Adaptability analysis of operating parameters of hydrate hydrocyclone separator based on a CFD simulation. Issue 6 (13th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Fang, Xing; Wang, Guorong; Zhong, Lin; Qiu, Shunzuo; Wang, Dangfei
• Is Part Of: Separation science and technology. Volume 57:Issue 6(2022)
• Page Start: 979
• Page End: 989
• Publication Date: 2022-04-13
• Subjects: Natural gas hydrate -- CFD-fluent -- hydrocyclone separator -- separation performance; Separation (Technology) -- Periodicals; 660.284205
• DOI: 10.1080/01496395.2021.1954662
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0149-6395

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Natural Gas Hydrate (NGH) downhole hydrocyclone separator is one of the core components of solid-state fluidized mining method, and its adaptability to NGH reservoir parameters directly determines the success of future commercial NGH mining. In this paper, CFD method is used to study the performance of downhole small-size hydrocyclone separator with classical structure under the condition of NGH solid-state fluidization. In this paper, NGH recovery efficiency, sand removal efficiency and pressure drop are taken as evaluation indexes, and the influences of sand size, inlet sand and NGH volume fraction are studied. The simulation successfully obtained the distribution of each discrete phase in the separator. The separation efficiency and pressure drop of the separator are calculated. It is found that when the inlet sand particle size is too low, both sand removal and NGH recovery efficiency are very poor. As the inlet sand volume fraction increases, the hydrate column gradually disappears and the sand aggregation area eventually exceeds the locus of zero vertical velocity. And as the inlet NGH volume fraction increases, the lip leakage effect increases. This study provides the basis for the use of downhole separators in solid-state fluidized mining process and the design and optimization of related separators.