HORIZONTAL GAS-LIQUID SEPARATOR

CALCULATOR

Simon Learman

Blackmonk Engineering Ltd

www.blackmonk.co.uk

Copyright © 2011 Blackmonk Engineering Ltd

 Blackmonk Engineering Ltd
www.blackmonk.co.uk

Contents

Contents ....................................................................................................... 2  
Introduction ................................................................................................... 3  
System Diagram ........................................................................................... 3  
Calculation Inputs ......................................................................................... 3  
Calculation Outputs ...................................................................................... 4  
Gas-Liquid Separator Design ....................................................................... 4  
Maximum Vapour Velocity ........................................................................ 4  
Separator Sizing Factor, K ........................................................................ 5  
Volumetric Flow Rates .............................................................................. 6  
Mixture Density ......................................................................................... 6  
Separator Diameter ................................................................................... 6  
Separator Inlet Nozzle Design .................................................................. 7  
Liquid Hold-Up Volume ............................................................................. 8  
Separator Vessel Tan-to-Tan Length ........................................................ 8  
Vessel Length:Diameter Ratio .................................................................. 8  
Calculation of Horizontal Gas-Liquid Separator ........................................... 8  
Nomenclature ............................................................................................. 10  
Example ...................................................................................................... 11  
Description: ............................................................................................. 11  
Requirement:........................................................................................... 11  
Solution: .................................................................................................. 11  
Horizontal Gas-Liquid Separator Calculator Screenshot: ....................... 12  

Copyright © 2011 Blackmonk Engineering Ltd

 Blackmonk Engineering Ltd
www.blackmonk.co.uk

Introduction

This document describes the basis and operation of the Blackmonk

Engineering Horizontal Gas-Liquid Separator Calculator.

The calculation methodology is based on that described in Chapter 8 of

“Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers”, 3rd Edition, Carl Branan, Gulf
Publishing.

The calculator determines the vessel diameter and tan-to-tan length required
to separate liquid from gas/vapour with a specified liquid hold-up time.

The calculator determines the Souders-Brown separator sizing factor

automatically in addition to the maximum vapour velocities in the vessel and
through the inlet nozzle.

System Diagram

INLET NOZZLE OUTLET NOZZLE

SEPARATOR
DIAMETER, Dsep

SEPARATOR
LENGTH, L

Calculation Inputs

The following parameters are user specified inputs to the calculation:

Input Description Units

Liquid flow rate Mandatory user specified liquid mass flow rate to the separator kg/hr
Mandatory user specified vapour mass flow rate to the
Vapour flow rate kg/hr
separator
3
Liquid density Mandatory user specified liquid density kg/m
3
Vapour density Mandatory user specified vapour density kg/m
Mandatory user specified liquid hold-up time required in the
Liquid hold-up time min
vessel

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Calculation Outputs

The following parameters are calculated by the software and displayed to the
user:

Output Description Units

Volumetric flow rate of liquid entering the
Liquid volumetric flow rate m3/hr
separator vessel
Volumetric flow rate of vapour entering the
Vapour volumetric flow rate m3/hr
separator vessel
Density of the mixed liquid and vapour stream 3
Mixture density kg/m
entering the separator
Horizontal gas-liquid separator separation
Separation factor N/A
factor
Horizontal gas-liquid separator Souders-Brown
Separator sizing factor m/s
separator sizing factor
Maximum vapour velocity Maximum vapour velocity in the vessel m/s
Minimum area required to maintain gas 2
Minimum gas flow area m
velocity at the maximum vapour velocity
Minimum cross sectional area of the vessel
2
Minimum separation area required required for separation based on the maximum m
vapour velocity
Minimum diameter of the vessel required for
Minimum separator diameter separation based on the maximum vapour m
velocity
Maximum allowable velocity in the vessel inlet
Maximum inlet nozzle velocity m/s
nozzle based on maximum momentum criteria
Minimum allowable velocity in the vessel inlet
Minimum inlet nozzle velocity m/s
nozzle based on minimum momentum criteria
Inlet nozzle diameter calculated on the basis of
Maximum inlet nozzle diameter m
the minimum inlet nozzle velocity criteria
Maximum inlet nozzle diameter rounded up to
Recommended inlet nozzle size inch
the nearest standard pipe size
Volume of liquid corresponding to the required
3
Liquid hold-up volume liquid hold-up time at the specified liquid flow m
rate
Distance between the tan lines of the vessel
Vessel length tan to tan m
i.e. the vessel cylindrical length
Minimum separator diameter rounded up to the
Recommended separator diameter m
nearest 150 mm increment
The ratio of the vessel tan to tan length to the
Vessel L:D N/A
recommended separator diameter

Gas-Liquid Separator Design

The calculator sizes gas-liquid separators on the basis of maximum gas (or
vapour) velocity within the vessel as given by the Souders-Brown equation.

