Three Phase Separators - Inlet Devices

Saeid Rahimi
28-Jan-2013
Introduction
For many, three phase separator sizing is a challenging j ob. This is mainl y because of the number of process parameters
invol ved, the variety of internals and possible internal configurations. I n addition, the numbers of parameters that have to be
checked to ensure proper separator sizing are relatively high and sometimes a combination of these criteria adds to the
compl exity of the calculation. That is why some believe that there is as much art as there is science to properly designing a
(horizontal) three phase separator. ^
Nevertheless, 1 believe separator sizing is asimple set of calculations when you know the basic sizing principals such as gas-
l iquid separation theory, l i qui d-l i qui d separation fundamentals and the definitions of different terms and their importance.
The next step is to obtain the required input dataand try to find asize which satisfies these requirements and criteria. Without
having the whole picture of what is going to be done, any simple exercise can turn into acumbersome and complex iterative
problem.
1 amgoing to develop aseriesof notesto cover the basicsof three phase separator sizing. This note reviews different types of
inlet devices, their effects on the gas-liquid separation, and sizing and selection details.
Inlet Device Importance
A n inlet device should performthe fol l owi ng functions:
f ' %
Separate Bul k Li qui ds ^"' W "I *'
O f the main functions of the inlet device is to improve the primary separation of l iquid from the gas. A ny bulk liquids
separated at the inlet device wi l l decrease the separation load on the rest of the separator and thus improve the efficiency.
Good bulk separation wi l l also make the separator operation less sensitive to changes in the feed stream. When mist
extractors (mesh or vane pad) are util ized to enhance the l iquid droplet separation, the amount of l iquid in gas in the face of
mist extractor (l iquid loading) adversely affects the performance of the mist extractor. Therefore using an appropriate inlet
device plays amajor role in achieving required separation.
Ensure Good Gas and Li qui d Distribution
A properly sized inlet device should reduce the feed stream momentumand ensure the distribution of the gas and liquid(s)
phasesentering the vessel separation compartment, in order to optimise the separation efficiency. Mal -distribution of l iquid
can lead to alarge spread in residence times, decreasing the separation efficiency. A l so agas mal-distribution at the entrance
of the mist extractor or cyclone deck can locally overload the demister and cause severe carryover.
Prevent Re-entrainment and Shattering
Re-entrainment of l iquid droplets can be caused by bl owi ng gas down or across the l iquid surface at very high velocities.
This phenomenon often occurs when vesselswi th deflector baffles or hal f pipes are operated at the higher gas flow rates than
what they were designed for. Li qui d shattering inside the inlet device can also happen in avessel wi th no inlet device or with
adeflector baffle when the feed stream's l iquid smashes into the plate and is broken up in extremely small droplets. This can
create smaller droplets than were present in the feed stream, making the separation in the rest of the separator even harder.
Selecting aproper inlet device and fol l owi ng common design guidelines for setting the distance between the bottomof the
inlet device and highest l iquid level inside the vessel should minimize this probl em.
Facilitate De-foaming
I f the feed stream has atendency to foam, an inlet device that prevents or even breaks down foamcan significantly improve
the separation efficiency of the vessel, reduce the size of the vessel and the use of chemicals.
1
Inlet Device Type
The fol l owi ng section provi des some i nformati on about different types of inlet devices.
No Inlet Device
The simplest formof vessels has no inlet device on the inlet nozzle.
Deflector Baffle
Deflector baffles are hi stori cal l y one of the most common types of inlet devices i n oi l and gas industries before inlet devices
wi th higher separation effi ci ency become so popular. Thi s device si mpl y uses a baffle plate in front of the inlet nozzle to
change the di recti on of the inlet streamand separate the bul k of the l i qui d from the gas. However, an increasing number of
contractors and operators are movi ng away fromtradi ti onal types of inlet devices towards more advanced designs wi th higher
separation efficiencies.
90 Elbow
Thi s inlet device is used in the hori zontal vessels to direct the inlet streamtowards the vessel dish end. Long Radius (LR)
elbows are normal l y preferred for this purpose and there is no straight run of pipe downstreamof the el bow. However, Short
Radius (SR) el bows can be used i f i nstal l i ng LR el bow increases the height of the vapor space. They can be also provi ded
wi th a straight amof pipe wi th a length equal to two times of the inlet nozzle diameter (2d|) to direct the feed to the dish end
rather than the surface of l i qui d inside the vessel and mi ni mi zethe l i qui d re-entrainment.
Hal f Open Pipe
Hal f open pipes are the modi fi ed versions of 90 el bow devices, suitable for both vertical and hori zontal separators, wi th
sl i ghtl y i mproved bul k l i qui d removal and reasonable gas di stri buti on. I n this type, a piece of pipe wi th a length up to three
times the inlet nozzle diameter (3d|) is wel ded to the inlet 90 el bow.
1 1 1
fey]/ lil
1
fey]/ lil
l a. Horizontal Vessel - Top Ent ry l b. Vertical Vessel Ic. Horizontal Vessel - Side Entry
Figure 1 - Hal f Open Pipe Installation Confi gurati on in Hori zontal and Verti cal Vessels
I n horizontal vessels, the last section of the hal f open pipe should be hori zontal , poi nti ng opposite to the fl ow di recti on in the
vessel and wi th its openi ng directed upward (Fi gure l a). In vertical vessels, the last section is closed and its openi ng is
directed downward (Fi gure l b). The sameconfi gurati on is used when the hal f open pipe is used for a horizontal vessel wi th a
side nozzle (Figure I c).
