ECC - High Pressure Flaring Systems
All refineries and petrochemical plants have flares as a safety device. During plant start-up, or when an unexpected situation arises causing a buildup of pressurized hydrocarbon gases, the excess gas is vented through a pipe to a centralized location on the refinery grounds. There are many such sources of high-pressure gas in a plant, and for some plants the flares are gathered into a central location in a matrix of flares the size, on average, of one-to-three football fields. The terminus of each pipe rises approximately 6’ – 12’ from the ground. At the top of each pipe is a nozzle in the shape of a spider.
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The Problem
The Problem
Refineries and petrochemical plants are sensitive to the problems and concerns these flares which, when activated, can cause for neighbors and the surrounding environment. Because flares can cause an extremely bright flash with attendant noise and radiation, they represent one of the primary issues involved in siting new plants. Special fences are typically constructed on the periphery of these flare fields of up to 25-30’ in height, which represent a considerable cost component of the system itself.
The ECC™ Solution
By controlling flame length, ECC technology may enable operators to reduce the height of these fences by 30%. Because a fence cost may represent 30-50% of the overall cost of a multi-point, high-pressure flare system, implementation of ECC would represent a considerable capital expense reduction. Additionally, current controversy regarding whether or not these flares meet expected combustion efficiency targets of 98% or higher may prompt government officials to impose environmental regulations to limit hydrocarbon emissions that ultimately contribute to ground level ozone issues (smog). The more complete combustion (i.e., enhanced mixing) offered by ECC would ensure combustion efficiency targets can be met.
Fence Height Reduction
Multi-point, high-pressure flares are usually large combustion systems that require a fence in the perimeter of a large field to protect personnel and equipment from intense radiation and hide the system from neighbors. These systems represent a considerable capital expense, typically several million dollars, to refineries and petrochemical plants. The cost associated with fence design, construction and installation typically represents about 30-50% of the total system cost.
Recommendation
Select a $20MM system to calculate the economic impact associated with implementation of ECC for the above benefit.
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