# Axsia Howmar

> Axsia Howmar is a UK engineering consulting and contracting company working in crude oil treatment and hydrogen purification. We design and manufacture process packages: approved and audited fabricators build them under our project management and supervision. We deliver, commission and hand over. We also review and troubleshoot existing units and supply spare parts, including for equipment built by others.

Values described on this site as typical are published industry ranges, not performance guarantees. Performance for a specific unit is confirmed per project. Spare parts are quote-based; no prices are published. Supply is subject to UK export control and sanctions checks.

Contact: enquiries@axsiahowmar.com | https://axsiahowmar.com/contact/

## Solutions

- [Crude oil dehydrators](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/crude-oil-dehydrators/): A crude oil dehydrator is an electrostatic coalescer in water-removal duty. What sets outlet BS&W, how the duty is designed, and what goes wrong.
- [Crude oil desalters](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/crude-oil-desalters/): A crude oil desalter is an electrostatic coalescer with wash water and a mixing valve upstream. How salt removal works, design parameters and staging.
- [Crude oil heaters](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/crude-oil-heaters/): How indirect fired crude oil heaters work, why treating temperature matters for dehydration and desalting, design parameters, problems and revamp options.
- [Crude oil treatment](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/): How a crude oil treatment train works as one system: separation, heating, dehydration and desalting by electrostatic coalescence, and where problems start.
- [Electrostatic coalescer prewash](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/electrostatic-coalescer-prewash/): How a DC electrostatic coalescer removes entrained caustic from prewashed kerosene before the sweetening reactor: design, retrofit and spare parts.
- [Electrostatic coalescers](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/crude-oil-treatment/electrostatic-coalescers/): How an electrostatic coalescer works, how it is sized, typical design parameters, internals, problems and revamp options for dehydrators and desalters.
- [Hydrogen dryer for electrolyser hydrogen](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/hydrogen-purification/hydrogen-dryer/): How a DeOxo and temperature swing adsorption (TSA) dryer removes oxygen and water from electrolyser hydrogen, and how regeneration energy is cut.
- [Hydrogen purification](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/hydrogen-purification/): A plain comparison of hydrogen purification by PSA, TSA, membrane and cryogenic separation: purity, recovery, feed tolerance, turndown, cost and best fit.
- [PSA hydrogen purification](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/hydrogen-purification/psa-hydrogen-purification/): How pressure swing adsorption purifies hydrogen: cycle steps, adsorbent layers, purity and recovery trade-off, design parameters, problems and revamps.
- [TSA hydrogen purification](https://axsiahowmar.com/solutions/hydrogen-purification/tsa-hydrogen-purification/): How temperature swing adsorption dries gas and, in a DeOxo dryer package, takes electrolyser hydrogen from 99.9 to 99.999 % purity. Design and problems.

## Services

- [Design review for capacity enhancement](https://axsiahowmar.com/services/design-review-capacity-enhancement/): An independent design review of what limits a desalter, dehydrator, heater or hydrogen PSA unit, and which revamp options remove that limit at least cost.
- [Process and detailed design](https://axsiahowmar.com/services/process-and-detailed-design/): Process and detailed design of crude oil treatment trains and hydrogen PSA and TSA packages, from datasheet to a package an approved fabricator can build.
- [Troubleshooting and performance diagnostics](https://axsiahowmar.com/services/troubleshooting-and-performance-diagnostics/): Symptom index for desalters, dehydrators, coalescer power units and hydrogen PSA units: probable causes, the data that confirms them, and how to get help.

## Knowledge

- [A structured method for diagnosing high BS&W at a dehydrator or desalter outlet](https://axsiahowmar.com/insights/diagnosing-high-bsw-at-dehydrator-or-desalter-outlet/): A step-by-step method for finding why outlet water is high on a desalter or dehydrator: measurement, temperature, electrics, interface, chemistry, flow.
- [Specifying a DeOxo dryer for electrolyser hydrogen: the inputs that set the design](https://axsiahowmar.com/insights/specifying-a-deoxo-dryer-for-electrolyser-hydrogen/): The inputs that size a hydrogen DeOxo dryer: oxygen content, water load, pressure, turndown, product specification and regeneration gas route.