Vane Type Distributor
The simplest formof the vane di stri butor is the dual vane inlet device (shown in Figure 2.a) whi ch offers a reasonable fl ow
di stri buti on wi th l ow shear and pressuredrop. In hori zontal vessels, it is suited for top entry onl y. The benefits of this device
compared wi th si mpl er deflectors such as deflector plates include reduced agitation and hence i mproved phase operational
performance, more stable level control , and reduced foaming. For l i qui d sl uggi ng applications, usually where there is a l ong
i ncomi ng flow line, this device provides excellent mechanical strength. The dual vane works by smoothl y di vi di ng the
i ncomi ng flow into two segments using curved vanes lo suit the overal l geometry of the inlet nozzle. The gas phasereadi l y
separates and disperses al ong the vessel, whi l st the l i qui d phase vel oci ty is reduced and the flow directed to the vessel walls
where it further disperses and falls into the bul k l i qui d layer at rel ati vel y l ow vel oci ty.
2
Figure 2 - The Different Types of Vane inlet Devices
For ser\'ices where there is a high gas fl ow relative to the l i qui d flow, the multi-vane inlet device provides excellent vapour
distribution al l owi ng a reduced height lo the mass transfer or mist eliminator internals. The vane distributors work by
smoothly di vi di ng the i ncomi ng flow into various segments using an array of curved vanes to suit the overall geometry of the
inlet nozzle and distributor length. To achieve this effect the vanes start wi th a wide spacing and gradually reduce the gap,
gi vi ng the unit its characteristic tapering shape. It can be installed in both vertical and horizontal (top and side entry) three
phaseseparators. Figure 2.b shows the internal details of multi-vaneinlet distributor.
Some vendors have tried to empl oy the multivane distributor benefits together wi th tangential entry (whi ch provides
considerable centrifugal force) to i mprovethe bul k separation. Figure 2.c shows a typi cal type of vane developed for vertical
separators onl y.
Slotted Tee Distributor
The slotted T-shaped distributor consists of a vertical pipe extended inside the
vessel to bring the distributor to the right elevation and a slotted pipe wi th large
holes or rectangular slots (perpendicular to the inlet pipe) ensuring a reduced feed
streamvel oci ty and mi ni mi zed flow turbulence. It can be used in both vertical and
horizontal (top entry onl y) separators.
The openings of the slots are usually 120 (60) and towards the dish end and
l i qui d interface in horizontal and vertical vessels, respectively.
Tangential Inlet With Annul ar Ring
Fi gure 3 - Tee distributor
Tangential inlet devices have been exclusively developed for vertical vessels. The feed flow radially enters the vessel and
accelerates passing through the inlet device, the cyclonic action of the inlet device helps the l i qui d droplets flow on the inner
wal l of the vessel and the stripped gas to flow through the central section of the inlet device (annular ring) to the gas outlet
nozzle. -t^^
There are two options wi th regards to the inlet nozzle arrangements shown in Figure 4. The type depicted in Figure 4a
generates higher centrifugal force and sl ightl y better separation efficiency. However, it is not recommended for pressures
higher than 5.0 bar due to its construction difficulties at high pressures. Furthermore, both types can have a circular or
rectangular inlet nozzle. A larger cross sectional area can be provided when a rectangular (wi th height larger than the wi dth)
nozzle is used.
Cyclone
The cyclonic inlet device is used in horizontal and some vertical separators where there is a requirement for high momentum
dissipation, foamreduction and high capacity. They work on the principleof enhanced gravity separation by accelerating any
incoming stream to a high g-force, whi ch particularly helps foamto break down into separate l i qui d and gas phases. Unl i ke
most inlet devices that are positioned in the gas phase, the inlet cyclone is partly submerged in the l i qui d phase. The l i qui d
phases are also separated cenl rifugal l y through the perimeter of the cyclone lubes and fall down in lo the bulk l i qui d layers,
whi l st the gas forms a central vortex core and escapes through a top outlet hole into the gas space. The mi xi ng elements on
top of the cyclone outlet section usually provide a proper distribution of the cleaned gas to downstream devices. The device
has ahigh pressuredrop associated wi th it.
3
4 a . Round Ent r y 4b. Stra ight Ent r y
Figure 4 - Tangential I nlet Entry Arrangements
The designs of the inlet cyclones have evolved over the past decades from short
single (conventional cyclones) or dual cyclones into multi-cyclone arrangements
(Figure 5). A main characteristic of the cyclone inlet device is its high flow
capacity, meaning that more throughput is possible through any given size
separator.
Selection Crit eria Figure 5- Mul ti Cyclone Inlet Device
I n order to make a proper selection, you need to know how different types of inlet devices performin similar conditions.
Table I evaluates to what extent they fulfil the functions described earlier in this note.
Ta ble 1 - Compa rison of Performa nce of Different Inlet Devices
Inlet Device Funct ions No Inlet
Device
Deflector
Ba ffle
Ha l f Open
Pipe
Va ne Type
Distributor
Cyclone
Sepa ra te Bulk Liquids Poor Poor Average Good Very Good
Ensure Good Ga s a nd Li qui d
Distribution
Very Poor Very Poor Average Good Good
Prevent Re-entra inment of
Liquid from the G/ L Interfa ce
Very Poor Very Poor Poor Good Good
Minimize Droplet Sha tter Poor Very Poor Average Very Good Very Good
Fa cilita te De-foa ming Very Poor Very Poor Poor Average Very Good
It may be concluded from Table-1 that it woul d always be necessary to install a sophisticated inlet device such as vane type
distributors or cyclones. But, it should be noted that Table-I compares the performance of different inlet devices in similar
conditions. For example, the ability of half open pipe to prevent re-entrainment of the liquid from G/L interface is poor
compared to the vane type distributor when they are installed at the same distance from the gas/liquid interface. However,
this deficiency can be improved by providing enough height between the half open pipe and the interface level. I n other
words, the weakness of the inlet device can be compensated i f proper engineering practices are taken into consideration.
Another example is the cyclone whi ch is exceptionally effective in breaking the foam. But the fact is that using the cyclone is
particularly essential when the amount of liquid is considerable. I f the liquid flow rate is not high, most probably it is more
reasonable to de-foam the liquid by providing the adequate residence time (not necessarily much more than what is required
for the process operation or l i qui d-l i qui d separation) rather than an advanced technology device lo enhancethe de-foaming.
