Flare gas combustion apparatus

A flare gas combustion apparatus comprising:

• a tubularly shaped flare housing having an upper end;
• gas directing means for forming an orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing and having an inner core surrounded by the orifice channel, the gas directing means comprising a liner member having first and second ends and supported within the flare housing, the orifice channel being the space between the inner inner wall of the flare housing and the outer wall for the liner member;
• seal means for selectively preventing air and gas passage through the inner core of the gas directing means;
• and
• a first flare conduit connected in fluid communication with the orifice channel so that a first flare gas portion passing through the first flare conduit is exhausted from the orifice channel at an exit port of the orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing as a relatively thin layer of discharge gas so that combustion of the discharging first flare portion occurs as a perimeter zone discharge, the inner core of the liner member blocked to passage of the first flare gas portion;
• and
• injector means for directing selected fluid into the perimeter zone discharge.

A flare gas combustion apparatus comprising:

• a flare housing having an upper end;
• a liner cylinder having upper and lower ends, an inner core, and being coaxially supported within the flare housing, the liner cylinder forming an annular orifice channel between the inner wall of the flare housing and the outer wall of the liner cylinder;
• a first flare connected in fluid communication with the annular orifice channel so that a first flare gas portion passing through the first flare conduit is discharged from the orifice channel at an exit port of the annular orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing, the first flare gas portion discharging from the exit port of the annular orifice channel forming a relatively thin cylindrically shaped perimeter zone discharge;
• seal means for preventing air and gas passage through the inner core of the liner cylinder;
• a second flare conduit in fluid communication with the inner core of the liner cylinder so that a second waste gas portion passing to the liner cylinder is dischargeable from the upper end of the liner cylinder as an inner zone discharge during emergency operation;
• a flare gas inlet conduit having fluid communication with the first flare conduit and with the second flare conduit;
• injector means for directing a selected fluid into the perimeter zone discharge;
• and
• wherein the seal means is further characterized as comprising:
• liquid seal means interposed between the flare gas inlet conduit and the second flare conduit for preventing flare gas flow from the flare gas inlet conduit to the second flare conduit until the pressure in the flare gas inlet exceed a predeterminded value requiring emergency flare gas discharge.

A flare gas combustion apparatus comprising:

• a flare housing having an upper end;
• a liner cylinder having upper and lower ends, an inner core, and being coaxially supported within the flare housing, the liner cylinder forming an annular orifice channel between the inner wall of the flare housing and the outer wall of the liner cylinder;
• a first flare conduit connected in fluid communication with the annular orifice channel so that a first flare gas portion passing through the first flare conduit is discharged from the orifice channel at an exit port of the annular orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing, the first flare gas portion discharging from the exit port of the annular orifice channel forming a relatively thin cylindrically shaped perimeter zone discharge;
• seal means for preventing air and gas passage through the inner core of the liner cylinder;
• a second flare conduit in fluid communication with the inner core of the liner cylinder so that a second waste gas portion passing to the liner cylinder is dischargeable from the upper end of the liner cylinder as an inner zone discharge during emergency operation;
• a flare gas inlet conduit having communication with the first flare conduit and with the second flare conduit;
• injector means for directing a selected fluid into the liner cylinder;
• and
• wherein the seal means is further characterized as comprising:
• liquid seal means interposed between the flare gas inlet conduit and the second flare conduit for preventing flare gas flow from the flare gas inlet conduit to the second flare conduit until the pressure in the flare gas inlet exceed a predetermined value requiring emergency flare gas discharge.

A flare gas combustion apparatus comprising:

• a flare housing having an open upper end and a closed lower end;
• a liner cylinder having upper and lower ends, an inner core, and being coaxially supported within the flare housing, the liner cylinder forming an annular orifice channel between the inner wall of the flare housing and the outer wall of the liner cylinder, the orifice channel forming an open exit port at its upper end and closed at its lower end;
• a first flare conduit connected in fluid communication with the annular orifice channel so that a first flare gas portion passing through the first flare conduit is discharged from the orifice channel at the exit port of the annular orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing, the first flare gas portion discharging from the exit port of the annular orifice channel forming a relatively thin cylindrically shaped perimeter zone discharge;
• and
• seal means disposed in the inner core of the liner cylinder for preventing air and gas passage through the inner core of the liner cylinder, and wherein the first flare conduit extends axially into the liner cylinder through the lower end thereof, an annularly shaped reverse flow channel formed between the inner wall of the liner cylinder, the outer wall of the first flare conduit, and the seal means, the reverse flow channel having fluid communication between the first flare conduit and the annular orifice channel so that a reverse flow fluid seal chamber is provided between the first flare conduit and the annular orifice channel.

A flare gas combustion apparatus comprising:

• a tubularly shaped flare housing having an upper end;
• gas directing means for forming an orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing and having an inner core surrounded by the orifice channel, the gas directing means comprising a liner member having first and second ends and supported within the flare housing, the orifice channel being the space between the inner wall of the flare housing and the outer wall of the liner member, the orifice channel closed at its lower end and open at its upper end to form an exit port;
• a seal plate disposed across the liner member so that gas is prevented from exhausting from the upper end of the liner member;
• and
• a first flare conduit connected in fluid communciation with the orifice channel so that a first flare gas portion passing through the first flare conduit is exhausted from the orifice channel at the exit port of the orifice channel at the upper end of the flare housing as a relatively thin layer of discharge gas so that combustion of the discharging first flare portion occurs as a perimeter zone discharge, the inner core of the liner member blocked to passage of the first flare gas portion, and wherein the first flare conduit extends axially into the liner member such that an annularly shaped reverse flow channel is formed between the inner wall of the liner member, the outer wall of the first flare conduit and the seal plate, the reverse flow channel having fluid communication between the first flare conduit and the annular orifice channels so that a reverse flow fluid seal chamber is provided between the first flare conduit and the annular orifice channel.