL
height of the vessel (H) are unknown, it makes it necessary to put a handle between then in the form
of H/D ratio. Normally this ratio varies from 2 to 5. Here we select 2.5.

Step 4
The residence time requirement between high water level (HLL) and low water level (LLL) remains to
be determined. This residence time should be sufficient to allow the separation of gas bubbles from
the liquid. In other words residence time available should be more than separation time requirement
for gas bubbles. For gas bubble time required for escape can be said to be the time required to
travel from LLL to HLL.
Separation time = (HLL-LLL)/Vt
Residence time = (HLL-LLL) X X D2 X 3600 / 182 (residence volume divided by volume flow)
D = H / 2.5 (from H/D ratio)
The minimum requirement for separation is that residence time should be greater than or equal to
separation time and we have to evaluate two variables, (HLL-LLL) and H, to satisfy this requirement.
This is done in an iterative way, minimum separation requirements between various levels in vessel,
usually followed in the industry, suggest that the minimum vessel height should be between 1m to
1.5m. Also, normally minimum spacing of 300-500 mm is desirable between HLL and LLL, as
common practice in industry.
Thus for the iterations, both the unknowns (HLL-LLL) and H are increased starting from 1m and 0.3
m respectively, in equal steps until the residence time is greater than separation time. It should be
noted that the diameter is also increased in each of the iterative step.
All these iterative calculations are performed in EnggCyclopedias vertical degasser sizing
calculator and the result is,
Diameter = 3.30 m
Height = 8.25 m
Vessel volume = 89.33 m3

Problem Statement
Design a vertical gas-liquid separator for separation of fuel gas bubbles entrained in water flow.
Flow rate of water = 18 m3/hr
Entrained Flow of fuel gas = 100 m3/hr
Operating temperature of separator = 25 0C
Operating pressure of separator = 0.2 barg (near atmospheric)
Separation efficiency required is to remove 80% of gas bubbles above the size of 10 microns.
Fuel gas properties can be approximately taken as properties of ethane
Size the drum as (i) an empty vessel and (ii) vessel with demister pad with K=0.1 m/s for
removing 100 micron droplet size. Compare the minimum vessel size requirements in both the
cases.

Solution

For the case (i), sizing of two phase separator as an empty vessel is performed in EnggCyclopedia's
solved sample problem. This type of separator relies only on gravity settling of liquid droplets and
requires sufficient residence time for the gas phase so that the liquid droplets can settle down. This
often results in a large vessel for separation of small liquid droplets.
A demister pad assists the separation of liquid droplets by impinging liquid droplets into each other
to from bigger drops which are too heavy to rise with the gas and drop down into the pool of liquid in
the separator.
For gas liquid separators, following equation for the gas phase design velocity governs the separator
diameter,

L and G are the densities of liquid and gas phase respectively.

K is a proportionality constant which depends on a number of factors which include liquid viscosity,
surface tension, entrainment loading, and the content of dissolved and suspended solids. For our
sample problem, we know the 'K' value to be 0.1 m/s for removing 100 micron size liquid droplets.
It shoud be noted that the 'K' value is directly proportional to the square of the droplet size
to be knocked out from gas. Hence for 10 micron size particles, 'K' calue is estimated as,
K = 0.1(10/100)2 = 10-3 Thus the separator sizing can be performed in following basic steps.

Step1
Water density at 25 0C = 994.72 kg/m3
Water viscosity at 25 0C = 0.9 cP
For fuel gas properties,
Molecular weight of ethane = 30 gm/gmole
Fuel gas density at 25 0C = 1.45 kg/m3
Fuel gas viscosity at 25 0C = 0.0069 cP

Step2
The design velocity for gas phase is calculated as follows,
with K = 10-3, L = 994.72 kg/m3 and G = 1.45 kg/m3
Vt = 10-3 ((994.72 - 1.45)/1.45) = 2.610-2 m/s
This design velocity for gas phase is related to the drum diameter as,
Vt = 4Vg/(3600d2)... where Vg is gas volumetric flow (m3/hr) and 'd' is vessel diameter
Hence,
d = Vg/(900Vt)
d = 100/(9002.610-2) = 1.166 m

Compared to minimum drum diameter requirement of 2.13 m for empty vertical KO Drum which only
relies on gravity settling for separation of liquid droplets. It can be readily observed that drum size is
reduced by 15% in terms of drum diameter by using a demister pad.
Using the L/D ratio of 3.5 ,
L = 3.5 1.17 = 4.095 m
This length has to be checked to be compliant with project specification of liquid residence time
between HLL and LLL. If the length is not sufficient to provide enough residence time between HLL
and LLL, then the length can be increased along with the diameter by resepcting the L/D ratio
constraints.