CLEAN BURNING GAS FLARE TIP

Abstract

This disclosure presents a clean burning flare stack, or gas flare. The gas flare is air assisted to ensure clean burning. The disclosed gas flare provides smokeless clean burning of released gases. For example, the gas flare burns the released gases in a lean burning condition such that sufficient air is supplied to the surges of gases. In addition, the gas flare, by using a low pressure blower mixing chamber, is capable of handling low pressure gases and high pressure gases. As such, different flow rates may be provided to the gas flare when different amounts of low pressure and high pressure flammable gases are mixed with sufficient blower air to provide a clean burning condition. The disclosed smokeless gas flare is thus environmentally friendly and aesthetically appealing.

Claims

1. A flare stack comprising: a base supplying flammable gases and blower air; a tip receiving the flammable gases and the blower air, the tip having a mixing chamber and a gathering chamber; a riser transferring a first portion of the flammable gases to the tip at a first pressure, the riser having a high pressure riser opening below an opening of the mixing chamber of the tip; a first riser transferring a second portion of the flammable gases to the gathering chamber of the tip at a second pressure, the gathering chamber below the mixing chamber; a second riser transferring the blower air to the low pressure blower mixing chamber of the tip; and a plurality of low pressure risers extending from the gathering chamber into the mixing chamber, the plurality of low pressure risers having openings below the high pressure riser opening, wherein the first pressure is greater than the second pressure.

2. The flare stack of claim 1, wherein the base further comprises an air compressor configured to provide the blower air, the air compressor having a controller operable to provide the blower air at a flow rate that produces a lean burning condition when mixed with the flammable gases from both the riser and the plurality of low pressure risers up to a stoichiometric ratio, wherein the controller receives measurement signals from one or more sensors installed in the tip.

3. The flare stack of claim 1, wherein the mixing chamber further includes: an inner core having a central tube and a flange extending radially from the central tube, and a plurality of surrounding tubes extending from the flange and substantially parallel to the central tube, wherein the central tube forms the at least one high pressure riser and the plurality of surrounding tubes forms the one or more low pressure risers; and an external housing sealingly surrounding the inner core at the flange, wherein the blower inlet is an opening at the external housing, wherein the inner core further includes a plurality of straightening vanes radially extending from the central tube and dividing the plurality of surrounding tubes into individual risers with the external housing above the blower inlet.

4. The flare stack of claim 1, wherein the base further includes one or more relief valves separating the first portion of the flammable gases from the second portion of the flammable gases.

5. The flare stack of claim 1, further comprising a pilot shoot delivering a pilot gas to the tip, the pilot shoot providing an on-going flame for lighting up the flammable gases in the tip.

6. A clean burning gas flare comprising: a mixing chamber having an opening; a gathering chamber; a flange positioned between the mixing chamber and the gathering chamber, the flange having a plurality of openings; at least one high pressure riser having a high pressure gas opening positioned at least partly within the mixing chamber; a plurality of low pressure risers in fluid communication with the gathering chamber extending from the openings of the flange, each low pressure riser having a low pressure gas opening positioned within the mixing chamber below the high pressure gas opening; and an air riser in fluid communication with the mixing chamber through an air opening positioned below the low pressure gas openings and the high pressure gas opening.

7. The clean burning gas flare of claim 6, wherein the high pressure gas opening is radially centered with respect to the opening of the mixing chamber and the low pressure gas openings are arranged radially around the high pressure gas opening.

8. The clean burning gas flare of the claim 6 further comprising: a side riser in fluid communication with the gathering chamber through a side riser opening.

9. The clean burning gas flare of claim 6 further comprising: a plurality of flame tabs extending radially inward from the opening of the mixing chamber.

10. The clean burning gas flare of claim 6 further comprising at least one straightening vane extending from an interior wall of the mixing chamber.

11. The clean burning gas flare of claim 10 wherein the at least one straightening vane is positioned above the low pressure gas openings and below the high pressure gas opening.

12. The clean burning gas flare of claim 10 wherein the at least one straightening vane is disposed over one of the low pressure gas openings.

13. The clean burning gas flare of claim 6 further comprising: a thermocouple positioned at an exit of the low pressure mixing chamber; a thermocouple reader connected to the thermocouple and configured to transmit a temperature reading; and an air flow rate controller configured to receive the temperature reading from the thermocouple reader and to adjust the air flow rate to achieve a calculated temperature.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0026] The accompanying drawings facilitate an understanding of the various embodiments.

[0027] FIGS. 1A and 1B are respective front and side views of a flare stack of an example embodiment of this disclosure.

[0028] FIGS. 2A and 2B are respective local front and side views of the base of the flare stack shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

[0029] FIGS. 3A and 3B are respective top and side views of the clean burning gas flare tip of the flare stack shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B; FIG. 3C is a local cross sectional top view of the clean burning gas flare tip.

[0030] FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating a control scheme for maintaining a smokeless, clean burning condition at the gas flare tip shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B.

