SYNOPSIS SEPARATION | Decanter Separators SK SAXENA | ‘The first part of this article on Decanter Separators by $ K Saxena, published in our Sept/Oct 2000 issue, discussed about Decanter Separators used for separating out two immiscible phases from a mixed. feed stream where heavy phase is circulated back and light phase is continuously removed. It was proved that efficient separation of heavy phase globules carried away by the light phase liquid bulk is dependent on the design of the decanter. The procedure described here is for the design of a decanter separator where both light and heavy phases are ! continuously removed. Efficient separation of both light phase globules from heavy phase and heavy phase globules from light phase is based on proper design of decanter separator. This type of decanter separators are quite common in chemicals, petrochemicals and refinery | industries. | Introduction | his article provides a imple and reliable method of designing a “Decanter Separator” where both heavy and light phases are continuously removed. The procedure described here for a decanter separator is a simple horizontal vessel in which feed containing two immiscible liquids decants out into two separate liquid phases. No mechanical devices viz.: packing and baffle is used to hasten phase separation. The physical separation | of two liquid phases takes place due to difference in | their specific gravities, The settling zones for both the phases within the vessel are confined between feed entrance and liquid outlets. This design method is not applicable for emulsions, non-newtonian liquids, foaming liquids and chemical reactions. | | Design Guidelines The design guidelines are based on experience. ‘The basic assumptions used are to help the designer | understand the basis of design AUTHOR SK Saxena, Master in Chemical weering. (Design) is Senior ering Manager (Process) with Kvaerner Powergas India Pvt. Ltd, Mumbai. He had also worked with Synthetics & Chemicals, Humphreys & Glasgow Consultants, Engineers India Ltd, Botchel and Petrofae International in various capacities, He has more than, 25 years experience in process, assumed, Flow Regime It is an es | heavy phases, to top, are ess properties o: | and, plays an | liquid affects propels the | movement. | decanter design these flow rates (settling velocities are essentially in the “laminar flow regime” In a horizontal vessel, liquid flows horizontally Particle Size Particle size means spherical shaped particles of "both immiscible liquid phases. It may be light FF phase particles (globules) in heavier liquid phase or heavier phase particles (globules) in light liquid phase. As per experience and reports available in literature, particle sizes (globules) of both light and heavy phases vary from 50 to 300 microns. For calculation purpose an average size of 200 microns is tablished fact that low flow rates are intial for complete separation of both the light and Movement of liquid globules in vertical direction, either from top to bottom or from bottom ential and itis governed by the physical f the two immisicible liquids. For important role, The horizontal flow of the vertical settling and rising velocities | of liquid globules .The high horizontal velocity globules, inhibiting their vertical Preferentially, both heavy and light phase layers in the selected size decanter should have more or less equal horizontal velocity to avoid shear between | | heavy and light liquid layers. The shear may impede | RRR i ilescence and may promote re-dispersion, Stoke's law In the design of Decanter Sep: velovity is calculated by Stoke's lave The concep ote | liquid lobule rising or falling in an immiscible liquid | depends upon the difference in density It is ti: asa liquid particle in vapour tor settling Using Stoke's law equation, terminal velocity equations are developed. Terminal velocity of the fall of heavy phase globules (settling) in light liquid phas is given by hah (a-2,) 1B 44 ap Terminal velocity of light phase globules yisinys in | | heavy liquid phase is given by: &-dpl (2, 2,) 18- 4dr 7 This equation for settling velocity applies tw single globule settling or rising in a stagnant liquid phase. When many globules are present, hindered settling occurs. This is partially due to decrease in specific density difference, the presence of other globules, and partly due to the decreased cross-section Gf the continuous phase flow path. An arbitrary: maximum settling velocity of 10 inches/mnin (0.254 M/min) should be used for design puspses. This restriction compensates for hindered settling, and tanksiown settling phenomena which occur in lecater separator a=— Design Method Horizontal vessels are normally used for decanter separators, because it provides larger interface area nn some designs, multi-compartment vessels are used The additional compartments are exclusively seul for holding the separated liquid phases for a period of time. The feed is introctuced at one end, and both heavy and light phase flows out uniformly to the opposite endl, the heavy phase from the bottom end and the light phase from the top end. The decanter design should satisfy following criteria: 4) Terminal settling velocity should be equal or less than 10 inches/mt (0.254 M/min.) for both heavy and light phases. Lower terminal velocities are used if density difference between heavy and