Natural Gas Processing

4.12. Nature of the feed

• Foaming tendency

For foaming to occur it is necessary for gas bubbles to be formed, and for the drainage of the liquid films surrounding the bubbles to be retarded. Drainage of the films is slower in highly viscous liquids, but the chief causes of foaming are surface properties, which are usually unpredictable. For this reason the foaming tendency is best judged on the basis of experience of similar cases. Laboratory tests may also give an indication of the foaminess of the system.

Table 4.6

Performance Comparison of Various Separators

KO Drum		Wire Mesh Demister		Vane-Type Demister			Cyclone	Vertical Multi- Cyclone Separator	Filter Separator
Vertical	Horizontal	Vertical	Horizontal	Vertical		Horizontal
				In-line	Two-stage	Two-stage
Gas handling ...