Influence of Installation Orientation and Cone Angle on Pressure Drop and Filtration Efficiency of Conical Strainers

Amnur Akhyan; Mhd Dhowiy Hussein; Mohd Azahari Bin Razali

doi:10.29017/scog.v48i3.1910

Authors

Amnur Akhyan Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM)
Mhd Dhowiy Hussein Teknik Mesin Politeknik Caltex Riau
Mohd Azahari Bin Razali Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29017/scog.v48i3.1910

Keywords:

Conical Strainer, pressure drop, filtration efficiency, cone angle, orientation, open area ratio (OAR)

Abstract

Cone strainers are very important in oil and gas pipeline systems because they prevent particles from entering the system and damaging pumps, compressors, and other critical equipment. This study experimentally examines the effects of cone angle, installation orientation, and open area ratio (OAR) on pressure drop (ΔP) and filtration efficiency (η) in conical filters. Four setups were examined with cone angles of 74° and 81° and hole diameters of 4 mm and 6 mm, at flow rates between 15 to 30 m³/hour. The results reveal that the 81° configuration (OAR = 38%) with unidirectional installation has the lowest pressure drop (1,250–2,500 Pa) and a filtration efficiency of over 92%, making it ideal for energy-efficient use. Conversely, the 74° cone can capture more particles (>93%) but experiences higher pressure loss (up to 9,500 Pa), making it suitable for applications requiring very stringent filtering. Installing the counter-current way was shown to increase turbulence and lower efficiency by up to 20%, which demonstrates the importance of the correct installation orientation for maintaining hydrodynamic stability and filtering effectiveness. These results highlight the critical need to optimise cone geometry and OAR to strike a balance between energy efficiency, hydraulic stability, and filtering performance. For pre-filtration and equipment protection in oil and gas systems, the optimal setup is an 81° angle, a 6 mm hole, a 38% OAR, and unidirectional flow. This configuration can contribute to smoother operations, energy savings, and reduced maintenance requirements.

References

Makmur, T. (2013). Influence of activated carbon on total suspended solids and relative plugging index of injection water from X-oilfield. Scientific Contributions Oil and Gas, 36(3), 153–161. https://doi.org/10.29017/SCOG.36.3.771

Rosmayati, L., Andriani, Y., & Pringgasta, N. (2015). Kajian pendukung revisi kadar air dan partikulat dalam spesifikasi Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) untuk kendaraan bermotor. Lembaran Publikasi Minyak dan Gas Bumi, 49(3), 25185–26192. https://doi.org/10.29017/LPMGB.49.3.1201https://journal.lemigas.esdm.go.id/index.php/LPMGB/article/download/1201/986

Mahajan, G. and MAURYA, R. (2020). Development of an efficient t-type strainer with its performance evaluation. Journal of Thermal Engineering, 6(6), 420-433. https://doi.org/10.18186/thermal.836499

Jin, S., Dong, S., Jin, S., Guo, R., Wei, Z., & Guo, Y. (2025). Research on the influence of conical micro array chip parameters on fog water collection. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering, 35(2), 025014. https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6439/ada97f

Shaikh, J., Pathan, K., & Khan, S. (2024). Numerical simulation of surface pressure and temperature distribution along a cone at supersonic mach numbers using cfd. J. Adv. Res. Numer. Heat Trans., 28(1), 1-26. https://doi.org/10.37934/arnht.28.1.126

Mehta, R. (2023). Numerical simulation of flow field over a sharp-tipped double cone at high speed. joast, 37-44. https://doi.org/10.61653/joast.v67i1.2015.295

Kenyon, K. (2020). Cone rotating in a fluid. Natural Science, 12(01), 1-3. https://doi.org/10.4236/ns.2020.121001

Rakhimov, A. and Valiev, A. (2023). An experimental study of the ultrasound effect on the motion of glass spherules in hele-shaw cells. Vestnik Tomskogo Gosudarstvennogo Universiteta Matematika I Mekhanika, (80), 117-132. https://doi.org/10.17223/19988621/80/11

