Client: E3 OGPE

Project: E3 Field Development

Plant: Gas - Liquid Inlet Separation
Unit:
Inlet
Service:Production Separator

Datasheet No:
Rev :
A
Date: 20-Oct-10
By:
K
Chk'd:
App'd:
Item No: 5V - 100
Location:

1 Units
Separator Type
Number Required: 1
2 Internals
2 1
3 Feed Inlet
Vapour Outlet
Liquid Separation
3 1
4
2 1
5
Process Design Conditions
6 Inlet Pressure
psia =
130
* Inlet Temperature
F =
100.0
7 Pressure Drop Allowed psi =
* Pressure Drop Calculated
psi =
8 Operating & Design Cases
Case 1
Case 2
Case 3
Design
9 Vapour
Nat Gas
Nat Gas
10
Flow Rate
MMSCFD =
75.0
11
Flow Rate
lb/h =
186,160
12
Flow Surge Factor
%
=
0%
13
Density
lb/ft =
0.490
14
Viscosity
cP =
0.012
15 Light Liquid
=
Oil
Oil
16
Flow Rate
BFPD =
50,000
17
Flow Rate
lb/h =
657,898
18
Flow Surge Factor
%
=
0%
19
Density
lb/ft =
56.20
20
Viscosity
cP =
2
21 Heavy Liquid
=
Water
Water
22
Flow Rate
BFPD =
50,000
23
Flow Rate
lb/h =
735,160
24
Flow Surge Factor
%
=
0%
25
Density
lb/ft =
62.8
26
Viscosity
cP =
1.1
27
28 Contaminants/ Solids
Specify
Wellmud Sand Proppant Coke
29 Short term operating requirements
30
31
Design Considerations
32
Default
33 Allowable Droplet Size
=
200
300
34 In horizontal separator, maximum vapour velocity / min area is calculated at
35 Liquid Residence Time at NLL
min =
3
36 Liquid Control Time between LAL and LAH
min =
5
37 Liquid Slug Hold up (NLL to LAHH) Water + Oil Sides
ft =
+
38 Inflow Slug duration - all liquid flow at total volume flow rate
sec =
2
39 Operator Response Time Reqd between Alarm & Trip
min =
1
0.5
outlet SDV closing
40 LALL to consider:
Outlet

siphon effect
time
41
mVm lb/ft.s =
42 Nozzle sizing: Inlet Device:
Vane Distributor
4,032
gVg lb/ft.s =
43
Vapour Outlet
2,688
44 Horizontal Separator: Inlet Nozzle
Outlet Nozzle:
45
46
Design Notes
47
48
49
50
51

Client: E3 OGPE
Project: E3 Field Development
Plant: Gas - Liquid Inlet Separation
Unit:
Inlet
Service:Production Separator

Datasheet No:
Rev :
A
Date: 20-Oct-10
By:
K
Chk'd:
App'd:
Item No: 5V - 100
Location:

