DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
-
b) the bottom of the demister pad.
VERTICAL SEPARATOR:
HD = 0.5 * DV or
1- calculate the vertical terminal vapor velocity:
UT = K*[(l v)/ v]^0.5 , ft/sec
HD=36+ dN,in.(without mist eliminator)
UV = 0.75*UT , ft/sec
HD = 24+ dN, in. (with mist eliminator)
12- If there is a mist eliminator, take 6 in. for the
2- calculate the vapor volumetric flow rate:
mist eliminator pad and take 1 ft. from the top
QV = WV / 3600*v , ft3/sec
of the mist eliminator to the top tangent line of
WV = mass flow rate for vapor, lb/hr
the vessel.
3- calculate the vessel inside diameter:
13- Calculate the total height, HT of the vessel:
DVD = (4*QV /*UV) ^0.5, ft.
HT = HLLL+HH+HS+HLIN+HD+HME , ft.
If there is a mist eliminator, add 3 to 6 by DVD.
Where HME is the height from step 12, if
4- Calculate the liquid volumetric flow rate:
there is no mist eliminator HME=0.
QL = WL / (60 *l) , ft3/min.
5- Select hold up time hold up time from table 2
HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR:
and calculate the hold up volume:
VH = TH * QL , ft3
1- Calculate the vapor volumetric flow rate, QV
6- If the surge volume is not specified, select a
surge time from table 2 and calculate the surge
same as before (2)
2- Calculate the liquid volumetric flow rate, QL
same as before (4)
volume:
3- Calculate the vertical terminal vapor velocity,
VS = TS * QL , ft3
7- Obtain low liquid level height HLLL from table 3.
UT same as (1), k value as per table 1 for no
8- Calculate the height from low liquid level to
mist
set
UV=0.75*UT
for
conservative design.
normal liquid level: (1 ft minimum)
HH = VH / [(/4)* DV 2] , ft
4- Select a holdup time from table 2 and calculate
9- Calculate the height from normal liquid level to
high liquid level (or high level alarm): (6 in
minimum)
the holdup volume, VH same as (5).
5- If the surge volume is not specified, select a
surge time from table 2 and calculate the surge
HS = VS / [(/4)* DV 2] , ft
volume, VS same as (6)
10- Calculate the height from high liquid level to the
centerline of the inlet nozzle:
HLIN = 12 + dN, in. (without inlet diverter)
dN is calculate as per table 4.
the
disengagement
D = [4*(VH + VS)/ (* 0.6 * L/D)]^ 1/3 , ft.
(round to nearest 0.5 ft.)
Calculate the total cross-section area:
height
from
centerline of the inlet nozzle to:
a) the vessel top tangent line if there is no
mist eliminator or
6- Obtain an estimate of L/D from table 5 and
initially calculate the diameter according to:
HLIN = 12 + dN, in. (with inlet diverter)
11- Calculate
eliminator,
AT = *D2 / 4 , ft2
7- Calculate the low liquid level height HLLL, using
table 3 or:
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
HLLL = 0.5 *D + 7 in.
and repeat calculations from the step 6. if
Where D in ft. and round up to the nearest in., if D
L/D<1.5,
4, HLLL = 9
calculations from the step 6.
8- Using HLLL/D, obtain ALLL/AT using table 6 and
calculate the low liquid area ALLL.
9- If there is no mist eliminator pad, the minimum
height of the vapor disengagement area (AV) is
the larger of 0.2*D or 1 ft., if there is a mist
then
decrease
and
repeat
15- Calculate the thickness of the shell and heads
according to table 7.
16- Calculate the surface area of the shell and
heads according to table 7.
17- Calculate
the
approximate
vessel
weight
according to table 7.
eliminator pad, the minimum height of the vapor
18- Increase and decrease the diameter by 6 in.
disengagement area is the larger of 0.2*D or 2
increments and repeat the calculations until L/D
ft.,hence, set HV to the larger of 0.2*D or 2
has ranged from 1.5 to 6.0.
ft. (1 ft. if there is no mist eliminator). Using
19- With the optimum vessel size (minimum
HV /D, obtain AV /AT using table 6 and calculate
weight), calculate normal and high liquid levels:
AV.
