Plate Coalescers to Improve Gravity Separation
Plate coalescers diagram
We can use plate coalescers to improve gravity separation process, a plate coalescers can be formed as internal plates on skim tanks or vessels. The plate coalescers configurations are: parallel plate interceptors (PPI), corrugated plate interceptors (CPI), or cross-flow separators.
All of these configurations depend on gravity separation. When coalescence occurs, the oil droplets will rise to the plate surface. The flow stream will flows through the parallel plates gaps. The plates are positioned on inclined horizontal position to allow the plate surface to capture the oil droplets.
These plates use the Stokes’ Law to capture 1 to 10 microns oil droplets, but in reality these plates will work effectively to capture oil droplets which have more than 30 microns in diameter size. If we set the plate coalescers below this size there will be pressure fluctuation, vibration, etc.
Categories: Oil and Gas Separator | Tags: corrugated plate interceptors, cross-flow separators, Gravity Separation, parallel plate interceptors, Plate Coalescers | Leave a comment