Flare Gas Network Purge Flow Control Using Sensor Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flare gas networks inefficiently manage purge gas flows, leading to combustible fluid losses, greenhouse gas emissions, and potential corrosion due to unoptimized flow velocities and compositions.
Innovation Solution
A flare gas processing system with sensors and control systems to measure and optimize purge gas flow velocities, temperatures, and compositions, adjusting valve rates to ensure safe and efficient operation, minimizing emissions and corrosion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If purge gas flows are not optimized, then the system operation is simple, but combustible fluid losses and greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts valve positions and flow rates based on real-time measurements of purge gas composition, flow velocity, and temperature. The control system continuously optimizes flow distribution across multiple headers to maintain velocities above the minimum threshold (e.g., 10 ft/s) while minimizing combustible fluid losses and greenhouse gas emissions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by measuring actual flow velocities, temperatures, and gas compositions using sensors positioned at various points in the flare gas network. These measurements are fed back to the control system, which adjusts valve positions to maintain optimal flow conditions and prevent condensation while minimizing emissions.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If purge gas flows are not optimized, then the system operation is simple, but greenhouse gas emissions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically optimizes purge gas flow distribution across multiple headers to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. By continuously adjusting valve positions based on real-time flow and composition measurements, the system ensures that flows remain above minimum velocities that prevent condensation, thereby reducing emissions while adapting to changing operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system changes flow parameters (velocity, temperature, composition) by adjusting valve positions to minimize greenhouse gas emissions. The system maintains flow velocities above critical thresholds and optimizes the distribution of purge gases across different headers to reduce overall emissions while responding to real-time measurements.
3Reliability
If purge gas flows are not optimized, then the system operation is simple, but network integrity and safety are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary measurements of flow velocities, temperatures, and gas compositions to determine whether flows are above minimum thresholds required for safe operation. The control system proactively adjusts valve positions to maintain flows above critical velocities (e.g., 10 ft/s) that prevent condensation and ensure network integrity before safety issues arise.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors flow velocities and temperatures using sensors throughout the flare gas network. When measurements indicate that flows are approaching minimum thresholds, the control system provides feedback to adjust valve positions, ensuring that flows remain above critical velocities to prevent condensation, corrosion, and safety issues.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If flow velocities are not optimized, then the system operation is simple, but corrosion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts flow velocities by changing valve positions to maintain velocities above minimum thresholds that prevent condensation. By continuously monitoring temperatures and flow rates, the control system ensures that flows remain sufficient to prevent condensate formation, thereby reducing corrosion while adapting to changing operating conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system changes flow velocity parameters by adjusting valve positions to prevent condensation and corrosion. The system maintains flow velocities above critical thresholds determined by temperature and composition measurements, optimizing the balance between preventing corrosion and minimizing energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques of processing a flare gas include operating a flare gas piping network to output a flare from a plurality of flows of a purge gas in purge gas headers coupled to a main header; and during operation of the flare gas network to output the flare from the plurality of flows of the purge gas: obtaining a fluid pressure of the flow of the purge gas at each purge gas header; obtaining a fluid temperature of the flow of the purge gas at each purge gas header; and obtaining a rate of the flow of the purge gas at each purge gas header; and based on the obtained fluid pressures, fluid temperatures, and rates of the flows of the purge gas, determining an optimized flow velocity of the purge gas at each of the plurality of purge gas headers.