Energy and Resource Savings through Innovative and CFD-based Design of Liquid/Liquid Gravity Separators, 2021

— Authors: Steinhoff, J., Charlafti, E., Leleu, D.  Reinecke, L., Franken, H.
Becker, K., Kalem, M., Sixt, M., Braß, M., Borchardt, D., Bäcker, W., Wegener, M., Maaß, S., Weber, M., Acher, T., Matten, C., Pfennig, A., Kraume, M. und Bart, H.*—

Chemie Ingenieur Technik (Link)

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations in combination with droplet population balances lead to a practical standard for calculating the flow pattern – and thus the residence time distribution – in horizontal separators of any size based on available process data. The implementation of the droplet behaviour also enables the calculation of a droplet-specific separator efficiency. The method development was carried out at identical plants at three different locations. The CFD simulations were successfully validated with experimental data from the participating industrial partners.