Separation Efficiency Estimation of Oil and Gas Separator
Case Highlights:
Client: Offshore Equipment Manufacturer in India
The Objective: To estimate the separation efficiency of the oil and gas separator
Challenge:
- Developing simulation model with accurate physics to capture useful results
- Ensuring the volume fraction of gas and liquid to be as per the real conditions
Software Used: ANSYS Fluent 15
Solution: The separator design was analyzed through CFD to estimate the separation efficiency. The results obtained were close to the claimed efficiency of 99 percent.
The separating efficiency of oil and gas separators is dependent on factors such as physical and chemical characteristics of the crude, operating pressure and temperature, rate of throughput and the separator configurations. A leading offshore equipment manufacturer needed simulation solution for the oil and gas separator designed to provide the separation efficiency of 99 percent.
Solution
The separator aimed to provide 99 percent of separation efficiency was modeled through CAD tools and the simulation domain was identified. Considering the volume fraction method, suitable turbulence models and boundary conditions were applied.
Volume fraction at liquid outlet and gas outlet were measured and were found close to one, suggesting that the separator design was adequate to provide the separation efficiency above 99 percent.
Benefits
- Provided a comparative simulation solution to valid the claimed efficiency
- Reduced number of physical test trials required
About Hi-Tech CAE
Hi-Tech CFD is a division of Hi-Tech Outsourcing Services, a pioneer engineering outsourcing company since 1992 based in India & USA. It provides expert Computer Aided Engineering - CAE consulting services for engineering / product design analysis by modeling & simulation.
The primary services extended include Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Analysis (FEA), product design optimization and value engineering services to Automotive, Building / Construction, Process industry, Power Generation, Manufacturing & Heavy Engineering industries.
