How Do Flame Arresters Work?

Processes involving the storage, transport, separation, & destruction of flammable vapors are ubiquitous in the chemical & petrochemical industries. These operations present inherent explosion risks that are often addressed through the application & use of Flame Arresters.
However, many practicing engineers & recent graduate engineers are unfamiliar with Flame Arresters, which can lead to dangerous misapplications. This introductory presentation details the basic fundamental principles of flame arresters, the industry standards governing these devices, & common flame arrester applications.
Key technical concepts related to flame arresters, such as the MESG, the dynamics of propagating explosions, & arrester element design will be described. The critical regulatory & industry requirements of NFPA 67, NFPA 69, & 33 CFR Part 154 will be cited. A generous cross section of typical flame arrester applications will be provided.