ANLL = ALLL + VH / L
10- Calculate the minimum length to accommodate
the liquid holdup / surge:
L = (VH + VS) / (AT AV ALLL) , ft
11- Calculate the liquid dropout time.
= HV / UV , sec.
12- Calculate the actual vapor velocity:
UVA = QV / AV , ft/sec.
13- Calculate the minimum length required for
vapor-liquid disengagement:
LMIN = UVA * , ft.
14- If L<LMIN, then set L=LMIN (vapor-liquid
separation is controlling). This simply results in
some extra holdup. If LMINL, then increase HV
and repeat from step 9. if L> LMIN, the design
is acceptable. If L LMIN, (liquid holdup is
controlling), L can only be decreased and LMIN
increased if HV is decreased. HV may only be
decreased if it is greater than the minimum
specified in the step 9 (calculations would have
to be repeated from the step 9 with reduced
HV). Calculate L/D. if L/D>6 then increase D
With ANLL / AT obtain HNLL from table 6:
HHLL = D - HV
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
:
vapor/liquid ratio
vapor/liquid ratio
.
: .
Holdup time
Surge time
(NLL-LLL),min.
(NLL-HLL),min.
-Unit feed drum
-Separator:
10
Feed to column
service
Feed to other drum or tankage
With pump or through exchanger
Whitout pump
Feed to fired heater
-refinery product accumulator:
Reflux only
FG = [MP (l v)*g] / gC*v
Reflux and product
-column bottoms:
FD = ( / 8)*CD*DP2*UV2*v / gC
feed to another column
UV < UT : .
feed to other drum or tankage
with pump or through exchanger
without pump
10
+3
+3
Table 1. Separator K values.
5-8
feed to fired boiler
-compressor suction/ interstage scrubber:
Mist eliminator:
3min between HLL(HLA) and HLSD
P ~15
1min from bottom tangent line to HLA
-flare knockout drum :
K= 0.1821+0.0029P+0.046*Ln(P)
15P40 K = 0.35 , P:psia
2-4
30 min to HLL
-fuel gas knockout drum:
40P5,500 K = 0.43-0.023* Ln(P)
1 ft. in the incoming fuel gas line
GPSA:
Between NLL and HLSD
15P1,500 K = 0.35-0.01[(P-100) /100]
-most vapors under vacuum K=0.2
Table 3. Low Liquid Level Height.
-for glycol & amine solutions, multiply K by 0.6-0.8
-for vertical vessels without mist eliminators, divide
K by 2.
-
For
compressor
suction
scrubbers,
mole
sieve
scrubbers and expander inlet separators multiply K by
0.7-0.8.
Theoretical (no mist eliminator)
K= (4*g*DP/3*CD)
Vertical
Vessel
diameter
4 ft
6 ft
8 ft
10 ft
12 ft
16 ft
LLL
< 300psia
> 300psia
15 in.
6 in.
15 in.
6 in.
15 in.
6 in.
6 in.
6 in.
6 in.
6 in.
6 in.
6 in.
CD = exp (Y)
Y=8.411-2.243X+0.273X2-1.865E-2X3+5.201E-4X4
0.95 + 8 * V * DP3 * ( L V )
X = Ln [
]
V2
Table 4. Inlet nozzle sizing.
dN (
4 *Q m
* 60 / m
)1 / 2 , ft.
Qm = QL + QV , ft3/sec
Table 2. liquid holdup and surge times.
m = l* + v *(1-) , lb/ft3
= QL / (QL + QV)
Horizontal
LLL
9 in.
10 in.
11 in.
12 in.
13 in.
15 in.
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
X=H/D
Table 5. L/D ratio guidelines.
Vessel operating pressure (psig)
0 < P 250
250 < P 500
500 < P
a=4.755930E-5
b=3.924091
L/D
1.5 3.0
3.0 4.0
4.0 6.0
c=0.174875
d= -6.358805
e=5.668973
f=4.018448
g= -4.916411
h= -1.801705
i= -0.145348
-Holdup: is defined as the time it takes to reduce
the liquid level from normal (NLL) to empty (LLL)
A/AT to H/D
while maintaining a normal outlet flow without feed
Y=H/D
makeup.
