A Novel Settling Tank for Produced Water Treatment: CFD Simulations and PIV Experiments

Abstract

Produced water is the largest waste stream in oil and gas production and requires effective treatment before disposal or reuse. Conventional settling tanks have limitations in achieving the required separation efficiency, particularly under the variable flow conditions typical of offshore operations. This study presents a novel settling tank design for produced water treatment and evaluates its performance using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and particle image velocimetry (PIV) experiments.

CFD simulations were used to characterise the flow patterns and separation performance of the novel tank design under various operating conditions, including different flow rates and inlet configurations. The CFD model predictions were validated against PIV experimental measurements of the velocity field within the tank, demonstrating good agreement between simulation and experiment. The novel design features internal geometry modifications that improve flow distribution and particle settling characteristics compared to conventional designs. The combined CFD and experimental approach provides a systematic framework for evaluating and optimising settling tank designs for produced water treatment applications.

@article{shah2019novel,
  title         = {A Novel Settling Tank for Produced Water Treatment: CFD Simulations
                  and PIV Experiments},
  author        = {Shah, Milinkumar T and Parmar, Harisinh B and Rhyne, Lee D and Kalli, Chris
                  and Utikar, Ranjeet P and Pareek, Vishnu K},
  year          = 2019,
  journal       = {Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering},
  publisher     = {Elsevier},
  volume        = 182,
  pages         = 106352
}