PROCESS DESIGN GUIDELINE FOR

FLARE SYSTEM DESIGNS

0 25.10.2001 Renumbered and Reissued as Standard SKV DKB MKJ

Rev Date Revisions By Chk App

Document No.
ENGINEERS INDIA Process Design Guideline for Rev
8-0241-4503
LIMITED Flare System Designs
NEW DELHI Page 1 of 8 0
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
Page 2 of 8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section Contents Page No.

1. Description 3

2. Guidelines 3

Annexure 6
Model Calculations for heat loss from main flare header

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and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
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1.0 DESCRIPTION

Flare Systems are costly, hence a careful review of flare loads and the system is required
before finalizing the design. Guidelines given below are to be followed along with details
given in PROCESS DESIGN MANUAL.

2.0 GUIDELINES

2.1 For Flare Loads

Flare loads are to be reviewed keeping the following in view:

a) In big complexes, by segregating the Cooling Towers(or) Power System (where

imported and captive generation exist), it can be ensured that loads do not become
additive, thus reducing flare loads for system design. This aspect should be finalised
with the Client/Engineering.

b) Proper interaction with Lead Engineer of respective units is required to review flare
loads and back-pressure requirement.

c) In certain cases, by suitably changing the design pressure of a few equipments, flare
loads can be brought down, thus reducing overall costs.

d) In cases of high flare loads,a review is to be made to see if by adopting suitable control
philosophy with redundancy, flare loads can be brought down.

e) In certain cases, by segregating high pressure and low pressure systems by separate
flare headers, overall cost savings can be made.

After studying all alternatives, a review involving senior personnel from PROCESS &
OPERATIONS is to be held before finalizing the scheme

2.2 Flare Header Temperature Profile

Our past- practice is to specify a single design temperature throughout the main flare
header, based on the maximum temperature from a particular unit. It is observed that this
results in increased number of expansion loops, thereby increasing the header size
indirectly. This practice was reviewed closely, and it was decided that specifying one
design temperature for entire flare header, based on the release from one or two Safety
Valves (whereas all others are releasing at lower temperatures), is not giving the realistic
picture.

Therefore, for an optimum flare header sizing, the following steps are to be followed:

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and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
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a) The generalised guidelines relating to temperature effects on flare header expansion

loop configuration, shall be decided shortly with PIPING GROUP and shall be issued.
These guidelines shall be employed preliminarily, to assume the number of loops.

b) The pressure drop calculations shall be done for equivalent length (as per expected
loop configuration, including the side- lengths of loops taking into account all the 90
degree elbows after taking credit for the naturally occurring bends as per plot plan), in
fixing the flare header size.

c) Thereafter, segment-wise heat loss calculations shall be performed and the temperature
profile along the flare header shall be given to PIPING GROUP with a request for
sectionalised header design (i.e. minimizing number of expansion loops). Based on this
input, PIPING GROUP will generate the actual loop configuration, for which the flare
header size shall be optimised, for an economic design.

A set of model calculations is enclosed along with as Annexure-1 for user ready-
reference.

2.3 Horizontal Flare KOD Design

a) If design load exceeds 300 tons/hr, 5 cu. metre liquid hold-up (or) 600 mm between
the HLL & LLL shall be considered for design, even if no condensation is
expected as per calculations.

b) The condensate in the KOD should be considered as sub-cooled for the NPSH
(available) calculations. Typical NPSH (available) for the condensate pump is 2
meters and the KOD shall be elevated at 1.5 meter (min) from the grade. Higher
elevations of the KOD results in increased elevation of the flare header, thus
increasing the system costs.
c) KOD design shall be as per API-521 (Drag Coefficient Method). Since API code
specifies particle size as 300-600 microns (irrespective of the flare load), our past
practice was to take 400 microns, and design the KOD accordingly. This resulted in
very big KODs.

Presently, it is decided that particle size of 600 microns shall be considered for the
design of main flare KOD corresponding to design flare load.

The ISBL KOD shall be designed considering particle size as 400 microns. The
complex (main) KOD adequacy shall be checked considering 400 microns particle
size and single largest unit peak flare load.

ISBL KOD shall be a horizontal vessel to minimize unit flare header elevation.

