InLine PhaseSplitter - FMC Technologies

CDS Separation Systems

The InLine PhaseSplitter is applied for bulk separation of gas and liquid at inlet gas volume fractions typically ranging from around 10 percent to 90 percent. The separation is carried out in a single stage cyclone. A swirl element generates a cyclonic flow generating the G-forces required to establish a gas core in the center and a liquid film near the pipe wall. The gas is extracted from the center, the liquid from the annular film. The InLine PhaseSplitter is a true inline unit where the separation is carried out in a pipe spool.

Application

The InLine PhaseSplitter can be used for applications where it will add value to separate the gas and liquid phases in a very compact way. Separation characteristics:
•Bulk gas-liquid separation of a multiphase stream ensures production of single phase streams of a relative low content of the other phase. Usually, there is less than one percent to five percent gas volume fraction in the outlet liquid stream, and less than one percent to five percent liquid volume fraction in the outlet gas stream. Applications can be splitting gas and liquid to route the two product stream to different downstream separators/pipelines or processing plants.
•Polishing of a gas stream ensures separation of the liquid from the gas to a low liquid-in-gas content, while the separated liquid is routed to a downstream separator that can accept some liquid in the gas (less than five percent). An example of such an application is to install the InLine PhaseSplitter upstream of an existing three phase separator. Removing the majority of the gas upstream of the separator produces a good gas quality. This will allow for increased capacity of the downstream separator.
Features and Benefits
•Compact: It offers an ultra compact way to achieve gas-liquid separation of a multiphase steam and installs easy into existing facilities as well as in design of more compact new build processes
•Piping Code: Design is done according to piping code and there is no need for pressure vessel design codes. Compared to conventional vessel based solutions, this also enables a much more compact total system as less additional equipment is required for the process system
•Delivery time: The delivery time is short from order to installed equipment. The piping used is the long lead item, and has a substantial shorter lead time than conventional separator vessels
•Increased Production: Installation can easily be achieved in existing processes to enable debottlenecking and increased production rates
•Proven Technology: Several units have been in operation for many years with no failure under a large variety of operating conditions
•Performance

It is operated as a bulk separation unit, to simultaneously achieve a low gas-in-liquid and liquid-in-gas concentrations. It can be designed to achieve between one percent and five percent gas volume fraction in the outlet liquid phase while at the same time achieving a liquid volume fraction in the outlet gas phase of about one percent to five percent. Higher efficiency can be achieved for one of the phases if a lower efficiency can be accepted for the other.

The InLine PhaseSplitter can be modified to function as an InLine DeGasser or InLine Deliquidiser by adding second stage separation to ensure simultaneous high quality liquid and gas streams.