X = A/AT
-Surge time: is defined as the time it takes for the
a=0.00153756
liquid level to rise from normal (NLL) to maximum
b=26.787101
(HLL) while maintaining a normal feed without any
c=3.299201
outlet flow.
d=-22.923932
e=24.353518
f= -14.844824
g= -36.999376
h=10.529572
h=10.529572
i=9.892851
Table 7: wall thickness, surface area and
Table 6. Cylindrical height and area
approximate vessel height.
conversions.
shell
Y= (a+cx2+gx3+ix4)/(1+bx+dx2+fx3+x4)
Elliptical heads
H/D to A/AT
Y=A/AT
Wall thickness, in.
Surface area, ft2
PD
+ tC
2 SE 1.2 P
PD
+ tC
2 SE 0.2 P
1.09D2
DL
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
Hemispherical
PD
+ tC
4 SE 0.4 P
0.885 PD
+ tC
SE 0.1P
heads
Dished heads
1.571D2
0.242D2
Appropriate
vessel height
P:design
W= (490 lb/ft3)*(t/12)*(Ag+2AH)
pressure,
psig(typically
operating
pressure + (15-30)psi or 10-15%,which greater.
T:design temp, F(typically operating temp+(25-50)
F, if TOP> 200 F, if TOP< 200 F, 250 F.
If overpressure caused by boiling, should be TBP.
D: diameter, in.
S: allowable stress, psi
E: joint efficiency (0.6-1), 0.8 for spot examined
joints, 1 for 100% x-ray joints.
tc: corrosion allowance, in
Table 9: selection of head types.
-
2:1 elliptical heads are typically used when
D< 15 ft and P>100 psig
Hemispherical heads are typically used when
D>15 ft regardless of P.
Dished heads with knuckle radius = 0.6*D are
typically used when D<15 ft and P<100 psig.
P: design press, D: drum diameter
DESIGN PROCEDURE FOR TWO PHASE SEPARATOR (VAPOR-LIQUID)
(chemical engineering progress, October 1993)
K: terminal velocity constant, ft/sec.
K= terminal velocity constant, ft/sec.
L= vessel length, ft
LLL= low liquid level
LMIN= vapor/liquid separator min. length, ft
MP= droplet mass, lbf
NLL= normal liquid level
P= pressure, psig or psia
QL= liquid volumetric flow, ft3 / min
QM= mixture volumetric flow, ft3 /sec or ft3 / min
QV= vapor volumetric flow, ft3 /sec or ft3 /min
S= vessel material stress value, psi
TH= holdup time, min
tH = head thickness, in
Abbreviations:
tS = shell thickness, in
A: vertical vessel cross sectional area, ft2
ALLL: cross section for LLL horizontal vessel, ft
UAH= allowable horizontal velocity, ft/sec
2
UT= terminal velocity, ft/sec
AT: total cross section area (horizontal vessel),ft2
UM= mixture velocity, ft/sec
AVD: vapor disengagement area required, ft2
UV= vapor velocity, ft/sec
CD: drag coefficient
VH= holdup volume, ft3
D: vessel diameter, ft
VLLL= LLL volume, ft3
DP: droplet diameter, ft
VS= surge volume, ft3
DN: nozzle diameter inlet or outlet, ft
VT= total volume (horizontal vessel), ft3
DVD: vapor disengagement diameter,ft
W= vessel weight, lbf
E: welded joint efficiency
= mixture liquid fraction
FD: drag force, lbf
V = vapor viscosity, cP
FG: gravity force, lbf
g: gravitational constant, 32.2 ft/s
L = liquid density, lb/ft3
2
M = mixture density, lb/ft3
gc: 32.17 lbm/ft
V =vapor density, lb/ft3
HD: disengagement height, ft
= liquid droplet time
HH: holdup height, ft
HLIN: HLL to inlet nozzle centerline height, ft
HLL: high liquid level
HLLL: low liquid level height, ft
HME: mist eliminator to top , ft
HS: surge height, ft
HT: total vertical separator height, ft
HV: vapor disengagement height, ft