Furthermore, performance mentioned in Table I is expected from a correctly designed inlet device. Otherwise, using a
wrongly designed cyclone can causegas blow-by or liquid carry over which wi l l increase foamformation instead of stopping
it. Or having a high mixture velocity at the exit of the annual ring wi l l result in re-entrainment of the liquid film which has
been already collectedon the separator wal l .
4
I n summary, the selection of the optimal inlet device differs from caseto case. Therefore, it is important to understand how
inlet device functions and the effect it has on the separation efficiency of the rest of the vessel. The following section
describes other important parameters in selecting aproper inlet device.
Separation Requirements
The first parameter to check is whether a high performance inlet device is required from a process point of view or not. I f
there is no specific separation requirement other than bulk liquid separation and the major portion of the liquid droplets are
relatively large (typically larger than 150-200 microns), most probably avertical KOD with one of the simplest inlet devices
(may beNO inlet device) is sufficient.
On the other hand, using a high performance inlet device is essential in some other applications where the ratio of liquid to
gas in the feed stream is high and mist extractors (mesh or vane pads) are used to enhance the quality of gas leaving the
vessel. I n such applications, the amount of residual liquid in the gas streamin the face of the mist extractor plays amajor role
in achieving the desired separation efficiency in the mist extractor. Therefore, a high performance inlet device which
efficiently performs the primary separation and uniformly distributes the gas across the vessel areaprevents the mist extractor
frombeing overloaded wi th the liquid. - ' - ^tl j , ^l y'
Therefore, depending on the ratio of liquid to gas in the feed streamand the selected gas-liquid separation device (permissible
liquid loading in the face of mist extractor) a proper inlet device should be selected. Otherwise, to take in to account the
liquid overloading effect into vessel sizing, the mist extractor K value should be de-rated as pointed out earlier in "Three
Phase Separators - Time Definition". To calculate the amount of liquid at the entrance of the mist eliminator, the feed
stream's liquid fiaction can be multiplied by the factors specified in Table 2. ^
Tabl e 2 - Efficiency of Different I nlet Devices for Bulk L i qui d Removal
Tnlet device No inlet device Deflector baffle Hal f open pipe Multi-vane
distributor
Cyclone
Separation efficiency <0.5 0.5 0.8 0.95 >0.95
Space and Cost Considerations
I n some applications where vessel size is significantly important (such as offshore installations or where the size of
equipment is limited by transportation restrictions), reducing the size of the vessel can be a great advantage. Utilizing a
higher performance inlet device is one of the methods. For example, i f the diameter of vertical KOD mentioned above is
large, installing ahalf open pipeon I he inlet nozzle can causeagreat reduction in the length of the vessel. On the other hand,
adding ahalf open pipe in horizontal vessel wi th top nozzle may result in a larger vessel diameter as accommodating the half
open pipewi l l need the larger vapor space(thedistance between HHL L and the top of the vessel).
Furthermore, it should be noted that theses kind of changes may not always be economically attractive. For example,
according to Table 3, where the effects of different inlet devices on the length of a vertical vessel have been summarized,
replacing the half open pipe wi th vane distributor in a vertical KOD of 2000 mmdiameter can result in about 0.55D (0.25D
in the distance between H L L and inlet device +0.3D in the distance between the inlet device and top TL ) which is about
1000 mm. Therefore, i f the only reason for this upgrade is to reduce the vessel size, the equipment cost saving due to 1000
mm reduction in the length can be offset by the higher cost of the inlet device, vendor and contractor engineering costs and
delay in procurement, etc.
Other Parameters
There are someother parameters to look into while selecting/designing an inlet device for athree phaseseparator:
Flow regime: annular dispersed and mist flow regimes in the inlet pipe need special attention and inlet devices with higher
surface area such as multivaneinlet distributor of tangential inlet with annular ring are recommended when low liquid carry
over is essential. Almost all inlet devices can be made mechanically appropriate to handle liquid dominant flow regimes such
as bubble and intermittent (slug or plug) flow regimes without vibration. The most desired flow regimes in the vessel inlet
pipe are stratified (smooth or wavy) flow regimes. The design of inlet piping to achieve this flow regime should be
considered for special services in which a low liquid entrainment rate is required but mist extractors are not allowed due to
any reason (i.e. the possibility of mist pad plugging).
Pressure drop: the pressuredrop of the inlet device increases as the number of internals and changes in I hedirection of inlet
flow increases but it usually remains in the order of a few Pascals. I nlet cyclones usually create higher pressure drop than
other inlet devices, therefore they are not recommended i f the allowable pressuredrop is very limited.
5
Table 3 - The Effect of Different I nlet Devices on the Length of the Verti cal Vessel
Inlet device H H L L to Inlet device
Inlet device height
(Note 1)
Inlet device to top T L
( K O D )
Inlet device to
wiremesh
No inlet device 0.5 D (mi n 300mm) d, 1.0 D (mi n 1200mm) 0.7 D (mm900mm)
Deflector
Bafne
0.3 D (mi n 300mm) 2d, I . 0D(mi n 900mm) 0.5 D(mi n 600mm)
Hal f open pipe 0.3 D (mi n 300mm)
di 0.9 D (mi n 900mm) 0.45 D (mi n 600i Ti m)
Vane type
di stri butor
0.05 D (mm 150mm) d| +20 mm 0.6 D (mi n 600mm) d, (mi n 300 mm)
Notes:
1) The inlet nozzle size (di ) also varies wi th the type of inlet device. Usi ng high performance inlet devices allows the
designer to use higher momentumfor the inlet nozzle sizing. This leads to the reduction in the size of the inlet nozzle whi ch
directly contributes to the length of the vertical vessel and can be important (as discussed above) i n the size of horizontal
vessels. Refer lo the nozzle sizing section for further information.
