Introduction to

Title: Calculation and design of Vertical

separators

Rev. Date Description Prepared Checked Approved

0 07/04/2020 Issued for Information AT JD

Table of contents
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1 Calculations for Vertical separators
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At elevated pressures and in critical services, the Kd -factor value must be

multiply by the following adjustment factor.

Table 2-2: Scrubber conditions and adjustment factors (GPSA engineering

data book, 1998, vol. 2)

Scrubber condition Adjustment factor

1 bar pressure 1.00

20 bar pressure 0.90

40 bar pressure 0.80

80 bar pressure 0.75

Table 2-3: Sizing factors for demisting vane elements

Vertical gas flow Horizontal gas flow

20-30 30-45
(kg/ms)

K-value (m/s) 0.12-0.15 0.20-0.25

Where = superficial velocity, m/s

Table 4–3 L/D ratio guidelines (Monnery and Svrcek, 1994)

Vessel operating pressure, psig L/D

0 < P ≤ 250 (18 bar) 1.5 – 3.0

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 250 (18 bar) < P < 500 (35 bar) 3.0 – 4.0

P > 500 (35 bar) 4.0 – 6.0

Unless specifically stated the length/diameter (L/D) is considered to

be acceptable when it is in the range 1.5 to 6.0. There is not a great
change in cost over this ranger and other factors such as foundations,
plant layout, and symmetry are significant.

For a vertical separator, the gas flows through the entire cross section of the upper part of the
vessel.
The feed enters the separator just above the vapor-liquid interface, which should be at least 2ft
(0.61m) from the bottom and at least 4ft (1.22m) from the top of the vessel. The interface does
not have to be at the center of the vessel.

Mesh Pad:
Also as shown in Figure 2-12, there are one-layered and multi layered mesh there are one-
layered and multi layered mesh
pads and are usually constructed from wire of diameter ranging from 0.1 to
0.28mm, typical void fraction from 0.95 to 0.99, and thickness from 100 to
300mm.
In addition,

mesh pad can be operated between 30-110% of the design capacity, thus
exhibits excellent turndown behaviour.

Cyclone separator
Demisting cyclones
❖ For axial cyclones, typical minimum droplet removal size is 5-10 microns depending
on swirl velocity. The typical pressure drop is 20-100 bar.
❖ The relatively high pressure drop requires a high drainage head, and is one of the critical
parameters in cyclone design.
❖ The drainage is normally internal, into the vessel bottom, but should be routed externally
in case of insufficient drainage height.
❖ A cyclone based scrubber should usually have a mesh upstream the cyclones. The
mesh will act as a demister at low gas rates, and as an agglomerator at high gas rates.
❖ In the cyclonic demisting device multiple cyclone tubes are mounted on a
deck or into housing.

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 ❖

1 Calculations for vertical separators

1.1 Introduction
Process calculations for vertical separators are primarily done using the so-called VS sheet,
which can be found on Framesnet. This sheet is a combination of a large number of separate
sheets, developed over the years at FST. Calculations in this sheet are a combination of:

- Gravity separation
- Operational rules-of-thumb based on field experience and design standards such as the
Shell design & engineering practice (DEP, reference #1).
- Mechanical design rules for installation made in conjunction with Revicon

This chapter aims to provide an overview of these rules and how they interact.

Vertical separators are commonly used where the gas to oil ratio is high and where horizontal
space is considered a barrier.

A vertical separator can handle relatively large liquid slugs without carryover into the gas outlet.
It thus provides better surge control, and is often used on low to intermediate gas-oil ratio GOR)
wells and wherever else large liquid slugs and more sands are expected.

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Figure 1: A typical scheme of a vertical two-phase separator

Vertical Separators are used in the following conditions;

● Small flow rates of gas and/or liquids
● Very high GOR streams or when the total volumes are low.
● Plot space is limited.
● Ease of level control is desired
Advantages of these separators are as follow:
● Have good bottom-drain and clean-out facilities.
● Can handle more sand, mud, paraffin, and wax without plugging.
● Fewer tendencies for entrainment.
● Has full diameter for gas flow at top and oil flow at bottom.
Occupies smaller plot area.

Gas liquid separation generally carried out in three stages.

● First stage; primary separation is achieved by inlet devices.
FAVID
FACID
Cyclones
Inlet device cause the largest droplets to impinge by momentum and then drop by
gravity.
● The next stage; secondary separation is achieved in vapour-Liquid disengagement
area.

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 Distribution baffles

Gravity separation of smaller droplets as the vapour flows through the disengagement area.
Gravity separation can be aided by utilizing distribution baffles that create an even velocity
distribution in the fluid, thus allowing enhanced separation.

● The final stage;final separation is achieved by Gas outlet device.

Wiremesh demister
Vanepack
Axial Cyclone
Tangential Cyclone

At gas outlet device,smallest droplets are coalesced on device, such as a mist pad or vane
pack, followed by gravity settling of the larger formed droplets.

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In vertical gravity separator, liquid droplets are removed using the force of gravity.
Liquid droplets will settle out of a gas phase if the gravitational force acting on the droplet is
greater than the drag force of the gas flowing around the droplet. These forces can be described
mathematically using the terminal or free settling velocity.
The drag coefficient is a function of the shape of the particle and the Reynolds number of the
flowing gas.

