CHAPTER 1

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

1.1

Introduction
Essentially all chemical processes require the presence of a separation stage. Most chemical

plants comprise of a reactor surrounded by many separators. Separation is a key part of most
chemical processes, and there is a great variety of techniques to perform separation of compounds
based on size, volatility, charge, and many other features. Heterogeneous mixtures consist of two or
more parts (phases), which have different compositions. Meanwhile, a homogeneous mixture is
known as the substance that contains only one kind of compound or element in which the reactants
and products are all in the same phase with uniform composition and properties.
The major equipment that will be discussed in this paper is a 2 phase separator. Separation
in 2-phase separator can be done physically by exploiting the differences in density between the
phases. Separator vessel thus simply means as a vessel or tank without internals that provides a
phase separation. This separator vessel can be classified further into several categories based on
their function. The general types of separator vessel are shown below:

Figure 1: General types of separator vessel

In this project, separator plays role in separation of flue gases from the water and
formaldehyde. The separation is accomplished through an optimum temperature and pressure.

1.1.2

Two Phase Separator

A vapour-liquid separator is a vessel into which a liquid and vapour or homogeneous

mixture is fed and the liquid is separated by gravity, falls to the bottom of the vessel, and is
withdrawn. The vapour travels upward at a design velocity which minimizes the entrainment
of any liquid droplets in the vapour as it exits the top of the vessel. Vapour-liquid separators
are very widely used in a great many industries and applications such as:
Oil refineries
Natural gas processing plants
Petrochemical and chemical plants
Refrigeration systems
Air conditioning
Compressor systems for air or gases
Gas pipelines

1.2

Two Phase Separator

A vapour-liquid separator might consist simply of an empty vessel, which causes the fluid
velocities in the entering pipe to be reduced by enlarging the cross-sectional area of flow.
However the separator includes internal parts, to promote separation of the process. Below
are the steps in designing a two-phase separator:

Primary separation section (entrance)

For separating the bulk of liquid from the gas in the feed. It is desirable to remove the
liquid slugs and large droplets of liquid quickly from the gas stream, and to remove gas
from the liquid.

Secondary separation section

For removing smaller particles of liquid by gravity settling depends to a large extent on the
decreased gas velocity and reducing the turbulence of gas.

Liquid separation section (liquid accumulation section)

For removing gas bubbles which may be blocked with the liquid, and for sufficient storage
of the liquid to handle the slugs of liquid anticipated in routine operation.

Mist, extractor or eliminator section

i.
For removing the gas entrained drops from the liquid, that did not separate in the
secondary separation section.

ii.

Mist extractor might be used to decrease the amount of entrained liquid in the gas
and to reduce diameter of the vessel.

Vortex breaker (bottom of the vessel)

Prevents potential pump suction problems during the utilization of the pump to remove
collected liquids.

1.3

Design Methodology
The design methodology is divided into 2 major sections; the process design and

mechanical design. The process design will determine the reactor volume through Levenspiel
plot while heat transfer and pressure drop determination by Erguns method. The second
section which is mechanical design will be based on British Standard 5500 reference and
design values were referred to data provided in the Mechanical Design of Process Equipment
Data Hand Book. Overall design as follows:

1.3

Selecting major equipment Two Phase Separator (T-103).

Select and justify the type of reactor suitable.
Collect raw data from HYSYS simulation.
Determine the optimum operating conditions using Golden Section Search method.
Determine the volume based on rate of reaction.
Determine reactor sizing.
Do reactor mechanical design.
Equipment Cost Analysis.
Technical Drawing for T-103 design.
Start-up and Shutdown Procedures description.

Separator Selection

Two-phase separators may be oriented either vertically or horizontally. In some cases,

it may necessary to compare both designs to determine which is more economic.
Type of 2 Phase Separator
General Features

Horizontal Separator
A vessel, with its cylindrical
axes parallel to the ground,
which is used to separate oil,

Vertical Separator
A vessel with its cylindrical
axes perpendicular to the
ground that is used to

gas and water from the

produced stream.
Advantages
Disadvantages

separate oil, gas and water

from the production stream.

