Title: The Use of Centrifugal Separators for Offshore Gas Production
Abstract:American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers offi...American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Inc. Discussion of this paper is invited. Three copies of any discussion should be sent to the Society of Petroleum Engineers office. Such discussion may be presented at the above meeting and, with the paper, may be considered for publication in one of the two SPE magazines. Introduction The use of centrifugal force to separate fluids is a proved process that has been applied by many industries. The force is explained in college physics textbooks under uniform circular motion where Newton's laws of motion are discussed. A classic textbook example describes an object of known weight that is held in a circular path by a string of known length, and the weight is moving at a constant speed. The inward force that is developed is known as the centripetal force. The equal and opposite reaction that is in the outward direction is known as the centrifugal force. This is the force that we use to separate gas well fluids in a centrifugal-type separator. The flowing pressure at the wellhead furnishes the energy for the process. Upon expansion to a lower pressure at the wellhead choke, the natural gas, condensate, and water flow to the centrifugal separator for rotation and subsequent separation. The fluids tend to separate in layers of uniform density. Water collects on the internal surface of the separator, condensate flows on the water, and the gas flows in a circular pattern in the center of the vessel. FUNDAMENTALS The following formula for centripetal - force summarizes the process. 2WVFc = ———,gR where Fc = centripetal force, lbW = weight of the fluids, lbV = velocity, ft/secg = gravity constant, 32 ft/sec/secR = radius of the circle, ft The centripetal force, Fc, is that force in the inward direction, expressed in pounds, that is developed when the fluids are directed in a circular path in the separator. The centrifugal force is an equal and opposite reaction to the centripetal force; therefore, calculated values for Fc are vend for the centrifugal forces in the outward direction. The weight of the fluids can be calculated from the fixed dimensions of the internals of the vessel, the operating pressure, and temperature in the separator, and the gas-condensate ratio and gas-water ratio of the flowing stream.Read More
Publication Year: 1974
Publication Date: 1974-10-06
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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