The SPE Separations Technology Technical Section (STTS) will hold a three-webinar series on the theme of gas scrubbing technology this year with the first to be held on 3 March.
Jimmie Riesenberg, senior process adviser and the separations lead and compact modular processing systems engineering manager at Chevron Energy Technology Company, will be the presenter of the webinar titled “Scrubber Design for Gas/Liquid Separation: A Holistic Approach.”
Scrubber design is not a simple matter of selecting any demister technology and applying a K-factor. First, the required separation performance must be determined based on the service. Then, the scrubber design starts upstream with the inlet piping sizing, components (valves, etc.), and routing.
A proper inlet design ensures a stable flow regime and low entrainment of liquid into the gas due to shearing, and prevents swirling flow from entering the scrubber. A low-shear inlet distributor is necessary to minimize shearing of large droplets into smaller, harder to separate droplets and to provide adequate distribution into the vessel.
The scrubber design should also account for proper disengaging space for bulk liquid separation (gravity separation) and flow distribution between internal elements. The demisting technology selection must account for drop size, the liquid load expected to be carried by the gas to the demisting device, the gas flow rate (velocity), the surface tension and viscosity of the liquid, the expected density driving force for separation, the operating temperature/pressure of the system, fouling potential, and the required separation efficiency.
Even the gas and liquid outlet designs can affect the separation. These elements must be integrated to provide a sustained efficiency of the scrubber across its operating range.
For more information about the webinar, visit http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/spe/session.php?id=15162.
The STTS serves as a forum for SPE members to share knowledge, experience, and best practices on separation technology. For more information, visit http://connect.spe.org/separationstechnology/home