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Drains and Flares
Drains and Flares
FLARES
TRAINING MANUAL
COURSE EXP-PR-PR125
Revision 0.1
Exploration & Production
Process
Drains and Flares – Flares
PROCESS
FLARES
CONTENTS
1. OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................4
2. THE FUNCTIONS OF FLARES.......................................................................................5
3. HOW FLARES WORK .....................................................................................................7
4. THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FLARE SYSTEMS ...........................................................8
4.1. Safety valves, rupture disks and thermal valves .......................................................9
4.1.1. Safety valves .....................................................................................................9
4.1.1.1. Conventional type ........................................................................................9
4.1.1.2. Balanced type ............................................................................................10
4.1.1.3. Piloted type ................................................................................................11
4.1.2. Rupture disks ..................................................................................................12
4.1.3. Thermal valves ................................................................................................12
4.2. Flare manifolds........................................................................................................13
4.3. Decompression valves (Blow Down Valves) ...........................................................14
4.4. Pressure Control Valves..........................................................................................14
4.5. Flare drum...............................................................................................................15
4.6. Sealing systems ......................................................................................................16
5. Different types of flare stacks.........................................................................................18
5.1. Conventional flare stacks ........................................................................................18
5.2. Sonic flares .............................................................................................................19
5.3. Low flare with combustion chamber ........................................................................23
5.4. Cold flares or vents .................................................................................................23
5.5. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE DIFFERENT FLARES..............24
5.5.1. Sonic flares......................................................................................................24
5.5.2. Low flare with combustion chamber ................................................................24
5.6. Cold Vents...............................................................................................................25
5.6.1. Advantages & disadvantages ..........................................................................25
5.7. EXERCISES............................................................................................................26
6. FLARE REPRESENTATION AND DATA ......................................................................27
6.1. REPRESENTATION ON PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM..........................................27
6.2. REPRESENTATION ON P&ID (PIPING & INSTRUMENTATION DIAGRAM)........29
6.3. EXERCISES............................................................................................................32
7. FLARES AND PROCESSES .........................................................................................33
7.1. LOCATION AND CRITICALITY ..............................................................................33
7.2. EXERCISES............................................................................................................33
8. OPERATING PARAMETERS ........................................................................................34
9. OPERATION..................................................................................................................36
9.1. START-UP ..............................................................................................................36
9.1.1. Inertance .........................................................................................................36
9.1.2. Start-up of the pilot light(s) ..............................................................................36
Training course: EXP-PR-PR125-EN
Last revised: 27/04/2007 Page 2 / 44
Exploration & Production
Process
Drains and Flares – Flares
1. OBJECTIVES
safely collecting gas waste from the process to keep the equipment within their
operating pressure limits in case of depressurisation or opening of the valves
The flare function is first and foremost a safety function. The flare system protects
equipment against pressure build-up which could lead to explosions. Moreover, the flare
system collects the “fatal gases” to vent them to the atmosphere. !!!!
A main collection network and one or two secondary collectors (also called
manifolds)
A separator drum for the various phases (water, liquid and gaseous
hydrocarbons), located at the foot of the flare
A sealing device to prevent any air entry into the system (purge gas, hydraulic
guard)
In a lit flare, a pilot light gas network is installed to permanently supply the pilot
lights placed close to the flare tip
A pilot light gas network that maintains a flame at the flare tip, for flares that are
permanently lit
A nitrogen network that can be connected to the flare manifolds for inerting the
system before maintenance operations
Or in the case of Cold Vents, in stormy weather conditions, to quench a fire started
by lightening
More and more installations have surveillance cameras to monitor the presence
and the condition of the flame
The various pressure levels that could lead to an excessive back-pressure in the
manifolds. Avoid the simultaneous collection of high pressure products in a system
that can receive low pressure products.
The nature of the products used. Avoid mixing wet products as well as dry
products outside of specifications with cold products to avoid the formation of ice
and / or hydrates that could block the flare system.
The maintenance operations and the operating philosophy may require always
having one flare in operation and thereby doubling the flare system.
These mechanical organs perform a decompression without the need for human
intervention and without the system’s requiring a USS (Ultimate Safety System).
The maximum
admissible back-
pressure is 10% of the
calculation pressure.
Figure 2: Conventional
valve
The balanced type, for which the pressure calibration is independent of the back pressure.
The piloted type, for which the pressure calibration is independent of the back (or counter)
pressure. The opening pressure should be limited to 50% of the calculation pressure.
These devices are used to either replace the valve or to protect the valve from corrosion
due to the nature of the fluids.
These are conventional calibrated spring valves that open proportionally to the increase of
the static pressure in the equipment following a rise in temperature (moreover their true,
[and commonsense] name is TSV (for Temperature Safety Valve) in comparison with PSV
(Pressure Safety Valve).