Figure 2: Major components in horizontal 2 phase separator

Figure 3: Internal parts of a) Vertical and b) Horizontal Vapour-Liquid Separator

1.4

Stages of Separation in Phase Separator

a. Primary Separation
Uses an inlet diverter so that the momentum of liquid entrained in the vapour
causes the largest droplets to impinge on the diverter and the drop by gravity.
b. Secondary Separation

Gravity separation of smaller droplets as the vapour flows through the

disengagement area.
c. Final Stage
Mist elimination where the smallest droplets are coalesced so that larger
droplets are formed which will be separated by gravity.
1.5

Method of Operation
Method of operation is crucial to plan ahead on the formulation and design of
the equipment. In this plant design, the 2 phase separator method of operation is
classified under gravity separators. The separation process in this gravity separator
occurs by settling and sedimentation and depends on gravitational force. Liquid
droplets will settle out of a gas phase if the gravitational force acting on the droplet or
particle is greater than the drag force of the gas flowing around the droplet or particle.
Gravitational forces control separation whereby the lower the gas velocity and
the larger the vessel size, the more efficient the liquid and gas separation took place.
Since large vessel size is required to achieve settling, gravity separators are rarely
designed to remove droplets smaller than 300 microns. Gravity separators are
sometimes also called scrubbers when the ratio of gas rate to liquid rate is very high.

CHAPTER 2
PROCESS DESIGN

2.1

Introduction

As mentioned in previous chapter on the 3 main stages of separation process in a

2 phase separator, the following criteria should be met in designing the 2 Phase Separator
Column, T-103:

Force balance on the liquid droplet settling

Calculation of allowable velocity for secondary separation to determine disengagement
area.
Separator K values

2.2

Operating Conditions
Separator (T-103) inlet feed operating conditions are as follows:
I.
II.

Inlet Temperature (0C) = -900C

Inlet Pressure (bar) = 30bar

Component

Mole Fraction

Formaldehyde
Methanol
Water
Argon
Nitrogen
Carbon Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Oxygen
Dimethyl ether
Total

2.3

0.257
0
0.258
0
0
0.006
0
0.480
0
1.000

Mass Flow Rate

(kg/h)
2864.899
0.025
1726.946
84.870
4996.628
3.016
4.243
84.870
0.001
9680.629

Molar Flow Rate

(kmol/hr)
95.415
0.001
95.861
2.125
178.368
0.069
0.152
0
0
371.989

Process Description

Figure 4: Block diagram of 2 Phase Separator

Figure 5: Simulation diagram of 2 Phase Separator

Diagram in Figure 4 and Figure 5 shows the block diagram and simulation
representation of the 2 phase separator respectively that is used as part of the
formaldehyde plant design. The feed channelled to the 2 phase separator is from the
vapour product of the absorber. Both the vapour and liquid streams leaving the absorber
are at about 65C.
Liquid stream is the final product containing 37% weight of formaldehyde with the
rest water. Meanwhile the vapour stream leaving the absorber is mostly flue gases with a
considerable amount of water and traces of formaldehyde. Therefore water and
formaldehyde can be further separated for recycling purposes.

In order to achieve separation of formaldehyde as liquid, a lower temperature

and higher pressure is needed. The vapour stream is fed to a compressor to raise the
pressure to 283.3kPa. The vapour stream is fed to a compressor to raise the pressure to
283.3kPa. There will also be an increase in temperature. Since this stream requires
cooling, it is directed to other streams requiring heating to conserve energy. After
integration with two other streams that require heating, the temperature has been brought
down to about 80C.
Further cooling was achieved using a cooler to bring the streams temperature
down to -90C. The pressurized and cooled vapour stream is then being fed into a 2
phase separator. In the separator, separation of flue gases from the water and
formaldehyde is simple due to the optimum temperature and pressure. Flue gases
leaving as vapour will be purged from the system.
The continuous removal of substances from the system through this purge
allows the process to reach steady state after a certain amount of accumulation. Without
purge, the system will continue to accumulate and will not achieve steady state. As for
the liquid stream leaving the separator, it contains mostly water and formaldehyde.
2.4

Vertical Two Phase Separator

Vertical vapour and liquid separators are preferred for separating liquid from
mixtures with a high vapour/liquid ratio while horizontal separators are preferred for
separating vapour from mixtures with a low vapour/liquid ratio. As mentioned earlier
on the process description of the separator, the feed is a pressurized vapour
composition. Therefore, vertical separator is chosen to perform the design calculations.

Figure 4: Vertical Two Phase Separator

For

vertical separators,

the vapour disengagement area is the entire cross-sectional area of the vessel. Therefore
the vapour disengagement diameter can be calculated from equation below:

Following are the steps and their associated formula for the vertical separator
design procedures: