Stabilization of Critical Enclosed Natural Draft Ground Flares

by Hans-U. Heinrich-Josties, City of Los Angeles Dep of Public, Works, United States,
Richard A. Nichols, City of Los Angeles Dep of Public, Works, United States,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Environmental Engineering

Abstract:

This paper presents the results of an investigation evaluating the causes of and implementing a cost effective solution to combustion driven oscillations in six large natural draft flares. Investigation included an acoustical stability analysis, which showed combustion oscillation problems are promoted by: open dampers, poor airfuel mixing, highly radiant diffusion flames, burner positions away from the stack bottom, and possibly large burner orifices coupled with burner line lengths to control valves that promote fuel line interactions. The solution implemented was to stabilize the burner by modifying inlet piping to reduce line pressure drop and to use this increased pressure drop at the burner; and by engineering and installing a Maxon Vee trough, line burner and profiling. Combustion air flow profiling maximizes Vee and post plate progressive mixing. Optimized burner and combustion air design required an accurate thermodynamic and fluid dynamic model of the flare. Additional aspects of the subject are discussed.

Subject Headings: Fluid dynamics | Combustion | Oscillations | Thermodynamics | Soil stabilization | Optimization models | Model accuracy

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