Multiphase Desander – Cyclonic Vs. Desanding Technology

(Note: Much of this information is a retelling of that presented in previous posts B-FSM-043 through -045.)

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The Multiphase Desander evolved from the Liquid Desander, which itself is an evolution of Hydrocyclone Technology, a subset of Cyclonic Technology. To grasp the concept of a multiphase desander, we must first understand Cyclonic Technology.

Understanding Cyclonic Technology

What is a Cyclonic Unit Process?

The process involves converting the potential energy of a fluid at the inlet into rotating kinetic energy using only the device's shape to separate the fluid into two or more phases that exit through concentrated outlet streams. Cyclonic technology is valuable in the offshore oil & gas industry because it achieves the highest throughput-to-size ratio, allowing for smaller and lighter separation equipment at given flow rates.

Cyclone Family

The naming of cyclonic equipment is determined by the fluid's continuous phase. If the fluid is gas, then it’s termed a Pneumatic Cyclone. If the fluid is liquid, it’s a Hydrocyclone. A Multiphase Cyclone, on the other hand, treats gas-liquid mixed flows.

Key Design and Operating Factors

• No moving parts – offering simplicity and reliability with no motors, seals, or bearings.
• Tangential or involute inlet – initiating the swirling flow pattern.
• Cylinder-cone geometry – enhancing the swirling action down the unit.
• Free-forced vortex split flow pattern – defining how exit streams form and where separated phases go.
• Classifying device – separation based on weight rather than size.

Hydrocyclones

Known as "hydraulic cyclones," hydrocyclones involve liquid as the carrying fluid. While water is the most common medium, hydrocyclones can process various liquids such as glycol, diesel, and even fruit juices, demonstrating their versatility. They maintain all the benefits and features of the cyclone unit process.

Desanders

The term "Desander" is short for Desanding Hydrocyclone, derived from the mineral processing hydrocyclone. Technically, desanders are known as "flooded-core hydrocyclones" due to the lack of an air-core formation, resulting in a fully flooded body section. The Multiphase Desander, first developed in 1994-1995, is a flooded-core hydrocyclone designed to treat mixed gas-liquid flows.

The upcoming article will delve into the Five Steps of Sand Management and how multiphase desanding fits within this framework. (Note: This topic is covered in my current SPE Distinguished Lecture tour.)

References

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1. Rawlins, C.H. 2017. "Separating Solids First – Design and Operation of the Multiphase Desander," paper 185658-MS presented at the SPE Western Regional Meeting, Bakersfield, CA, 23-27 April.

Post: B-FSM-079

Date: 23-Apr-19

Dr. Hank Rawlins is the Technical Director of eProcess Technologies with 27 years’ experience in the upstream oil & gas industry. Hank is responsible for development programs in Facilities Sand Management, Produced Water Treatment, and Compact Separations Systems. He blogs weekly and teaches courses in these areas and will be traveling as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer during the 2018-2019 season. Connect with Hank on LinkedIn, Twitter, website, or at hrawlins@eprocess-tech.com.

Hydrocyclones were originally developed for the mineral processing industry for solid-liquid separation and heavy media separation. They have also been successfully used in the refinery and offshore oil industries to remove oil from water, achieving separation down to just a few tens of ppm.

The food and chemical industry relies on hydrocyclones primarily for dewatering applications. The chemical industry uses them to separate solids in gas scrubbing and to separate crystals in inline evaporator systems. The food industry utilizes cyclones to strip gluten from starch particles, remove pulp from liquid products, enhance the quality of puree in high-speed milling machines, and eliminate seeds, dirt, and solids from crushed grape juice in the wine industry. They are also employed to remove sand from cooked seaweed and crumbs from cooking oil.

In the water treatment industry, intake water treating cyclones function as desanders, removing sand particles down to 5 microns. For sewage and effluent treatment, degritting cyclones efficiently eliminate solids from raw sewage and effluents, offering a cost-effective alternative to gravity-based sedimentation systems.

The automobile industry installs cyclones to remove weld balls, urethane sealer, steel particles, sand, glass, and other debris from cleaning tanks in automotive paint systems. They are implemented in eductor spray processes, well ball removal, and phosphate sludge concentration.

The fiberglass industry uses cyclones to eliminate glass shot from rock wool fibers and glass fibers, thereby improving the quality of the fiber material. In the plastic recycling industry, cyclones separate floating plastics from sinking plastics and remove glass, rocks, metal, and other heavy trash from plastics.

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