Gas-Liquid Separation in T-Junction

T-junctions are widely used in piping network for distributing multiphase flows, especially in oil and gas industries. Mal-distribution of the phases flowing through a T-junction poses a challenge in maintaining homogenous splitting across a T-junction at the same time, a potential as a simple, compact partial phase separator. However, the behavior of two-phase flow complicates the process of understanding the phenomena as there are many inter-related parameters that influences the mal-distribution. In order to seriously consider T-junction as a partial phase separator, its geometry and operating condition that for efficient separation must be identified. This project aims to identify the geometric and operating conditions effects on the separation efficiency of a T-junction in terms of gas fraction in branch arm. The concerned parameters under this study are the operating pressure, oil flow rate, GOR, and arms’ length of the T-junction. OLGA Multiphase Simulator is used to model the T-junction for the parametric study. The findings conclude that operating pressure as the most influential parameter in ensuring efficient separation. At the end of this project, sufficient amount of data is collected and the phenomenon of phase mal-distribution when a two-phase mixture passes through a T-junctions is well understood. Hence, redefined the potential of T-junction as a simple, cost saving, passive partial separator for separation process in the petroleum industry