Sakamoto, K., Goel, S., Funakoshi, A., Honda, T., & Nagao, K. (2022). Flow cytometry analysis of the subpopulations of mouse keratinocytes and skin immune cells. Star Protocols, 3(1), 101052. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.xpro.2021.101052

Lekoko, M., Oloniiju, S., & Magalakwe, G. (2021). Analysis of pressure and heat distribution in a dilating or contracting filter chamber with two outlets using multivariate spectral quasilinearization method. Heat Transfer, 51(2), 1543-1567. https://doi.org/10.1002/htj.22363

Saksena, D. and Lakhera, V. (2022). Numerical study on pressure drop characteristics for turbulent flow in conical spiral tubes. Engineering Research Express, 4(3), 035023. https://doi.org/10.1088/2631-8695/ac84c1

Park, C., Johnston, A., & Kweon, H. (2020). Physical filtration efficiency analysis of a polyaniline hybrid composite filter with graphite oxide for particulate matter 2.5. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 137(38). https://doi.org/10.1002/app.49149

Kamiński, M., Gac, J., Sobiech, P., Kozikowski, P., Jakubiak, S., & Jankowski, T. (2022). Filtration of submicron soot particles, oil droplets, and their mixtures on single- and multi-layer fibrous filters. Aerosol and Air Quality Research, 22(3), 210258. https://doi.org/10.4209/aaqr.210258

Chen, S., Jin, X., Hu, R., Liu, F., & Hu, Z. (2023). Investigation on the rock-fragmentation process of conical-shaped tbm cutterhead in extremely hard rock ground. Stavební Obzor - Civil Engineering Journal, 33(3), 409-425. https://doi.org/10.14311/cej.2023.03.0031

Tulloh, S. and Purwoko, P. (2024). Pengaruh penggunaan filter pada strainer terhadap usia pakai filter bahan bakar mesin diesel 6374 cc. Jurnal Teknik Mesin Industri Elektro Dan Informatika, 3(2), 146-158. https://doi.org/10.55606/jtmei.v3i2.3793

Masuda, H., IYOTA, H., & Ohmura, N. (2021). Global convection characteristics of conical taylor‐couette flow with shear‐thinning fluids. Chemical Engineering & Technology, 44(11), 2049-2055. https://doi.org/10.1002/ceat.202100236

Zhou, M., Fan, Q., Quan, Z., Zhang, H., Wang, L., Qin, X., … & Yu, J. (2021). Mass production of polyacrylonitrile sub-micron fibrous webs with different aligned degrees via free surface electrospinning for air purification. Textile Research Journal, 92(15-16), 2731-2741. https://doi.org/10.1177/00405175211010688

Kahane‐Rapport, S., Teeple, J., Liao, J., Paig‐Tran, E., & Strother, J. (2025). Filter feeding in devil rays is highly sensitive to morphology. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, 292(2039). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2024.2037

Sahel, D., Boudaoud, W., Ameur, H., & Alem, K. (2021). Numerical investigation of the effect of blower baffles on the performance of membrane tubes for water treatment. Acta Mechanica Slovaca, 25(1), 34-40. https://doi.org/10.21496/ams.2021.006

Huang, P., Wu, F., Su, Y., Luo, H., Lan, X., Lee, P., … & Zheng, W. (2022). Supercritical co2 foaming of open‐cell polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene monomer composite foams with oriented cellular structures for water treatment. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 139(43). https://doi.org/10.1002/app.53068

Sotoodeh, K. (2019). Handling the Pressure Drop in Strainers. In Marine Systems & Ocean Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40868-019-00063-2

Peng, Y., Mao, H., Liu, Z., & Wei, C. (2023). Simulation Study on Geometric Parameters Influencing the Flow Coefficient of Perforated Plate. Buildings, 13(3). https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030804

Śmierciew, K., Butrymowicz, D., Karwacki, J., & Gagan, J. (2021). Numerical Prediction of Homogeneity of Gas Flow through Perforated Plates. Processes, 9(10). https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9101770