[0031] Like reference numerals indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] At a high level, a gas flare tip disclosed herein enables clean burning and reduces and eliminates black smoke, soot, or other contaminants due to incomplete burning. The disclosed gas flare tip is configured to handle flammable gases at both low pressures and high pressures, as regulated and protected by pressure relief valves. FIGS. 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B, and 3A, and 3B illustrate an embodiment of a flare stack in detail.

[0033] FIGS. 1A and 1B are respective front and side views of an exemplary embodiment flare stack 100. The flare stack 100 includes a base 130 and a tip 110 connected by one or more risers, such as the central riser 120 and a side riser 125. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate front and side views, respectively, of the base 130 of the flare stack 100. FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate top and side views, respectively, of the clean burning gas flare tip 110 of the flare stack 100. In operation, the base 130 supplies the tip 110 with flammable gases 115 and blower air 162. The tip 110 includes a low pressure blower mixing chamber 316 and a low pressure gathering chamber 314. The low pressure gathering chamber 314 is located below the low pressure blower mixing chamber 316.

[0034] The flammable gases are supplied at both high pressures and low pressures. The high pressure portion of the flammable gases are transferred by a riser 120 from the base 130 to the tip 110. The tip 110 burns the flammable gases 115 in a clean, smokeless manner such that its flames 117 do not include apparent unburnt dark particles. In some embodiments, the base 130 further includes one or more relief valves 150 or 152 (FIGS. 1A & 1B) that separate the high-pressure portion of the flammable gases from the low-pressure portion of the flammable gases.

[0035] In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3A & 3B, the riser 120 has a high pressure riser opening 313 below an opening 342 of the low pressure blower mixing chamber 316 of the tip 110. The risers connecting the base 130 to the tip 110 include a first riser 125 transferring a low pressure portion of the flammable gases to the low pressure gathering chamber 314 of the tip 110. The risers also include a second riser 127, which transfers the blower air to the low pressure blower mixing chamber 316 of the tip 110. A number of low pressure risers 330 extend from the low pressure gathering chamber 314 into the low pressure blower mixing chamber 316. In some embodiments, the low pressure risers 330 may have an opening of about 2″ in diameter; although the sizes may vary. In some other implementations, the opening diameter of the low pressure risers 330 could be greater than 2″, such as 3″, or smaller than 2″, such as 1″, depending on flow rate, size of the tip 110, and other factors.

[0036] In the embodiments illustrated, six low pressure risers 330 are shown to be evenly distributed around the high pressure riser 312. In other embodiments, however, different configurations may be implemented, for example, a different number of low pressure risers 330 may be used, each having a different diameter, or distributed in an uneven manner. The multiple low pressure risers 330 have openings 331 below the high pressure riser opening 313. In some embodiments, the high pressure riser opening 313 may be about 10″, although other sizes may be used.

[0037] Referring back to In FIG. 1A, in some embodiments the base 130 includes an installation plate 140 for securing the flare stack 100 onto the ground or other support surface. The base 130 may further include a first port 132 and a second port 134 for receiving flammable gases from various sources and a pressure relief valve 150 for allowing a portion of the low pressure flammable gases, upon the increase of pressure, to be transferred to the high pressure riser 120. In the side view shown in FIG. 1B, the base 130 may further include a second pressure relief valve 152, or include additional pressure relief valves not shown in the current illustrations, to protect against sudden pressure increase and regulate the apportionment between high pressure and low pressure flammable gases.

[0038] In some embodiments, the base 130 also include an air compressor 160, which may be controlled by a blower air valve 161 for supplying blower air 162 to the tip 110. In some embodiments, the air compressor 160 includes a controller that is operable to provide the blower 160 with the blower air 162 at a flow rate that produces a lean burning condition when mixed with the flammable gases at the tip 110. This will require compensation for a sudden burst of high pressure flammable gases in unplanned conditions. The air provided would allow for complete burning of both the low-pressure and high-pressure portions of the flammable gases up to a stoichiometric ratio. For example, the controller may receive measurement signals from one or more sensors installed at the tip 110. The one or more sensors may include a flow rate sensor for determining the amount of flammable gases, a temperature sensor for determining the burning situation at the tip 110, or other sensors that are capable of reflecting the burning condition 110.

[0039] In some embodiments, the low pressure blower mixing chamber 316 includes an inner core 360 (FIG. 3B). The inner core 360 may have a central tube 312, a portion of the high pressure riser 120 extending into the tip 110. The inner core 360 may also include a flange 350 that extends radially from the central tube 312. The inner core 360 may further include multiple surrounding tubes 330 that extend from the flange 350. The multiple surrounding tubes 330 may be substantially parallel to the central tube 312. The surrounding tubes 330 may be used as low-pressure risers. Low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316 may further include an external housing 301 that is sealingly surrounding the inner core 360 at the flange 350. The blower inlet may be an opening 304 and external housing 301. The inner core 360 may further include a number of straightening vanes radially extending from the central tube 312. The straightening vanes 322 may divide the multiple surrounding tubes 330 into individual risers 337 with the external housing 301 above the blower inlet 304. In some implementations, the blower inlet is connected with an immediate tubular portion that forms a perpendicular angle with the housing 301.

