Numerical Simulation of Flow Field in Gas/Liquid Separators with Supersonic Wings.

Abstract: The gas/liquid separator with a supersonic wing is a new apparatus which can be used to condense and separate water and heavy hydrocarbons from natural gas. It enables chemical-free operation to reduce the pollution of the environment. A new supersonic separator with a supersonic delta wing is designed for gas/liquid separation. The natural gas flow field in supersonic gas/liquid separators is numerical calculated with the RNG k- ∑ turbulence model. The numerical results show that water and heavy hydrocarbons can be condensed and separated from natural gas under the combined effects of the low temperature (-86°C) and strong centrifugal field (600000g. g is the acceleration of gravity). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]