Troubleshooting
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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 outlet valve, it must sit below…
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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, confuses level instruments and…
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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 between the two liquids, and falls…
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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 the usable capacity of the bed…
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A structured method for diagnosing high BS&W at a dehydrator or desalter outlet
High basic sediment and water (BS&W) at the outlet of an electrostatic dehydrator or desalter has a short list of possible causes. This paper sets out an order in which to check…
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Troubleshooting and performance diagnostics
Troubleshooting a desalter, dehydrator or hydrogen pressure swing adsorption (PSA) unit starts with the symptom, because each symptom has a short list of probable causes and a short list of data that…