Method of Measuring a Methane Destruction and Removal Efficiency of an Elevated Flare

A method of determining a methane destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of an elevated flare receiving at least two waste gas streams and having a flame and a plume, utilizing a computing device, comprising the steps of:

• determining a gas composition for each of the at least one waste gas stream;
• determining a signal strength for each carbon-containing species in the plume using passive Fourier transform infrared remote sensing;
• measuring a volumetric flow rate for each of the at least two waste gas streams;
• calculating a methane carbon fraction for the at least one waste gas stream using the determined gas composition for each of the at least two waste gas streams;
• calculating a methane carbon fraction for the plume;
• and
• calculating the methane DRE using the calculated methane carbon fraction for each of the at least two waste gas streams and the calculated methane carbon fraction for the plume.

A system comprising:

• a computing device;
• a computer-readable medium coupled to the computing device having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:
• calculating a methane carbon fraction for the plume using a determined signal strength for each carbon-containing species in the plume using passive Fourier transform infrared remote sensing over a period of time;
• calculating a methane carbon fraction for at least one waste gas stream conducted at least partially through an elevated flare having a flame and a plume using a predetermined gas composition for each of the at least one waste gas stream and a measured volumetric flow rate for each of the at least one waste gas stream over the period of time;
• and
• calculating the methane DRE using the calculated methane carbon fraction for each of the at least one waste gas stream and the calculated methane carbon fraction for the plume.