Iv Pt-Ogpd-Unit-I

ADITYA ENGINEERING COLLEGE (A)
UNIT – I
Design principles and sizing of
gas-oil separators
By
Mrs.Hima Bindu Kolli
Assistant Professor
Department of Petroleum Technology
Aditya Engineering College (A)
Surampalem.
CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Oil & Gas Processing Plant Design Syllabus
 Principles of phase separators
 Sizing of phase separators
 Optimum Pressure
 Design of Flash Vaporization
 Materials of Construction
Oil & Gas Processing Plant Design (OGPD) Mrs.Hima Bindu Kolli Thursday, February 22, 2024
Introduction
• Oil and gas wells produce a mixture of hydrocarbon gas, condensate or oil; water
with dissolved minerals, usually including a large amount of salt; other gases,
including nitrogen, carbon dioxide (CO2), and possibly hydrogen sulfide (H2S);
and solids, including sand from the reservoir, dirt, scale, and corrosion products
from the tubing.
• The purpose of oil and gas processing is to separate, remove, or transform these
various components to make the hydrocarbons ready for sale.
• For the hydrocarbons(gas or liquid) to be sold, they must be:
 separated from the water and solids
 measured
 sold
 transported by pipeline, truck, rail, or ocean tanker to the user
Oil & Gas Processing Plant Design Syllabus

UNIT-I:
Design principles and sizing of gas-oil separators:
Principles of phase separators- Sizing of vertical & horizontal two-
phase and three phase separators- Optimum pressure - Design of single
and multistage flash vaporization equipment- Materials of construction
and mechanical design of separators.
Fluid Flow equipment Design:
Basic concepts of fluid handling equipment & design-Pumps -
Compressors - Blowers.
UNIT-II:
Design of principles and sizing of heat exchangers:
Process design of Shell &Tube heat exchangers -Double pipe heat
exchangers- Plate and frame heat exchangers- Air-cooled heat exchangers-
Heat recovery units- Fired heaters- Materials of construction & mechanical
design of heat exchangers.
UNIT-III:
Design principles and sizing crude oil treaters:
Sizing horizontal and vertical treaters- Design of LTX units and line
treaters- Material of construction and mechanical design. Design of principles
and sizing of crude desalting equipment - Design principles and sizing of
equipment for produce water treatment and disposal.
UNIT-IV:
Design principles and sizing of acid gas treating system design:
Design of iron sponge units -Design of H 2S and CO2 absorbers
and strippers using amine solutions – Design of rich/lean amine
exchanger- Design of amine cooler- Material of construction-
Mechanical design. Process design of glycol and solid bed dehydration
systems-Materials of construction & mechanical design.
UNIT-V:
Design principles and sizing of pressure relief valves, vents, other
relieving devices- Selection criteria- Location- Maintenance- Design of
flaring systems.
Textbooks:
• Petroleum and Gas Field Processing, H.K. Abdel- Aal,

Mohamed Aggover, M.A. Fahim, Marcel Dekkar Inc., 2003.
• Surface Production Operations, Ken Arnold, Maurice

Stewart, Butterworth Heinemann, Vol 1 & 2, 1999.
• Crude oil–gas–water mixtures produced from wells are generally

directed, through flow lines and main fold system, to a central processing
and treatment facility normally called the gas–oil separation plant
(GOSP).
• The first step in processing of the produced stream is the separation of
the phases (oil, gas, and water) into separate streams.
• This takes place in mechanical devices known as two-phase gas–oil
separators when the produced stream contains no water or three-phase
separators when the produced stream contains water.
• Gas–oil separation carried out in these separators is recognized as the
backbone process in a train of field processing units of oil and gas
operations.
An oil and gas separator generally includes the following essential components and
features:
1. A vessel that includes (a) primary separation device and/or section, (b) secondary
“gravity” settling (separating) section, (c) mist extractor to remove small liquid
particles from the gas, (d) gas outlet, (e) liquid settling (separating) section to remove
gas or vapor from oil (on a three-phase unit, this section also separates water from oil),
(f) oil outlet, and (g) water outlet (three-phase unit).
2. Adequate volumetric liquid capacity to handle liquid surges (slugs) from the wells
and/or flowlines.
3. Adequate vessel diameter and height or length to allow most of the liquid to separate
from the gas so that the mist extractor will not be flooded.
4. A means of controlling an oil level in the separator, which usually includes a liquid-
level controller and a diaphragm motor valve on the oil outlet.
5. A back-pressure valve on the gas outlet to maintain a steady pressure in the vessel.
6. Pressure relief devices.
• Separators work on the principle that the three components have different
densities, which allows them to stratify when moving slowly with gas on top,
water on the bottom and oil in the middle. Any solids such as sand will also
settle in the bottom of the separator.
• The functions of oil and gas separators can be divided into the primary and
secondary functions.
• Primary functions of oil and gas separators:
1. Removal of oil from gas
2. Removal of gas from oil
3. Separation of water from oil
• Secondary functions of oil and gas separators:
1. Maintenance of optimum pressure on separator
2. Maintenance of liquid seal in separator
Principles of Phase Separator

• Three principles used to achieve physical separation of gas and liquids
or solids are momentum, gravity settling, and coalescing.
• Any separator may employ one or more of these principles; however,
the fluid phases must be immiscible and have different densities for
separation to occur.
• The term separator in oilfield terminology designates a pressure
vessel used for separating well fluids produced from oil and gas
wells into gaseous and liquid components.
• A separator for petroleum production is a large vessel designed to
separate production fluids into their constituent components
of oil, gas and water.
Classification by operating configuration

• Oil and gas separators can have three general configurations: vertical, horizontal,
and spherical.
• Vertical separators can vary in size from 10 or 12 inches in diameter and 4 to
5 feet up to 10 or 12 feet in diameter and 15 to 25 feet .
• Horizontal separators may vary in size from 10 or 12 inches in diameter and 4 to
5 feet up to 15 to 16 feet in diameter and 60 to 70 feet .
• Spherical separators are usually available in 24 or 30 inch up to 66 to 72 inch in
diameter.
• Horizontal oil and gas separators are manufactured with mono-tube and dual-tube
shells.
• Mono-tube units have one cylindrical shell, and dual-tube units have two
cylindrical parallel shells with one above the other.
Classification by function
• The three configurations of separators are available for two-phase

operation and three-phase operation.
• In the two-phase units, gas is separated from the liquid with the gas
and liquid being discharged separately.
• Oil and gas separators are mechanically designed such that the liquid
and gas components are separated from the hydrocarbon steam at
specific temperature and pressure.
• In three-phase separators, well fluid is separated into gas, oil,
and water with the three fluids being discharged separately.
Classification by operating pressure

