Integrated flare combustion control
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDaniel Robert Johnson, Chong Tao, Joshua Daniel Brooks, Randy Scott Pfenninger, Lei Sui
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for flare combustion control includes a sound speed measurement device for measuring sound speed in a flare vent gas, and a flare combustion controller including a memory and a processor. The processor is configured to receive the measured sound speed and determine, based on the measured sound speed, a molecular weight of the flare vent gas. The processor is further configured to determine, based on the determined molecular weight, a net heating value of the flare vent gas, and adjust the net heating value of the flare vent gas by regulating an amount of a supplemental fuel gas in the flare vent gas.
Claims20
A flare combustion control system comprising:
- a sound speed measurement device for measuring sound speed in a flare vent gas;
- and
- a flare combustion controller comprising a memory and a processor, wherein said processor is configured to:
- receive the measured sound speed from the sound speed measurement device;
- determine, based on the measured sound speed, a molecular weight of the flare vent gas;
- determine, based on the determined molecular weight, a net heating value of the flare vent gas;
- and
- adjust the net heating value of the flare vent gas by regulating an amount of a supplemental fuel gas in the flare vent gas.
A method for maintaining a minimum net heating value in a combustion zone of a flare tip, said method comprising:
- measuring a sound speed of a flare vent gas;
- determining, based on the measured sound speed, a molecular weight of the flare vent gas;
- determining, based on the determined molecular weight, a net heating value of the flare vent gas;
- and
- adjusting the net heating value of the flare vent gas by regulating an amount of a supplemental fuel gas in the flare vent gas.
A method for smokeless combustion of a flare vent gas, said method comprising:
- measuring a sound speed of the flare vent gas;
- determining, based on the measured sound speed, a molecular weight of the flare vent gas;
- calculating, based on the determined molecular weight, an amount of an assist gas to achieve smokeless combustion of the flare vent gas;
- and
- regulating a flow of the assist gas for mixing with the flare vent gas to produce smokeless combustion of the flare vent gas.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.