Types of Flare
1. Elevated Flare
2. Ground Flare
1. Enclosed Flare
2. Open Flare
Elevated Flare
Enclosed Flare
Open Flare
2. Segregation of Flares
1. Service
1. Acid gas flare
2. Cold dry flare
3. Warm wet flare
2. Pressure
1. Atmospheric
2. Low pressure
3. High pressure
Flare KO Drum
0. LLLL shall be sufficiently high to avoid any sludge deposition impacting LT nozzle
(150 mm in above figure not correct, consider 300 mm minimum for services which
are not clean).
1. LLLL shall be minimum 700-300 in case flare drum electrical heaters need to be
installed.
2. LLLL Level at which pump trips.
3. LLL Level at which both pumps stops
4. HLL Level at which first pump starts
5. HHLL Level at which second pump starts
6. HHHLL Level at which entire plant goes into pressurized trip.
5. Flare KOD sizing depends on two aspects
Liquid Hold up requirement during a major liquid or two phase release.
Sufficient distance shall be available between inlet device bottom and HHHLL. It is
possible to have manually initiated depressurization even after HHHLLL. Any possible
liquid shall be accommodated above HHHLL.
Distance between HLL and HHHLL shall be designed to accommodate maximum liquid
release scenario(?). Some standards this distance is between HHLL and HHHLL.
Residence time required for drop of liquid particles of 300-600 micron size.
Liquid particles separate
o When the residence time of the vapor or gas is equal to or greater then the time
required to travel the available vertical height at the dropout velocity of the liquid
particles and
o When the gas velocity is sufficiently low to permit the liquid dropout to fall. This
vertical height is usually taken as the distance from the maximum liquid level.
Flare protection
2. Design considerations
0. Radiation: Limit radiation, either continuous and peak, on off-site properties and
persons, equipment, buildings and personnel on the installation. Applicable to
impacted area, restricted area and equipment lay-out.
1. Flammable gas: Avoid ignition of a flammable gas cloud released from a cold vent or
in case of flare flame out.
2. Toxic hazards: (Mainly for H2S and SO2, but not limited to) limit the risk of a toxic gas
cloud to reach off-site population, provide means of alarm and adequate protection to
personnel present in the restricted area.
3. Noise: Limit both continuous and peak noise
4. Stack height is determined by HSE group based on permissible radiation level as per
project philosophy or API 521.
5. Taller stack will result in smaller sterile zone.
6. Locate process plant upwind of flare.
10. Flare Structure
Self supported flare stack
Guy wired supported flare stack
Derrick supported flare stack
More than one flare may be supported on the same structure
Flare Tip
Flare Tip
Flare Tip: Velocity Seal (top view)
Based on velocity of gas exit from tip, flare tips are considered as sonic and subsonic
(pipe flare) type. This is the term used by process designer for high pressure flares and
low pressure flares.
General stack pressure drops are as given below.
o Sonic flare – 2 to 4 bar
o Subsonic flare – 0.2-0.5 bar
Open Pipe flare tips: These are used for combustion of gases that do not produce
smoke, gases with a low heating value, or for installations where smokeless combustion
of heavy hydrocarbons is not required. These flare tips are one of the lower capital cost
options for safe disposal of waste gases. In general these kind of flares have tips with
very low pressure drop.
o Open pipe flare tips with steam injection: Steam injection is provided reduce the
smoke formation.
o Open pipe flare tip with high pressure gas injection: This will increase the turbulence
at flare tip and reduce the smoke formation. Fuel gas can be generally used as assist
gas. Fuel gas injection can be either continuous or initiated manually based on
monitoring of flare tip.
Air assisted flare tip: When smokeless flaring is desired and neither steam nor assist gas
is available, blowers can be used to inject combustion air directly into the waste gas
stream as it exits the flare tip. Combustion efficiency of flared gas is increased by
installing air blower which will reduce smoke formation.
Multiple nozzle type flares: They are used where high flare gas pressures are available
(1 barg and up) and where it is preferred to have some smokeless burning capability and
also lower radiation levels. These kinds of flares are used for HP flare application. They
have good combustion efficiency and less chances of smoke formation.
Coanda flare tip: The Coanda effect is a gas-adhesion principle that dramatically
enhances the combustion process, resulting in maximum destruction of waste gases.
Coanda Effect occurs when gas is passed over and adheres to a carefully profiled,
curved surface, creating a near vacuum that pulls in substantial amounts of air. The air
turbulently mixes with the gas flow, resulting in high-efficiency combustion.
Coanda Flare
2 >200 to 600
3 >600 to 1050
4 >1050 to 1500
3.
0. Pilots designed to remain lit and capable of being relit at wind speeds up to 160 km/h
under dry conditions
Pilot gas line
FFG System