• Oil and gas separators can operate at pressures ranging from a high vacuum
to 4,000 to 5,000 psi.
• Most oil and gas separators operate in the pressure range of 20 to 1,500 psi.
• Separators may be referred to as low pressure, medium pressure, or high
pressure.
• Low-pressure separators usually operate at pressures ranging from 10 to 20
up to 180 to 225 psi.
• Medium-pressure separators usually operate at pressures ranging from 230
to 250 up to 600 to 700 psi.
• High-pressure separators generally operate in the wide pressure range from
750 to 1,500 psi.
Classification by application
• Oil and gas separators may be classified according to application as test separator,
production separator, low temperature separator, metering separator, elevated
separator, and stage separators (first stage, second stage, etc.).
Test separator:
• A test separator is used to separate and to meter the well fluids.
• The test separator can be referred to as a well tester or well checker.
• Test separators can be vertical, horizontal, or spherical.
• They can be two-phase or three-phase.
• They can be permanently installed or portable (skid or trailer mounted).
• Test separators can be equipped with various types of meters for measuring the
oil, gas, and/or water for potential tests, periodic production tests, marginal well
tests, etc.
Production separator:
• A production separator is used to separate the produced
well fluid from a well, group of wells, or a lease on a daily or
continuous basis.
• Production separators can be vertical, horizontal, or spherical.
• They can be two-phase or three-phase.
• Production separators range in size from 12 in. to 15 ft in diameter,
with most units ranging from 30 in. to 10 ft in diameter.
• They range in length from 6 to 70 ft, with most from 10 to 40 ft long.
Low-temperature separator:
• A low-temperature separator is a special one in which high-pressure
well fluid is jetted into the vessel through a choke or pressure
reducing valve so that the separator temperature is reduced
appreciably below the well-fluid temperature.
• The temperature reduction is obtained by the Joule–Thomson effect of
expanding well fluid as it flows through the pressure-reducing choke
or valve into the separator.
• The lower operating temperature in the separator causes condensation
of vapors that otherwise would exit the separator in the vapor state.
• Liquids thus recovered require stabilization to prevent excessive
evaporation in the storage tanks.
Metering separator:
• The function of separating well fluids into oil, gas, and water and
metering the liquids can be accomplished in one vessel.
• These vessels are commonly referred to as metering separators and are
available for two-phase and three-phase operation.
• These units are available in special models that make them suitable for
accurately metering foaming and heavy viscous oil.
Methods used to remove oil from gas in separators:

• Below are some of the ways in which oil is separated from gas in separators
• Density difference (gravity separation)
• Impingement
• Change of flow direction
• Change of flow velocity
• Centrifugal force
Methods used to remove gas from oil in separators:
• Because of higher prices for natural gas, the widespread reliance on metering
f liquid hydrocarbons, and other reasons, it is important to remove all non-solution gas from
crude oil during field processing.
• Methods used to remove gas from crude oil in oil and gas separators are discussed below:
• Agitation
• Heat
• Centrifugal force
Flow measurements in oil and gas separators:

• The direction of flow in and around a separator along with other flow
instruments is usually illustrated on the Piping and instrumentation
diagram, (P&ID).
• Some of these flow instruments include the Flow Indicator (FI), Flow
Transmitter (FT) and the Flow Controller (FC).
Flow calibration in oil and gas separators:

• Flow instruments that function with the separator in an oil and gas
environment include the flow indicator, flow transmitter and the flow
controller.
• Due to maintenance or due to high usage, these flow meters do need to
be calibrated from time to time.
• Calibration can be defined as the process of referencing signals of
known quantity that has been predetermined to suit the range of
measurements required.
• Calibration can also be seen from a mathematical point of view in which
the flow meters are standardized by determining the deviation from the
predetermined standard to ascertain the proper correction factors.
Controls, valves, accessories, and safety features for oil and gas separators:
Controls
• The controls required for oil and gas separators are liquid level controllers for oil and oil/water
interface (three-phase operation) and gas back-pressure control valve with pressure controller.
Valves
• The valves required for oil and gas separators are oil discharge control valve, water-discharge
control valve (three-phase operation), drain valves, block valves, pressure relief valves,
and Emergency Shutdown valves (ESD).
• ESD valves typically stay in open position for months or years awaiting a command signal to
operate
Accessories
• The accessories required for oil and gas separators are pressure gauges, thermometers,
pressure-reducing regulators (for control gas), level sight glasses, safety head with rupture
disk, piping, and tubing.
Safety features for oil and gas separators:

• Oil and gas separators should be installed at a safe distance from other lease
equipment.
• Where they are installed on offshore platforms or near other equipment,
precautions should be taken to prevent injury to personnel and damage to
surrounding equipment in case the separator or its controls or accessories fail.
• The following safety features are recommended for most oil and gas separators:
1. High- and low-liquid-level controls:
• High- and low liquid-level controls normally are float-operated pilots that
actuate a valve on the inlet to the separator, open a bypass around the separator,
sound a warning alarm, or perform some other pertinent function to prevent
damage that might result from high or low liquid levels in the separator.
2. High- and low-pressure controls:

• High- and low-pressure controls are installed on separators to prevent
excessively high or low pressures from interfering with normal
operations.
• These high- and low-pressure controls can be mechanical, pneumatic, or
electric and can sound a warning, actuate a shut-in valve, open a bypass,
or perform other pertinent functions to protect personnel, the separator,
and surrounding equipment.
3. High- and low-temperature controls:
• Temperature controls may be installed on separators to shut in the unit,
to open or to close a bypass to a heater, or to sound a warning should the
temperature in the separator become too high or too low.
• Such temperature controls are not normally used on separators, but they
may be appropriate in special cases.
• According to Francis (1951), low-temperature controls in separators is
another tools used by gas producers which finds its application in the
high-pressure gas fields, usually referred to as "vapor-phase" reservoirs.
• Low temperatures obtainable from the expansion of these high-pressure
gas streams are utilized to a profitable advantage.
• A more efficient recovery of the hydrocarbon condensate and a greater
degree of dehydration of the gas as compared to the conventional heater
and separator installation is a major advantage of low-temperature
controls in oil and gas separators.
4. Safety relief valves:

• A spring-loaded safety relief valve is usually installed on all oil
and gas separators.
• These valves normally are set at the design pressure of the vessel.
• Safety relief valves serve primarily as a warning, and in most
instances are too small to handle the full rated fluid capacity of the
separator.
• Full-capacity safety relief valves can be used and are particularly
recommended when no safety head (rupture disk) is used on the
separator.
5. Safety heads or rupture disks:

• A safety head or rupture disk is a device containing a thin metal
membrane that is designed to rupture when the pressure in the
separator exceeds a predetermined value.
• This is usually from 1 1/4 to 1% times the design pressure of the
separator vessel.
• The safety head disk is usually selected so that it will not rupture until
the safety relief valve has opened and is incapable of preventing
excessive pressure build-up in the separator.
Operation and maintenance considerations for oil and gas separators:

Some operational maintenance and considerations are discussed below:
• Periodic inspection
In refineries and processing plants, it is normal practice to inspect
all pressure vessels and piping periodically for corrosion and erosion.
• Installation of safety devices
All safety relief devices should be installed as close to the
vessel as possible and in such manner that the reaction force from
exhausting fluids will not break off, unscrew, or otherwise dislodge the
safety device.
The discharge from safety devices should not endanger
personnel or other equipment.
• Low temperature
Separators should be operated above hydrate-formation temperature.
Otherwise hydrates may form in the vessel and partially or
completely plug it thereby reducing the capacity of the separator.
In some instances when the liquid or gas outlet is plugged or
restricted, this causes the safety valve to open or the safety head to rupture.
Steam coils can be installed in the liquid section of oil and gas
separators to melt hydrates that may form there.
This is especially appropriate on low-temperature separators.
• Corrosive fluids
A separator handling corrosive fluid should be checked periodically to
determine whether remedial work is required.
Extreme cases of corrosion may require a reduction in the rated
working pressure of the vessel.
Periodic hydrostatic testing is recommended, especially if the fluids
being handled are corrosive.
Expendable anode can be used in separators to protect them
against electrolytic corrosion.
Some operators determine separator shell and head thickness with
ultrasonic thickness indicators and calculate the maximum allowable working
pressure from the remaining metal thickness.
This should be done yearly offshore and every two to four years onshore.
• Separators are sometimes called "gas scrubbers" when the ratio of gas rate to liquid rate is very high.
• Some operators use the term "traps" to designate separators that handle flow directly from wells.
• FACTORS AFFECTING SEPARATION:
• Characteristics of the flow stream will greatly affect the design and operation of a separator.
• The following factors must be determined before separator design:
o Gas and liquid flow rates (minimum, average, and peak)
o Operating and design pressures and temperatures
o Surging or slugging tendencies of the feed streams
o Physical properties of the fluids such as density and compressibility
o Designed degree of separation (e.g., removing 100% of particles greater than 10
microns)
o Presence of impurities (paraffin, sand, scale, etc.)
o Foaming tendencies of the crude oil
o Corrosive tendencies of the liquids or gas
Horizontal Separator
• Separators are designed in either horizontal, vertical, or spherical
configurations.
• a schematic of a horizontal separator is shown below
• The fluid enters the separator and hits an inlet diverter causing a sudden change
in momentum.
• The initial gross separation of liquid and vapor occurs at the inlet diverter.
• The force of gravity causes the liquid droplets to fall out of the gas stream to
the bottom of the vessel where it is collected.
• This liquid collection section provides the retention time required to let
entrained gas evolve out of the oil and rise to the vapor space.
• It also provides a surge volume, if necessary, to handle intermittent slugs of
liquid.
• The liquid then leaves the vessel through the liquid dump valve.
• The liquid dump valve is regulated by a level controller.
• The level controller senses changes in liquid level and controls the dump valve
accordingly.
• The gas flows over the inlet diverter and then horizontally through the
gravity settling section above the liquid.
• As the gas flows through this section, small drops of liquid that were
entrained in the gas and not separated by the inlet diverter are
separated out by gravity and fall to the gas liquid interface.
• Some of the drops are of such a small diameter that they are not easily
separated in the gravity settling section.
• Before the gas leaves the vessel, it passes through a coalescing section
or mist extractor.
• This section uses elements of vanes, wire mesh, or plates to coalesce
and remove the very small droplets of liquid in one final separation
before the gas leaves the vessel.
• The pressure in the separator is maintained by a pressure controller.

• The pressure controller senses changes in the pressure in the separator
and sends a signal to either open or close the pressure control valve
accordingly.
• By controlling the rate at which gas leaves the vapor space of the
vessel the pressure in the vessel is maintained.
• Normally, horizontal separators are operated half full of liquid to
maximize the surface area of the gas liquid interface.
Vertical Separators
• A schematic of a vertical
separator shown as
• In this configuration the
inlet flow enters the vessel
through the side. As in the
horizontal separator, the
inlet diverter does the
initial gross separation.
• The liquid flows down to
the liquid collection
section of the vessel.
• Liquid continues to flow downward through this section to the liquid

outlet.
• As the liquid reaches equilibrium, gas bubbles flow counter to the
direction of the liquid flow and eventually migrate to the vapor space.
• The level controller and liquid dump valve operate the same as in a
horizontal separator.
• The gas flows over the inlet diverter and then vertically upward toward
the gas outlet.
• In the gravity settling section the liquid drops fall vertically downward
counter to the gas flow.
• Gas goes through the mist extractor section before it leaves the vessel.
• Pressure and level are maintained as in a horizontal separator.
Spherical Separators
• A typical spherical separator is shown in
Figure.
• The same four sections can be found in
this vessel.
• Spherical separators are a special case of
a vertical separator where there is no
cylindrical shell between the two heads.
• They may be very efficient from a
pressure containment standpoint but
because
(1) they have limited liquid surge capability
(2) they exhibit fabrication difficulties; they
are not usually used in oil field facilities.
Sizing of vertical & horizontal two-phase separators:

• Assumptions:
1. No oil foaming takes place during the gas–oil separation
(otherwise retention time must be drastically increased as
explained earlier).
2. The cloud point of the oil and the hydrate point of the gas are
below the operating temperature.
3. The smallest separable liquid drops are spherical ones having a
diameter of 100 mm.
4. Liquid carryover with the separated gas does not exceed 0.10
gallon/MMSCF.
Fundamentals
1. The difference in densities between liquid and gas is taken as a basis
for sizing the gas capacity of the separator
2. A normal liquid (oil) retention time for gas to separate from oil is
between 30 s and 3 min. Under foaming conditions, more time is
considered (5–20 min).
3. In the gravity settling section, liquid drops will settle at a terminal
velocity that is reached when the gravity/buoyancy force F B acting on
the oil drop balances the drag force (F D ) exerted by the surrounding
fluid or gas.
4. For vertical separators, liquid droplets (oil) separate by settling

downward against an up-flowing gas stream; for horizontal ones, liquid
droplets assume a trajectory like path while it flows through the vessel.
5. For vertical separators, the gas capacity is proportional to the cross-
sectional area of the separator, whereas for horizontal separators, gas
capacity is proportional to area of disengagement (i.e. diameter x length ).
Settling velocity of liquid droplets:

• In separating oil droplets from the gas in the gravity settling
section of a separator, a relative motion exists between the
particle, which is the oil/ water droplet, and the surrounding
fluid, which is the gas.
• Liquid droplets being much greater in density than the gas,
tends to move vertically downward under the gravitational or
buoyant force
THREE-PHASE OIL AND GAS SEPARATION
• Three – phase separator are designed as either horizontal or vertical

pressure vessels.
Horizontal Separator Design Procedures:
• For sizing a horizontal three-phase separator it is necessary to specify
a vessel diameter and a seam-to-seam vessel length.
• The gas capacity and retention time considerations establish certain
acceptable combinations of diameter and length.
• The need to settle 500-micron water droplets from the oil establishes a
maximum diameter.
Schematic of a horizontal three-phase separator with interface level control
Schematic of a horizontal three-phase separator with a “bucket and weir.”
Steps:
• Vertical Separator Design Procedures:
Optimum Pressure for Gas–Oil Separators:

• Optimization of the separation process mainly focuses on recovering
more oil by adjusting separator temperature and pressure.
• Field experience proves that lowering the operating temperature of a
separator increases the liquid recovery.
• It is also an efficient means of handling high pressure gas and
condensate at the wellhead. A low-temperature separation unit consists
of a high-pressure separator, pressure-reducing chokes, and various
pieces of heat exchange equipment.
• When the pressure is reduced using a choke the fluid temperature

decreases because of the Joule–Thomson or the throttling effect.
• This is an irreversible adiabatic process whereby the heat content of
the gas remains the same across the choke, but the pressure and
temperature of the gas stream are reduced.
• Throttling process is an irreversible process in which pressure of the
gas decreases without performing external work it is regarded as a
steady flow process through a choke valve.
• The effect of the operating pressure on the recovery of stock tank-oil
for the following two extreme conditions
• High-pressure operation: This will reduce the opportunity of light

hydrocarbons in the feed to vaporize and separate. However, once this
liquid stream is directed to the storage tank, violent flashing occurs due to
the high-pressure drop, with subsequent severe losses of the heavier
hydrocarbons into the gas phase.
• Low-pressure operation: Here, large quantities of light hydrocarbons
will separate from the gas–oil separator, carrying along with them heavier
hydrocarbons, causing a loss in the recovered oil. Upon directing this
liquid stream to the storage tank, it suffers very little loss in heavy
components, because the bulk of light gases were separated in the
separator.
• It may be concluded that a proper operating pressure must be selected and
its value has to be between the two extreme cases as described in order to
maximize the oil yield.
• Stage separation of oil and gas is carried out by a series of separators

whose pressures gradually decrease.
• The fluid is discharged from a high-pressure separator to the next low-
pressure separator.
• The purpose of stage separation is to get the highest amount of
hydrocarbon liquid from the well fluid and provide the highest
stability of the two streams of liquid and gas.
Advantages of multistage separation:

• When the pressure of the separator is increased, the gas/oil ratio of the
separator is decreased.
• Increasing the pressure of the separator causes more light molecules
enter the stock tank liquid.
• When the pressure is reduced to the atmospheric pressure, these
molecules leave the liquid phase, and this increases the gas/oil ratio in
the stock tank.
• Therefore, the separator and stock tank gases pass a minimum
together. The pressure of this minimum point is referred to as the
optimized pressure of the separator.
Three-Stage separation
Pressure Profile of a Three-Stage

• In the determination of the optimum operating pressure for a GOSP
consisting of three stages (high-, intermediate-, and low-pressure
separators) it is the second-stage pressure that could be freely changed,
hence optimized.
• The pressure in the first stage (high pressure) is normally fixed under
one of the following conditions:
1. Matching certain requirements to supply high-pressure gas
for gas-injection facilities existing in the field.
2. Selling the gas through pipelines
3. Flow conditions of the producing wells
• Similarly, the pressure in the third stage (low pressure) is

fixed for the following cases:
1. The last stage is a storage tank.
2. An existing gas-gathering or a vapor recovery facility
that utilizes the gas.
3. The last stage operates at the relatively low pressure.
Variation of GOR with P 2
Determination of
the A factor
4. Flash calculation
• The amount of hydrocarbon fluid that exists in the gaseous phase or
the liquid phase at any points at the process is determined by a flash
calculation.
• For a given pressure and temperature, each component in the gas
phase will depend not only on pressure and temperature, but also on
the partial pressure of the component.
• Therefore, the amount of gas depends upon the total composition of
the fluids as the mole fraction of any one component in the gas phase
is the function of the mole fraction of every other component in this
phase.
• A ‘‘flash’’ is a single-stage distillation in

which a feed is partially vaporized to give a
vapor that is richer in the more volatile
components.
• This is the case of a feed heated under
pressure and flashed adiabatically across a
valve to a lower pressure, the vapor being
separated from the liquid residue in a flash
drum.
• This is the case of ‘‘light liquids.’’ Apart from
the gas–oil separation problem addressed
here, methods used in practice to produce and
hence separate two-phase mixtures are as
follows.
• Flash calculations are used for processes with vapor/liquid-

equilibrium (VLE). A typical process that requires flash calculations,
is when a feed stream (F) is separated into a vapor (V ) and liquid (L)
product;
• Conditions Necessary for Flashing
• Material balance equation:
Pumps:
Types
Characteristic
Advantages
Applications
• PUMP CLASSIFICATION
• Pumps are classified as:
“Kinetic" pump
“Positive displacement” pumps
• In a kinetic pump, energy is added continuously to increase the fluid's velocity within the pump
to values in excess of those that exist in the discharge pipe.
• Passageways in the pump then reduce the velocity until it matches that in the discharge pipe.
• From Bernoulli's law, as the velocity head of the fluid is reduced, the pressure head must
increase.
• Therefore, in a kinetic pump:
• The kinetic or velocity energy of the fluid is first increased and then converted to potential or
pressure energy.
• Almost all kinetic pumps used in production facilities are centrifugal pumps in which the
kinetic energy is imparted to the fluid by a rotating impeller generating centrifugal force.
• PUMP CLASSIFICATION
• In a positive displacement pump the volume containing the liquid is

decreased until the resulting liquid pressure is equal to the pressure in the
discharge system.
• That is, the liquid is compressed mechanically, causing a direct rise in

potential energy. Most positive displacement pumps are reciprocating pumps
where the displacement is accomplished by linear motion of a piston in a
cylinder.
• Rotary pumps are another common type of positive displacement pump,

where the displacement is caused by circular motion.
• CENTRIFUGAL PUMPS
• Centrifugal pumps are classified as either radial flow or axial flow.
• Radial flow pump:
• Flow enters the center of the rotating wheel (impeller) and is propelled radially
to the outside by centrifugal force. Within the impeller the velocity of the liquid is
increased, and this is converted to pressure by the case.
• A typical axial flow pump is shown in Figure 10-2.
• Flow is parallel to the axis of the shaft. A velocity is imparted by the impeller vanes,
which are shaped like airfoils.
• Most pumps are neither radial flow nor completely axial flow but have a flow path
somewhere in between the two extremes.
• Radial flow pumps develop a higher head per stage and operate at slower speeds
than axial flow pumps. Therefore, axial flow designs are used in very high flow
rate, very low head applications.
Head flow diagram

• A typical head-capacity curve for a centrifugal pump.
• At a constant speed (i.e., rotational velocity), as the head required to
be furnished by the pump efficiency curve. For a given impeller
shape, the efficiency is a maximum at a design throughput rate.
• As the rate varies upward and downward from this point the
efficiency decreases.
• By varying the pump speed the throughput at a given head or the head
for a given throughput can be changed.
• In Figure 10-4 as the speed decreases from N1 to N 2 to N 3 ,
the flow rate decreases if the head required is constant, or the head
decreases if the flow rate is constant.
• In most piping systems both the head and the flow rate vary because the system
has its own required pump head for a given flow rate.
• This can be seen by the example in Figure 10-5 where the head required by
the system for the pump to be provided is merely the friction drop in the
pipeline between points A and B.
• This is a function of flow rate and can therefore be plotted as a "system curve"
on the pump-head-flow-rate curve. For this system, as the pump is speeded up
or slowed down a new equilibrium of head and flow rate is established by the
intersection of the system curve with the pump curve.
• Figure 10-6 shows how the throughput can be changed by imposing an
• artificial backpressure on the pump. By adjusting its orifice, the control
• valve can shift the system curve, establishing new head-flow-rate equilibria.
• As the pressure drop across the control valve increases from delta P1 to delta P 2
to AP 3 the flow rate decreases from Qi to Q 2 to Q 3 -
The advantages of centrifugal pumps are:

1. They are relatively inexpensive.
2. They have few moving parts and therefore tend to have greater on-stream
availability and lower maintenance costs than positive displacement pumps.
3. They have relatively small space and weight requirements in relation to
throughput.
4. There are no close clearances in the fluid stream and therefore they can
handle liquids containing dirt, abrasives, large solids, etc.
5. Because there is very little pressure drop and no small clearances between the
suction flange and the impeller, they can operate at low suction pressures ( "net
positive suction head,“ ).
6. Due to the shape of the head-capacity curve, centrifugal pumps
automatically adjust to changes in head. Thus, capacity can be controlled over a
wide range at constant speed.
RECIPROCATING PUMPS
• In reciprocating pumps, energy is added to the fluid intermittently by moving one
or more boundaries linearly with a piston, plunger, or diaphragm in one or
more fluid-containing volumes.
• If liquid is pumped during linear movement in one direction only then the pump is
classified "single acting."
• If the liquid is pumped during movement in both directions it is classified as
"double acting."
• Figure 10-7 shows both a single-acting and a double-acting pump. As the plunger,
A, moves to the right in the single acting pump the fluid is compressed until its
pressure exceeds the discharge pressure and the discharge check valve, B, opens.
The continued movement of the plunger to the right pushes’ liquid into the
discharge pipe.
• As the plunger begins to move to the left, the pressure in the cylinder becomes less
than that in the discharge pipe and the discharge valve closes
• In single acting, at this point the suction check valve, C, opens.