2) The effect of the inlet device on the size of a horizontal separator is not that straight forward. On one hand, using a high
performance inlet device (as illustrated in Table 2) can reduce the size of the vapor spacethrough i mprovi ng (not de-rating)
the separation efficiency of mist extractors. On the other hand, the vapor spacemay be governed by other factors, such as
maxi mumfi l l i ng level or accommodati ng the gas outlet device (refer to the paper "Three Phaseseparators - Gas I nternals").
For example, some of the gas outlet devices need vapor space of at least 40% of the vessel diameter in whi ch any inlet
device of ordinary size can be accommodated. But in any condition, the vapor space should be sufficiently high to
accommodate the feed inlet device plus mi ni mum 150 mm between the bottomof the inlet device and HHL L . See the
fol l owi ng section for the size of the inlet device.
Foam services: cyclones are the onl y inlet device wi th proven capability to break the foams. The primary purpose of the inlet
cyclone is that of foamel i mi nati on inside a separator. Many crude oils exhibit moderate or severe foaming tendency and the
traditional approach to these problems is through a combination of oversized equipment using foam breaking packs and
chemicals.
Nozzle size: using a high performance inlet device enables the designer to use higher momentumfor inlet nozzle sizing. Thi s
can reduce the nozzle size and subsequently the length of the vessel. It can also be of great advantage especially when the
entire vessel mechanical design can be adversely affected by an extraordinarily large opening.
Sol i d; a vessel wi th no inlet device is preferred. Cyclones are not suitable for this ser\'ice as they further accelerate the inlet
fl uid for separation purpose whi ch can create an extremely erosive environment. I f an inlet device is inevitable, it should
have 1-2 mmextra thiclcness for erosion.
Fouling services: I nlet devices wi th narrow openings such as slotted tee distributors should be used wi th extra precaution in
the foul i ng services. They are not recommended i f the feed's wax, solid, scaleor asphaltenecontent are high.
Sizine Considerations
The fol l owi ng section covers the sizing requirements of the various inlet devices:
Deflector Baffle
Figure6 shows the typical dimensions on a deflector baffle.
9 0 El bow
The diameter of the el bow should be the same as the inlet nozzle. Figure 7 shows the mi ni mum height of vapor space to
accommodate LR and SR elbows. Furthermore, the elbow should be installed as close as possible to the tangent line
considering reinforcement and fabrication requirements (150 mm).
6
A n impingement baffle should be installed opposite to the elbow to protect the
drum shell. The impingement baffle diameter should be twice the elbow
diameter, as of ami ni mum.
Hal f Open Pipe
Similar to 90 degree the diameter of the half open pipe is the sameas that of the
inlet nozzle. However, the length of the device is usually 3 times the inlet nozzle
diameter (3d|) out of which 2d| is dedicated to the opening cut.
A half open pipe can also be fitted downstream of a LR or SR elbow when it is
used in horizontal vessels - top entry depending on available vapor space (Refer
to Figure 7 for details). For a horizontal vessel, an impingement baffle should be
installed opposite to the elbow to protect the drumshell. The impingement baffle
diameter should b twicethe elbow diameter, as of ami ni mum.
Vane Type Distributor
I n a horizontal vessel, the length of a multi-vane distributor is between 3 to 5
times the inlet nozzle diameter.
For a vertical vessel, the length of a multi-vane distributor can be as high as the
vessel diameter. However, a shorter vane distributor is needed to accommodate
the required number of vanes while obtaining a reasonable opening between two
adjacent vanes. /
I n other words, a specific number of vanes should be installed with particular
pitch in order to achieve the targeted performance. This can be a trial and error
exercise, starting with an assumed length, followed by specifying the size and
number of vanes, and finally checking i f this number of vanes can meet other
manufacturing requirements (consult wi th vendor) in the assumed length or not.
The height of the vane is the sameas the inlet nozzle. Additional height for the
inlet elbow should be added to the vane distributor height when it comes to
determining the mi ni mumvapor space in horizontal vessels to accommodate the
inlet device. T
Vane distributors are not recommended i f
^ Vessel diameter is less than 500mm.
> I nlet nozzle diameter is smaller than 150mm.
> I nlet nozzle diameter is larger than 1/3 of the vessel diameter.
To prevent vibration of the vanes, special considerations should be given to the
design and construction of the vanedistributors when the vaneheight is in excess
of 800mm or exceptionally high flow rates are possible or liquid slugging is
expected. --fev-
Slotted Tee Distributor
The slotted tee distributor can be sized based on the superficial velocity of the
inlet fluid in the slot through the following equation (I ):
Vslot =
MG
Other details and dimensions of inlet distributor can be calculated using the
formulas below:
N , M = Q T / ( C 2 X A,x v J
Figure 6 - Deflector Baffle Dimensions
150 mm
1.5 dl (LR)
or
1.0 dl (SR)
0.5 dl
150 mm
LAHH
Figure 7 - I nlet Elbow Dimensions
Figure 8 -Tee Distributor Details
7
L,,,= 120nd, ee/360
QT = QG + Q L
Tee distributor diameter, d,ee. is tlie same as the inlet nozzle size and its length
can be calculated by the equation below:
Ldistributor =d,e,+ N, XW,,,, +(N,,,,, +2) X Pitch
Where
0 ; l iquid surface tension. mN/m
P L: l iquid density, kg/m3
P G: gas density, kg/m3
[ i Q- . gas viscosity, cP
C,: 7X 10''(Metric unit)
C2 : 2 when the fl ow is split between the two sides of the distributor (tee type) and
1 i f aslotted pipe distributor is used.
