Optimization of Vortex Tube to Recover Condensates from the Flare Gas

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

Faculty of Petroleum and Chemical Engineering, Razi University, Kermanshah, I.R. IRAN

Abstract

The two-phase flow of gas and small condensate droplets is simulated in a vortex tube using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The design parameters studied here consist of the diameter and length of the vortex tube, inlet diameter, diameter and angle of the conic valve, the diameter of the cold exit, inlet velocity, and pressures of the cold and hot exits. To achieve the highest recovery of condensate from the gas exiting the field separators, the above parameters were optimized using the statistical method of design experiments. The required data for optimization was performed in 7 steps and 137 runs. Each run was performed using CFD. The optimized design was then built in the laboratory and tested under various operating conditions. It was observed that, under laboratory conditions, the optimized vortex tube is able to recover 91% of the liquid carried by the gas stream.

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