light phases is smaller. Chem SS 2 AON ‘ry Digest. Nov-Dee 2001 ») The time fora heavy liquid globule to drop th height of the light phase must be lence time of the light phase ul less than the © The time for a light liquid globule to rise the full helght of heavy phase must be less than thu | resiclence time of the heavy phase | Minimum residence time in setting zones shoul be 5 minutes ©) No case height of any phase should be considerect less than 0.3 M he 1) Two liquid layers in the decanter should have nearly the same “linear horizontal velocities”. The difference in the two velocities should preferably not exceed 0.5 M/min if density difference is | than 50 kg/m* nor exceed 3.0 M/min with » density difference of 2200 kg/m #) Calculate “Reynolds number” for each phase to | find out whether interfering turbulence 4 | expected Following equation is used for calculating Reynolds number for both the phases. If required selected vessel size could be altered or internal baffles could be used to dampen the interfering turbulence NRe =UDh*.p Seaseeeeaa H NRe Effect Less than 5,000 Little problem | 5,000. to 20,000 Some hindrance | 20,000 0 50,000 Major problem may exist Above 59,000 Expect poor separation Vessel Dimensions Normally, for economic reasons, pressure vessvl length to diameter ratio (L/D) is kept between 2 to 5 for single compartment decanter, If multi compartment decanter is used, start calculations usin; L/D of 2 to 3 and when combining all compartmen the L/D ratio should not exceed § to 6. Operating Pressure Operating pressure of the separator should be ot | least 1.0 to 1.5 kgs/cm? above the “vapour pressure” of light phase, at operating temperature. This is necessary to avoid vapour locking of light phase pump during operation. In some plants, feed is heated! {o improve the effectiveness of separation. In this e2> iL becomes more important to evaluate the operating | pressure critically. |Inlet Feed Nozzie The inlet feed nozzle should be at the elevation of the inter-phase level Furbutence due to entrance velocity is reduced by the use of slots oF holes at the end of pipe designed to distibute the liquid atthe inter-phase. The open | grea of the slots oF holes should be at Teast 80% of the nozzle’s cro: sectional area. The maximum velocity through the opening shoul be T feet ec (03 M/see). The pipe connecter! to the nozzle should have a size which is atleast 10 times the diameter of the nozzle, though a smaller pipe may be used before that point The feed pipe should either drop from top or rise vertically, bat never tangentially, 0 avoid swirling, motion in the decanier Outlet Nozzles Since most of the decanter separators are operated under pressure, after separation, the pumps Continuously remove both phases. Therefore, it is important that outlet nazzles and pump suction lines should be sized with care to avoid cavitation in pumps Swirl breakers are not used at the heavy-phase outlet. If vortex gets created, due to say a tangential falet, then rotational turbulence might seriously impede the desired settling, His better t© remove the Cause of turbulence rather than use a swirl breaker Other Nozzles Besides the inlet and outlet nozzles, there are various ather nozzles that are required on the Uecanters like man-way, drain, vent, pressure relief, Level gauge, sample faps, emulsion drain and inter phase control [A gauge glass is used to validate visually the control of inter phase level maintained by inter-phase controller, The lower tap of the gauge must be in the heavy phase, ane upper tap must be in the light phase Instrument Control ‘Generally, heavy phase flow is controlled by inter phase level instrument. This ean be a displacement ~ Troat type, differential pressure, conductivity probe or other types. The light phase is removed by pressure contral in the case of @ tworphase decanter. In three phases separator Tight phase is removed by level contol Saari) Inter-phase Level For efficient separation, stable inter-phase level is essential. Normally a float-type level measuring instrument is satisfactory Design Procedure Systematic approach for designing decanter separator is discussed below 1, Select minimum globule sizes for both light and Reavy phases. Nermatly 100 fo 300 micron sizes are selected 2, Caleulate the “terminal velocities” of both the phases using equation | and 2 3, Use residence time of total throughput (normally Eto 10 minutes) and select the tentative size of jecanter Locate the inter phase, proportional (© light and heavy phase volwme 4, Calculate the times required for both heavy and fight phase globules to drop or rise from thelr extreme positions to inter-phase 5, For efficient separation, times tequired for heavy phase globule dropping in ight phase bulk or ight phase globule rising; in heavy phase bulk should Be 'iess than the residence times of respective phases, 6. Calculate length of decanter 7, Repeat for several siameters of decanter to arrive oon the most optimum «lesign, 8. Check that two liquid layers in the selected Gecanter should flow at nearly the same “linear horizontab velocities” t avoid shear which may impede coatescence and: may promote Te dispersion 9. Calculate “Reynolds number” for both the phases. Modify design, if required 10. Once dimensions of the decanter are finalized, size 90 Chon Intey Digert Nos-De _caniacntnanerenenintnnti cant