The collection network is made up of a set of lines linking the protection components
(valves) to the flare drum.
It is divided into sub-manifolds and a main manifold (also called a collector or header).
All these manifolds must have a sufficient diameter to reduce back-pressure when several
protection components are opened simultaneously.
In addition they must be installed at a slope of 2mm per meter towards the flare drum so
as to ensure the natural drainage of liquids carried over during burning off.
These are ON/OFF valves that link the process equipment to the flare manifolds.
They are activated remotely by the operator or automatically by the Emergency Shutdown
System (ESD).
Orifice
Globe calibrated
gate valve to flowrate
& FB
NB: PCV usually discharge to the B.D. circuit, but are not part of this system.
A drum is installed between the flare manifold and the flare stack to separate the effluent
liquids carried along with the gas.
Preventing an accumulation of liquid at the bottom of the flare stack that could
obstruct the path of the gas
The aim of these systems is to prevent air from entering the flare network
Hydraulic seals
Gas seals
conventional stacks
sonic flare
cold vents
The stack is always installed vertically and the gas velocity is limited to Mach 0.5 / 0.6 for
discontinuous flows (emergency shut-down) and Mach 0.3 for a continuous flow.
A flare stack must be able to function under all atmospheric conditions and must have a
reliable ignition system.
The stabilisation of the flame is ensured by a flame maintenance ring that is specially
designed for and installed into the flare stack. This equipment stabilises the flame front by
creating vortexes that prevent the flame from being blown out.
water or steam
injection to reduce
the radiations and the
smoke emission
The jets of fluid ejected into the atmosphere induce air that improves the air / gas mixture.
The improved combustion gives a whiter flame (actually more oxygen makes the flame
whiter, thereby increasing the temperature and in these conditions radiation cannot
decrease!!)
The back-pressure for the nominal flow can reach 4 to 10 bar (normally: 4 to 5 bar) when
properly calculated; owing to the back pressure, the upstream equipment can be smaller
due to the reduced gas volume.
AIR OIL
BIRWELCO
EET
JOHN ZINK
KALDAIR
This type of flare consists of a chimney in which a forced draught burner is installed.
On land when the environmental regulations do not allow for a visible flame or
when there is no space to install a different type of flare.
The cold flares are similar to the other types of flares, but the gas is released into the
atmosphere instead of being burnt.
The height of the cold flare is determined only by the calculation of the gas dispersion in
the atmosphere.
The cold flare is equipped either with a sonic tip or with a conventional tip.
The speed of the gas at the outlet is about Mach 0.8 to ensure adequate dispersion into
the atmosphere.
The advantages and disadvantages of a sonic flare as opposed to a classic flare are:
Advantages
Disadvantages
Higher cost
Advantages
Little radiation
Little noise
Disadvantages
Higher cost due to the presence of a burner and the necessity of having a chimney
lined with a resistant material on the inside
Heavy
Major economic advantage: does not require permanent flushing with Fuel Gas
Less costly in terms of return on investment when constructed because no pilot burners
and satellite burners needed.
Disadvantages:
Sends large quantities of gas into the atmosphere at rather low temperatures.
Presents an evident potential danger: the explosive mixing zone cannot be seen in the
sky.
Slow gas dispersion when there is no wind ; possibility of stagnation for condensate gases
with carbon chains longer than C2.
In the event of an ESD1, which gives no forewarning before it occurs, information can only
be retroactive. Such an accident, in which a helicopter ignited an oil slick just by flying by,
has occurred in the past.
The Cold Vent must be fitted with a nitrogen flushing system to extinguish any fire ignited
by lightening (N2 frame at base of flare).
5.7. EXERCISES
Process Flow Diagram (PFD): This document, compiled in the project phase, presents
the principal process lines and vessels in a simple format, as well as their principal
operating parameters.
This document, compiled in the project phase, presents the principal process lines and
vessels in a simple format, as well as their main operating parameters.
6.3. EXERCISES
The flare system is the first process system that must be started up before the
commissioning of the installations.
7.2. EXERCISES
8. OPERATING PARAMETERS
The operating parameters that must be monitored in normal operation are:
Level of the flare drum related to start-up and shut-down of collection pumps
Temperature of the liquid in the flare drum if the latter is equipped with a heating
pin
The proper operation of the collection pumps at the bottom of the flare drum, if
these are present. A weekly test is carried out in the emergency pump.
These pumps operate in ON/OFF mode between LSH and LSL:
The temperature of the pilot lights (this parameter is not always available on the
DCS).
The flare drum is equipped with a certain number of safety devices that are linked to the
installation’s general activation system.