Maximum Vapour Velocity

The maximum gas (or vapour) velocity is given by the Souders-Brown

equation below:
4

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!.!
!! − !!
!!"#$"% =! Equation 1
!!

Separator Sizing Factor, K

The Souders-Brown Separator Sizing Factor, K, is determined from the

following correlation:

1.25
!= !"# ! + !"#(!! ) + !"#(!! )! + !"#(!! )! + !"#(!! )! + !"#(!! )! Equation 2
3.281

Where:

A = -1.942936
B = -0.814894
C = -0.179390
D = -0.0123790
E = 0.000386235
F = 0.000259550

The separation factor, Sf is calculated using the following equation:

!! !! !.!
!! = Equation 3
!! !!

The Souders-Brown Separator Sizing Factor correlation is based on the data

presented in the chart below for 5% of the liquid to be entrained in the vapour
stream. This is considered adequate for normal design.

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Figure 1: Separator Sizing Factor Chart

Horizontal  Gas-­‐Liquid  Separator  Sizing  Factor  

0.18  
0.16  
0.14  
0.12  
0.10  
K  (m/s)  
0.08  
0.06  
0.04  
0.02  
0.00  
0.001   0.01   0.1   1   10  
Separa-on  factor,  Sf  

Volumetric Flow Rates

The volumetric flow rates of the liquid and vapour components of the feed
stream to the separator are calculated using the equations below:
!!
!! = Equation 4
!!

!!
!! = Equation 5
!!

Mixture Density

The density of the mixed feed stream is calculated using:

!! + !!
!!"# = Equation 6
!! + !!

Separator Diameter

The minimum gas flow area required is calculated using:

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!!
!!"#$ = Equation 7
!!"#$"%

The total minimum separator cross-sectional area is evaluated using the

following relationship:

!!"#$
!!"!#$%&' = Equation 8
0.2

From which the minimum required separator diameter is determined:

!.!
4!!"!#$%&'
!!"# = Equation 9
!

The recommended separator diameter is determined by rounding up the

calculated minimum separator diameter to the nearest 150 mm increment to
be consistent with standard rolled plate dimensions.

!!"#
!!"# = !!"#$"% !"  !ℎ!"#  !"#$%& ×0.150 Equation 10
0.150

Separator Inlet Nozzle Design

The separator inlet nozzle is sized based on the following correlations for the
maximum and minimum nozzle velocities:

121.98
!!"#$%& = !.! Equation 11
!!"#

73.19
!!"#$%! = !.! Equation 12
!!"#

The maximum inlet nozzle diameter is then determined from:

!.!
!! + !!
!!"#$%  !"# = 4 Equation 13
!"!"#$%!

The recommended inlet nozzle size is determined by selecting the next

largest standard pipe size based on the maximum inlet nozzle diameter.

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Liquid Hold-Up Volume

Liquid hold-up volume is calculated based on the liquid flow rate to the
separator and the specified required liquid hold-up time.

!! = !! ! Equation 14

Separator Vessel Tan-to-Tan Length

The tan-to-tan length of the separator vessel is given by:

4!!
!= ! Equation 15
0.8!!!"#

Vessel Length:Diameter Ratio

It is recommended that the vessel length to diameter ratio is maintained

between 3 and 5.