• As the plunger continues to move to the left the cylinder fills with liquid from
the suction.
• As soon as the plunger begins to move to the right it compresses the
liquid to a high enough pressure to close the suction valve and the cycle is
repeated. Thus, liquid is discharged only when the plunger moves to the right.
• In a double-acting pump the plunger is replaced by a piston, D.
• When the piston moves to the right, the liquid in the cylinder to the right of the
piston, E, is discharged and the cylinder to the left of the piston, F, is
filled.
• When the direction of the piston is reversed the liquid in F is discharged and
the cylinder at E is filled with suction fluid. Thus, liquid is pumped when the
cylinder moves in either direction.
• Reciprocating pumps are also classified by the number of cylinders they

have.
• If the liquid is contained in one cylinder it is called a simplex pump, two
cylinders a duplex, three cylinders a triplex, five cylinders a quintuplex,
seven cylinders a septuplex, and so forth.
• The head-flow-rate curve is a nearly straight vertical line.
• That is, no matter how high a head is required, the plunger will displace a
given volume of liquid for each rotation. The flow rate through the pump can
only be varied by changing the pump speed.
• A throttling valve that changes the system head-flow-rate curve will have
no effect on the flow rate through the pump.
• Since the pump will attempt to match whatever system pressure is
required, it is necessary that a relief valve be installed on the pump discharge.
This assures that the pump will not overpressure itself or the discharge pipe.
The advantages of reciprocating pumps are :

1. The efficiency is high regardless of changes in required head.
Efficiencies on the order of 85% to 95% are common.
2. The efficiency remains high regardless of pump speed, although
it tends to decrease slightly with increasing speed.
3. Reciprocating pumps run at much lower operating speeds than
centrifugal pumps and thus are better suited for handling viscous fluids.
4. For a given speed the flow rate is constant regardless of head. The
pump is limited only by the power of the prime mover and the
strength of the pump parts.
Reciprocating pumps have following disadvantages when compared

to centrifugal pumps:
1. They have higher maintenance cost and lower availability because
of the pulsating flow and large number of moving parts.
2. They are poorer at handling liquids containing solids that tend
to erode valves and seats.
3. Because of the pulsating flow and pressure drop through the valves
they require larger suction pressures (net positive suction head) at
the suction flange to avoid cavitation.
4. They are heavier in weight and require more space.
5. Pulsating flow requires special attention to suction and discharge
piping design to avoid both acoustical and mechanical vibrations.
Dampener
• In reciprocating pumps
• The oscillating motion of the plungers creates disturbances (pulsations) that
travel at the speed of sound from the pump cylinder to the piping system.
• These pulsations cause the pressure level of the system to fluctuate with
respect to time.
• In order to lessen potentially damaging pulsations in piping from this
pressure fluctuation, pulsation dampeners may be installed in the suction
and/or discharge piping of the reciprocating pump.
• Pulsation dampeners are recommended for all major multi-pump
installations.
• There are basically four types of pulsation dampeners: liquid-filled, gas-liquid
interface, gas-cushioned, and tuned acoustical filter.
DIAPHRAGM PUMPS
• These pumps are a special type of reciprocating pump that utilize the action of a
diaphragm moving back and forth within a fixed chamber.
• Sometimes the diaphragm is used to power a reciprocating pump with air or natural gas.
• Figure 10-9 shows a typical diaphragm pump where flexure of the diaphragm creates
the pumping action.
• When gas pressure is applied against either diaphragm it forces liquid out. When
the gas is relieved the diaphragm flexes under the pressure in the suction line and
allows liquid to enter.
• The advantages of a diaphragm pump are that it can handle large amounts of
suspended solids, is inexpensive to repair, can handle low flow rates inexpensively,
and can run periodically without any liquid.
• However, diaphragm pumps require frequent maintenance because they are
reciprocating pumps and because the diaphragm has a tendency to fatigue with time.
• They generally cannot handle very high flow rates, or discharge pressures.
ROTARY PUMPS
• These pumps operate by having a rotating member turn inside a housing in
such a way as to create trapped liquid through the pump.
• Figure 10-10 shows several configurations of rotary pumps.
• Although these pumps may look like centrifugal pumps, their action is that
of a positive displacement pump in that the liquid is continually
compressed to a high pressure without first being given a high kinetic
energy.
• Rotary pumps have the same characteristics as reciprocating pumps,
except that at low speed leakage between the cavities increases. At very
low speeds the reduction in efficiency can be very significant.
• When compared to reciprocating pumps, rotary pumps require less space,
and deliver relatively pulsation-free flow.
• Their main advantage is that unlike reciprocating and centrifugal

pumps, their construction subjects the pumped fluid to a
minimum amount of shear or turbulence.
• Thus, they tend to be used in process applications where one of
the other pump types could be expected to shear and disperse
one liquid into another making subsequent treating more difficult.
• Their disadvantages are that they have close clearances that require
that the liquids being pumped have a lubricating value, be non-
corrosive, and contain few solids.
• Therefore, they tend to be limited to relatively solids-free oil or
emulsion streams.
MULTIPHASE PUMPS
• Multiphase fluids typically produced from an oil well consist of
hydrocarbon liquid, hydrocarbon gas, and an immiscible water
phase. These fluids historically must be processed by a multiphase
production system near the wells.
• This arrangement is needed because transfer of the multiphase fluids is
achieved through the use of reservoir energy and. In most cases, this
energy is insufficient to transfer fluids over any considerable
distance.
• The inherent problem with processing multiphase fluids close to
the wells is the high capital and operating cost experienced (both
onshore and offshore). by lowering required back-pressure on wells.
• A solution to this problem is to obtain a pump that can handle

unprocessed multiphase fluids and transport them over
considerable distances; the multiphase pump can do this task. This
pump is able to boost the pressure of wellhead fluids over considerable
distances to a central processing facility, thereby eliminating several
smaller local processing facilities.
• In addition to providing for economic savings from consolidation of
surface and offshore facilities, the use of multiphase pumps makes
the development of satellite fields more economically attractive.
• Multiphase pumps also aid in increasing well production rates by
lowering required back-pressure on wells.
Helico axial pump
• Pump is required to pump a fluid between two points.

• In a piping system pump head can be calculated by rearranging
Bernoulli's law:
Find out pump hydraulic horse power for following:
1) Flow rate is 10000 blpd

Required increase in pressure ( delta P)= 500 psi
2) Pump head =1000 feet

Sp. Gravity of liquid= 1
Flow rate = 10000 blpd
Find out pump break horse power for following:
1) Flow rate is 10000 blpd

Required increase in pressure ( delta P)= 500 psi
Pump efficiency = 85 %
2) Pump head =1000 feet

Sp. Gravity of liquid= 1
Flow rate = 10000 blpd
Pump efficiency = 85 %
Compressors
 What is a Compressor?
◦A mechanical device that increases the pressure of a gas by reducing
its volume.
◦Similar to a pump – Increases the pressure on a fluid and transport it
through a pipe.
 What is key difference between a Fluid and a Gas?
◦Compressibility – a gas is compressible
 What happens to gas volume as it is compressed?
◦Decreases
 What happens to the Temperature of the Gas as it is compressed?
◦Increases
 Compressors are classified by how they work

 Two Categories of Compressors
◦Positive Displacement
◦Dynamic
 What is a Positive Displacement Compressor?
◦A compressor that confines successive volumes of gas within a closed space in
which the pressure of the gas is increased as the volume of the closed space is
decreased.
Intermittent Flow
 What is a Dynamic Compressor?
◦A compressor using a rotating mechanism to add velocity and pressure to gas.
Continuous Flow
• Two types of Positive Displacement Compressors:

Reciprocating
Rotary
• Two Types of Dynamic Compressors
Centrifugal
Axial
• Reciprocating Compressors
How does it work?
Piston movement in a
cylinder connected to a rod
and crankshaft
Downward piston motion,
low pressure gas enters the
chamber
Upward piston motion, gas is
compressed and exits the
chamber
 Reciprocating Compressors
◦High Horsepower Applications
 Common in natural gas transmission lines.
 Processes for high pressure delivery of gasses
◦Air Conditioning Compressors

 Some manufactures (Frigidaire™) use rotary compressors
 AC Compressors (and other small appliance applications) are Hermetic or
Semi-Hermetic
 Hermetically Sealed and Semi Hermetically Sealed Compressors