52
53
1
Vessel Design Conditions
2 Design Pressure
psig =
Design Temp
F =
3 Vacuum Criteria
Min Design Metal Temp
F =
4 Limitations
Plot Limitations
5 Shell Diameter, OD/ID
ft =
11.5
Length (Tan-Tan)
ft =
35.0
6 Design Code
=
Corrosion Allowance
in =
7 Wall thickness
=
Hydrostatic Test Pressure
psig =
8 Material of Construction
Shell
=
9
Vane Distributor
Mesh Pad
=
10
Sandjet Nozzles
=
Coalescer/Calming Baffl =
11
Heat
Personnel
Fire
12
External Insulation
1
None
Conservation
Protection
Protection
13
Insulation Thick in
=
Type/ Material
=
14
Anchor
=
Type/ Material
=
15 Post Weld Heat Treatment Yes/ No
% Welds fully radiographed
16 Painting Requirements
17 Heating Coil
18 Sand Wash Facility
No and Size of Nozzles
19 Water demand
=
Effluent sand + water flow
=
20 Mesh pad/Internal cleaning solvent injection nozzles?
21
Vessel Nozzles
22
23 Mark No Service
Dia, in Flange Remarks
24 Inlets & Outlets
Minimum Elevation of Bottom of Vessel
25 N1
1 Feed
28
Inlet: No valve or expansion/contraction within 10d
26 N2
1 Vapour Outlet
16
Vapour Outlet: Reducer if any should be 2d away.
27 N3
1 Liquid Outlet
14
Liquid Outlet: SDV if any should at min distance.
28 N4
1 Liquid Outlet
14
29 N5
1 Vent
2
Suggested Levels
30 N6
1 Drain
3
Oil
Water
31 N7
1 Relief Valve
Level
in
in
32 N8
1 Utility Connection
2
LAHH
96.0
66.0
33 N9
LAH
90.0
60.0
34
NLL
54.0
45.0
35 Instrumentation
LAL
48.0
27.0
36 K1
PG
LALL
24.0
21.0
37 K2
TG
38 K3A/B
LT
39 K4A/B
Not used
40 K5A/B
LG
41 K6A/B
Not used
42 K7A/B
Not used
43 K8A/B
LAHH
44 K9A/B
LALL
45 K10A/B
Not used
46 K10A/B
Not used
47
48
49 Manholes

Client: E3 OGPE
Project: E3 Field Development
Plant: Gas - Liquid Inlet Separation
Unit:
Inlet
Service:Production Separator
50 M1
51 H1
52
53

Datasheet No:
Rev :
A
Date: 20-Oct-10
By:
K
Chk'd:
App'd:
Item No: 5V - 100
Location:
18

Client: E3 OGPE

Calculation No:

Project: E3 Field Development

Rev : A

Service:Production Separator

5V - 100

Date: 20 Aug 2010

By: K

Chk'd:

App'd:

Horizontal Mesh Pad Weir Type 3 Phase Separator

Vapour & Liquid Flow Rates

Vapour

Light Liq

Heavy Liq

Total

Mass Flow Rate

lb/s

51.7

182.7

204.2

438.7

Volume Flow Rate

ft/s

105.5

3.25

3.25

112.0

Mixture Density

lb/ft

3.92

Nozzle Sizing
Size nozzles first, as they decide 'net' travel distance in
horizontal KODs
Number Diameter, in
Velocity

Location

off

Min Select ID

ft

Criteria

ft/s Parameter Calcul Allowed Remarks

26.20 mVm
2,688 4,032 OK

86.00 g g
3,624 2,688 High

Feed Inlet

1 25

28

2.33

Vapour Outlet

1 16

16

1.25

Water Outlet

1 13

14

1.09

3.46 Vliquid ft/s

3.5

3.3 High

Oil Outlet

1 13

14

1.09

3.46 Vliquid ft/s

3.5

3.3 High

Size, in No
Miscellaneous

Size, in No

Vent

Manholes

18

Drain

Hand holes

Size, in No

Utility

add check valve on utility nozzle

Vapour Separation
Allowable Droplet Size

200.0

CRe

5,088

Log CRe

3.7

1.28

Vt, Liquid droplet free settling velocity

ft/s

1.58

Allowable Vapour Velocity

ft/s

4.25

ft/s

105.5

Design Vapour Flow

0.001 ft

User K =

Default K =

0.40

Use 80% for compr, glycol, amine drums

Horizontal Separator. Trial & Error. Dia Vs Length and Levels. In 2-3 tries you'd get it
Vessel Diameter - Selected
Liquid Level

ft

11.5

LAHH

in

96

Input first preliminary levels below

ft

3.5

OK

ft

26.74

ft/s

3.95

Vapour Space Height, h

Vapour Flow Area
Vapour Velocity

Less than allowable. OK

Liquid Gas Separation

Vessel Length

ft

Second Compartment Length

L2

ft

First Compartment Length

L1

ft

32.00

ft

29.13

Vapour Travel Length ~

Degassing Area

Ag

ft

35.0 Horiz Sep. Enter D & L first; then levels

3.0 First try with min 3' (0.9m)

= 392.87

Design Oil + Water Flow

ft/s

3.25 +

3.25

Design Liquid Flow

ft/s

6.50 Liquid Downward Velocity

ft/s

0.02

Client: E3 OGPE

Calculation No:

Project: E3 Field Development

Rev : A

Service:Production Separator

5V - 100

Gas Bubble Size - to be removed

Date: 20 Aug 2010

By: K

Chk'd:

200 Gas Rising Velocity

App'd:

ft/s

= 0.0319

* Gas Separation O.K *

Liquid - Liquid Separation
0 More sketches on RHS (right hand side) - see
0

AK35:AS45

in

66.0
9.0

Weir Type
L1
L2
LAHH
NLL Flooded Weir
NLL
NLL Overflow Weir
2
H LAL
NLL
LAL
L
L

Oil Weir Height, H

24.0
30.0
Bucket to Weir gap, g

0.0

Water Levels - In 1st Compartment

Level
Settings
Mud Level
LALL

Volume IntraVolume Response Time, min

in

ft

6.0

51.6

21.0

ft Available

27.0

478.5

NLL

45.0

990.7

LAH

60.0 1466.9

280.08

86

146.80

0.8

1.0 Time not enough for op intervention

5.1

3.0 OK

1.0

1.0 OK

196.12
66.0

14.00 sec OK

1,663 No LAHH for I/P. Enter Weir Ht, H

Control Vol LAL to LAH

ft

Slug Vol NLL to LAHH

ft

Slug, inflow all liquid

Required

331.7

LAL

Weir

Remarks

ft/s

988.4
112.04

5.1

5.0 OK

672.3

0.0 OK

6.0 sec

2.0 sec OK

Oil Levels - In 2nd Compartment

Level
Settings
Mud Level
LALL

Volume IntraVolume Response Time, min

in

ft

6.0

678.1

24.0

ft Available

Remarks

Required

46.44

14

14.00 sec OK

99.61

0.5

1.0 Time not enough for op intervention

4.4

3.0 OK

724.5

LAL

48.0

824.1

NLL

54.0

852.9

LAH

90.0 1807.5

Client: E3 OGPE

Calculation No:

Project: E3 Field Development

Service:Production Separator

LAHH

96.0

Rev : A
5V - 100

By: K

211.42

1.1

1.0 OK

Date: 20 Aug 2010

Chk'd:

App'd:

2,019

Control Vol LAL to LAH

ft

983.4

5.0

5.0 OK

Slug Vol NLL to LAHH

Slug, inflow all liquid

ft
0

112.04

1,166
10.4 sec

0.0 OK
2 sec OK

Oil - Water Droplet Size in Carry-over

Water Velocity
ft/s = 0.1106
Oil Velocity
ft/s = 0.1655
Travel Length
ft = 30.02
Travel Length
ft = 30.02
Water Travel Time
sec = 271.5
Oil Travel Time
sec = 181.4
Oil Rising distance
ft =
3.75
Water Settling distance
ft =
1.75
Oil Terminal Velocity
ft/s = 0.014
Water Terminal Velocity
ft/s = 0.010
Oil in Water Droplet Size
= 283.46
Water in Oil in Droplet Size
= 319.4
A mesh/vane type coalescer may help reduce droplet size/ carry over, rather than a bigger vessel.
Droplets smaller than 150-200 generally OK
Sand Droplet Size,
= Later
Sand Accumulation, %
=
Sand Accumulation per day
ft =

Vessel Diameter
Inlet to Demister
Demister
0 Demister to Outlet Nozzle
Outlet nozzle to Tan Line

Minimum Length Required

Selected Length
L/D Ratio

ft
ft
ft
ft
ft

Vessel Size
=
11.5
=
=
=
=
=

=
=

0.00

Default
11.67
0.50
7.00
2.22
0.00
21.39

35.00
3.04 OK

Remarks
Space to explain design features, add comments on caution messages

Client: E3 OGPE
Project: E3 Field Development
Service:Production Separator

Rev :
By:

5V - 100

Vapour & Liquid Flow Rates

Design Vapour Flow
Design Liquid Flow
Hold-up Liquid Volume

ft/s
ft/s
ft

=
=
=

Calculation No:
Date:
Chk'd:

App'd:

105.5
6.5
1,951.1

Separator Sizing
Vertical
Allowable Vap Velocity ft/s
Vapour Flow Area
ft

=
=

3.2
33.0

Vessel Diameter, D
Vessel X Area
Liquid LAHH
For Liquid Hold up
For Level Gaps
Vapour Space
Suggested Height, L
L/D

=
=

6.5
33.18

ft
ft
ft
ft
ft
ft

=
=
=
=
=

58.8
1.8
9.0
67.7
10.4

7.0
38.48
50.7
1.8
9.0
59.6
8.5

Allow Vapour Velocity

Vapour Flow Area
Min Dia
Selected Dia
D
L
L/D

ft
ft

12.5
19.4
1.5

Horizontal
=
4.8
=
22.0
=
5.9
=
12.0

13.0
17.6
1.4

13.5
16.1
1.2

0.5
14.0
14.8
1.1

Try # 1 Smaller Dia x Longer Drum

Assume Liquid X Secn
%=
30% Note 1
Vessel Diameter, D
ft = 12.00
Vessel X Secn
ft = 113.1
Liquid X Secn
ft =
33.9
Min LAHH

This quick-Sing calculation ignores liquid level

settings. Do, a proper detailed analysis after
checking the likely size

12.0
21.4
1.8

ft/s
ft
ft
ft

ft

=
4.1
=
1.25
Calculated Liquid X Secn % =
0.30
Ratio: assumed/ calculated
=
1.0
Note 1: Goal seek on W24 to make W32 as 1
Length - Liquid Holdup
ft =
57.5
Suggested Length, L
ft =
57.5
L/D
=
4.8

SMKumar Energy EnvRev A Oct 2010

Conversion Factors SMKumar Energy EnvRev A Oct 2010

Goal Seek to get reverse and inter-conversion
Flow

gpm

Volume

gallon

ft/s
MMGPD AcreFt/d l/s
BPD
m/h
m/d
1 0.002223 0.001439 0.004405 0.063091 34.28571 0.227129 5.451104
ft
1

Pressure psi
14.7

TemperatuF

0.1337

HP

Ft

Ft
880

GPM

53

273.15
m

120.0

Sp.Gr
55

psi
880

491.67

Mile
in
10 0.001894

GPM

3.785

bbl
m
0.02381 0.003785

ft Water in Hg
ft Liquid m Water m Liquid kg/cm
bar
kPa
33.957
29.988
15.435 10.35009 4.704588 1.03341 1.013793 101.3793
of Sp Gra
2.2

32
Length

Imp Gall AcreFt

l
0.833 325,829

2.2

cm
3.05

304.80

Eff, %
BHP
70.0% 38.4127
Eff, %
BHP
70.0% 38.85048

atm
1

Separator Sizing

Read first GPSA Section 7, Separation Equipment

Industry Practice
Upstream Oil & Gas Process Engineers size the separators for preliminary layout and to check
supplier design. Design and performance responsibility rests with the vessel and internal (inlet device,
coalescer, mesh pad, vane etc) supplier. It makes sense as the an hour charged using this
program may get a company a net revenue of say US $ 20/= but shoulders it with a $ 50-200K
responsibility. Info on both the pages of the Datasheet is usually passed to the supplier indicating D
and L as minimum.
Downstream Refinery/Petchem/Fertilizer/Chemical Process Engineers usually shoulder the sizing
responsibility. Info on the second sheet of Datasheet alone may be given to the suppliers, if process
data/info is considered CONFIDENTIAL and proprietary.
Separator Types
Vertical
High gas flow with low liquid holdups. Compressor Scrubbers/ KODs.
Horizontal
High liquid flow with high liquid holdups. Production Separators, Flare KODs. Column
Feed Drums. Full drum cross-sectional area is available for vapour flow in vertical
drum. In horizontal drums, liquid may occupy 50 to 80% cross sectional area.
Horizontal drum may provide a longer travel time for vapour (= longer settling time for
liquid droplets) and shorter dropping out time/ distance for liquids resulting in higher
allowable vapour velocity and smaller diameter than a vertical drum.
Name

