Sulzer Chemtech

Gas/Liquid Separation Technology

High-capacity gas de-entrainment

Sulzer Chemtech provides high performance

gas/liquid separation technology
Shell proprietary high-capacity
gas/liquid separators, such as
SMS, SVS, SMSM and SMMSM
separators, are available in Sulzer
Chemtech’s portfolio.
Shell gas/liquid separators combine
Swirldeck, Mistmat, and Schoe-
pentoeter separation technologies
in a single vertical vessel drum.
Selection of separation technolo-
gies is function of the dispersed
liquid phase concentration, droplet
size and the required separation
efficiency.

Description
SMS and SMSM gas/liquid se-
Mistmat
parators are named after the
configuration of the different
Swirldeck
internals used for each type of
separator:
• Schoepentoeter (S) – used as Mistmat
feed inlet device for vapour
distribution with bulk liquid
removal 0604 2507-11

• Mistmat (M) – which acts as Schoepentoeter

coalescer and separator, de-
pending on the gas flow rate
• Swirldeck (S) – comprising
Drain
multiple swirltubes
A second mistmat is used down-
stream of the swirldeck in SMSM
gas/liquid separators for demis-
ting secondary gas.
0604 2507-3

Relative sizes Why use Shell gas/liquid separators?

The separators are designed to offer an optimum
combination of capacity, efficiency and operational
flexibility:
• High gas handling capacity (vessel gas load
factor (K-value) up to 0.25 m/s)
½
K-value = VS
[ ] rV
rL – rV

where VS = superficial vapour velocity

rV and rL = vapour and liquid density in kg/m³
• High liquid removal efficiency (SMS>98%,
SMSM>99%)
• Very high turndown ratio (factor of 10)
• Ability to handle slugs
• Maintains efficiency at high pressure
D 0.7 D
Mesh Demister SMSM

2
 High-capacity gas de-entrainment

Primary gas
The Shell Swirltube Separator family consist of: Secondary outlets

• SMS Separator
• SMSM Separator Secondary gas

• SMMSM Separator (for gas dewpointing)

• SVS Separator (for fouling applications)
These separators use Shell Swirltube gas/liquid cyclones,
combined with sophisticated inlet devices and high per-
formance wire mesh coalescers/demisters.
Liquids
Their typical application window is for separation of
liquid/gas or three-phase liquid/liquid/gas mixtures, when
a high capacity and high separation efficiency is required,
SMS(M) Technology is the lowest weight and volume so-
lution for phase separation offshore and onshore. It gives
up to 150% increased capacity compared to wire mesh
demisters without vessel replacement. 100
SMMSM
SMS SMSM

Efficiency, %
95
Mistmat

90

85
0 0.1 0.2 0.3
Gas load factor, m/s

Natural Gas Dehydration with TEG

Revamp Capacity 160% 230%

New Column
Ø 1.9 m Ø 1.5 m Ø 1.25 m

Combining a SwirltubeTM Deck

with Sulzer Chemtech’s high
performance structured pack-
ing, MellapakPlusTM, allows the
potential of the packing to be
realised. Column diameter is
minimised whilst TEG carry-over
below 0.1 USgal/MMscf is main-
tained.

MellapakTM and MellapakPlusTM and SwirltubeTM Trays

Mistmats Shell SwirldeckTM

3
Experience in Gas Processing

Gas platform – Inlet separator (SMSM) upstream of Glycol Contactor

Glycol
Contactor

SMS(M)
Separator

Glycol
Regenerator

Flash Drum

Condensate
Treatment

LNG Plant – Dehydration Unit

Molecular Sieve Driers Dried Gas to
Mercury Unit
SMS(M)
Separator

SMS(M)
Separator

Flash Gas to Fuel Gas System

4
Water / HC to Sulfinol Unit
 Experience in Gas Processing

LNG Plant (Gas Sweetening Unit)

