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US 10,041,672 B2Granted
Real-time burner efficiency control and monitoring
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorOleg Zhdaneev
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for real-time burner monitoring and control of a flare system, including analyzing a flare gas and/or flare exhaust gas by one or more analytical techniques and determining the flare gas and/or flare exhaust gas composition. The method may also include an ash particle monitoring system. The method further includes an analytical control unit for real-time adjustment of process conditions.
Claims19
A real-time burner efficiency control and monitoring system, the system including:
- a flow header configured to feed a multiphase flare mixture to the system;
- a separator that is configured to receive the multiphase flare mixture from the flow header, and separate the multiphase flare mixture into two or more fractions including a gas fraction and a liquid fraction, wherein the separator separates the multiphase flare mixture based upon, at least in part, an efficiency of the flare system;
- a valve, located downstream from the separator, configured to control the flowrate of the gas fraction exiting the separator;
- a flare system, located downstream from the valve, for the handling and burning of the gas fraction;
- an air supply unit for supplying oxidant gas, at an adjustable flowrate, to the flare system for gas fraction combustion;
- a gas fraction sampling point downstream of the separator and upstream of the flare system for sampling the gas fraction prior to admixture with the oxidant gas;
- an exhaust mixture sampling point downstream of the flare system for sampling an exhaust mixture from the flare system;
- and
- an analytical control unit configured to compare the gas fraction sampled at the flare gas sampling point with the exhaust mixture sampled at the exhaust mixture sampling point and provide feedback, based on the comparison, to adjust at least one parameter of the separator.
6 more elements
A method for a real-time burner efficiency control and monitoring system, the method including:
- analyzing a flare exhaust mixture composition at an exhaust mixture sampling point downstream of a flare system;
- identifying specific components in the flare exhaust mixture utilizing one or more of a chromatographic, spectrometric, or optical systems;
- adjusting at least one parameter of an upstream flow separator based on the analysis of the flare exhaust mixture composition, wherein a valve is fluidly coupled to and between the flow separator and the flare system;
- adjusting an oxidant supply flowrate to the flare system based on the analysis of the flare exhaust mixture composition, wherein the oxidant comprises one or more of air or oxygen or methane, and
- wherein the at least one parameter of the upstream flow separator includes separator temperature and pressure.
2 more elements
A method for a real-time burner efficiency control and monitoring system, the method including:
- feeding a flare mixture to the system through a flow header;
- separating the flare mixture received from the flow header into one or more fractions in a separator, the one or more fractions including a gas fraction;
- feeding the gas fraction to a valve, located downstream of the separator, configured to control the flowrate of the gas fraction exiting the separator;
- burning the gas fraction in a flare system downstream from the valve;
- analyzing a flare exhaust mixture composition at an exhaust mixture sampling point downstream of the flare system;
- identifying specific components in the flare exhaust mixture utilizing one or more of a chromatographic, spectrometric, or optical systems;
- analyzing the gas fraction at a gas fraction sampling point downstream of the separator and upstream of the flare system;
- monitoring flare burner efficiency by differential composition analysis, between the gas fraction and flare exhaust mixture;
- adjusting at least one parameter of the flow separator based on a comparison of results obtained at the gas fraction sampling point and the exhaust mixture sampling point;
- and
- adjusting oxidant supply flowrate to the flare system, wherein the at least one separator parameter includes separator temperature and pressure.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.