Avskillere

Avskillere is a term used in Norwegian and Danish to describe devices that separate mixtures into distinct phases or remove entrained solids from liquids. They are used across processing industries to produce streams suitable for downstream equipment, protect processes from contaminants, and recover valuable products. The basic principle relies on differences in physical properties such as density, viscosity, or particle size.

Common types include gravity separators, which rely on settling by density differences; centrifugal separators, which use rotation to increase separation forces; and hydrocyclones, which employ tangential flow and centrifugal effects to split mixtures. Gas-liquid separators remove entrained gas from liquids, while liquid-liquid separators separate immiscible liquids. The choice of type depends on the nature of the mixture and the desired output streams.

In practice, avskillere incorporate inlets, baffles or coalescing elements, outlet weirs or taps, and sometimes internal scrapers or filters. Performance depends on flow rate, phase properties, temperature, and residence time. Proper design minimizes short-circuiting, re-entrainment, or bypass of phases. Maintenance considerations include inspection for corrosion, fouling, and wear, as well as cleaning or replacing internal components.

Typical applications include water treatment (settling tanks and desludging separators), oil and gas production (oil-water separators and gas scrubbers), chemical processing, and food and beverage processing. They are often integrated with pumps, clarifiers, or distillation units as part of a treatment train. Efficiency hinges on appropriate sizing, correct orientation of outlets, and compatibility with upstream and downstream equipment.

Terminology varies by language; in Norwegian, avskillere roughly corresponds to separators or demisters. Design and operation are guided by process engineering principles, safety rules, and manufacturer specifications. Regular inspection, cleaning, and replacement of consumables extend service life and maintain separation performance.