Wsi,: width of slot, 15mm
Pitch: thedistancebetween two adjacent slots, 25mm
Tangential Inlet With Annul ar Ring
Inlet nozzle is usually sized by determining the velocity required to satisfy the
fol l owing requirements:
> Liquid bulk separation
> Inlet streammomentum(pV~)
> Foaming separation requirement
> Prevent erosion i f erosive materials are present
Figure 10 - Tangential Inlet with
Annul ar Ring
The annular ring width is usually the sameas the inlet nozzle diameter. The ring height should be 2.5 times the inlet nozzle
diameter. The diameter of the vessel is also linked with inlet nozzle sizeand it is the larger of
> 3.0 and 3.5 times of mlet nozzle width/diameter for rectangular and circular inlet nozzles, respectively.
> Vessel diameter required to maintain the gas velocity in the vessel cross sectional area below 3m/sec.
Furthermore, one solid circular baffle with diameter to al l ow superficial velocity of 45mm/sec through the annular gap (with
minimum gap of 50 mm) should be installed at least 150 mm above HHL L . Four vertical anti-swirl baflles should be
provided below NL L . These baflles should be extended from 150 mmbelow the NL L to the bottomTL . The baffle width
should be about 10%of the drumdiameter.
Cyclone
There are some general guidelines about cyclone inlet device sizing; however, the best approach is to ask the vendor to
provide the sizeof this device.
Nozzle Design Details
A feed stream can enter a horizontal vessel from top or dish ends. When the feed nozzle is on top of the vessel, the inlet
device is usually faced toward the dish end to make the most use of the spaceavailable in the head cap section.
The diameter of the inlet nozzle is a function of the feed flow rateand the pressure. The criterion for nozzle sizing is that the
momentumof the feed should not exceed an allowable l imit. The maximumallowable inlet momentumcan be increased by
fitting inlet devices into the inlet nozzle. The fol l owing table shows the allowable pV' criterion for different inlet devices
which can be customized basedon the inlet device vendor recommendation.
8
Tabl e 4 - I nlet Nozzle Sizing Criteria
Inlet device No inlet
device
Deflector
baffle
Hal f open
pipe
Mul ti -vane
distributor
Cyclone
(conventional)
Mul ti -cycl one
Pn>V,\s (pa)
1,000 1,400 2,100 8,000 1,0000 35,000
Where
is the mean density of the mixture in the feed pipe in kg/m'
Vn, is the velocity of the mixture in the inlet nozzle in m/s.
Where the inlet feed is practically gas phase, pV" can be increased to 8000 Pa regardless of the type of inlet device. Erosional
and 80% of sonic velocity are other limitations that should be met for inlet nozzle design.
Contact
Pleasevisit www.linked]n.com/uroups/Chem\vork-3822450 should you have any comments, questions or feedback or feel free
to contact S.Rahimi(iijgmail.com.
9
APl-521 Flare KOD Design and Even More (Part 1)
Saeid R. Mofrad
03-Jan-2014
Introduction
A PI 521 provides tl ic principl es of flare Knock out Drum (KOD) sizing, some guidel ines on selecting the type and
orientation, number of inl et/outl et nozzles, internals and the basis for sizing the gas and l iquid sections of the KOD. It also
provides the sizing procedure and sample cal cul ation for atypical horizontal KOD.
Though KOD sizing seems to be a simpl e task, the probl em usually rises due to number of emergency eases for whi ch the
vessel needs to be sized, the variation of sizing parameters such as l iquid and gas fl ow rates, densities and viscosities and
KOD pressureand temperature at different emergency cases. Furthermore, the interpretation of design companies from API
requirement is different. Specific or additional requirements are sometimes imposed by the Cl ient. For instance, 1 faced some
problems recently when in the detail engineering of a project I tried to set (fit) different l iquid levels inside a horizontal flare
KOD already sized in the FEED stagebased on A PI standard but not taking the required process control , alarms and trips into
account.
This note intends to discuss the A PI requirements in detail , review some of the debates about flare KOD sizing parameters
and show how to meet the API guidel ines as wel l as the actual project and process needs. How to specify the KOD sizing
cases al ongwi th astepwise sizing procedure and a casestudy wi l l be discussed in thepart 2 of this paper.
API Requirements ' ' ^^n^h
The fol l owing section outl ines the main A PI guidel ines for the flare KOD sizing and selection:
The economics of drum design can influence the choice between a horizontal and a vertical drum. I f a large l iquid
storage capacity is desired and the vapour flow is high, a horizontal drum is often more economical . Al so, the pressure
drop across horizontal drums is generally the lowest of al l the designs. Vertical knockout drums are typical l y used i f the
l iquid load is l ow or l imited pl ot spaceis available. They are wel l suited for incorporating into the baseof the flare stack.
Al though horizontal KODs are available in many configurations, the differences are mainl y in how the path of the
vapour is directed. The various configurations incl udethe fol l owing:
1. the vapour entering one end of the vessel and exiting at the top of the opposite end
2. the vapour entering at each end on the horizontal axis and acentre outlet (spl it entry)
3. the vapour entering in the centre and exiting at each end on the horizontal axis (split exit)
Configurations 2 and 3 can be used to reduce the drum diameter (but increasethe length) for large flow rates and should
be considered i f the vessel diameter exceeds 3.66 m (12 ft). Careful consideration shoul d be given to the hydraulics of
split entry configuration to ensurethe flow is indeed split in thedesired proportion.
The dropout vel ocity in the dni m may be based on that necessaiy to separate l iquid droplets from 300nm to 600nm in
diameter.
The effect of any l iquid contained in the drum on
reducing the vol ume avail abl e for vapour/l iquid
disengagement shoul d be considered in KOD sizing.
This l iquid may result from:
a) Condensatethat separates during a vapour
release, or
b) L i qui d streams that accompany a vapour
release.
