Cyclonic Inlet Devices As member of the family of inlet devices that VME manufactures and provides for its customers, these devices introduce the liquids and gases into a pressure vessel in a manner that separates the bulk gas from the liquid and eliminates or significantly reduces the development of foam in the vessel. It can be used to aid the oil and water separation also through the cyclonic action in the tubes.

The Process As the fluids (typically a mixture of oil, water and gas) pass through the inlet pipe and nozzle the flow is split into two or more cyclone tubes by regularly spaced tube openings. These then direct the flow of fluids tangentially in the tubes encouraging the liquids to flow to the tube walls while the gas stays in the center and so forms a vortex shape. The gas flows out of the top of the tube and the liquid out of the bottom. The fluids velocities are decreased and the bulk of gas and liquids separate. These perform well from medium to high ‘momentum’ values.