Constant Speed Blower Flare Gas Assembly
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low pressure flare gases from oil and gas well sites pose challenges due to insufficient kinetic energy, requiring air assist flares, which can lead to incomplete combustion and increased costs with complex equipment like variable frequency drives and flow meters to maintain efficient burning.
Innovation Solution
A flare gas assembly using a combustion air blower system operated at a single, constant speed to provide a consistent flow rate, ensuring virtually complete combustion of both high and low pressure flare gases, regardless of pressure and flow rates, eliminating the need for complex equipment like VFDs and flow meters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If air assist flares with variable frequency drives and flow meters are used to maintain efficient burning of low pressure flare gases, then combustion efficiency is improved, but device complexity and operational costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex control systems (VFDs, flow meters, controllers) from the air assist flare system, retaining only the essential blower component operated at constant speed. This extraction of unnecessary complexity while maintaining core combustion function directly resolves the contradiction between combustion efficiency and device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameter of the blower from variable speed (controlled by VFDs) to constant speed operation. This parameter change simplifies the system by eliminating speed control mechanisms while the patent demonstrates that constant speed operation maintains adequate combustion efficiency for both high and low pressure flare gases.
2Manufacturing precision
If variable frequency drives and process controllers are installed to maintain air/hydrocarbon ratio, then combustion efficiency is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the sophisticated control equipment (VFDs, flow meters, programmable logic controllers) that were previously used to maintain precise air/hydrocarbon ratios. The system relies on the inherent characteristics of constant speed blower operation combined with passive mixing chamber design to achieve adequate mixing without active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The system is designed to self-regulate the air/hydrocarbon mixing process through passive mechanical means. The mixing chamber geometry and blower positioning create automatic mixing action that adapts to varying flare gas conditions without requiring external control systems, flow measurements, or electronic regulation.
3Device complexity
If constant speed blower operation is used for both high and low pressure flare gases, then device complexity is reduced, but combustion efficiency may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs a universal flare gas handling system where a single constant speed blower and mixing chamber configuration can effectively handle both high pressure and low pressure flare gases. The mixing chamber geometry and blower positioning are optimized to provide adequate mixing and combustion support across a range of operating conditions, eliminating the need for separate systems or variable speed control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational approach from variable speed control to constant speed operation, and compensates for the potential loss in combustion efficiency through geometric design optimizations of the mixing chamber and flare tip arrangement. The constant speed operation simplifies the system while the geometric parameters are tuned to ensure adequate combustion performance.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves hydrocarbon destruction and removal efficiency of greater than 98%, ensuring complete combustion of low pressure gases without detectable emissions, simplifying the system and reducing operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
a combustion air blower, e.g., a single blower operated at a constant speed, that can provide virtually complete combustion of low pressure flare gas
Implementation Method 2
ensuring virtually complete combustion of both high and low pressure flare gases
Implementation Method 3
Achieves hydrocarbon destruction and removal efficiency of greater than 98%, ensuring complete combustion of low pressure gases without detectable emissions
Data Source
AI summary
A flare gas assembly having an air pipe with an upper open end and a conduit in surrounding relationship to the air pipe. The conduit has a conduit upper end which extends above the upper open end of the air pipe, thereby forming a mixing chamber above the conduit's upper end and the upper end of the air pipe. A blower is connected to the air pipe to provide air for combustion purposes.