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API Separator Calculations

USER INPUT IN YELLOW

Design Flow rate (in gpm) 65
Temperature (in deg F) 150 An "oil droplet size" of 150
Specific Gravity of the Oil (in g/cm3) 0.85 is typically the norm for API
Oil Droplet size (in microns) 150 separators. Do not change
Density of the Water (in g/cm3) 0.98022 this value unless you have
Viscosity (in Poise) 0.00439 a specific need. The
minimum useable value is
60

RESULTS mm
Width of separator in feet 1.50 457
Depth of separator in feet 2.00 610
Length of separator in feet 10.63 3240

Oil Droplet (in cm) 0.015

Minimum Maximum
Allowable Design Allowable
Result Result
terminal velocity (in cm/s) 0.36 0.36 0.36
terminal velocity (in ft/min) 0.72 0.72 0.72
Minimum cross sectional area needed (in ft) 2.90 2.90 2.90
Cross Sectional Area (in square feet) 2.90 3.00 160.00
maximum horizontal velocity (15*vt, but must be <=3) 3.00 3.00 3.00
horizontal velocity (in ft/min) 3.00 2.90 0.05
vh/vt 4.19 4.05 0.08
short-circuiting factor 1.32 1.31 1.17
Length of unit (must be at least 5X of width) (in ft) 5.00 10.63 100.00
length/width 5.00 7.09 5.00
minimum horizontal area 16.00 15.94 14.25
Width of channel (in feet) (must be 6 to 20) 1.00 1.50 20.00
Depth (in feet) 0.30 2.00 10.00
Depth/Width Ratio (must be .3 to .5) 0.30 1.33 0.50

Step 1:
Adjust the width and depth of the chanel until you
achieve a horizontal velocity <=3. Ideal horizontal
velocity should be in the <=2 range at average flow.
Make sure that you maintain a depth/width ratio of .3 to
.5