## Company and spare parts

- [About Axsia Howmar](https://axsiahowmar.com/about/): Axsia Howmar is a UK engineering consulting and contracting company for crude oil treatment and hydrogen purification packages.
- [Capability statement](https://axsiahowmar.com/capability-statement/): Download the Axsia Howmar capability statement: scope of supply, engineering services, delivery model and standards for crude oil and hydrogen packages.
- [Certifications and quality](https://axsiahowmar.com/about/certifications-and-quality/): How Axsia Howmar controls quality on engineered packages and spare parts: design checking, vendor qualification, inspection and test plans, documentation.
- [Contact](https://axsiahowmar.com/contact/): Send a technical, troubleshooting, design review or spare parts enquiry to Axsia Howmar. Attach a datasheet or nameplate photo. Reply in 1 working day.
- [Crude oil desalter vs dehydrator](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/crude-oil-desalter-vs-dehydrator/): A desalter and a dehydrator are the same equipment, an electrostatic coalescer. The dehydrator removes water; the desalter adds wash water to remove salt.
- [Electrostatic coalescer spare parts](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/electrostatic-coalescer-spare-parts/): Spare parts for electrostatic coalescers in desalter and dehydrator duty: entrance bushings, electrode insulators, grids and transformer bushings.
- [Home](https://axsiahowmar.com/)
- [Knowledge and insights](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/): Plain-language explainers, a glossary and papers on desalting, crude dehydration, electrostatic coalescence and hydrogen PSA and TSA purification.
- [Legacy equipment spare parts](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/legacy-equipment-spare-parts/): Own an old desalter, dehydrator or prewash coalescer with no parts support? Send a nameplate photo, tag number or drawing reference and we identify them.
- [Part finder](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/part-finder/): Search the open spare parts catalogue by SKU, old part number, drawing reference or description. Partial and mistyped references work. No login, no prices.
- [Prewash coalescer spare parts](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/prewash-coalescer-spare-parts/): Spare parts for electrostatic prewash coalescers and precipitators on kerosene sweetening units: entrance bushings, insulators, power units and bushings.
- [PSA vs TSA for hydrogen purification](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/psa-vs-tsa-hydrogen-purification/): Pressure swing and temperature swing adsorption do different jobs. PSA removes bulk impurities; TSA removes trace water. Compare cycle, recovery and fit.
- [Request a quote](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/request-a-quote/): Send one request for quotation for all the parts you need. Attach a nameplate photo or drawing. Acknowledged within 1 working day. Export checks apply.
- [Sample Page](https://axsiahowmar.com/sample-page/)
- [Single-stage vs two-stage desalting](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/single-stage-vs-two-stage-desalting/): One desalter stage typically removes about 90 to 95 % of salt. Two stages with recycled wash water reach about 99 %. How to decide which your crude needs.
- [Spare parts and lifecycle support](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/): Quote-based spare parts for electrostatic coalescers: desalters, dehydrators and kerosene prewash coalescers, including legacy units. Open catalogue.

## Spare parts catalogue

- [Electrode grid assembly](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/electrode-grid-assembly/): Forms the energised and earthed electrodes between which the electric field is created inside a desalter or dehydrator. Water droplets passing through…
- [Electrode insulator](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/electrode-insulator/): Suspends an energised electrode grid from the vessel structure inside a desalter, dehydrator or prewash coalescer and isolates it electrically from…
- [High-pressure entrance bushing](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/high-pressure-entrance-bushing/): Carries the high-voltage conductor from the transformer or power unit through the pressure boundary of a desalter, dehydrator or prewash coalescer vessel…
- [Insulating sleeve](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/insulating-sleeve/): Insulates the high-voltage conductor where it passes close to earthed metal, such as the vessel nozzle or internal supports, inside a desalter or…
- [Power connecting rod](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/power-connecting-rod/): Connects the conductor of the entrance bushing to the energised electrode grid inside a desalter or dehydrator, carrying the high-voltage supply through…
- [Transformer bushing and power supply bushing](https://axsiahowmar.com/spare-parts/parts/transformer-bushing-power-supply-bushing/): Carries the high-voltage output of a desalter, dehydrator or prewash coalescer transformer or power unit out of the transformer tank and into the conduit…

