Experimental evaluation of convergent–divergent geometries applied to natural gas treatment in the oil industry

Publisher FILTECH

M.L. Aguiar*, K. R. B. Melo, L. L. X. Augusto, G. C. Lopes, V. G. Guerra, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil

Natural gas processing involves challenges associated with the presence of moisture and condensable components in gas streams released during drilling and production operations. The control of these phases is crucial to ensure operational safety, equipment integrity, and efficiency in separation systems. In this context, compact devices based on compressible flows have been investigated as alternatives for intensifying natural gas treatment processes. This work presents the operational evaluation of an experimental bench designed to study flows in convergent-divergent geometries with potential application in the treatment of natural gas streams. Two configurations were developed: a convergent-divergent nozzle, with the throat identified as the point of smallest diameter, and a second version containing a section of constant area of 6 cm between the convergent and divergent regions, maintaining the characteristic diameters. The experiments were carried out using dry air as the working fluid, with inlet pressures between 3 and 6 bar. The instrumented test bench provided continuous monitoring of pressure, temperature, and humidity, with data acquisition at one-second intervals, enabling the construction of profiles along the position and time. Analysis of the pressure profiles demonstrated differences in recovery dynamics in different geometries, indicating that design modifications influence the behavior of compressible flow. The results provide relevant experimental data for the development of devices applicable to the treatment and conditioning of natural gas in the oil industry, especially in applications that require compact and robust solutions.

Published in: FILTECH 2026 Conference

Date of Conference: 30 June - 2 July 2026

DOI: -

Presenter's Affiliation: Universidade Fedral de São Carlos

Publisher: FILTECH Exhibitions GmbH & Co. KG

Country: Brasil

Electronic ISBN: 978-3-941655-25-6

Conference Location: Cologne, Germany

Keywords: Natural Gas, Purification, Separation, Compressible Flow, Fluid Processing