KOD, Accumulators, Flash Drum, Reflux Drum, Steam Drum

Service

Hydrocarbon, Steam, Air

Gravity
The intermediate law is usually valid for many of the gas liquid and liquid-liquid
Separation separation applications encountered in the oil & gas plants.
KOD

No internals. For waxy, coking and dirty service. High liquid loads where vapour
separation is not an issue. In flare KODs where internals are avoided.
Note: In long horizontal drum, allowable vapour velocity based on gravity separation
may be higher than that based on mesh pad or vane pack.
Go for 150 in continuous service requiring fine separation and no internals like vanes
or mesh pad are allowed. Go for 400 in Flare KODs for continuous (dumping) loads;
600 in low probability loads like design blocked outlet flow or intermittent one like
blowdown. Droplets formed as a result of chilling/condensation caused via high
pressure PSV or BDV are too fine (0.1 to 50 ) to be trapped in a KOD.

Impingement Impingement type mesh pad and vane pack are sized based on Souders and Brown
Separation Equation, Vallowed = K.sqrt((l - g)/g). Lower the K, lower is gas velocity and higher
is the removal efficiency. Use lower K in Compressor, Glycol and Amine Unit service.
Wire mesh

Vane

Non-fouling clean service. Can trap 3 - 10 droplets and preferred in compressor

drums. Wire mesh is made of wires of 0.25 to 0.3 mm with a surface area > 100 ft/ft.
Horizontal sep may have the mesh pad horizontally below vapour outlet or vertically
extending into the liquid pool to LALL level. Min pad thickness is 4"; normal 6". Pad
bulk density 9 - 12 lb/ft. A 12" mesh pad near the inlet to LAHH level may be used as
a coaleser pack in clean liquid-liquid (water-oil (condensate)) separation. For Prod Sep
with sand/mud, consider perforated plates or vanes.
6 - 12" thick. Can trap 10 - 40 droplets only. Arranged in a zigzag or sinusoidal
pattern with vane spacing of 1 - 1.5". Less likely to plug by solids and viscous oil due

to their relatively large flow passages

K Factor

Several sources give different values for K. For instance API 12J gives lower or
conservative values for vertical separators. But its K value for longer horizontal drum is
high and unrealistic. The program recommends an average value as a default and
allows the user to input a desire value. K is decided by difficulty or ease of separation.
Best is go by successful previous experience.

Caution: No point in under sizing a separator based on what the project or client or supplier says.
During start-up/ commissioning, you will be left holding the baby and others would have vanished. If a
compressor is damaged, blamed on droplet carried over and deposited on blades + causing
unbalanced loads, 1 day production loss is hefty, compared to the 200 mm you saved on dia. No one
remembers a good design. A poor design is remembered and is talk of the town.
K Factor, GPSA
ft/s Vertical
Horizontal
Mesh pad
0.22
0.39
Vane Pack
0.45
0.90
K Factor, Mesh pad API 12J, based on vessel height or length
ft/s Vertical
Horizontal
5' (1.5m)
0.24
10' (3 m)
0.35
0.45
L'
0.45*(L/10)^0.56
Some vendors consider higher Ks based on vapour space (between LAHH and Mesh pad bottom) as
below. Suggest that you take 0.3 fps (0.1 m/s) in all new applications. You may consider higher values
in revamp jobs, if operational feedbacks favour it; less likely as Mesh pads usually get fouled up in
service, reducing their effectiveness
K Factor Vendor 1
Vapour Space
K
Vapour Space
K