## Optional

- [Activated alumina](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/activated-alumina/): Activated alumina is a porous aluminium oxide adsorbent with a strong affinity for water and good mechanical strength. It is used as the first, guard…
- [Activated carbon](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/activated-carbon/): Activated carbon is a porous carbon adsorbent with large internal surface and low affinity for water. In hydrogen PSA units it forms the middle layer of…
- [Adsorbent](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/adsorbent/): An adsorbent is a porous solid with a very large internal surface that holds selected gas molecules on it. In gas purification, beds of adsorbent remove…
- [Basic sediment and water (BS&W)](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/basic-sediment-and-water/): Basic sediment and water (BS&W) is the combined volume of water and solid sediment in a crude oil sample, reported as a volume percentage. It is the…
- [Breakthrough](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/breakthrough/): Breakthrough is the point in an adsorption step at which the impurity being removed first appears in the product above its allowed level. It shows that…
- [Crude oil dehydrator](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/crude-oil-dehydrator/): A crude oil dehydrator is an electrostatic coalescer that removes produced water from crude oil to meet a water specification, usually stated as basic…
- [Crude oil desalter](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/crude-oil-desalter/): A crude oil desalter is an electrostatic coalescer operated with wash water mixed into the crude upstream. The water dilutes the salty droplets in the…
- [Demulsifier](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/demulsifier/): A demulsifier is a surface-active chemical injected into crude oil at parts-per-million levels to displace the natural films that stabilise water…
- [DeOxo dryer](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/deoxo-dryer/): A DeOxo dryer is a purification package for electrolyser hydrogen. A catalytic deoxidiser reacts trace oxygen with hydrogen to form water, and a…
- [Electrostatic coalescence](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/electrostatic-coalescence/): Electrostatic coalescence is the use of a high-voltage electric field to make small water droplets dispersed in oil collide and merge into larger…
- [Electrostatic coalescer](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/electrostatic-coalescer/): An electrostatic coalescer is a pressure vessel with energised electrode grids, in which a high-voltage field coalesces water droplets in crude oil so…
- [Emulsion (water-in-oil)](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/emulsion/): A water-in-oil emulsion is a dispersion of small water droplets in crude oil, held apart by natural surface-active films of asphaltenes, resins, waxes…
- [Entrance bushing](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/entrance-bushing/): An entrance bushing is the insulated, pressure-rated feedthrough that carries the high-voltage conductor from the external transformer through the vessel…
- [Hydrogen recovery](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/hydrogen-recovery/): Hydrogen recovery is the fraction of the hydrogen entering a purification unit that leaves as product, stated as a percentage. In a pressure swing…
- [Indirect fired heater](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/indirect-fired-heater/): An indirect fired heater warms a process fluid without exposing it to flame. A burner heats a bath of water or other liquid through a fire tube, and the…
- [Interface level](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/interface-level/): Interface level is the height of the boundary between settled water and the oil above it in a separator, dehydrator or desalter. Controlled by the water…
- [Mixing valve](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/mixing-valve/): A mixing valve is a throttling valve upstream of a desalter that shears wash water into fine droplets so they meet the salty water in the crude. Its…
- [Molecular sieve](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/molecular-sieve/): A molecular sieve is a synthetic zeolite adsorbent with pores of uniform molecular size. It adsorbs small polar molecules strongly. In hydrogen PSA units…
- [Pounds per thousand barrels (PTB)](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/pounds-per-thousand-barrels/): Pounds per thousand barrels (PTB) is the customary unit for the salt content of crude oil: pounds of salt, expressed as sodium chloride, in one thousand…
- [Pressure swing adsorption (PSA)](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/pressure-swing-adsorption/): Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) separates gases using beds of solid adsorbent that hold impurities at high pressure and release them when pressure is…
- [Rag layer](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/rag-layer/): A rag layer is a band of emulsion and solids that collects at the oil-water interface in a separator or desalter. As it grows it reduces settling volume…
- [Stokes’ law](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/stokes-law/): Stokes' law gives the settling speed of a small droplet in a liquid. Speed rises with the square of droplet diameter and with the density difference…
- [Tail gas](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/tail-gas/): Tail gas is the low-pressure stream released from a pressure swing adsorption unit as its beds are depressurised and purged. It holds the removed…
- [Temperature swing adsorption (TSA)](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/temperature-swing-adsorption/): Temperature swing adsorption (TSA) removes trace impurities, most often water, from a gas using adsorbent beds that are regenerated by heating. One bed…
- [Wash water](https://axsiahowmar.com/knowledge/glossary/wash-water/): Wash water is low-salinity water injected into crude oil upstream of a desalter to dilute the salty water droplets it carries. It is typically added at 3…