Flaring Boom Tray with Telescopic Adjuster for Spill Collection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Flaring in the oil and gas industry has a significant negative environmental impact due to spills from incomplete burning, which existing methods fail to effectively manage and dispose of safely.

Innovation Solution

A flaring boom assembly with a tray device having an open top and slanted bottom, coupled with a telescoping mechanism, collects spills through gravitational force and directs them towards an outlet for storage, and includes a cooling sprinkler system to aid in spill movement, allowing for adjustable positioning based on flaring intensity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of substance

If flaring is performed to dispose unwanted hydrocarbon, then hydrocarbon disposal is achieved, but environmental pollution increases due to spills from incomplete burning

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehydrocarbon disposalVSAvoidenvironmental pollution from spills

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the harmful spills from incomplete burning into a manageable substance by collecting them in a tray device. The spilled hydrocarbons, which would otherwise pollute the environment, are captured and directed to an outlet for proper disposal or recovery, transforming an environmental hazard into a controlled process stream

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The tray device serves as an intermediary between the flaring system and the environment. It intercepts spills before they can cause environmental harm and provides a controlled pathway for their removal, acting as a mediator that prevents direct contact between the pollutant and the environment

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of substance

If a fixed tray device is used to collect spills, then spill collection is achieved, but adaptability to different flaring intensities is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespill collectionVSAvoidadaptability to flaring intensity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms the fixed tray device into a dynamic system by introducing a telescoping mechanism that allows the tray to extend and retract. This enables the collection system to adapt its position and coverage area based on varying flaring intensities, maintaining effective spill collection across different operational conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The telescoping mechanism changes the physical parameters of the tray device, specifically its position and potentially its effective collection area. By adjusting these parameters in response to flaring intensity, the system maintains optimal performance across varying operational conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Productivity

If the tray device is positioned close to the burning head to collect spills, then collection efficiency increases, but mechanical stability during rig movement decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespill collection efficiencyVSAvoidmechanical stability during rig movement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The telescoping mechanism provides dynamic positioning capability, allowing the tray device to be extended close to the burning head during stationary flaring operations for high collection efficiency, and retracted to a safe position during rig movement to maintain mechanical stability and avoid interference

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

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 solution effectively collects and directs spills away from the flaring area, reducing environmental harm and ensuring safe disposal, while maintaining mechanical stability during rig movement and operation.

Implementation Method 1

spills of the flaring system fall through the open top onto the slanted bottom and move along the slanted bottom toward the outlet based on a gravitational force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravitational force: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentUS11976536B2Flaring boom kit for collecting spills during drilling and workover flaring operations

Publication Date: 2024.05.07 SAUDI ARABIAN OIL CO

AI summary

A flaring boom assembly for a flaring system of a rig is disclosed. The flaring boom assembly includes a tray device comprising an open top, a slanted bottom, and an outlet, and a telescoping mechanism mechanically coupled to the tray device and configured to adjust a relative position of the tray device with respect to a burning head of the flaring system based on a flaring intensity of the flaring system. The spills of the flaring system fall through the open top onto the slanted bottom and move along the slanted bottom toward the outlet based on a gravitational force.