Altzibar, H., López, G., Bilbao, J., & Olazar, M. (2013). Effect of Draft Tube Geometry on Pressure Drop in Draft Tube Conical Spouted Beds. In The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. https://doi.org/10.1002/cjce.21913

Gao, Q., Ding, L., & Huang, D. (2019). Experimental and numerical study on loss characteristics of main steam valve strainer in steam turbine. Applied Thermal Engineering, 147, 935–942. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.07.031

Yuan, J., Gao, S., Zhu, D., Sun, S., Zhuang, D., & Liu, C. (2023). Effect of installing a screen filter in front of and behind a pump on filtering performance in a microirrigation system. Irrigation and Drainage, 72(2), 303-316. https://doi.org/10.1002/ird.2792

Qiao, S., Li, J., Ren, J., & Kim, S. (2022). Experimental investigation on effects of flow orientation on interfacial structure of air–water two-phase flow. Coatings, 13(1), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings13010005

Xu, T., Zhao, H., Wang, M., & Qi, J. (2021). Numerical study of thermal-hydraulic performance of a new spiral z-type pche for supercritical co2 brayton cycle. Energies, 14(15), 4417. https://doi.org/10.3390/en14154417

Tambe, S., Katō, K., & Hussain, Z. (2024). Görtler-number-based scaling of boundary-layer transition on rotating cones in axial inflow. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 987. https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2024.379

Al‐Karooshi, M., Chahrour, K., Khalil, W., & Al‐damook, A. (2023). Numerical investigation of hydrothermal performance over perforated conical pin heat sinks. Heat Transfer, 53(2), 666-687. https://doi.org/10.1002/htj.22969

Owen, S., Taremi, F., & Uddin, M. (2022). Effect of inflow conditions on transonic turbine airfoil limit loading. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part a Journal of Power and Energy, 236(5), 794-807. https://doi.org/10.1177/09576509211059935

Rianto, R., Akhyan, A., Novison, R., Zaira, J. Y., & Haiqal, M. (2025). Studi Numerik Penurunan Tekanan (P) Akibat Perubahan Sudut (), Tipe Lubang dan Open Rasio Area ( OAR ) Pada Strainer. 05(01), 82–92.

Carlomagno, M., Rossin, S., Delvecchio, M., & Anichini, A. (2012). Experimental and Numerical Validation of Conical Strainer Fluid/Structural Performance Model. https://doi.org/10.1115/gt2012-69751

Liu, X., Zhang, C., Yu, H., Qian, G., Zheng, X., Zhou, H., Huang, L., Zhang, F., & Zhong, Y. (2024). Research on the Properties of Steel Slag with Different Preparation Processes. Materials, 17(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071555

Min, I., Choi, J., Kim, G., & Jo, H. (2024). CFD analysis of the pressure drop caused by the screen blockage rate in a membrane strainer. Processes, 12(4), 831. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12040831

Divi, R., Strother, J., & Paig‐Tran, E. (2018). Manta rays feed using ricochet separation, a novel nonclogging filtration mechanism. Science Advances, 4(9). https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aat9533

Samsudin, A., Yusof, A., Hambali, N., Abdullah, M., & Ismail, N. (2023). The analysis of fluid flow on different kapok filter orientations using computer fluid dynamics. Journal of Applied Engineering Design and Simulation, 3(2), 38-48. https://doi.org/10.24191/jaeds.v3i2.63

Sotoodeh, K. (2019). Handling the Pressure Drop in Strainers. In Marine Systems & Ocean Technology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40868-019-00063-2

Venriza O, Wahyuni CR. Optimization of crude oil transmission process by installing electric heat tracing in off-plot piping. Scientific Contributions Oil & Gas. 2024;47(3):231–242. https://doi.org/10.29017/SCOG.47.3.1631

Adrianto, A., Syihab, Z., Sutopo, & Marhaendrajana, T. (2025). Backpropagation neural networks for solving gas flow equations in porous media. IAES International Journal of Artificial Intelligence (IJ-AI), 14(5), 3744–3756. https://doi.org/10.11591/ijai.v14.i5.pp3744-3756