Fast and efficient numerical-simulation method for supersonic-gas processing

Supersonic-swirling-separation technology separates heavy hydrocarbons and water vapor from natural gas. The de Laval nozzle, where condensation occurs, is used to generate supersonic flow and achieve a high degree of supersaturation in a natural-gas dehydration unit. To optimize the structure of the nozzle and achieve higher separation efficiency, numerical simulation was used to accelerate development cycles and reduce the cost of experiment. Rather than use multiphase models and a real-gas model, a quick and efficient method was validated and used to determine the location of the nucleation zone and the dropletgrowth zone.