Systems and methods to prevent explosions in a tank using automated gas harvesting and purge safety devices

A method, comprising:

• providing a flowback system, the flowback system including:
• a tank, the tank including an inlet, a fluid outlet, and a vent;
• a transfer pump having a transfer pump inlet and a transfer pump outlet, the transfer pump inlet coupled to the fluid outlet of the tank and the transfer pump outlet coupled to a burner head, the burner head configured to burn liquid hydrocarbons received from the tank;
• a low-pressure vent line coupled between the vent and a first flare tip, the first flare tip configured to burn low-pressure gaseous hydrocarbons received from the tank;
• a high-pressure gaseous hydrocarbon line coupled to a second flare tip, the second flare tip configured to burn high-pressure gaseous hydrocarbons;
• and
• a control system including a sensor, a valve and a valve controller coupled to the valve, the valve of the control system coupled between the low-pressure vent line and the high-pressure gaseous hydrocarbon line;
• and
• employing the control system to actuate the valve to supply high-pressure gaseous hydrocarbons from the high-pressure gaseous hydrocarbon line to the low-pressure vent line upon sensing an unsafe system event in the flowback system.

A flowback system, comprising

• a tank, the tank including an inlet, a fluid outlet, and a vent;
• a transfer pump having a transfer pump inlet and a transfer pump outlet, the transfer pump inlet coupled to the fluid outlet of the tank and the transfer pump outlet coupled to a burner head, the burner head configured to burn liquid hydrocarbons received from the tank;
• a low-pressure vent line coupled between the vent and a first flare tip, the first flare tip configured to burn low-pressure gaseous hydrocarbons received from the tank;
• an inert gas line coupled between the low-pressure vent line and the first flare tip;
• and
• a control system including a sensor, a valve and a valve controller coupled to the valve, the valve of the control system coupled between the low-pressure vent line and the inert gas line, the control system configured to sense an unsafe system event and actuate the valve to supply inert gas from the inert gas line to the low-pressure vent line.