The VWS SandLiner is suitable for temperatures of up to 140°C with standard seals, and any pressure class up to #2500 or API 10,000. It operates by introducing produced water through tangential inlets into the widest part of the conical internal cavity to create a vortex inside the liner. As the water passes through the vortex, the suspended solids are forced to the wall of the liner by centrifugal forces. The vortex flow pattern within the liner transports the separated solids along the wall to the outlet port of the liner where they flow into a catchment chamber beneath. The desanded water flows in a reverse direction, up the centre of the liner and out through the axial port at the top. Normally the sand in the catchment chamber would be intermittently discharged to a sand cleaning system while the hydrocyclones are on line, although other discharge strategies are possible. VW Westgarth's hydrocyclone has been designed specifically for oil & gas applications and features a liner manufactured from ceramic material to resist high temperatures and erosion. Five liners are available with common external dimensions, giving a range of capacities and efficiencies to suit most process requirements. It can be operated with a continuous or potted underflow.
