293404 CFD Simulations and Simple Correlations to Predict Flare Performance Under Various Operating Conditions

Tuesday, April 30, 2013: 10:45 AM
Bonham C (Grand Hyatt San Antonio)
Kanwar Devesh Singh1, Preeti Gangadharan1, Daniel H. Chen1, Helen H. Lou1, Tanaji Dabade2 and Xianchang Li2, (1)Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, (2)Mechanical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

CDF Simulations and Simple Correlations To Predict Flare Performance Under Various Operating Conditions

K. Singh, P. Gangadharan, D. Chen, H. Lou, D. F. Smith Chemical Engineering Dept.,

X. Li, T. Dabade, Mechanical Engineering Dept. Lamar University, Beaumont, TX

With high uncertainty in accounting for the VOC emission inventories in the Houston-Galveston-Brazoria (HGB) area, flares have been identified as an important underreported or unreported emission source and the evaluation of their performances are currently under-way[1]. The assumption of a very high DRE (Destruction and Removal Efficiency >98%), if operated in compliance with 40 CFR § 60.18, has been under scrutiny and recent flare tests performed on industrial-scale flare systems have indicated otherwise[2].  Most of these tests indicated that, even if operating under the guidelines, flare efficiency can go far below 98% depending on factors like air-to-fuel ratio, steam-to-fuel ratio, flare-tip velocity, vent gas heat content, and crosswind2.  In this work, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations of industrial ethylene flares are performed to predict the effect of these parameters on flare DRE, CE (Combustion Efficiency), and VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) emissions. Easy to use correlations were developed in this work to predict the flare performance and CO/formaldehyde emissions under various operating conditions. The CFD simulations employ a validated reaction mechanism suitable for the combustion of C1 to C3 light hydrocarbons coupled with Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) turbulent models.


[2] TCEQ 2010 Flare Study Project Final Report; PGA No. 582-8-862-45-FY09-04


Extended Abstract: File Not Uploaded
See more of this Session: Technology Advancement for Industrial Flare Minimization and Modelling
See more of this Group/Topical: Process Development Division