Amine Amine
Absorber Regenerator Treated Gas
SMSM
Separator

Acid Gas

Feed
Gas

Water
To LP Fuel make-up

Accumulator

Low Temperature Separation (LTS) Process SMS

Compressor Suction Drum
To Compression

SMS SMMSM SMMSM

Inlet Separator Exp. Suction Drum Cold Separator

Compressor
From Slug
Expander
Catcher

JT Valve

Glycol
Injection

5
Continuous improvement program

High Performance SwirltubeTM

100 Continuous improvement
program
Swirltube
Using feed back from our cus-
80
tomers combined with the results
from our research, we are con-
tinuously improving the separa-
Efficiency %

tion capabilities of the SMS, SVS,

60 SMSM and SMMSM gas/liquid
separators.
80 bar • Schoepentoeter optimization
40 allows re-entrainment suppres-
sion through improved distribu-
tion of the incoming gas across
the vanes.
20
0 5 10 20 30 40 • More-sophisticated mistmat
Droplet size micron
designs increase coalescing
capability and make it possible
to handle problematic aque-
ous-hydrocarbon fluid mixtures.
(water, glycol, condensate)
• Swirltube-redesign has reduced
the cut-off droplet size signifi-
cantly.

0604 2508-8

6
 Continuous improvement program

High Performance SMMSM Separators

Secondary Mistmat
Swirldeck
2nd Primary Mistmat
For difficult and critical separation
duties (cold separators/dewpoint
separators/separators upstream
TEG contactors) efficiency and/
or capacity can be increased by
more advanced mistmat design
and the addition of a 2nd primary
mistmat.

1st Primary Mistmat

Schoepentoeter

Location Application

• 98 NAM ANjum Cold Separator

• 99 Statoil Kollsnes Cold Separators
• 00 NAM L9 Inlet Scrubber
• 02/04 Statoil Troll A Inlet Scrubber
• 03 NAM Blija Cold Separator
• 04 NAM NOGAT Cold Separators

Experience
Shell gas/liquid separators have
100 been successfully installed in a
wide range of applications. Typical
process applications include:
• inlet/production separators in gas
plants.
Number of separators

• cold separators for low-tempera-

ture separation plants.
50
• inlet scrubbers for TEG contac-
tors and gas treating plants.
• compressor suction drums in
liquefied natural and natural liquid
gas plants.
In some revamp projects, SMS and
SMSM gas/liquid separators have
0
been used to replace alternative
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 technology and have improved
Separator size, m plant performance significantly.

7
Headquarters Sulzer Chemtech Ltd, a member of the Sulzer Corporation, with head-
Sulzer Chemtech Ltd quarters in Winterthur, Switzerland, is active in the field of process engi-
P.O. Box 65 neering and employs some 1800 persons worldwide.
CH-8404 Winterthur, Switzerland Sulzer Chemtech is represented in all important industrial countries and
Phone +41 (0)52 262 50 28 sets standards in the field of mass transfer and static mixing with its
Fax +41 (0)52 262 01 82 advanced and economical solutions.
E-mail chemtech@sulzer.com
Internet www.sulzerchemtech.com
The activity program comprises:
• Process components such as trays, structured and random packings,
North and South America internals for separation columns and reaction technology
Sulzer Chemtech USA, Inc.
• Engineering services for separation and reaction technology such as
8505 E. North Belt Drive
optimizing energy consumption, plant optimization studies, pre-engi-
USA-Humble, TX 77396
neering for governmental approval, basic engineering
Phone +1 (281) 441-5800
Fax +1 (281) 291 0207 • Separation and purification of organic chemicals by means of crystal-
lization and membranes
Asia, Pacific • Mixing and reaction technology with static mixers
Sulzer Chemtech Pte. Ltd.
• Mixing and Cartridges Technology
10 Benoi Sector
SGP-Singapore 629845 • Tower field services
Phone +65 6515 5500
Fax +65 6862 7563

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22.84.06.40 - II.07 - 30 - Printed in Switzerland