[0040] Referring to FIG. 2A, the base 130 may include an additional or supplementary air pump 212. The supplementary air pump 212 will work together with the air pump 160 when additional blower air 162 is required. In some embodiments, the air pumps 212 and 160 may be formed as a single pump, or formed by multiple pumps, to provide sufficient power and/or flow rate for the blower air 162. The base 130 may include a gas storage tank 220 for storing and/or buffering flammable gases before they are sent to the tip 110 for burning. In FIG. 2B, the gas tank 220 may include two compartments: a compartment 225 for high-pressure gases and another compartment 227 for low-pressure gases. In some embodiments, the base 130 further includes one or more relief valves 152 that separates the high-pressure portion of the flammable gases in the tank 225 from the low-pressure portion of the flammable gases in the tank 227. The high-pressure gas tank 225 may receive high-pressure gases at the inlet 132. The low pressure gas tank 227 receives low-pressure gases at the inlet 134. In some embodiments, pressure meters 230 may provide a reading of the amount of low-pressure gases stored in a low-pressure gas tank 227. Other tubes or connections 232 may enable further manipulation, storage, or transfer of the flammable gases in the gas tanks 225 and 227.

[0041] Turning now to FIG. 3A that shows the top view of the clean burning gas flare tip 110, more details are shown of the low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316 and other surrounding components. The low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316 includes at least one high pressure riser 312 and multiple low-pressure risers 330. Although illustrated as a single high pressure riser 312, two or more high-pressure risers may be installed in its place. The multiple low-pressure risers 330 have openings below the opening of the at least one high pressure riser 312. The multiple low-pressure risers are in fluid communication with a low-pressure gathering chamber 314, such that the low-pressure gathering chamber 314 provides low-pressure flammable gases to the low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316. The air blower 160, as illustrated, is fluidly coupled with a low-pressure blower mixing chamber and the blower inlet 304 that is near the bottom of the low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316.

[0042] During operation, a large amount of blower air 162 is supplied into the low-pressure blower mixing chamber 316 such that the flammable gases therein are mixed and surrounded by large amount of air for clean burning. Because the opening 342 is higher than the opening 313 of the high pressure riser 312, the external housing 301 may also function as a wind guard. In some embodiments, the external housing 301 may have an opening of a diameter of 18″. The opening 342 of the low-pressure blower mixing chamber may include multiple flame tabs 340 for regulating the flame. As shown in FIG. 3B, the tip 110 may further include a pilot shoot 310 that has a pilot flame opening of 311 adjacent one or more of the multiple flame tabs 340. FIG. 3C is a local cross sectional top view of the clean burning gas flare tip, for example, near the top of the low pressure risers 330.

[0043] FIG. 4 is a flow chart 400 illustrating a control scheme for maintaining a smokeless, clean burning condition at the gas flare tip shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B. At step 410, the flare stack having a smokeless or clean gas flare tip may measure the temperature, the pressure, the flammable gas flow rate, and other aspects of the operation. For example, one or more sensors may be installed at a gas flare tip. In some implementations, the measurements may be based on previous testing and are not measured in all operations.

[0044] At step 420, the controller for an air compressor or an air blower determines a flow rate for the blower air to be supplied to the gas flare tip. For example, such determination may be based on the condition of current burning or the measured flow rate of the flammable gases. At step 430, the controller, based on the determined flow rate for the blower area, may actuate the air compressor at the determined flow rate for clean and smokeless burning. In some embodiments, the controller may perform a closed-loop control to address unexpected surge in the flammable gases. In some other embodiments, the controller may be operating in an open-loop control, for example, to provide lower air multiple times of what may be needed to offset is sufficient air supply situations.

[0045] In the foregoing description of certain embodiments, specific terminology has been resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes other technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar technical purpose. Terms such as “left” and right”, “front” and “rear”, “above” and “below” and the like are used as words of convenience to provide reference points and are not to be construed as limiting terms. “And” and “or” may be used interchangeably unless specifically required otherwise.

[0046] In this specification, the word “comprising” is to be understood in its “open” sense, that is, in the sense of “including”, and thus not limited to its “closed” sense, that is the sense of “consisting only of”. A corresponding meaning is to be attributed to the corresponding words “comprise”, “comprised” and “comprises” where they appear.

[0047] In addition, the foregoing describes only some embodiments of the disclosure(s), and alterations, modifications, additions and/or changes can be made thereto without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed embodiments, the embodiments being illustrative and not restrictive.

[0048] Furthermore, disclosures herein have been described in connection with what are presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments and it is to be understood that the disclosure is not to be limited to the specifically disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the disclosure(s). Also, the various embodiments described above may be implemented in conjunction with other embodiments, e.g., aspects of one embodiment may be combined with aspects of another embodiment to realize yet other embodiments. Further, each independent feature or component of any given assembly may constitute an additional embodiment.