in
ft/s
in
ft/s

3
0.12
9
0.32

4
0.15
10
0.35

5
0.19
11
0.38

6
0.22
12
0.40

7
0.25
13
0.42

8
0.29
14
0.43

Note: K is for velocity thru the Mesh pad or vanes; not necessarily for velocity in the drum.
Ideally K should be based on the desired separation needed. For instance a Compressor KOD can not
tolerate liquid droplets (droplets may damage the blades rotating at high speed, evaporate, leaving
residue or coke up) leading to unbalanced load on shaft.
But a separator feeding a column or a cooler/ condenser may allow higher liquid loading. Thus
selection of K should be based on service and should not be a magic number for all applications.
K Factor Vendor - Based on Service
Service
Compress
K
ft/s
0.25
K Correction for Op Pressure, GPSA
psig
150
300
%
90
85

Column Condenser
0.35
0.45

600
80

1,150
75

Fuel Gas
0.30

Vane Vert Vane Hor

0.40
0.65

K Correction for Viscosity

Note: Vertical Separator - Mesh pad K
Factor requires viscosity correction. 0.9
for = 100 cp and 0.8 for = 1,000 cp

It is common in Oil & Gas applications to have flow surges into the first or Inlet (Production) Separator
and suitable margins are added to flow. Ignore the margins, if design rate includes a higher margin.

Inlet Flow Surge Factors, % extra

Offshore
Own Platform
From another in shallow water
From another in deep water
Onshore
Flat or low rolling
Hilly
Liquid

Natural
10%
20%
30%
10%
20%

Gaslift
20%
30%
40%
30%
40%

Most of the sources provide guidance on finding vapour flow area but are silent on
Section sizing the liquid section, holdup volume or time between various level settings.
Vessel may have to accommodate pigging or random slug from incoming pipelines
between NLL and LAHH. Slug volume decided by pipeline transit analysis. Assume 2
riser volumes, if unknown. In addition, inflow slug viz when the entire inlet volume flow
is 100% liquid for 1 - 2 seconds, may have to be accommodated.
Minimum gap between liquid levels are 4" (100 mm). Long horizontal vessels require a
longer gap, to avoid wave action resulting in spurious trips and alarms. Perforated
calming baffles (plates) may help.

Liquid Holdup Time at NLL, minutes (Min /Max)

Product to a storage tank
2
5
Feed to a furnace
10
15
Feed or reflux to a column
5
10
Compressor KODs
3
5
Surge Drums
10
20
Product to another plant
10
20
Refrigerant Accumulator
10
15
Water draw-off leg (auto/ manual)
10 8 - 24 hrs

Hot oil network vessels are sized based

on (1) system inventory if located below
users without a separate drain vessel
and (2) expansion of system load from
low ambient temp to operating temp.
Compr KOD with low liquids and on onoff level control: 15 minutes (LAL to LAH)

Vertical Drum Spacing - GPSA

Dimension
KOD
Mesh pad
x
12"
d
2d1"
y
24"/ D
t
6"
z
(D-d2)/2
In surging services, a ring (donut) type calming baffle plate, may be
provided below LAHH level in vertical separators. Half-moon perforated
plates at the bottom along the length of a horizontal separator may help.
Level tap-off points may be provided with stilling wells.

d2
z
t
d1

D
y
d
x

d3

d3 alternative

A side liquid outlet is preferred as it can avoid vortex effect and let sand and mud accumulate inside
the separator to be drained.
d1 alternative
Horizontal Drum Spacing
x'
t
d2 y'
There is no guideline for Horizontal drum lengths. In case
l
of KOD, clear distance between inlet and outlet vapour
d1
x
y
nozzle should match the travel time of a liquid droplet
from top of the drum to reach the liquid level. Min L =
0 - L
2.5D. Looking at Sep Sizing calculations at cells AK38:
d3
AN44, you may realize that required length is longer for
Coalescer, if any
liquids at LALL. Usual design is based at LAHH.
For a mesh pad/ vane pack horizontal separator, it is usual to locate the pad 5d1 distance from inlet
and have minimum distance = vapour space at NLL vapour outlet.

