Separation & Droplet Separation –
Tailored and Resource-Efficient

In process engineering, separation refers to the mechanical separation of substance mixtures. GDW Rhodius KMS develops and produces solutions based on knitted wire mesh that are used in demanding process environments.

• 1. Gas-Liquid Separation (Droplet Separation / Demister)
  • Separation of liquid droplets, mist, and aerosols from gas streams.
  • Use of demisters / wire mesh droplet separators.
  • Goal: Protection of downstream aggregates such as compressors, heat exchangers, and catalysts, increasing process stability.
• 2. Liquid-Liquid Separation (Coalescence / Emulsion Breaking)
  • Separation of two immiscible liquids (e.g., oil/water).
  • Use of coalescing separators based on technical knitted mesh.
  • Goal: Efficient emulsion separation, improved media recovery, reduction of operating costs.

The efficiency of a separator depends on the correct calculation of the inflow velocity and the geometry. Important parameters for the design by our engineers are:

• Gas velocity and volume flow: Too high leads to "flooding" (liquid carryover), too low reduces the separation efficiency.
• Properties of the media: Density, viscosity, and surface tension of gas and liquid.
• Droplet size distribution: Which droplet size (limit droplet) must be mandatorily separated?
• Process conditions: Pressure and temperature. We simulate these conditions with our own SEPARATE software to find the optimal wire mesh or design.

The difference lies in the physical working principle and the aggregate state of the phases:

• Demister (Droplet Separator) – for Gas-Liquid Separation
  • Used in gas streams to separate liquid aerosols and mist droplets.
  • Working principle: Gas flows through a wire mesh; droplets impact the wire material, collect, grow (agglomeration), and drain off.
  • Goal: Drying of the gas stream, protection of compressors, heat exchangers, and reactors.
    
    
• Coalescing Separator – for Liquid-Liquid Separation
  • Used for two immiscible liquids (e.g., oil/water emulsions).
  • Working principle: Small droplets are retained in the mesh, grow into larger droplets through coalescence, and can subsequently sediment or float more easily, better, and faster.
  • Goal: Emulsion breaking, media cleaning, recovery of valuable process liquids.

The pressure drop (Delta p) is a critical factor for the energy efficiency of a plant. A separator that is too dense delivers high purity levels but generates high pressure resistance, which must be compensated for by stronger blowers (= higher energy costs). GDW Rhodius KMS optimizes separators so that the best possible separation efficiency is achieved at the lowest possible pressure drop. Wire knitted meshes often offer the best ratio of free volume (porosity) and separation performance here compared to other filter media.

Since separation technology is often used in the chemical, oil, and gas industries, material selection is crucial for longevity. We manufacture separators from:

• High-quality stainless steels (e.g., 1.4301, 1.4571) for standard applications.
• Special alloys (e.g., Hastelloy, Inconel, Monel) for high acid or heat resistance.
• Plastics (e.g., PP, PVDF, ETFE, PFA) for extreme chemical resistance where metals would corrode.
• Combination meshes (metal + plastic) are also frequently used to combine the mechanical stability of metal with the separation performance of plastics.

Yes. Many customers contact us when existing separators in their columns or vessels do not provide the desired performance (e.g., liquid carryover at the stack outlet). We offer:

• Status analysis: Review of current operating data.
• Recalculation: Simulation with our design software.
• Revamp/Retrofit: Development of a custom-fit replacement solution (e.g., more powerful high-performance knitted mesh)
  that fits into the existing installation space to increase plant capacity without expensive modifications.