Separators and accumulators

By filtration mechanism. Although the mechanism for separation and accumulation of solids is not clearly understood, hvo models are generally considered and are the basis for the apphcation of theoiy to the filh ation process. When solids are stopped at the surface of a filter medium and pile upon one another to form a cake of increasing thickness, the separation is called cake filtration. When solids are trapped within tne pores or body of the medium, it is termed depth, filter-medium, or clarifying filtration. 

Watkins, R. N., Sizing Separators and Accumulators, Hydrocarbon Processing, November 1967. 

For rough sizing check of vapor/liquid separators and accumulators, see the Fluor method in Chapter 8, Separators/Accumulators—Vapor/Liquid calculation method. 

The average isotope ratio of the separated and accumulated vapour is expressed by... 

R.N. Watkins, Sizing separators and accumulators. Hydrocarbon, Proc., 46(11), 253-256(1967). 

Separators and accumulators should be sized on the basis of the least possible volume consistent with reasonable operating flexibility. The term reasonable is related to the time in which operating personnel can sense and correct a process upset around a fractionator or other processing equipment. The lag time between sensing and correcting trouble is dependent on operating personnel in the unit and the degree of sophistication of the instrumentation. 

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