The vol ume occupied by the l iquid shoul d be based
on a releasethat lasts 20 to 30 minutes. Larger hol d-
up vol ume may be required i f it takes longer to stop
the flow. A ny accumul ation of l iquid retained from
a prior release shoul d be added to the l iquid
indicated in items a) and b) above to determine the
availablevapour disengaging space.
vapour and liquid
releases
^ minimumvapour space for dropout velocity
liquid hoid-up fromsafery relief valves
and other emergency releases
slop and drain liquid
pumpout
Figure 1 -Fl are Knock out Drum Sizing Basis as per APl -521
The maxi mum vapour release case does not necessarily coincide wi th the maxi mum li qui d. Therefore, the K.OD size
should be determined tlirough consideration of both the maxi mumvapour release case as well as the release case wi th
the maxi mumamount of liquid.
The overall size of flare KOD can be specified using the gas droplet settling velocity and liquid hold up time mentioned
above. For a vertical vessel, this is quite straight forwardas the gas flow rate determines the vessel diameter and liquid hold
up time is usedto calculate the maxi mumliquid fill and finally vessel length. However, for horizontal vessel this needsto be
donethrough atrail-and-error calculation.
Li q u i d Hol d- up Ti me
I n theory, the li qui d holdup time of flare K OD should be higher than the summation of the time required for the operator to
take action and the action to become completely effective. A properly designed KOD should provide enough time for
operator to respond and for the pi'ocesssystemto react in the favorable direction to ceasethe reli ef (i.e. relief valve to close).
A commonly accepted time range for the operator action is between 10 to 30 minutes, depending on many parameters
including operator experience, the complexity and extent of automation and instrumentation of the plant. For example, i f
the process configuration is pretty simple or few sources can release the liquid to the flare system, i t. wi l l be relatively
easy for operator to diagnose the problem, analyse the situation and take proper action. Furthermore, i f the corrective
action can be executed from the control roomrather than site, it wi l l minimizethe responsetime.
How fast the response becomes fully effective depends on the process dynamics. For example, the effect of opening an
inadvertently closed SDV at the discharge of a reciprocating pump is sensed by pump relief valve in a relatively short
time span i f the blocked valve is near the pump. However, it wi l l take several minutes for the discharge pressure to fall
and relief valve to start closing i f the SDV is at the other end of a long pipeline. Keep in mi nd that the relief valve won't
be fully closed unless the pressure falls well below the relief valve set pressure ( typically 93% of the set pressure for
conventional relief valve).
Mi scel l aneous Vol ume
APl-521 defines the miscellaneous volume as any accumulation of liquid retained from a prior release (from pressure relief
devices or other sources). Then it uses the mysterious value of 1.89 m3 (500 US gal) of storage for miscellaneous drainings
in a sample calculation which has become sort of standard value for many thesedays, regardlessof the actual plant condition.
The actual intention of dedicating apart of the KOD volume to the miscellaneous liquids becomes clear when we understand
few points:
Flare KOD is sometimes used as the drain drumin onshore plants and often in offshore applications. Therefore, most
probably small volumes of liquid during normal operation and larger ones during plant overhaul and maintenance are
drained into theKOD.
The number of streams connected to flare are such versatile (control valves, instrument devices' drains and vents,
maintenance vents, sampling points, analyzers, pump and compressor seal vents, etc) that it is almost impossible to
guaranteethat no liquid wi l l be sent to the KOD during normal operation.
Unless there is very strict plant housekeeping practices in place (to drain the KOD liquid content every so often),
otherwise the li qui d collectedduring normal operation can go unnoticed ti ll the liquid level hits the HHL alarmlevel.
Therefore, in order to specify the miscellaneous volume, adetailed review of the project drainage philosophy, the sources and
amount of liquid/t\vo phase/condensable gas release to the flare net^vork and finally KOD during normal operation, the type
of liquid handling system, its design and operating philosophy is required. The purpose of this study should be to estimate a
practical volume so that the frequency of liquid handling operation becomesreasonableduring normal operation.
Li q u i d Handl i nt; System
The followi ng section reviews the design of various liquid handing systems as they can affect the flare KOD sizing. The
liquid collected in the KOD can be evacuated in one of the followi ng ways:
Pump
The most common liquid handling system employs the pump to send the liquid back to the process for repossessing,
slopsor product tanks, etc. Different instrumentation configurations have been usedin past for KOD pumps:
1. The simplest control configuration which is usually followed for all rotating machines is to provide a local
manual start and stop for the KOD pumps so that site operator does the routine checks to ensure that everything
is alright before putting the pump in service. I n this configuration, it is only possible to stop the pump form the
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control room. Using the pump wi th local start is in line wi th the tlare KOD design intent which assumes that
KOD is large enough to accommodate the largest l iquid release for 20-30minutes without any need for pump
operation.
2. For this specific service, somecompanies prefer to havethe start provision at control roomin addition to above.
3. The pump is automatically started and stopped based on the l iquid level in the KOD. Wi th this configuration,
the first pump starts at the level 1call First Pump Start Level (FPSL corresponding to HL L -1 in Table I ) which
is slightly below H L L . I f the l iquid level keeps rising, the second pump starts at Second Pump Start Level
(SPSL corresponding to FI LL-2 in Table 1) which is slightly higher than H L L . Both pumps are stopped at the
level called Both Pumps Stop Level (BPSL corresponding to L L L -1 in Table I ) which is slightly above L L L .
I n all above configurations, i f control systemor operator fails to stop the pump due to any reason, both pumps are tripped
at L L L L through Emergency Shutdown system(ESD).
The pump capacity is usually selected to drain the l iquid content of the KOD in a specified time(typically two hours).
Gravi ty
A connection from the bottom of KOD to the closed drain
systemwi th a control valveoperating wi thi n a l iquid band can be
an ideal l iquid handling system i f there is an adequate driving
force (basically differential head between KOD and destination
vessel) for the l iquid inside the KOD to flow. In this
configuration, the drain control valve opens at a level slightly
below H L L and closes slightly above L L L . A nd finally at L L L L ,
ESD system wi l l act to close the drain line shutdown valve in
order to prevent the gas bl ow-by from KOD to the drain system.