3 ≤ !: !!"# ≤ 5 Equation 16

Calculation of Horizontal Gas-Liquid Separator

The calculation routine is described in the following steps:

1. Calculate liquid and vapour volumetric flow rates using Equation 4 and
Equation 5
2. Calculate mixture density using Equation 6
3. Calculate Separation Factor, Sf using Equation 3
4. Calculate Separator Sizing Factor, K using Equation 2
5. Calculate maximum vapour velocity using Equation 1
6. Calculate minimum gas flow area required using Equation 7
7. Calculate minimum separator cross-sectional area required using
Equation 8
8. Calculate minimum separator diameter using Equation 9
9. Calculate recommended separator diameter using Equation 10
10. Calculate maximum and minimum inlet nozzle velocities using Equation
11 and Equation 12
11. Calculate the maximum inlet nozzle diameter using Equation 13
12. Determine the recommended inlet nozzle diameter based on standard
pipe sizes
13. Calculate the liquid hold-up volume using Equation 14

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14. Calculate the vessel tan-to-tan length using Equation 15

15. Calculate the vessel length:diameter ratio using Equation 16
16. Generate warning if L:D < 3 or L:D > 5

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 Blackmonk Engineering Ltd
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Nomenclature

!!"!#$%&' = Minimum separator cross-sectional area required (m2 )

!!"#$ = Minimum gas flow area required (m2 )
!!"#$% = Recommended inlet nozzle diameter (m)
!!"#$%  !"# = Maximum inlet nozzle diameter (m)
!!"# = Minimum separator diameter (m)
!!"# = Recommended separator diameter (m)
! = Souders-Brown Separator Sizing Factor (m.s-1 )
! = Vessel tan-to-tan length (m)
!! = Liquid mass flow rate to separator (kg.s-1 )
!! = Vapour mass flow rate to separator (kg.s-1 )  
!! = Liquid volumetric flow rate to separator (m3 .s-1 )  
!! = Vapour volumetric flow rate to separator (m3 .s-1 )
!! = Separation factor (dimensionless)
!!"#$%& = Maximum velocity through separator inlet nozzle (m.s-1 )
!!"#$%! = Minimum velocity through separator inlet nozzle (m.s-1 )
!!"#$"% = Maximum vapour velocity in separator (m.s-1 )
!! = Liquid hold-up volume in separator (m3 )
!! = Liquid density (kg.m-3 )
!! = Vapour density (kg.m-3 )
!!"# = Mixture density (kg.m-3 )
! = Liquid hold-up time (s)

10

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Example

The following example was adapted from the GPSA Data Book Example 7-1
page 7-8.

Description:

A horizontal separator is required to handle 76320 kg/hr of gas with a density

of 33.4 kg/m3. The feed to the separator also contains 2500 kg/hr of liquid
with a density of 500 kg/m3. A liquid hold-up time of 900 minutes is required.

Requirement:

Determine the separator diameter and length required.

Solution:

Calculated Separator Sizing Factor, K = 0.1107 m/s

Calculated maximum vapour velocity, uvapmax = 0.414 m/s

Calculated minimum separator diameter, Dmin = 3.125 m

Recommended separator diameter, Dsep = 3.150 m

Calculated separator tan-to-tan height, L = 12.030 m

Calculated L:D = 3.82

11

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Horizontal Gas-Liquid Separator Calculator Screenshot:

INPUTS

Liquid flow rate ml 2500 kg/hr

Vapour flow rate mv 76320 kg/hr
Liquid density ρl 500 kg/m3
Vapour density ρv 33.4 kg/m3
Liquid hold-up time τl 900 min

OUTPUTS

Liquid volumetric flow rate Ql 5.00 m3/hr

Vapour volumetric flow rate Qv 2285.03 m3/hr
Mixture density ρmix 34.42 kg/m3
Separation factor Sf 0.0085
Separator sizing factor K 0.1107 m/s
Maximum vapour velocity uvapmax 0.414 m/s
Minimum gas flow area Avmin 1.53407 m2
Minimum separation area required Atotalmin 7.67037 m2
Minimum separator diameter Dmin 3.125 m
Maximum inlet nozzle velocity unozmax 20.79 m/s
Minimum inlet nozzle velocity unozmin 12.48 m/s
Maximum inlet nozzle diameter dinlet max 0.255 m
Recommended inlet nozzle size dinlet 10 inch
Liquid hold-up volume Vl 75.000 m3

Vessel length tan to tan L 12.030 m

Recommended separator diameter Dsep 3.150 m
Vessel L:D L:D 3.82

12

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