The Effect of Mixture Velocity and Droplet Diameter on Oil-water Separator using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
The characteristics of fluid flow and phase separation
in an oil-water separator were numerically analysed as part of the
work presented herein. Simulations were performed for different
velocities and droplet diameters, and the way this parameters can
influence the separator geometry was studied.
The simulations were carried out using the software package
Fluent 6.2, which is designed for numerical simulation of fluid flow
and mass transfer. The model consisted of a cylindrical horizontal
separator. A tetrahedral mesh was employed in the computational
domain. The condition of two-phase flow was simulated with the
two-fluid model, taking into consideration turbulence effects using
the k-ε model.
The results showed that there is a strong dependency of phase
separation on mixture velocity and droplet diameter. An increase in
mixture velocity will bring about a slow down in phase separation
and as a consequence will require a weir of greater height. An
increase in droplet diameter will produce a better phase separation.
The simulations are in agreement with results reported in literature
and show that CFD can be a useful tool in studying a horizontal oilwater
separator.
[1] Fletcher, C.A.J., 1991. Computational techniques for fluid dynamics,
Vol.1. 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer
[2] FLUENT INC., 2001. Gambit version 2 manuals, Centerra Resource
Park, 10 Cavendish Court, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. Available
from: http: www.fluent.com
[3] FLUENT INC., 2003. Fluent 6 introductory training notes. Available
from: http: www.fluent.com
[4] Hallanger, A., Soenstaboe, F., and Knutsen, T., 1996. A simulation
model for three-phase gravity separators. Proceedings of SPE Annual
Technical Conference and Exhibition. Denver, Colorado: SPE, 6 - 9
October, pp. 5 - 7
[5] Holdo, A.E. and Calay, R.K., 2006. Two-phase Flow Modelling for
Industrial Applications, Fluid Mechanics Research Group, UK:
University of Hertfordshire Hatfield Herts.
[6] Versteeg, H.K. and Malalasekera, W., 2007. An Introduction to
Computational Fluid Dynamics: the Finite Volume Method. 2nd ed.
Pearson Educational Limited.
[7] White, F.M., 1991. Viscous Fluid Flow. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw -
Hill
[1] Fletcher, C.A.J., 1991. Computational techniques for fluid dynamics,
Vol.1. 2nd ed. Berlin: Springer
[2] FLUENT INC., 2001. Gambit version 2 manuals, Centerra Resource
Park, 10 Cavendish Court, Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA. Available
from: http: www.fluent.com
[3] FLUENT INC., 2003. Fluent 6 introductory training notes. Available
from: http: www.fluent.com
[4] Hallanger, A., Soenstaboe, F., and Knutsen, T., 1996. A simulation
model for three-phase gravity separators. Proceedings of SPE Annual
Technical Conference and Exhibition. Denver, Colorado: SPE, 6 - 9
October, pp. 5 - 7
[5] Holdo, A.E. and Calay, R.K., 2006. Two-phase Flow Modelling for
Industrial Applications, Fluid Mechanics Research Group, UK:
University of Hertfordshire Hatfield Herts.
[6] Versteeg, H.K. and Malalasekera, W., 2007. An Introduction to
Computational Fluid Dynamics: the Finite Volume Method. 2nd ed.
Pearson Educational Limited.
[7] White, F.M., 1991. Viscous Fluid Flow. 2nd ed. New York: McGraw -
Hill
@article{"International Journal of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Sciences:56075", author = "M. Abdulkadir and V. Hernandez-Perez", title = "The Effect of Mixture Velocity and Droplet Diameter on Oil-water Separator using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)", abstract = "The characteristics of fluid flow and phase separation
in an oil-water separator were numerically analysed as part of the
work presented herein. Simulations were performed for different
velocities and droplet diameters, and the way this parameters can
influence the separator geometry was studied.
The simulations were carried out using the software package
Fluent 6.2, which is designed for numerical simulation of fluid flow
and mass transfer. The model consisted of a cylindrical horizontal
separator. A tetrahedral mesh was employed in the computational
domain. The condition of two-phase flow was simulated with the
two-fluid model, taking into consideration turbulence effects using
the k-ε model.
The results showed that there is a strong dependency of phase
separation on mixture velocity and droplet diameter. An increase in
mixture velocity will bring about a slow down in phase separation
and as a consequence will require a weir of greater height. An
increase in droplet diameter will produce a better phase separation.
The simulations are in agreement with results reported in literature
and show that CFD can be a useful tool in studying a horizontal oilwater
separator.", keywords = "CFD, droplet diameter, mixture velocity", volume = "4", number = "1", pages = "47-9", }