Figure 2 - Gravity Drain - Siphon Type
The siphon drain (shown in Fi gwe 2) is a type of gravity drain
where the l iquid level inside the KOD is maintained by the l iquid
seal height out of the vessel without any need for control system.
A shutdown valve acting at L L L L however is needed to prevent
the gas bl ow-by. In a properly designed l iquid seal for flare
KOD, the top of l i qui d seal matches the desired l i qui d level in
the vessel and the height (depth) of seal is specified based on the 175% of the drum's maxi mumoperating pressure. This
requirement wi l l restrict the application of this configuration to very low pressure Hares; otherwise the depth of l iquid
seal wi l l be too high (most probably below grade) which outweighs the auto-draining advantage (simpl icity) of this
configuration. ,-
Siphon
Breaker
To
Drain
Seal
Height
Heater : > >
The heater/coil inside the KOD is usually used because of two reasons; winterization' or l iquid vaporizer. The
winterization is out of the scope of this article but the heater can be used as l iquid handling system to vaporize the
collected l iquid inside the vessel to the stack when there is no system available for draining the l iquid into, the l iquid is
relatively light, and the long term fiaring is not an issue, and at remote locations (i.e. portable flare KODs).
However, the effect of exposing l iquid to the high temperature which can result in coke formation, polymerization, solid
deposit, chemical reaction, etc. should be taken into account whil e selecting this method.
The heater can utilize electricity or any hot fluid (stream, hot water or oi l ) as heating medium depending on the
availability of heating medium and the temperature required to vaporize the l iquid. It is sized to vaporize the KOD
content wi thi n particular time which can be as long as 8 hours i f sizing for shorter duration (say 2 hours) considerably
increases the heater size/ power consumption.
The heater is usually switched on by a gap controller at a level lower than H L L and switched off at a level higher than
L L L . The heater is usually tripped at L L L L by ESD system. The importance of tripping (he heater before l iquid falls
below the top of the heater is vital for the electrical heater where the heater elements it can be damaged as a result of
overheating. The need for tripping (closing the heating mediumSDV) in all other types of heater should be evaluated on
case by case basis. Unl i ke rotating machines, heaters can have start provision from control roomwhich minimizes the
' keeping the l iquid content above a specific temperature to prevent it from becoming an undesirable fluid as a result of cold
weather or auto-refrigeration
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site intervention and subsequently improves the possibility of fast start on demand. However, they are usually sluggish
systems compared to pump or even gravity drain systems as liquid heating and vaporizing are relatively slow processes.
A KOD equipped wi th heater should have an additional provision such as truck out connection for evacuating the
residual liquid below L L L L .
Tabl e 1 - Control and Shutdown Systems' A ctions
Level Action through Pump Heater Gravi ty
H H L L Shutdown system L A HH - plant trip L A HH - plant trip L A HH - plant trip
HL L - 2 Control system Start the second pump N A N A
H L L Control system L A H L A H L A H
HLL- 1 Control system Start the first pump Svvitch on the heater Open the drain control valve
L L L - 1 Control system Stop both pump Switch off the heater Close the drain control valve
L L L Control system L A L L A L L A L
L L L L Shutdown system Tri p both pumps Tri p the heater Close the drain SDV
Note: having separate settings for the control actions than the liquid level alarms is highly recommended for monitoring
the liquid level (especially during emergency conditions) and operator intervention because any uncontrolled/unpredicted
liquid level rise can risk the plant production (i f there is aplant shutdown at HHL L ).
I t should be noted that irrespective of liquid handling system type, the selected control configuration and the level of
automation, no credit is usually given to the amount of the liquid that can be drained during emergency conditions to reduce
the size of flare KOD because availability and functionality of liquid handling system can also be adversely affected at this
condition. However, i f the draining the liquid is essential, the reliability of power supply and the availability of destination
systemto receive the liquid especially during emergency condition (when SDVs are closed) should be ensured.
K O D Internal s
The following section reviews the possible internals for the flare KOD, related design considerations and their effects on the
size of KOD:
*^
Inlet Device
I n general, anything that can block the relief path is not acceptable on the flare system. I n line wi th this, the KOD inlet
nozzle is usually equipped wi th only simple and robust (properly designed or attached) inlet devices such delleclor
baffle, 90 elbow or half open pipe to direct the incoming stream towards the dish end and make the vessel length
available for the liquid droplets to settle. Refer to the paper "Three Phase Separators - I nlet Devices" for further details
about different inlet devices.
There are some debates about the suitability of deflector baffle/plate on the inlet nozzle but it is believed that the failure
of the deflector baftle/plate (whi ch is a rare caseanyway) wi l l not obstruct the flow path into and out of the KOD. Some
companies accept using the multi-vanedistributor on the inlet nozzle wi th particular design, fabrication and installation
considerations.
The difference between a KOD wi th and without inlet device is that in the second one the effective length for liquid
droplet separation is the distance between the inlet and outlet nozzles centerlines. This can be considerably less than the
KOD actual length considering I he large nozzles (which are quite common in this application) and the nozzle welding
requirement (the distance between nozzle neck at tangent line weld lines). I n a KOD wi th the 90 elbows on both inlet
and outlet nozzles the full vessel length is practically available for liquid droplet separation. Therefore installing a
suitable device on inlet and outlet nozzles can result in substantial reduction in K OD length. On the other hand, adding
an inlet device can add some limitations on the maxi mumliquid fill as discussed in the paper "Three Phase Separators-
L i qui d L evels",
Outl et Device
The choice of outlet device is much more restricted than the inlet nozzle so that most of companies don't even accept the
deflector baffle on the outlet nozzle as it can potentially block the flow path once it is dislodged. Therefore, the outlet
nozzle is either without any device or wi th 90 elbow (this is not possible in split entiy and split exit designs).
