Design of Vertical KO Pot-V2
Design of Vertical KO Pot-V2
Design of Vertical KO Pot-V2
• 15 Jan., 2002.
• By R. A. Hawrelak
The Equation of State
• Composition, temperature and pressure define
the Equation Of State (EOS) for process
streams in a chemical plant.
• The EOS often shows a particular stream to be
a two-phase mixture of vapor and liquid.
• Chemical processes often require separation of
the vapor stream from the liquid stream.
• The separation usually takes place in a vapor-
liquid separator called a knock-out pot.
There are 3 Basic Design
Zones in any Knock-out Pot
• Vertical – No Internals
Vertical KO – With Demister Mesh
Peerless KO Pots With
Horizontal Flow Chevrons
FWG – Vertical Flow Chevron
Vanes
Cyclone KO Pot With
Tangential Entry
Porta-Test Centrifugal Separator
Horizontal KO Pots
• API-521 Horizontal KO Pot With No Internals
API-521 Horizontal KO Pot With
Mesh Pad
Wu – Horizontal With Extended
Inlet
Kettle Refrigeration Exchanger
This Presentation Considers
• Vertical KO Vessel With No Internals
• Vertical KO With Mesh Pad
• As CBE 497 does not get to Phase III
Engineering where line sizing is a
factor, Inlet Line design is not part of
this presentation.
Problem Statement
• Design a KO Pot to separate 49,423 lb/hr
of vapor from 382,290 lb/hr of liquid.
• Working Range liquid level holdup shall
be +/- 2 minutes on normal liquid level.
• Provide 2 minutes liquid holdup from high
opg LL to Max LL.
• Provide 2 minutes liquid holdup from low
opg LL to Min. LL.
• Total Liquid Retention time = 8 minutes.
First Design Consideration
• As the liquid rate is high (382,290
lb/hr), liquid volume will probably be
the controlling design factor.
• Consider using a Standard Vertical
KO Pot with No Internals.
Problem Statement Cont’d
• Vapor Destination – centrifugal compressor.
• Liquid Destination – C2 Splitter reflux.
• Compressor Spec – To prevent damage to the
compressor, the liquid droplet size in the inlet
vapor stream shall not exceed a particle
diameter, Dp, of 150 to 300 microns.
• Design Spec – To achieve a goal of 150
microns, design the KO Pot for a particle
diameter, Dp = 100 microns.
• Rate a 10 ft. dia. x 31 ft. t-t KO Pot.
Summary Of All Req’d Input
Step (1): Calc CFS Of Vapor
• Re = (CRe^2 / C)^0.5
• Re = 24.5
• Re falls within range 0.1 < Re < 2,000
OK to proceed to Step (5)
Step (5): Calc Drop Out Velocity
• Drop Out velocity, ut, from Perry VI -
Eq 5-264.
• Ut = [Re / C*4*32.2 *cP* 0.00067197
*(DL-Dv) / 3 / Dv^2]^0.333333.
• Ut = 0.4659 ft./sec.
Step (6): Calc Vessel Diameter
• Area = (CFS / ut) = (3.14 / 4 )(D)^2.
• KO Dia = (CFS / ut /0.785)^0.5.
• KO Dia = 6.67 ft.
• Round Diameter to Nearest 3.”
• Rounded Diameter = 7’ 0.”
Step (7): Calc Ht. Above C.L.
Of Inlet Nozzle, L1
• L1 Vapor ht. Referenced to C.L. Of
inlet nozzle.
• L1 Vapor ht. = 3 ft. + 0.5(Noz Diam.).
• L1 Vapor ht. = 3.83 ft. (C.L. to top t-L).
• See Design Uncertainty at end of this
report for future addition of a
demister pad, if required.
Step (8): Calc Liquid Vol, L3,
For Specified Retention Time
• Cubic Ft. Of Liquid = Vol L3.
• Vol L3 = (WL)(Ø min.) / DL / 60 cu. ft.
• Vol L3 = 1,629.02 cu. Ft.
Step (9): Calc Liq Vol for
minimum of 2 ft. Liquid.
• Liq Vol For 2 Ft. Minimum Liq Vol =
Vol L2 ft. = (p)(2)(Dia)^2 / 4.
• Vol L2 ft. = 76.97 cu. Ft.
Step (10): Select Maximum
of L3 Vol or L2 ft. Vol.
• Vol L3 = 1,629.02 cu. Ft.
• Vol L2 = 76.97 ft. cu. Ft. = cu. Ft.
• Max Liquid Vol = 1,629.02 cu. Ft.
Step (11): calculate L3, ft.
• L3 = (Vol L3)(4) / (p)(Vessel Dia)^2.
• L3 = 42.33 ft.
• This makes the vessel roughly 7 ft. in
diam with an unusually high liquid
level (L3).
Step (12): Document Liquid
Retention Time
• Stated Liquid Retention Time
Required from Max to Min Liquid
Level = 8 minutes.
Step (13): Calculate L2
• L2 is the height from the C.L. of the inlet
nozzle to the max Liquid level.
• L2 = 0.25(L3) + 0.5(Inlet Nozzle dia.).
• L2 = (0.25)(42.33) + (0.5)(20/12) =11.42 ft.
Step (14): Calculate t-t Length
• L total t-t = L1 + L2 + L3.
• L total t-t = 3.83 + 11.42 + 42.33.
• L total t-t = 57.58.
• L/D = 57.58 / 6.67 = 8.63.
• Economic L/D range between 3 to 4.
• Repeat Process with lower Dp to increase
dia and lower t-t length.
• Second Pass. Try Dp = 50 microns.
Other Design Steps
• Step (15): Check L/D ratio (Goal 4-6)
• Step 16: Old Schieman Sizing Method.
• Step (17):Calculate Liquid Entrainment
(HTRI).
• Step (18): Determine Flow Regime for
Inlet Pipe using Baker Chart for
Horizontal Flow.
Summary
1st pass 2nd pass final pass
Dp, microns 100 50 54
Ret Minutes 8 8 8.3