PROCESS EQUIPMENT SIZING

(GENERAL)
WHAT IS THE NEED OF EQUIPMENT SIZING ?

Equipment shall be sized to meet the Process condition and

shall be a guideline for the procurement of the equipment.

WHAT IS THE CONSIDERATION OF

EQUIPMENT SIZING ?

The equipment shall be sizing for the normal variations in

process parameters and also for the process conditions arising
due to process upsets e.g. blowby case.
WHAT IS THE DOCUMENT THAT REFLECTS
PROCESS EQUIPMENT SIZING AND WHICH
DISCIPLINE USES THE DATA ?
Process data sheet shows the equipment sizes and the sizes are used by
mechanical, instrument, piping for engineering.

Discipline like procurement,purchases the equipment from the available

vendors. Equipment sizes change as per the standard model of the
vendors. No appreciable change in size if the equipment is fabricated.
WHAT ARE THE EQUIPMENT/ PROCESS ITEMS
NORMALLY SIZED BY PROCESS DEPARTMENT ?
Heat exchanges, eg shell & tube exchanger ,air coolers etc.
Vertical pressure vessels, eg gas scrubbers
Horizontal Pressure vessel, eg Separator, surge tank
Atmospheric Vertical & Horizontal tanks/vessels, eg day storage tanks,
sumptanks.
Sump caisson
Pumps ( head, NPSH & Capacity )
Package Unit (ex Hot Oil, Instrument air, Methanol System
Control Valve
Relief valve
AIR COOLERS

Basic Parameters Specified for Sizing:

Heat Duty from Process simulator

Process Fluid Flow Rate
Process Fluid Inlet Temperature
Ambient Design Air Temperature
process Fluid Outlet Temperature
Allowable Process Drop
Fouling factor
MANIPULATED VAIABLES/INPUTS FOR SIZING AIR
COOLER
Tube OD / ID
Tube Length
Tube Pitch
Number of Passes
Number of Rows
Tube counts in each row
No of bays per unit
No of bundles parallel per bay
Fan Diameter and no of fans per Bay.
CHECKS OR CONSTRAINTS OR GUIDELINES TO BE
FOLLOWED
Actual pressure drop shall not exceed allowable pressure drop
Static pr drop in inch of water column in air side
Over design factor ( % )
Unit Dimensions available as per layout
Maximum no of rows used in design
Ratio, fan/Bundle face area
VERTICAL TWO PHASE SEPARATORS

Diameters calculated based on terminal velocity or maximum

allowable superficial velocity.
Height is calculated by:
Setting up liquid level at preferred height.
Setting up gas height as per standard followed.
TYPICAL VALUES FOR A GAS HEIGHT IN A
SCRUBBER
TOP T/T to mist eliminator 0.1 ID or 300 mm
Mist Eliminator Height 150 mm Typical
Inlet Nozzle to Mist Eliminator 0.7 ID or 750 mm
Nozzle Diameter D Pipe Inlet
HHLL to Inlet Nozzle 150 mm Minimum
T/T Bottom to HHLL 2.5 FT
HORIZONTAL THREE PHASE SEPERATOR

Enter all the fluid rates and the fluid properties

Assume the diameter & overall length of the separator
Set the liquid levels up to 50% of the height of the vessel
Set the separation length of the vessel
Calculate the gas separation velocity and gas area
Check the retention time to NLL (minimum 3 Mints)
Check the retention time slug NLL-HLL ( minimum 3 mints )
TYPICAL DESIGN VALUES IN A HORIZONTAL THREE
PHASE SEPARATOR

Gas rate 30 MMSCFD Oil Rate 20060 BOPD Water Rate 3952 BWPD

Diameter 7 FT Overall Length 26 FT Separation Sect Length 23.4FT

Required Gas Velocity Max - 4.82 FPS Gas Area Minimum 4.051 SQFT
Available Gas Velocity Max - 1.831 FPS Available Gas Area 10.662 SQFT
LEVEL DIST(inch) VOL(FT3) RESIDENCE TIME(min)

HHLL-TOP 27.0 260.89

HLL-HHLL 9.55 133.297 1.706
NLL-HLL 23.89 335 4.296
IHHLL-NLL 9.56 113.53 1.453
IHLL-IHHLL 2.8 28.419 1.846
INLL-IHLL 2.8 25.43 1.652
ILLL-INLL 2.8 21.77 1.414
ILLLL-ILLL 2.8 16.998 1.104
BTM-ILLLL 2.8 9.357 0.608
VERTICAL CYLINDRICAL STORAGE TANK

Calculate the Liquid Hold up / Storage Capacity

Calculate the Nominal Capacity by Allowing Space for
Disengagement or Filling Percentage
Select Diameter & L/D Ratio
Calculate the Length & Volume of Tank
SUMP CAISSON

Find out the vessel having largest Hold up of Hydrocarbons on the

platform.
Caisson Shall be able to Hold the Entire Hold up during leakage of
Vessel
Follow the Principle of Tank to Calculate Dimensions
Set up the liquid level as per the U-tube principle
Check the Maximum Height Possible from Structure to Avoid
Fouling with Structure.