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Gas - Li qui d Separati on Devi ce
Though separation of l iquid droplets in the range of 300-600 microns through gravity settl ing is rel ativel y easy, using
any gas-l iquid separation device such as mist el iminators to reduce the KOD size shall be avoided because of the
potential for blockage from scaleor waxy deposits.
Li qui d- Li qui d Separati on Device
KODs are usual l y treated as two phaseseparators, however, provisions can be made for water boot i f it is really critical
to separatethe water from hydrocarbon before further processing. Considering the fact that there is an ampleof residence
time in KOD for the gravity l iquid-l iquid separation, it is hard to believe that a l iquid-l iquid separation device such as
platepack or coalescing mat wi l l beever needed in theKOD.
From KOD sizing viewpoint, using the boot for an absolutely dry KOD, in one hand, may enable the designer to
accommodate the l iquid levels up to the HL L wi thi n a small vol umeof the boot and free up the horizontal vessel ful l
cross section area for the l iquid dropl et separation which wi l l reduce the vessel diameter and subsequently the total
weight and cost of the KOD. On the other hand, having boot (especially for the wet KODs) can increase the overal l
el evation of KOD inlet nozzle, theentireplant piperacks carrying the Hare headers and shoot up theplant capital cost.
Li q u i d Level Setti ng
Apart from the l iquid hol d up timeand l iquid droplet separation requirements which determine theoveral l size of flareKOD,
the fol l owing considerations shall be taken into account in order to address operation and control aspects in KOD size:
Low-Low Li qui d l evel (L L L L ) is the mi ni mum al l owabl el iquid level inside the KOD. This is the level at which ESD
system stops the l iquid draining by tripping/cl osing the pumps/heater/drain shutdown val ve. It is normal l y specified
based on the pump NPSl l , heater submergence depth or the size of l iquid outlet nozzle (size/height of vortex breaker).
This varies from 150mmin gravity drain arrangement to lOOOmmin presenceof an el ectrical heater (exact value is set
based on the heater bundl ediameter).
Low Liquid Level (LLL) is where the l ow level al armis triggered to warn operator that l iquid level is stil l fal l ing and
there is a risk of gas bl ow-by. L L L shoul d be 1-2 minutes above L L L L based on the maximum draining rate, with
mi ni mumof I OOmm.
LLL-1 is the level at which pumps/heater/drain control valve is stopped/switched off/closed by the control system. L L L -
I level shoul d beat least 100 mmabove LLL.
HLL-1 is the l evel at which the first pump/heater/drain control val ve is started/switched on/opened by the control
system. HLL-1 level shoul d beat least 100 mmbel ow HLL.
High Li qui d Level (HLL) is where high level al armis triggered to warn operator that despite of control systemaction at
HLL-1 the l iquid l evel is stil l rising and there is arisk of plant trip. To accommodate control systemactions (LLL-1 and
HLL-1), HL L shoul d be at least 300mmabove L L L i f the l iquid is pumped out and 200mm above L L L in other
arrangements. In order to meet the API requirement, the vol ume between L L L to HL L shoul d be larger than
Miscel l aneous Vol ume too. .
HLL-2 is the l evel at which the second pump is started by the control systemto increase the l iquid discharge rate and
prevent high-high l evel trip. HLL-2 shoul d beat least 100 mmabove HLL. This l evel does not exist in KODs with healer
(vaporizer) or gravity draining.
High-High Li qui d Level (HHLL) is where the upstreamprocess plant is usually tripped, especially i f tripping of facilities
is practical and the risks associated wi th l iquid carryover to the stack are high. It is usually al l owed to depressurize the
plant when the KOD l evel is at HHL L . Inl ine with APl -521 standard, the distance between HL L and HHL L is specified
to accommodate the maximum incoming l iquid flow rate for 20-30 minutes. The area above HHLL, vapor space, is
available for l iquid di'oplet separation.
Dead Volume
Al though the representation of KOD vol umes in APl -521 (Figure 1) indicates that the entire bottomsection of KOD is
available for hol ding the maintenance/miscellaneous drains, in reality part of this vol umewhich is bel ow LLL-1 wi l l remain
always l iquid filled. I cal l this idl e vol umethe Dead Vol ume hoping that thenew termwi l l help thedesigner make distinction
between miscellaneous and dead vol umes and correctl y specify thevol umeinsidethe vessel that can bededicated to the drain
system.
5
Post ESD Volume
As mentioned above some companies have hnked
the high-high hquid level in the Hare KOD with
the entire plant shutdown. Then they realized that
some of the equipment (such as compressors or
reactors) cannot be held in pressurized condition
for a long timeand needs to be depressurized after
shutdown. Moreover, since depressuring is often
associated wi th l iquid condensation on the flare
side, the need for new additional l iquid level
emerged; Emergency Hi gh-Hi gh L i qui d Level
(EHHL ),
EHHL L is specified based on the total volumeof
l iquid that can reach the tlaie KOD after plant
shutdown. The l iquid is mainl y due to the
condensation of vapor released from a particular
equipment or part of the plant that cannot be
maintained under pressure due to process,
operation or safety' considerations.
releases
tof
/
minimumvapour space for dropout velocity
/ Post ESD volume
liquid liold-up fromsafety relief valves
and other emergency releases
(emergency volume)
\
slop and drain liquid imiscelianeous volume)
dead volume
pumpout
Figure 3 - Flare Knock out DrumSizing Basis
According to thephilosophy established fol l owing this design development:
EHHL L is where the upstreamplant depressurization is inhibited. I n order to specify the level, further study needs to be
conducted to identify the section of plant that potentially requires to be depressurized after overall shutdown and
calculate the amount of l iquid that enters the KOD (Post ESD volume). In casethe distance between HHL L and EHHL L
is less than lOOmm, 100 mmshall be used.
Figure 3 depicts arevised version of API representation of flare KOD showing both Dead and Post ESD volumes.
Contact / ,
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