Water-Oil Separation using Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach: Case Study in Free Water Knockout

Samuel Pangeran Aletheia

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive simulation of the Free Water Knockout (FWKO) process, a prevalent technique in the petroleum industry for the separation of water from crude oil. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) methodologies were employed to gain an in-depth understanding of the fluid dynamics inherent in the separation process. The Euler–Euler approach, in conjunction with an inhomogeneous population balance model, was utilized to simulate the behaviour of water and oil in the FWKO, incorporating a realizable k–ε turbulence model. The developed model demonstrated a separation efficiency reaching 48.46%. The simulation outcomes were compared with other studies and experimental data, subjected to an independent sample t-test at a 95% confidence interval, yielding a p-value of 0.13, thereby affirming the validity of the model.

Keywords

water-oil separation; free water knockout; computational fluid dynamics; simulation

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.13057/ijap.v16i1.101959

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