On large horizontal drums, a lower LALL level may result in its bottom tapping
getting located too low. For ease of fabrication, a min angle of 40 is desired.

D/2

This will also help minimize the ovality of the shell opening c.f. one at 90 .
In horizontal sep, if sandjet or sand sucking nozzles are provided, their size
needs to be taken while fixing LALL.
LALL may have to provide enough head to handle vortex at liquid outlets.
Drum Sizes
Dia?
Standard plate sizes 2,500 - 3,000 x 6,500 mm;
796
1,114
While drums can be rolled to any ID/OD, standard sizes are as below
300 to 1,200 mm in steps of 100 mm
1,200 to 4,000 mm in steps of 200 mm
4,000 and above in steps of 250 mm
Nozzle Location from Tangent Lines
Size, in
2
4
Distance, mm
150
260

8
400

12
500

20
850

2,069

28
1,100

LG are usually available at 14", 32" and 48" span. Check with your Instrument Dept
Inlet Devices
Inlet devices may be simple, a nozzle flowing against an
impingement plate or box; half pipe (bottom of pipe cut open) or vane
distributor. Simple devices are used in smaller vessels and designed
proprietary devices are used in large flow large vessels.

Nozzle

Half-Pipe Vane

Inlet and outlets are sized based on V criteria given below, though
some may go by the external line sizes.
Inlet devices help reduce nozzle size. Use a simple nozzle + impingement
for smaller vessels, say 2.5 - 3' (0.75 - 0.9 m) dia; then half-pipe. If nozzle size is 2 sizes more than
external piping, it is OK. If bigger, use vane type distributor.
Nozzle
Half-Pipe VaneDistr
As mentioned in Norsok P-100, A good
Feed inlet, mVm
672
1,008
4,032
inlet device reduces inlet momentum
bulk separates minimizing liquid shearing into droplets and creates good vapour distribution.
Nosok P-100
Performance factor
Nozzle
Half pipe Baffle
Vane
Momentum reduction
Poor
Good
Good
Good
Bulk separation
Good
Average Poor
Good
Prevent re-entrainment
Good
Average Average Good
Prevent liquid shearing
Good
Average Poor
Good
Good gas distribution
Poor
Poor
Poor
Good
Heating Coil
Heating Coils are usually provided at the bottom of vessels, while handling light emulsions.
3 Phase Separator
Three types in horizontal - with (1) an internal weir when oil and water (light and heavy phase) are
considerable (2) boot when water flow is low and (3) bucket with low oil flow. (4) 1 weir type in vertical
Interphase level, viz water - oil separation layer is usually maintained constant with a level control
valve in (1), (2) and (4). So it is easy to calculate the oil and water inventory at varying NLL/ LAH/ LAHH
levels. It gets tricky with bucket, as changes in oil or water level at say LAH or LAHH changes

interphase level. Higher than normal level can push water into the bucket or oil into water compartment.

NLL

LAHH
h

LAHH
NLL
H LAL
L

NLL

LAHH
h

LAHH
NLL
H LAL
L

NLL

LAHH
h

LAHH
NLL
H LAL
L

Healthy interphase

Interphase above bucket,

Interphase below bucket,
water gets into oil bucket
oil flows into water compartment
I/P layer * Density- H2O + Oil layer * Density - Oil = Water level * Density-H2O
IP level*H2O + (Oil level - I/P level)*Oil = Water level*H2O
IP level
=
[Water level*H2O - Oil level*Oil] /(H2O-Oil)
Boot
Boot diameter is usually 1 (0.3m)

Main Drum Dia, D m (ft)