◦The compressor and motor driving the compressor are integrated, and operate within the
pressurized gas envelope of the system.
◦The motor is designed to operate and be cooled by the gas or vapor being compressed.
◦The hermetic uses a one-piece welded steel casing that cannot be opened for repair.
 If the hermetic fails it is simply replaced with an entire new unit.
◦A semi-hermetic uses a large cast metal shell with gasketed covers that can be opened to
replace motor and pump components.
◦The primary advantage of a hermetic and semi-hermetic is that there is no route for the gas to
leak out of the system.
Open compressors rely on either natural leather or synthetic rubber seals to retain the
internal pressure
Require a lubricant such as oil to retain their
sealing properties
 Rotary Compressors
◦How do they it work?
When a rotating mechanism spins past the inlet valve, it creates a
vacuum.
The fluid flows out of the valve behind it, filling the vacuum.
As it approaches the outlet valve, the chamber shrinks, creating
more pressure on the fluid.
The fluid has nowhere to go but out of the outlet valve, so it shoots
out of it.
Then the rotating mechanism continues on to draw more fluid at the
inlet valve.
 Common Types of Rotary Compressors

◦Screw
◦Vane
◦Scroll
 Screw
◦Two meshing helix screws
Rotors
◦Compact and smooth running
◦2 types - Oil Free and Oil Flooded
Oil Free – No assistance from oil to cool and assist in sealing .
Oil Flooded – Oil injected to aid in sealing and provide cooling.
Separator downstream to capture the oil
 Vane Compressors
◦Vane housing on a off centered shaft
◦Vanes slide in an out always making contact with the compressor
walls
◦Gas enters in the largest opening
◦Exits the smallest
◦Good for low pressure applications
◦Efficient
◦Heat controlled by
oil injection
 Scroll Compressor
◦How it works
2 Spirals
1 stationary, 1 orbits without rotating
1st orbit entraps inlet gas
Subsequent orbits compresses gas and exited out the center
Generally 2-3 orbits for a full cycle
◦Advantages
Compact
Steady flow
Low energy use
Quiet
Smooth operation
• What is a Dynamic Compressor?

A compressor using a rotating mechanism to add velocity and
pressure to gas.
Continuous Flow
• What are the Two Types of Dynamic Compressors?
Centrifugal
Axial
• Centrifugal Compressors
Rotating disk (impeller) forces gas to the rim of the impeller, increasing
velocity
The diffuser converts the velocity energy to pressure energy.
Primarily used for continuous, stationary service in industries such as refineries,
chemical plants and snow making operations
• Single Stage and Multi-Stage Compressors
• Impeller
Most critical part of a centrifugal compressor
Compressor performance determined by impeller:
Size
Shape
Speed
3 types of Impellers
Closed
Most common
Shroud covering both sides of the blade
Center eye hole for gas to enter
Used in Multi-stage compressors
Semi –open
Open
• Multi-Stage Compressors
Diaphragm
Specially designed casing wall separating the stages
Gas passes through the diffuser
Passes through the return channel in the diaphragm
Controlling Axial Load on the Shaft
Bearing Review
Thrust Bearing
• Axial Compressors
Gas flows parallel to the axis of rotation
Unlike centrifugal that has radial components
Has rotating and stationary components
Rotating airfoil – rotor
Stationary airfoil – stator
Similar number of these on a shaft
• Axial Compressors
High Volume
High Efficiency
High Cost
Common Uses
Gas Turbines
Jet engines
Power stations
Nickname – “Superchargers”
GAS COMPRESSION
Need & application of gas compression
in oil/gas Sector
- To flow gas/vapor from a lower pressure to a higher
pressure system
Differential Pressure:
- Expressed in terms of overall compression ratio
RT = P d / Ps
Where,
RT = Overall compressor ratio
Pd = Discharge pressure, psia
Ps = Suction Pressure, psia
Flash gas compressors:

 Flash gas from oil treating vessels often exists at too low pressure
 Due to economics or environmental reasons, gas is compressed to
sales gas
 Normally characterized by low throughput & high differential press.
 Overall compression ratio in the range of 5 to 20
Booster compressors:
 Used in marginal gas fields or declining field that is flown to surface
at lower pressure than sales gas
 Also used on long pipelines to restore pressure drop lost to friction
 Normally characterized by relatively high throughput & low overall
compression ratio
 Overall compression ratio in the range of 2 to 5
Gas lift compressors:

 Gas lift system is needed to help lift the oil to the surface
 Gas lift compressor must compress not only the formation gas but
also the gas-lift gas that is circulated down the well
 Normally characterized by high throughput & high diff. pressure
Casinghead gas compressors:

 Used for artificial lift means e.g. down hole submersible/rod pump
 Most of the formation gas has to be separated down hole and flowed
to annulus
 Due to economical or environmental reasons, the gas is compressed
 Normally characterized by low suction pressure (0-25 psig)
 Often discharge at low pressure (50-300 psig) into the suction of a
booster or flash gas compressors
Vapor recovery compressors:
 For vapor recovery from tanks & other atmospheric

equipment
 Normally have very low suction pressure typically have
low flow rates
 Normally discharge into the suction of a flash gas
compressor
Simple Compression System
Compressors: Types
Positive Displacement Compressors
- Gas is transported from low pressure to high pressure in a device that

reduces its volume and thus increases its pressure
Kinetic/Dynamic Compressors
- Velocity head is imparted to gas, which is then converted to a pressure

head as per Bernoulli’s Law
- The gas is slowed down to the velocity in the discharge line
Compressors: Types
1. Positive Displacement Compressors

• Reciprocating
• Rotary
 Screw compressors
 Lobe compressors
 Sliding vane compressors
2. Kinetic/Dynamic Compressors
• Centrifugal compressors
• Axial flow compressors
General Ranges of Application

Reciprocating Compressors
– Inlet gas rate : Up to 5000 m3/h
– RT per stage : Usually 3 to 4 (max. 5)
– Discharge pressure : Up to 3500 bars
– Operating speeds : Between 300 to 1500 rpm
– Max. RT is limited by the max. gas O/L temp.
– Max. gas outlet temp. to be allowed is usually between 160 to 190 Deg. C
Centrifugal Compressors
– Inlet gas rate : 800 to 150000 m3/h
General Ranges of Application

Rotary Compressors (screw type)
– Inlet gas rate : Between 500 to 4000 m3/h
– RT by casing : Between 2 to 7 (limited by 7 bars DP)
– Discharge pressure : Up to 3500 bars
Axial Compressors
– Inlet gas rate : Minimum 50000 m3/h
– RT by casing : Between 2 to 6
• Gas is compressed by the reduction of volume in a
cylinder by piston action
• Low capacity/high pressure gas compression for

re-injection, instrument & service air compressors
• Reciprocating cycle consists of four steps e.g.

compression, discharge, expansion & suction
• Cylinders are generally lubricated. Non-lubricated

design is available like in N2, O2 & instr. air comp.
• Intercoolers may be provided between stages

