Features and Benefits

The SwirlValve™ sits between two disciplines: valve characteristic requirements and process design. Twister BV is the bridge between these two disciplines by offering:

• analysing flow characteristics of valve, piping and cold separator through the use of CFD
• engineering of the SwirlValve to optimise droplet formation and separation

Improved separation processes

The Twister SwirlValve focuses on fluid streams which evolve at high pressure such as well fluids from subterranean reservoirs (e.g. oil and gas). These fluids mainly comprise hydrocarbon gases and liquids or mixtures which may be diluted with an aqueous fluid (e.g. water). During the processing of these well fluids the pressure is reduced in a controlled order to cool the fluid (gas) or to evaporate the volatile fluid components (oil). In the latter process the pressure reduction goes down to atmospheric pressure to obtain a stabilized liquid, whereas for gas processing the pressure reduction is only partial in order to restore sufficient mass-density to economically transport the gas through a pipeline. After all these pressure reduction stages, phase separators are applied to split:

• Liquids from gas (e.g. water & condensate from gas)
• Gases from liquid (e.g. gas from oil)
• Liquid from liquids (e.g. oil from water or water from oil)

The Swirl principle can be applied to any valve which incorporates axis-symmetrical flow paths such as those established in cage-piston type valves.

Improved separation performance

• Liquids from gas (e.g. water & condensate from gas)
• Gases from liquid (e.g. gas from oil)
• Liquid from liquids (e.g. oil from water or water from oil)

Improved process performance

• Flow debottlenecking
• Reduced pressure drop
• Higher liquid recovery