Boot Diameter, d m
<1.5 (5)
0.3m (1) to 0.5m (1.5)
>2.4 (8)
0.5 m (1.5) to 30%D
Keep LAH 250 mm (10") below main drum. Limit boot height to 1.5 m (5') by increasing diameter
Sizing boot-type is relatively easy as water levels are maintained in a separate vessel without much
impact on oil level.
Bucket
Unlike other weir and boot types, where interphase (normal water) level is maintained by a level
controller, in bucket types it is decided by the relative heights of water and oil. If water is fully confined
within its second compartment, then its weir height governs. Similarly if oil is fuly confined to bucket,
then bucket inlet height decides i/p. If water level goes up, it will push interphase high over the bucket
inlet, sending water into oil bucket. Similarly high oil level will push the interphase down below bucket,
letting oil go with water into the 2nd compartment. So keeping LAHH oil within the bucket and LAHH
water below its weir helps the 'dancing i/p level making calculations easy.
First enter water level with a gap of 4" or 6" (100 or 150 mm) between levels. So LAHH water will decide
its weir height. Fill in similar numbers for oil levels within he bucket. Bucket being 2' to 3' (600 to 900
mm wide), the gap between levels, can be 4" (100 mm). Decide a minimum gap of 8" to 12" (200 to 300
mm) as the elevation of bucket bases, b. Maintain the same gap, g between bucket and water weir.
Then keep changing bucket inlet height h, such that, the interphase is at NLL/LAH/LAHH water and that
of oil is neither above bucket inlet, h or below bucket base, b. Adjust bucket width to get the desired
time and volume beween various levels. Similarly play with vessel diameter and length to get it right for
water and vapour. One or two looping should get a converged solution.
How to use the Sep Sizing spreadsheet
It is easy on vertical separators as the full cross-sectional area is available for flow. Diameter is fixed on
vapour flow; liquid levels and height fixed by liquid. In Horizontal separator, liquid takes away part of the
cross section and hence a number of diameter and length configuration is possible. Smaller diameter
vessels require thinner metal plates, weigh and cost less. Experienced users would converge on the
right diameter x length usually 3 attempts. Inexperienced users like me may adopt the "shrinking
envelope" method as below.
1 Start with a generous size. Have a look at the Quicksize page to decide a diameter and select a length
3 times that. Fix LAHH at 50% dia. Keep 4" (100 mm) - 8" (200 mm in longer vessels) between levels.
Check if assumed diameter is OK to meet all levels - that is minimum dia is (6"+4"+6"+4"+4") x 2 = 48"
(1,200 mm) L = 12' (3,600 mm).
2 Now check if vapour flow area is OK. Adjust dia x LAHH to get it right. Have a look at liquid levels times
slugs etc. Slowly reduce length in steps of 6" (100 mm) and diameter in steps of 2" (50 mm) with
changes in level to converge on the smallest size.
3 It is easy on a 2 Phase Seperator but gets difficult in a 3 Phase Separator. Nightmare on a bucket type.
Luckily there are not many 3 Phase Sep specially bucket types. If you keep oil LAHH inside the bucket
and water LAHH below its weir height, it gets easy!
Good hunting or number crunching!!

Abbreviations: LALL - Very Low Liquid Level (Level Alarm Low Low); LAL - Low Liquid Level; LAH - High
Liquid Level; LAHH - Very High Liquid Level NLL - Normal Liquid Level; SDV - shutdown valve
Issues that Require Attention/ Fixing/ Improvement
1 Oil Water droplet size Vs carryover correlation
2 Sand collection, Jet, Washing Nozzle Spacing
3 Droplet calcs differ in SI Vs FPS as per GPSA constants. Apparent error in GPSA values.

SMKumar Energy EnvRev A Oct 2010

SMKumar

Energy Environment EngiRev AA Oct 2010

Revision AA Changes
Sheet

Cell

All

All locked cells are rset to allow selection

Pictures are reset for changes

Datsheet
Sep Sizing AO70:AO74

v AA Oct 2010
Remarks

ow selection

Changed to maximum of level or weir height