Droplet separators are used when droplets must be reliably separated from gas flows. They not only ensure process safety and efficiency improvement, but also make a significant contribution to environmental protection.
Custom-made Droplet
Separators / Demisters
For Process Engineering Plants
- Customized design for your specific application
- Fast production in individual specifications, shape, and size
- Reliable support during plant downtimes
- High-efficiency separation with minimal pressure drop
- Professional expert advice and worldwide support
- Proven in numerous applications
The Features of Our Droplet Separators / Demisters
Droplet separators made from wire mesh packs, also known as "Demisters" or "Mist Eliminators," are essential for the operation of various process engineering plants. In the process, they serve to separate liquid droplets (e.g., oil or water) from gas flows (e.g., exhaust air or steam). GDW Rhodius KMS offers droplet separators with high-efficiency separation performance and low pressure loss. Unwanted contaminants in gas flows are separated until the required clean gas concentration is achieved.
Separation by Inertial Effect
Demisters use the higher inertia of liquid droplets compared to the gas phase. Good separation performance is achieved by redirecting the gas flow multiple times around the wires: As the droplets flow through the wire mesh, they collide with the wire surface due to their inertia. The liquid then collects at the mesh junctions, combines under gravity, and falls down into a collection chamber.
Separation by Diffusion Effect
Very small droplets, due to their low mass, follow the streamlines around the wire, making separation difficult. We address this by using very thin wires and various fibers, typically in combination with a supporting wire as a composite mesh. Depending on the selection, the specific surface area of the packing can be significantly increased. This increases the likelihood of interaction between the droplets and individual filaments.
For small flow velocities, diffusion effects become prominent, ensuring reliable separation of droplets at the lower end of the spectrum.
The required packing specification for separation largely depends on the incoming droplet spectrum and the required droplet size. With optimal design, droplets in the range of 1 µm and separation efficiencies of 99.9% can be achieved. The pressure drop of wire mesh droplet separators remains very low, even at higher velocities, due to large free volumes.
We calculate the optimal separator for your process using our in-house "Separate" design software.
Applications of Droplet Separators / Demisters
Application Examples for Droplet Separators / Demisters:
- Evaporators
- (Seawater) Desalination plants
- Absorption and distillation columns
- Vacuum and compressed air systems
- Oil mist separators
- Fat filters / fatty acid plants
- Paint shops
- Sulfuric acid plants
- Steam generators
- Condensers
- Air conditioning and exhaust systems
- Cooling towers
- Gas scrubbers
- Prilling towers
- Exhaust gas treatment plants, e.g., in power plants or ships
More Information on
Droplet Separators / Demisters
- Separation efficiency: up to 99.9%
- Low pressure loss: a few mbar
- Droplet size range: from 1 µm to 100 µm
- Wire diameter: material-dependent, from 0.05 mm to 0.50 mm
- Packing density:
material-dependent, from 50 kg/m³ to 450 kg/m³
Materials
- All common stainless steels
- Aluminum
- Special alloys (e.g., Monel, Inconel, Alloy 20)
- Titanium
- Copper
- Various plastics (e.g., PP, PVDC, ETFE, PFA, etc.)
- Fibers such as glass fiber or carbon fiber
Design of the Droplet Separators Based on:
- Allowable pressure loss
- Desired separation efficiency
- Amount of liquid to be separated
- Process media
Dry Gases. Clean Processes. Low Operating Costs.
You want to efficiently remove liquid droplets from your gas stream – without unnecessary pressure loss or maintenance effort? Our custom-designed droplet separators ensure reliable separation with high energy efficiency, ideal for processes in chemicals, energy, environmental engineering, and many other industries.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Droplet Separators / Demisters
How much wire fits in a demister?
In a typical stainless steel droplet separator with a diameter of, for example, 800 mm (0.5 m² cross-sectional area), up to 150 km of wire can be used. The wire surface area would be 65 m², and the porosity around 97%.
How does a droplet separator (demister) work?
The demister uses the higher inertia of liquid droplets compared to the gas. As the gas flows through the wire mesh, the droplets collide with the wire surface, collect at the mesh junctions, and fall as larger droplets into the collection chamber.
What can be separated with droplet separators?
Liquid droplets such as water, oil, solvents, or acids – from gas flows like air, steam, or process gases.
What separation efficiency can I expect?
With optimal design, our droplet separators can achieve separation efficiencies of up to 99.9%.
Can very small droplets (fine droplets) be separated?
Yes. For very small droplets that would follow the streamlines, we use the diffusion effect. By using fibers as a composite mesh, the specific surface area is significantly increased, allowing droplets as small as 1 µm to be reliably separated.
What advantages do GDW Rhodius KMS separators have over standard solutions?
Our products are custom-designed, pressure-loss optimized, durable, regenerable, and extremely low-maintenance.
How is the separator designed?
Using our proprietary software "Separate", we calculate the optimal packing density, geometry, and material selection based on your process data (flow, media, temperature).
Which industries are the separators suitable for?
Typical applications are found in the chemical, petrochemical, food, process engineering, energy, hydrogen production, and exhaust air treatment industries.