Separation equipment coalescers

Separation processes of gas-liquid (gas-condensate) mixtures are considered in Section VI. The following processes are described formation of a liquid phase in a gas flow within a pipe coalescence of drops in a turbulent gas flow, condensation of liquid in throttles, heat-exchangers, and turboexpanders the phenomena related to surface tension efficiency of division of the gas-liquid mixtures in gas separators separation efficiency of gasseparators equipped with spray-catcher nozzles of various designs - louver, centrifugal, string, and mesh nozzles absorbtive extraction of moisture and heavy hydrocarbons from gas prevention of hydrate formation in natural gas. 

Coalescers are used to improve the performance of other gravity-hased separation equipment. They are specified hy the equipment vendor as an integral part of the water treating system, or they may he added as a retrofit to improve the performance of an existing system. Coalescers are particularly useful when the oil droplet size in the incoming water is small as a result of excess shearing in upstream piping or valves. 

Ammonia has low miscibility in mineral oils, alkylbenzenes, and polyol ester lubricants, particularly at low temperatures. A typical ammonia system uses a coalescing separator that removes all oil in droplet or aerosol form and drains it back to the compressor. Sometimes separators are equipped with some means of cooling the discharge gas to condense any oil that is discharged as a vapor. 

Types of Gas-in-Liquid Dispersions Two types of dispersions exist. In one, gas bubbles produce an unstable dispersion which separates readily under the influence of gravity once the mixture has been removed from the influence of the dispersing force. Gas-hquid contacting means such as bubble towers and gas-dispersing agitators are typical examples of equipment producing such dispersions. More difficulties may result in separation when the gas is dispersed in the form of bubbles only a few micrometers in size. An example is the evolution of gas from a hquid in which it has been dissolved or released through chemical reaction such as electrolysis. Coalescence of the dispersed phase can be helpful in such circumstances. 

Separation of two liquid phases, immiscible or partially miscible liquids, is a common requirement in the process industries. For example, in the unit operation of liquid-liquid extraction the liquid contacting step must be followed by a separation stage (Chapter 11, Section 11.16). It is also frequently necessary to separate small quantities of entrained water from process streams. The simplest form of equipment used to separate liquid phases is the gravity settling tank, the decanter. Various proprietary equipment is also used to promote coalescence and improve separation in difficult systems, or where emulsions are likely to form. Centrifugal separators are also used. 

Oil-Particle Size. It has been established that all equipment based on gravity separation alone (without coalescing packs) typically removes oil panicles of SOO run and larger Any amount of extended retention time has a marginal effect oo growth of oil-panicle size. Similarly. field experience indicates that 20iun is a reasonable lower limit on the droplet size that can be removed Below this size. 

Vertical-Tube Coalescer This is the equipment finally selected to meet the design parameters listed in Table 2. The vertical-tube coalescer (VTC) unit equals the performance of a skimmer in less space or offers improved performance in the same space. The VTC tube packs provide up to five times more coalescing surface than a plate pack. The extra surface gives oil globules more area for coalescence Also, the vertical orientation of the tubes contributes to a more efficient separation. In a plate pack, the rising oil droplets must move perpendicular to the flow of influent. In a VTC pack, the oil droplets arc free to travel upward and to collect on the top surface of the tube bundles. 

Figure 183. Drums with coalescers for assisting in the separation of small amounts of entrained liquid, (a) A liquid-liquid separating drum equipped with a coalescer for the removal of small amounts of dispersed phase. In water-hydrocarbon systems, the pot may be designed for 0.5 ft/sec (Facet Enterprises, Industrial Division), (b) An oil-water separator with corrugated plate coalescers (General Electric Co.).

The objective is to reduce volatiles to below 50-100-ppm levels. In most devolatilization equipment, the solution is exposed to a vacuum, the level of which sets the thermodynamic upper limit of separation. The vacuum is generally high enough to superheat the solution and foam it. Foaming is essentially a boiling mechanism. In this case, the mechanism involves a series of steps creation of a vapor phase by nucleation, bubble growth, bubble coalescence and breakup, and bubble rupture. At a very low concentration of volatiles, foaming may not take place, and removal of volatiles would proceed via a diffusion-controlled mechanism to a liquid-vapor macroscopic interface enhanced by laminar flow-induced repeated surface renewals, which can also cause entrapment of vapor bubbles. 

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