Significance of Wet Crude Oil Separators

*Significance* :

--> In Oil & Gas Separation Units, Separator designates as *Pressure Vessel* Which is used for separating Either Oil & Gas or Oil, Gas & Water. Separator can be used as two phase as well as three phase separation.  

--> Separators may have following internals for effective separations:

A. Vanetype Inlet Device 
B. Demister
C. Vanepack
D. Calming Baffles
E. Coalescing Plate Pack
F. Defoaming Pack 
G. Online Sandjetting System
H. Weir Plate 

--> Typical Separator Sketch:  

           

           A. Vane type Inlet Device 

At the inlet of the vessel, the Vane type Inlet Device  functions as the first step in separating the bulk liquids from the gaseous phase. The Vane type Inlet Device also assures a more even flow distribution at the upstream side of the vessel.

B & C. Wiremesh Demister + Vanepack 

The vane type outlet device (Vane Pack) functions as a coalescer for small droplets carried by the gas. These droplets coalesce on the vanes and are removed from the gaseous phase. The surface area selected for gas/liquid separation has a corresponding K value . A wire mesh demister is installed upstream of the vane pack. This demister will act as an agglomerator during design flow and will take over the separation when the flow is below the turndown range of the vane pack.

D. Calming Baffles

Calming baffles are installed to dampen the liquid movement inside the vessel and to assure an optimal flow distribution across the vessel.

E. Coalescing Plate Pack

The Coalescing Plate Pack is used to enhance the separation of oil and water (and gas). Small droplets or bubbles of the different phases coalesce on the plates, forming larger droplets or bubbles that more easily settle by gravity, thereby enhancing the separation performance of the vessel.

F. Defoaming pack

The Defoaming pack is installed on top of the Coalescing Plate Pack to break down the foam bubbles.

G. Online sand jetting system

The Online sand jetting system is installed on the bottom of the vessel consists of 6 sand jetting sections. Each section consists of a gutter, nozzle banks, an internal discharge pipe, and a water supply pipe. A section should individually be operated to minimize disturbances at the oil/water interface and to minimize the required flow rate of supply water. The spray nozzles are aiming at the places where the sand will settle.

H. Weir Plate 

The Weir Plate is designed to run the full width of the separator. This helps to minimize unwanted surges within the unit that are deleterious to efficient functioning of the separator. This is most important when skim pipes are utilized or if flow rates may change in the future