EXAMPLE 4: SIZE A 3-PHASE HORIZONTAL SEPARATOR

Gas Flowrate (MMSCFD) 0.01 Gas MW 23

Oil Flowrate (BOPD) 60 Oil S.G. 0.8
Water Flowrate (BWPD) 100 Water S.G. 1
Total Liquid (BPD) 160.00
ATM Press. 14.7
Op Press (psig) 50.00
Op Temp (F) 120
Gas Compressibility Z 0.89
Retention Time (min) t 3.00
Remove drops >__micron from gas 150
Remove H2O drops >__micron from oil 500
Remove oil drops >__micron from H2O 200
Vessel Liquid Level - beta 50%

1. Calculate design specification information

rg = (P+Pa)(MW) 0.27 lb/cu ft
10.73*(T+460)*(z)
rl = 62.4(sp. gr.) 49.92 lb/cu ft
rw = 62.4(sp. Gr H2O.) 62.40 lb/cu ft
Dp= 0.00003937(micron)/12 0.000492 ft
Dw= 0.00003937(micron)/12 0.001640 ft
Do = 0.00003937(micron)/12 0.000656 ft
m=MMSCFD(1e6)(MW) 0.01 lb/sec
379.4(24)(3600)
Qa=m/rg 0.03 acfs
Ql 0.0039 cu ft/sec
Qw 0.0065 cu ft/sec
Qm=Qa+Ql+Qw 0.04 cu ft/sec
pm=(rl*Ql+rg*Qg+rw*Qw)/Qm 15.97 lb/cu ft
Fractional area of liquids - alpha 0.50

2. Calculate C D and min diameter

Trial No. 1 2 3
Assume CD 2.01 2.02 2.02
Vt = (4gDp(rl-rg)/3CDrg)^0.5 1.39 1.39 1.39
Re = 1488(DpVtrg)/m 22.86 22.82 22.81
Calculated CD 2.02 2.02 2.02

Minimum dia.= 12*(TZQg/2.4Vt(P+Pa))^0.5 1.9 in 6

3. Determine the fractional height of water in the vessel

Fractional area of water aw=atQw/t(Qw+Ql) 0.313
Fractional height of water bw 0.350 change until above matches below
Fractional area of water aw 0.312

4. Calculate max vessel diameter for water settling

Vtw = 1488gDw2(pw-pl)/18ml 0.08 ft/sec
Max Height of Oil Pad, Ho 165.04 in max
Maximum diameter = Ho/(b-bw) 1100 in max
5. Calculate max vessel diameter for oil settling
Vtw = 1488gDw2(pw-pl)/18mw 0.0207 ft/sec
Max Height of water, Hw 44.77 in max
Maximum diameter = Hw/bw 128 in max

Maximum Vessel Diameter 128 126

6. Calculate vessel gas and liquid capacity requirements

dvLeff (for gas capacity) 0.30
dv^2*Leff (for liquid capacity) 686

7. Determine appropriate diameter and S-S length

Diameter (in) 24 30 36
Leff (gas) 0.01 0.01 0.01
Lss (gas) 2.01 2.51 3.01
Leff (liquid) 1.19 0.76 0.53
Lss (liquid) 1.59 1.02 0.71
Lss (ft) 3 3 4
L/D 1.25 1.20 1.17
 Gas Viscosity m 0.012 cp
Oil Viscosity ml 1.17 cp
H2O Viscosity mw 0.69 cp

4 5 6
2.02 2.02 2.02
1.39 1.39 1.39
22.81 22.80 22.80
2.02 2.02 2.02

in

matches below
in

42 48 54
0.01 0.01 0.01
3.51 4.01 4.51
0.39 0.30 0.24
0.52 0.40 0.31
4 5 5
1.14 1.13 1.11