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Investigation and development of gravity separators with a standardized experimental setup
Author(s) -
Steinhoff Jan,
Charlafti Evgenia,
Reinecke Laura,
Kraume Matthias,
Bart HansJörg
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.23603
Subject(s) - settling , separator (oil production) , materials science , sauter mean diameter , mechanics , gravity separation , inlet , environmental science , thermodynamics , mechanical engineering , engineering , physics , environmental engineering , nozzle , metallurgy
This contribution presents a standardized experimental setup for the development of gravity separators. Two different optical measurement techniques for the characterization of the inlet and outlet dispersion with a droplet spectrum of 20‐2000 μm are used. The settling behaviour in a standardized batch settling test (ERICAA cell) serves as a basis for predicting the drop diameter resolved separation efficiency of a horizontal continuous separator. The latter (DN150, length 0.65 m) was operated and monitored with a phase fraction of up to 15% and a load of up to 17.0 m 3 m −2 h −1 . A paraffin oil with a viscosity of 10 mPa s was the dispersed and water the continuous phase. Sauter mean diameters of dispersions measured inline show a good agreement with those calculated from batch settling tests. Additionally, the modelled separation efficiencies are compared to the experimental results produced with the continuous separator.