Horsepower
• Detailed compressor HP calculation can be made by Bhp per million
curve. These provide net HP, including mechanical h & gas losses
Bhp = (Bhp/MMcfd) (Pstd/14.4) (Ts/Tstd) (Zavg) (MMcfd)
• The above formula refers to 14.4 psi pressure and intake temp. This
is corrected by ‘correction factor for low pressure intake’ graph
• The formula also does not take in to account the change of gas
specific gravity, which is corrected by specific gr. correction graph
Control Devices
• Output of the compressor to be controlled to match system demand.
Capacity, speed or pressure may be varied as per requirement
• The nature of control device depends on the regulating variable
1. Unloading for starting
- Starting torque of motor should be more than that due to comp load
- Common methods are: discharge venting, discharge to suction bypass,

holding open the inlet valves using valve lifters
Control Devices
2. Capacity control
- A falling pressure indicates faster use of gas than being compressed whereas
the rising pressure indicates the opposite
- The capacity of steam driven & IC engine driven compressors is controlled

by speed variation (by regulating steam/fuel admission)
- Capacity of electric motor-driven compressors is controlled either by

automatic-start-stop control or by constant speed control
- Automatic-start-stop control stops or starts the compressor by means of a

pressure actuated switch
Control Devices
2. Capacity control (Continued)
- Two methods of unloading the compressor for const. speed control:
• Inlet valve unloaders operate to hold the compressor inlet open

and thereby prevent compression
• Clearance unloaders consists of pockets/small reservoirs, which

are opened when unloading is desired. Gas is compressed in to
them on compression stroke & expands in to cylinder on the
return stroke
Rotary Compressors Aditya Engineering College (A)
Lobed Blowers
• Generally two-impeller type, having impellers with a figure of

eight shape
• Impellers rotate in opposite directions and entrap gas,

delivering it from suction to discharge
• One rotor is driven directly by prime mover and other is

driven via a gear train
• Lobed blowers are slow-speed, high inertia devices. Typical

applications are for large amount of gases at low pressure
and low compression ratio
Screw Compressor
• Also called helical or spiral lobe compressors. Action is much
like lobed blowers except that two rotors not be identical shape.
One rotor has rounded tips to fit in to rounded grooves of other
• When the two grooves encounter their inlet ports, they are filled
with inlet gas. As the two grooves rotate towards each other,
rounded lobe encounters rounded groove & traps the inlet gas
• Further rotation reduces the volume containing the gas by

compressing it
• As with the lobed blower, one rotor is driven directly by prime mover and
other is driven via a gear train
• These are higher in speed & compression ratio than the lobed blowers
Sliding Vane Compressors

• Eccentrically mounted rotor with longitudinal slots in to which
slide vanes are fitted
• The sliding vane compressor is like the reciprocating

compressor, except that it needs no valves. However, due to its
design, it has an internally fixed compression ratio
• These are generally small units used for air compression or

vacuum services
• Speeds are roughly 600 to 1800 rpm and generally driven by directly
coupled electric motors
Centrifugal Compressors
Principle of compression
• One impeller (flow path 1-2): As the impeller rotates, it gives
centrifugal force to gas thereby increasing velocity & pressure.

Gas leaves impeller periphery, creating a low pressure area at the
impeller eye which in turn causes a suction effect.
• One diffuser ( flow path 2-3): Gas leaving impeller periphery is
forced in to a internal passageway called diffuser. The radius of

diffuser being larger, decreases gas velocity thus incresing
pressure
Centrifugal Compressors Aditya Engineering College (A)
Principle of compression
• Return channel (flow path 3-4-5): Gas leaving the diffuser is
routed into the return channel which guides it into the eye of
second stage impeller
• Return channel is equipped with the blades which allow gas flow
to adapt to the hydraulic path & rotational velocity of second

stage impeller.
Main Compression Processes
Ideal Compression
• Compression without any losses or irreversibility
• Adiabatic compression requires that no heat be added or
withdrawn when a change of state occurs.

• Adiabatic compression may or not be reversible. If it is
reversible, it is an isentropic compression

• Thus ideal compression becomes isentropic compression
Real Compression
• Takes into account various losses thus it is irreversible process
• Real compression is considered like adiabatic compression but
the entropy increases due to some frictional energy

Main Compression Processes
Polytropic Compression
• It is reversible but not adiabatic
• It is supposed that external heat is added to gas during compres.
• It is defined by the laws expressed by the same mathematical
equations as for isentropic compression
Summary:
Compression Process Isentropic Polytropic Real
Adiabatic Yes No Yes
Reversible Yes Yes No
Discharge temp T2is < T2real T2poly = T2real T2real
Compression work Wis Wis<Wpoly<Wreal Wreal
Compression Efficiencies
• Isentropic efficiency
his = Wis / Wreal
• Polytropic Efficiency
hp = Wp / Wreal
• Mechanical Efficiencies
hm = Wreal / Ws
Gas Properties Effect on Compression
Two important properties for compression process are:
• Molecular Weight
• Specific heat ratio
g = Cp / Cv
Effect on discharge temperature:

• Does not depend on molecular weight but varies depending on
value of g. Temp is higher for higher g value
Effect on compression power:

• If gas flow is expressed in terms of volume at normal/standard
conditions, only the value of g has an effect not value of mol. wt.
• If expressed in terms of weight flow, compression power is
depend on mol. wt.
Power Calculations
a) Discharge Temperature
T2 = T1(P2 / P1)(g-1/ghp)
b) Real Work
Wreal = (Z2+Z1)/2 (g-1)/g (RT1/M) [ {P2 / P1}(g-1/ghp)-1]
c) Shaft Power
Ps = (Wreal / hm) (qm / 3600) (1 + f / 100)
Where: qm = wt. flow in kg/hr

f = leak factor (1 to 5% for smaller compressor up to
800
KW & 1% for bigger compressor)
Centrifugal Compressors: Surge control
• Surge condition occurs when the compressor does not

have enough flow to produce sufficient head. At this
point, gas in discharge line flows back momentarily
• This lowers back pressure of the system, establishing
forward flow at relatively low head
• The cycling from zero, or even backwards flow to
forward flow is called surge
• Surge is very detrimental to compressor bearings & seal
• Most compressors can only sustain a very few cycles of

surge before severe mechanical problems develop
Typical centrifugal compressor curve showing surge
Flow Rate
To Flare
Flare Header
Group Header
Flare KOD
Test Header
To Sobhasan
CTF
FE
PCV
PSV
Gas
Scrubber
Gas Compressors
2.0 LIC Flame

LCV Arrester
Kg/cm2
Well Fluids
Oil
FE
Group Separator Storage
PSV Tank
PCV
2.0
Kg/cm2
LIC
To GGS-II
Test oil tank
Test Separator
Well Fluids Sales Gas
Liquid Flare Gas

Blowers
• Blower is equipment or a device which increases the velocity of air or
gas when it is passed through equipped impellers.
• They are mainly used for flow of air/gas required for exhausting,
aspirating, cooling, ventilating, conveying etc.
• Blower is also commonly known as Centrifugal Fans in industry.
• In a blower, the inlet pressure is low and is higher at the outlet.
• The kinetic energy of the blades increases the pressure of the air at the
outlet.
• Blowers are mainly used in industries for moderate pressure
requirements where the pressure is more than the fan and less than the
compressor.
Types of Blowers:
• Blowers can also be classified as Centrifugal and Positive
displacement blowers.
• Like fans, blowers use blades in various designs such as backward
curved, forward curved and radial.
• They are mostly driven by electric motor.
• They can be single or multistage units and use high speed impellers to
create velocity to air or other gases.
• Positive displacement blowers are like PDP pumps, which squeezes
fluid that in turn increases pressure.
• This kind of blower is preferred over a centrifugal blower where high
pressure is required in a process.
• Blowers are mostly used for processes such as Gas Compression, Water
Treatment Aeration, Air Ventilation, Material Handling, Air Drying etc.
• Compressed air applications are widely used in various fields such as
Aerospace, Automotive, Chemical Manufacturing, Electronics, Food
and Beverage, General Manufacturing, Glass Manufacturing,
Hospitals/Medical, Mining, Pharmaceuticals, Plastics, Power
Generation, Wood Products and many more.
• Centrifugal blowers are routinely used for applications such as dust
control, combustion air supplies, on cooling, drying systems, for fluid
bed aerators with air conveyor systems etc.
• Positive displacement blowers are often used in pneumatic conveying,
and for sewage aeration, filter flushing, and gas boosting, as well as for
moving gases of all kinds in the petrochemical industries.
• Industrial blowers are mechanical devices which are used in the

places/process where flow of gas is needed such as conveying,
ventilating, cooling, aspirating, exhausting etc.
• A blower is also often known as “Fans” in many industries.
• Industrial blowers can be specified by blower type, flow capacity,
dimensions, maximum operating pressure, port design and electrical
ratings. Following are two basic types of industrial bowers and its
briefing.
Centrifugal Blowers:
• Such blowers use high speed blades or impellers to impart velocity to
air or other gases.
• They offer several blade orientations such as radial, forward curved
and backward curved.
• In centrifugal blowers, fan affinity laws dictate that a percent
reduction in speed will produce a like reduction in flow.
Positive Displacement Blowers:

• Such type of blowers use mechanical means to squeeze fluid and
thereby increase pressure and velocity as per the needs unlike
centrifugal designs which impart pressure and velocity to media by
flinging them outward with impellers.
• Here rotary lobe or root type is common which uses two counter-
rotating lobed rotors to move fluid through the blower.
• These type of blowers are often driven by direct-coupled electric
motors
Applications of Industrial Blowers:

•Applications of centrifugal blowers are as follows:
•Used for combustion air suppliers, drying and cooling
systems
•Used for dust control, air conveyor systems, fluid bed
aerators etc.
• Applications of positive displacement blowers are as follows:
• Mostly used for sewage aeration, in pneumatic
conveying, gas boosting, filter flushing and all kinds
of petrochemical industries
Considerations while Buying

• These industrial blowers are specified based on flow rate and pressure.
• When higher pressures are needed, these type of blowers are
purchased.
• Following attributes are to be checked while you purchase it:
•Type of blower
•Orientation of blades
•Flow capacity of blower
•Maximum operating pressure
•Port design
• Blower is a machine which is used to move air at moderate pressure.

OR simply, blowers are used for blowing air/gas in a specific or given
area. A blower can develop a maximum pressure of about 202 kilo
Pascals, which is equal to 2 atmospheres.
WORKING PRINCIPLE:
• Blowers increase the pressure of the absorbed gas by the centrifugal
movement of the impeller.
• when the impeller is rotating, the channels in the impeller push the air
forward by centrifugal movement and a helical movement occurs.
• Then the gas is continuously compressed along the channel and the
pressure increases linearly.
• Then the pressurized air is transferred from outlet duct of the blower.
• In a blower the inlet pressure is low, and the outlet pressure is high.
• Because the kinetic energy of the blades increases the pressure of the
air at the outlet.
TYPES OF BLOWERS:
Blowers are classified into two types they are
(1) positive displacement blowers
(2) centrifugal blowers
• Blowers also use blades in various designs like fans. Such as
backward curved, forward curved and radial, they are mainly operated
by a electric motor.
(1) POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT BLOWERS:

• Positive displacement blowers or Rotary air blower is used to move
gas or air for a variety of applications.
• Positive displacement blowers are almost similar to positive
displacement pumps, which squeezes fluid that in turn increases
pressure.
• Positive displacement blowers are preferred over a centrifugal blower
because a high pressure is required in a process.
• EX: Cycloidal or Lobe blowers
Cycloidal or Lobe blowers:

• CONSTRUCTION:
• The general construction of a lobe blower consists of only two or three
lobes as rotating parts.
• They run in close contact with each other and with casing to run
efficiently.
• WORKING PRINCIPLE:
• It consists of two or three lobe impellers mounted on parallel shafts,
rotating in opposite within a casing closed at the ends by side plates.
• These blowers are constant volume machines and deliver a fixed
discharge of air at a high velocity from the outlet.
• ADVANTAGES:
(1) They provide a large volume of flow which ranges from 30 to
15000m3/ hr.
(2) Sustainable energy efficiency
(3) Low maintenance time and costs
• DISADVANTAGES:
(1) Leakages between the lobes is possible
(2) It produces high noise during working
CENTRIFUGAL BLOWERS:
• Centrifugal blowers are also called as turbo blowers
• Turbo blowers deliver gases at constant pressure, constant suction pressure,
constant volume and at constant weight.
PRINCIPLE:
• In centrifugal blower the energy is transferred from a rotating shaft to air or
gas.
• A pressure rise is achieved by adding kinetic energy to a continuous flow of
air through the rotor or impeller.
CONSTRUCTION:
• The construction of the centrifugal blower resembles a centrifugal pump.
• But in centrifugal blower the parts are made as light as possible and the size
is smaller than the centrifugal pump it consists of an enclosed type impeller.
APPLICATIONS:
(1) wastewater treatment
(2) Flue Gas desulfurization and lead recycling
• DISADVANTAGES:
(1) The cost of the centrifugal blowers is high
(2) since the pressure developed is low, multistage centrifugal
blower must be used for generating high pressure

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ADITYA ENGINEERING COLLEGE (A)

 Oil & Gas Processing Plant Design Syllabus

 Principles of phase separators

 Sizing of phase separators

 Design of Flash Vaporization

Oil & Gas Processing Plant Design Syllabus

• Petroleum and Gas Field Processing, H.K. Abdel- Aal,

• Surface Production Operations, Ken Arnold, Maurice

• Crude oil–gas–water mixtures produced from wells are generally

Principles of Phase Separator

Classification by operating configuration

• The three configurations of separators are available for two-phase

Classification by operating pressure

Methods used to remove oil from gas in separators:

Flow measurements in oil and gas separators:

Flow calibration in oil and gas separators:

Safety features for oil and gas separators:

2. High- and low-pressure controls:

4. Safety relief valves:

5. Safety heads or rupture disks:

Operation and maintenance considerations for oil and gas separators:

• The pressure in the separator is maintained by a pressure controller.

• Liquid continues to flow downward through this section to the liquid

Sizing of vertical & horizontal two-phase separators:

4. For vertical separators, liquid droplets (oil) separate by settling

Settling velocity of liquid droplets:

THREE-PHASE OIL AND GAS SEPARATION

• Three – phase separator are designed as either horizontal or vertical

Schematic of a horizontal three-phase separator with interface level control

Schematic of a horizontal three-phase separator with a “bucket and weir.”

• Vertical Separator Design Procedures:

Optimum Pressure for Gas–Oil Separators:

• When the pressure is reduced using a choke the fluid temperature

• High-pressure operation: This will reduce the opportunity of light

• Stage separation of oil and gas is carried out by a series of separators

Advantages of multistage separation:

Pressure Profile of a Three-Stage

• Similarly, the pressure in the third stage (low pressure) is

Variation of GOR with P 2

• A ‘‘flash’’ is a single-stage distillation in

• Flash calculations are used for processes with vapor/liquid-

• Material balance equation:

• In a positive displacement pump the volume containing the liquid is

• That is, the liquid is compressed mechanically, causing a direct rise in

• Rotary pumps are another common type of positive displacement pump,

Head flow diagram

The advantages of centrifugal pumps are:

• In single acting, at this point the suction check valve, C, opens.

• Reciprocating pumps are also classified by the number of cylinders they

The advantages of reciprocating pumps are :

Reciprocating pumps have following disadvantages when compared

• Their main advantage is that unlike reciprocating and centrifugal

• A solution to this problem is to obtain a pump that can handle

Helico axial pump

• Pump is required to pump a fluid between two points.

Find out pump hydraulic horse power for following:

1) Flow rate is 10000 blpd

2) Pump head =1000 feet

Find out pump break horse power for following:

1) Flow rate is 10000 blpd

2) Pump head =1000 feet

 Compressors are classified by how they work