Performance Evaluation of a Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (LLCC) for Oil-Water Separation

Abstract

In this experimental study, the type of Hydrocyclone Separators that used is Liquid-Liquid Cylindrical Cyclone (LLCC). The objective of this experimental study is to understand the influences of operating and design parameters such as inlet velocity, split-ratio, and vortex finder diameter towards the result of separation process (LLCC's performance). The separation performance of LLCC is determined by measuring the watercut that goes through the lower output called as underflow. The examined inlet mixture velocity in this experimental study are 1 m/s and 1.2 m/s with split-ratio variation of 5%, 15%, 30%, 45%, 60%, 75%, and 90%. The diameters of vortex finder that used in this experimental study are 18 mm, 22 mm, and 27 mm. All variables are tested under a constant inlet oil volume fraction 25%. From the experiment with those various variables, LLCC can achieve 99% of watercut with different Optimum Split Ratio (OSR) for each inlet mixture velocity and vortex finder diameter.