6 replies to this topic

[Ghasem.Bashiri]

Dear Colleagues
I am going to consider Smokeless Flaring Design in my project based on client request.
I have not continuous Flaring in gas processing plant (C1-C6 Hydrocarbon).
Is it required to consider smokeless design in such plant?
Is it practicall to use fuel gas as somke prevention tool in the plant?
What is your overall idea about this problem?
Ghasem.Bashiri
Ghasem.Bashiri@gmail.com

[benoyjohn]

Ghasem,

I am putting down something from my understanding.

A lot generally depends on the location of the project e.g whether in a city or a desert and the pollution control limits of the locality. The somkelessness of the flare is generally quantified by the Ringelmann index.

Eventhough your plant design does intend not to have continuous flaring, in practice it may be difficult to achieve this due to flare purge requirement, operational upsets, passing control valves and other maintainence requirements.

Smokeless flaring design of about upto say ~20% of the design flare capacity will cover most of these flaring scenarios.

I have seen air and steam being used to aid combustion for smoke prevention but not fuel gas.

regards,

Benoy

[fallah]

I have seen air and steam being used to aid combustion for smoke prevention but not fuel gas.

As per section 6.4.3.2.9 of API 521 (2007),high pressure fuel gas can also be used to prevent smoke formation in the burner of a flare system.

[Ghasem.Bashiri]

Dear My friends
Here are some information that I can find from www.live.com search engine for smokeless flare design. Please review them and complete your guidelines.
Also I need some more information about Ringelmann index issued by benoyjohn in his/her reply.Ghasem.Bashiri@gmail.com

Attached Files

•  flar_downstream_ref.pdf   2.86MB   172 downloads
•  flar_upstream_production.pdf   940.91KB   142 downloads
•  CCPS_Relief.pdf   184.53KB   139 downloads

[benoyjohn]

Dear Ghasem,

Please find attached more information about Ringelmann index.

regards,

Benoy

Attached Files

•  Ringelmann_smoke_chart.pdf   736.4KB   135 downloads

[JoeWong]

Smoke is cause by incomplete combustion. Promote complete combustion is the way to avoid smoke flare.

Couple of ways to increase proper combustion

i) Flare tip design i.e "tulip" tip
ii) Air blowing
iii) steam injection into flare
iv) steam into eductor and around flame
v) seawater injection

Check out something related steam in flare tip

[Neelakantan]

Smoke is cause by incomplete combustion. Promote complete combustion is the way to avoid smoke flare.

Couple of ways to increase proper combustion

i) Flare tip design i.e "tulip" tip
ii) Air blowing
iii) steam injection into flare
iv) steam into eductor and around flame
v) seawater injection

Check out something related steam in flare tip

hi

As JOEWONG mentioned an "aided" combustion can give a smokeless flaring. the first question is whether you are looking at an elevated stack flare or a ground level (box) flare. Box flares have better control system such as blowers, excess air admitted directl instead of induction etc.

the second issue is the extent of flare quantum, (as you mentioned 'not continuous flaring"); we need to confirm the minimum continuous flaring by purge gases and maximum flaring and the source (you mentioned C1 to C6 and stoichiometric requirements vary from methane to hexane)

i have worked in a plant where light gases C1-C4 are flared in a stack and untreated rich gas is flared in the box flare. with preferentialrouting to the box flare.

regards
neelakantan