A liquid drop in a gas stream will be carried upward if the gas velocity is higher than the terminal
settling velocity (TSV).

Generally for VS, 0.07 m/s< Ks >0.107 m/s

Cd = drag co-efficient
dD = droplet diameter, m, µm

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Fig-2 Showing gravity settling theory

1.2 Sizing in VS sheet:

This vertical sizing sheet can be used for two phase and three phase vertical separator.
Step-1
Below input to be carefully mentioned in VS sheet as per customer datasheet any assumption
made should be listed out separately.

● Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, and peak)

● Operating pressures and temperatures
● Physical properties of fluids such as density and surface tension.
● Margin on flow rates to be clearly mentioned in inputs
● CO2 and N2 content in gas is also specified in the input sheet.
● In the calculation of the gas compressibility , the composition of the gas plays a
significant role. Therefore the mole percentage of CO2 and N2 in the gas has to be

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 entered in the calculation.

Step-2
Nozzle Sizing
● Feed inlet nozzle
Inlet nozzles are sized based on the inlet device momentum.
For inlet nozzle size total feed flow(Qg+Ql) , so Ql is the total liquid flow considered for
sizing,

Nozzle size and sch. number(pipe) to be checked properly.Schedule is based on the

selected nozzle size and the nozzle rating. Nozzle rating depends on design temp ,
design pressure and material.
Inlet device for feed nozzle to be selected as recommended by the customer in datasheet or as
per Frames standard.

Inlet Devices Momentum (ρmV2m) Pa

Deflector plate 1000

Half Open Pipe 2100

FAVID 8000

FACID 25000 (or 15.08 m/s, whichever is worse)

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For details about all inlet device please refer HS sizing sheet.
● Gas outlet nozzle:
Momentum through Gas outlet nozzle should be ≤ 3750 Pa
Piping from the gas outlet Nozzle should have the same diameter as the gas outlet
nozzle for the distance of 2 to 3 pipe dia. (2D-3D) downstream of the nozzle before any
bends, reducers or other components.

● Liquid outlet nozzle:

For three-phase separators, water outlet nozzle should be sized based on 1.0 m/s
velocity. Oil outlet nozzle can be sized based on 1.5 m/s.
For two-phase separators (both horizontal and vertical) velocity in liquid outlet nozzle
should not exceed 1.5 m/s.
Velocity up to 2.5 m/s is accepted for Revamps. Discuss with medior/senior if velocity is
above 2.0 m/s.
The dia of liquid outlet nozzle shall be at least 2” / DN50.
Liquid outlet nozzle should be equipped with vortex breaker.
Piping from the Liquid outlet Nozzle should have the same diameter as the liquid outlet
nozzle for the distance of 2-3 pipe dia. Downstream of the nozzle before any bends,
reducers, valves or other components.

Apart from this, based on inlet device distance between HHLL and Inlet device is fixed.
No inlet device =500 mm
Half open Pipe= 300 mm
FAVID=150 mm

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 .
Step-3 selection of Gas outlet device

1. Wiremesh demister
Generally full vessel dia wiremesh is selected.In some cases based on the process
requirement k- value can be de-areated.
Care should be taken that Min. hydrulic diameter wiremesh should be below selected
internal vessel dia .

Here QG is the gas flow.

ρL and ρG are the gas and (light) liquid density.

K is the K-value in m/s. (For demister sizing the k-value should be in the range 0.07-0.107 m/s.)

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Wiremesh can not be used for pressure above 100 Bar(g).

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2. Vanepack
● Normally sheet give’s required vane area based on ‘Min hydraulic diameter vanepack’.
Which is assuming vanepack in circular in shape.
● Vanepack cannot be used at very high pressure, say above 50 bar pressure.At higher
axial cyclone/wiremesh should be preferred.
● At very low ST i.e below 10dyne/cm. Liquid and vapour phase can not be differentiated
due to very less difference density.
● As per lab data axial cyclone can not perform if ST is 7.5 dyne/cm.
● So care should be taken while proposing Tangential cyclone/vane pack for high pressure
application.

Whereas in actual Vane Pack comes in rectangular or square box shape by arranging
vane plates.

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 ● For square type max height to be maintained below 1420 mm accordingly vane width
(adjusted w.r.t vessel dia)is adjusted by keeping H/W ratio 1 to 1.5.
● In vertical vessels a rectangular vane pack is applied. Basically,the ratio of the height
and width of the vane pack should be between 0.57 and 1.75.

The inner diameter for a vertical vessel with a rectangular vane pack is calculated by keeping
margin in vane width.

ID Vessel = Vane width+310

● Arrangement of two vane pack one above the other can be done to accommodate vane
height within 1420 mm height limit. Care should be taken while giving drain nozze as
drain for both vane will be required.
● Care should be taken while doing costing. Cost of drain pipes and two box arrangement
should be considered.

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3. Axial cyclone

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● Axial Cyclones work on the principle of swirl motion.
● Swirling motion forces the droplets to outer wall.

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