Flare Gas System Segmentation for Mixed Pressure Combustion
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Solution Overview
Problem
At oil and gas well sites, particularly in shale formations, low and high pressure flare gases cannot be allowed to accumulate due to safety and environmental concerns, necessitating their safe disposal through flaring, but existing systems face challenges in efficiently managing both pressures simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A flare gas system that incorporates multiple flare gas assemblies with flow restrictors and a single igniter, allowing for the safe combustion of both high and low pressure gases by mixing them with combustion air and using a gas handler to manage the gases effectively, ensuring efficient ignition and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single flare gas assembly is used for both high and low pressure gases, then device complexity is reduced, but the system cannot effectively manage different pressure gases simultaneously
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the flare gas handling into separate assemblies: a first flare gas assembly for high pressure gases and a second flare gas assembly for low pressure gases. Each assembly is optimized for its specific pressure range, allowing effective management of different pressure gases while maintaining operational efficiency.
2Productivity
If multiple flare gas assemblies are used for high and low pressure gases, then gas management effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the first and second flare gas assemblies into a common combustion chamber where both high and low pressure gases are burned together. This integration allows effective gas management through specialized assemblies while achieving unified combustion, thereby improving productivity without excessive complexity increase.
Solution Approach 2:
The common combustion chamber serves multiple functions: it receives gases from both high pressure and low pressure assemblies, provides a unified combustion zone, and enables simultaneous burning of different pressure gases. This multi-functionality improves gas management effectiveness while reducing the need for completely separate combustion systems.
3Productivity
If low pressure gas is mixed with high pressure gas before burning, then combustion efficiency is improved, but pressure balance becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary separation of high and low pressure gases into different assemblies before they enter the combustion chamber. Each assembly prepares its gas at the appropriate pressure level, and then both gases are introduced into the common combustion chamber where they burn together. This preliminary action maintains pressure balance while achieving efficient combustion.
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
The system effectively burns a plurality of flare gases, ensuring safe disposal and reducing hazards and environmental impact by efficiently managing both high and low pressure gases through controlled combustion, thereby addressing the accumulation and venting issues.
Implementation Method 1
A flare gas system which can flare a plurality of flare gases... safe combustion of both high and low pressure gases by mixing them with combustion air and using a gas handler to manage the gases effectively, ensuring efficient ignition and safety
Data Source
AI summary
The flare gas system has a flare gas assembly having an air pipe with an open upper end, a first conduit in surrounding relationship to the air pipe and having a first conduit open upper end, a second conduit in surrounding relationship to the first conduit and having a second conduit upper end, and a third conduit in surrounding relationship to the second conduit and having a third conduit upper end, the upper ends of the air pipe, the first conduit and the second conduit being below the upper end of the third conduit, there being an air source connected to the air pipe to provide air to the air pipe at a desired flow rate. There is at least one second flare gas assembly operatively connected to the first flare gas assembly, the second flare gas assembly having a tubular housing in which is mounted a spring biased orifice plate, the tubular housing being in open communication with the annulus formed below the second and third conduits.