2072016

GasLiquidSeparationEnggcyclopedia

Enggcyclopedia

CALCULATORS

PROCESS DESIGN
EQUIPMENTS
INSTRUMENTATION
PIPING
SOLVED EXAMPLES
CONTRACTORS & SUPPLIERS

PHASE SEPARATION PROCESS DESIGN

Gas Liquid
Separation
2 Min Read

Gas liquid separation is often based on the

principle of gravity settling, when liquid droplets
suspended in rising gas vapors settle down at the
bottom of the separation vessel and are
eventually taken out through the bottom. Gas
stream separated from liquid is taken out from
the top of the separation vessel. The separation
of liquid droplets from vapor phase can be
explained with the help of following equation for
terminal velocity of liquid droplets.

http://www.enggcyclopedia.com/2011/05/gasliquidseparation/

1/9

2072016

GasLiquidSeparationEnggcyclopedia

where,
= Terminal / critical velocity of gas so that a
liquid droplet of

size can settle out of the gaseous stream

= Liquid droplet diameter
= Liquid phase density
= Vapor phase densities respectively
= Drag coecient
= Gravitational acceleration
AdChoices

GasLiquid OilandGas GasFlow LiquidPump

The drag coecient is a function of the Reynolds

number for liquid droplet which is expressed as,

The vapor phase density and viscosity are to be

used for determining the Reynolds number.
Based on these equations, simpler equations and
correlations have evolved for sizing of horizontal
and vertical gas-liquid separators.
Most vertical separators are sized based on the
following two equations which have been
developed using the terminal velocity equation
and the drag coecient expressed as a function
of Reynolds number.
For vertical separators,
..............................................(A)
http://www.enggcyclopedia.com/2011/05/gasliquidseparation/

2/9

2072016

GasLiquidSeparationEnggcyclopedia

...................................(B)

where,
AdChoices LiquidPump LiquidFlow FilterGas

GasPipe

K and C are sizing factors for gas-liquid separators

with C=3600K.
is the gaseous mass ow divided by the
cross sectional area.
Equations (A) and (B) are essentially the same and
(B) can be obtained by multiplying both sides of
(A) by vapor density.
For smaller horizontal vessels (length less than
3m), equations (A) and (B) can be used for sizing.
But for vessels larger than that, equations (C) and
(D) have to be followed.

............................(C)

.............(D)

For horizontal and vertical vessels, the terminal

velocity can be found by using the equations
presented above and the sizing factors commonly
used in industry. The minimum length can be
determined by equating the time required for the
liquid droplet (with minimum diameter to be
separated) to settle down with the time for the
gas stream to pass from inlet to the vapor outlet.
To perform this length calculation, vessel
diameter must be xed before. Usually gas-liquid
separators have an L/D ratio ranging from 2:1 to
http://www.enggcyclopedia.com/2011/05/gasliquidseparation/

3/9

2072016

GasLiquidSeparationEnggcyclopedia

4:1. A choice of length and diameter satisfying the

sizing equations can be made to fall in this
acceptable range for L/D ratio.

VoteandShare!
5

Awesome

Inspiring

Love

You may also like

API Gravity
API gravity is a measure of the density of crude

Important Equations for Process

Design
Frictional pressure drop in a line
- Equations for calculating

Liquid Liquid Separation

Two immiscible liquids can be

separated using the dierence

between

Tags

Drag coe

Gravity settling

terminal velocity

You may also like

http://www.enggcyclopedia.com/2011/05/gasliquidseparation/

4/9