Very low liquid level LSLL (this inhibits the start-up of the
Very high temperature of the heater TSHH (shuts down heating, to be rearmed on
site)
9. OPERATION
The flare system is the first process system that must be started up before the
commissioning of the installations.
9.1. START-UP
9.1.1. Inertance
In an installation that has been shut down, the flare network contains air.
Therefore, the system must be inerted before any start-up procedure can be undertaken.
This is done by flushing an inert gas (usually nitrogen, if available, otherwise LP steam can
be used if the utilities include a boiler) from the furthest points of the sub-manifolds to the
flare drum and the flare itself.
The flushing continues until the atmosphere in the system is free of oxygen when
measured with an oxygen meter (< 0.2%) (2% suffice for Hydrogen).
Supply the circuit with pilot light gas (propane cylinders are usually available)
Activate the piezoelectric lighter until the mixture in the pilot light line is ignited
When the mixture lighting test is completed (and you see the flame through the viewer):
Do not close down the isolation valves upstream of the FG & Air control valves
(which would cut off the supply to the burning mixture.
Open them and then wait a certain time until the mixture reaches the top of the
flare!!!
What may then happen might make you jump (not unlike what happens in an engine
when the spark plug lights but this time it is not the piston that would come down!!)
Only open the flushing gas after having observed the presence of a flame at the top of the
flare, request confirmation from the control room crew, who will have observed the “take
off” of the flare tip TIs.
Then, adjust the flushing gas flow rate as soon as the installation is put on production.
9.2. SHUT-DOWN
Immediately after the shut-down of the flushing gas injection, nitrogen injection must be
available to inert the flare network in the same manner as before the start-up procedure.
You must absolutely prevent air from reaching the hydraulic guard while the drum is at
more than 200°C as, in the case, the three elements needed to start a fire are united:
presence of gas which is still not entirely vented pas encore to the atmosphere
No intervention must be carried out on the flare network before it has been inerted.
9.3. EXERCISES
1. Analyse and explain what might happen if you incorrectly execute the pilot lighting
procedure.
2. Wait until the mixture reaches the top of the flare? How shall we know when the
mixture is at the top of the flare?
10. TROUBLESHOOTING
10.1. Valves
Generally, during the pressure drop that follows, the valve closes again and stays sealed.
Usually, at this stage, the installation should have been shut down by triggering of a
PSHH.
However, sometimes a valve remains open, which can seriously disrupt the installation’s
operation.
The valve arrangement devices make it possible to isolate the faulty valve and to operate
on the emergency valve.
An interlock system ensures that there is always an operational valve and an emergency
valve. This interlock system is not installed on all equipment and when there is only one
PSV, it is the shutdown system of the entire installation that is connected to the flare
system to which the faulty PSV is vented.
The isolating valves of the operational valve will necessarily be locked in the ‘open’
position and those of the downstream emergency valve locked in the open position and
the upstream valves closed. Poor arrangement of the valves described here have, in the
past, led to a large number of incidents, not just in the Oil & Gas industry.
The repairs on a faulty valve will require a disassembly according to a strict specific
procedure with the laying of flush joints upstream and downstream of the valve.
In case of flushing fuel gas supply problems on the flare network, the flushing will be done
with nitrogen in order to avoid air getting into the circuits or with LP steam if this facility is
present in the installation.
The pilot lights are equipped with thermocouples that permanently measure the
temperature at the pilot light outlet.
When a pilot light is extinguished, the temperature drops and the thermocouple activates
an alarm in the control room.
The safety devices installed on the flare drum are linked to a general installation shut-
down system:
A very low level (LSLL) results in the shut-down of the condensate collection
pumps and the closing of the suction valve
A very high temperature at the heater results in the shut-down of the heater
An LNG unit at the end of the start-up procedure early one Christmas morning:
Recirculation is proscribed in a closed circuit due to the temperature, which being too low
would inevitably cause slugs in the cryogenic exchangers. The process gas, in the
liquefaction process, terminates its itinerary at the flare, and must be routed to the storage
tank as it nears its dewpoint temperature.
Obviously there is another parameter to be monitored, i.e. the gas temperature at the
exchanger outlet.
So, around 6 :00 am suddenly packets of LNG appear at the tip of the flare, igniting almost
instantaneously. One aggravating circumstance was that the flare line was made of special
aluminium that melts around 220°C, which is what happened with the flare stack melting
over several tens of metres, when the ROVs were opened on the flow line to the tank,
which was already set up for reception.
In view of the time of day, the incident did not result in any casualties; however, a good
part of the flare line had to be rebuilt, but with a LNG umbrella, this time, installed above
the line.
11. GLOSSARY