Inlet Cyclones

Inlet Cyclones are developed originally in the 1960’s for the treatment of foamy crude oil in production equipment. Our Sepco Inlet Cyclones have been refined to provide high capacity defoaming and gas/liquid separation while providing mechanical and fluid stability.

Inlet cyclones work on the principle of enhanced separation due to high g-forces (centripetal force) inside the cyclones.  The liquids are flung to the perimeter of the cyclone tubes and flow down the tubes into the bulk liquid layer, while the gas forms a central vortex core and escapes through a top outlet hole into the gas space.

Our inlet cyclones are easy to install (designed to fit through a standard vessel manway), and are mechanically rugged while requiring simple weld-in supports.  They can be used in both vertical and horizontal vessels.  Typical applications include Production Separators, Free Water Knock-Out Drums, Degassing Vessels, and Slug Catchers.