2.4 Water Seal Drum

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and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
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a) To reduce the Pressure Drop (and hence optimum flare header sizing), the flare stack
shall be mounted on the vertical WSD wherever practicable.

b) To circumvent vibration problems:

Excessive vibrations of the flare header & WSD were observed in some plants. To
avoid this, the following guidelines shall be followed:

i) A safe design temperature (from piping expansion point of view) shall be

specified for the entire Flare System.
ii) Spadework is under way, to generate proper design guidelines for WSD
internals, in co-ordination with HMTD. These shall be circulated shortly.
Conventional Water Seal designs with dip pipe, leads to surging.
iii) It is to be noted that the WSD vibration problem was nullified in some plants
by just blanking out the separate flare gas recovery line (with separate 100 mm
water seal) which we used to provide in our recent designs. Presently, it is
concluded that this facility shall not be offered in future designs.

2.5 General

a) Flare loads from individual units shall be closely scrutinised along with molecular
weights, in case velocity is governing the header sizing.

b) For the flare system design, optimisation may be carried out using available computer
programs. However, the final design shall be crosschecked manually.

c) Guidelines for provision of Fluidic Seal/ Molecular Seal shall be generated in co-
ordination with ETDD.

d) If possible fuel gas purging, downstream of WSD, in the flare stack shall be specified to
avoid air-ingress. The fuel gas required for purging shall be calculated based on 0.1 fps
gas velocity in the stack.

e) Guidelines for specifying Steam /Air assisted Smokeless Flaring, shall be generated
after interaction with International Vendors.

CONFIDENTIAL: The contents of this document are the exclusive property of ENGINEERS INDIA LIMITED
and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
Page 6 of 8
3

Annexure 1
Model Calculations For Main Flare Header Heat loss

CLIENT: IPCL REF.DWG.NO: PAGE NO: 1 OF 3

JOB NO: 3276 Section of plot DESIGNED DATE:09.02.93
plan depicting BY:S.Mitra
PROJECT:Gandhar I.O.P. loops(Page 2 of CHKD BY: DATE:09.02.93
3),after discussi- V. Shankar
SUBJECT:Heat loss calculations ons with Piping REVISION: 1 DATE:03.08.93
for main flare header Group BY:S.C./V.S.

GOVERNING CASE: QUENCH TOWER (IN GCU) SAFETY VALVE

DISCHARGE AT 250 °C

LOAD (m) = 175810 Kgs./Hr.

CP = 0.55
Mean Ambient Temp.(Tma) = 25°C = 298°K
Gas Inlet Temperature (T1) = 250°C = 523°K
Wind Velocity (Vm) = 0 fps (Still Air Case)
Header Diameter (D) = 24 inches = 0.61 meter
Emissivity (E) = 0.9

4 4
m. CP (T1-T2) = 0.86{ 0.548 *E* [ (Tms/55.55) – (Tma/55.55) ] +
1.25
1.957(Tms-Tma) { ª [ (196.85 Vm+68.9)/68.9] } *Surface Area
THEREFORE FOR STILL AIR (Vm=0)
4 4
m. CP (T1-T2) = 0.86{0.548 *E* [ (Tms/55.55) – (Tma/55.55) ] +
1.25
1.957(Tms-Tma) *Surface Area
Tms (Mean Surface Temperature in °K ) = (T1+T2)/2 (Approximately)
T2 = Gas Temperature At The Outlet Of The Section
Area (A) of the section =πDL (In Square Meters)
L= Considered Length of the section (In Meters)

Different section lengths for varying pipe diameters were considered in the above equation
and T2 after each section was calculated by iteration. The resulting temperature profile is
given in the Page 3 of 3.

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and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
 Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
Page 7 of 8

FLARE HEADER ROUTING FROM GCU B/L TO GCU FLARE

(AS INFORMED BY MR.

BRAHMANAND,PIPING)
ON 05.02.1993
BY:V.SHANKAR
DATE:09.02.1993
GCU
FLARE

100m EL6 EL5 EL4 EL3 DETAIL-A

130m 130m 130m 130m

GCU-OSBL
100m
REFRIGERATION

160m EL2

100m EL1
GCU
75m

EXPN. LOOP (EL) DETAIL-A:

Shall be automatically
10m to 15m accounted for in straight From GCU
depending upon run length 45o OSBL
Des.Temp. To Flare
(To be added 90o
to st.run
length) &
the pipe area From GCU
Notes :
1) No. of 90o bends = {3+(6x4)} = 27
2) In distances marked, side lengths (of 2x15m for each loop) also included.

GOVENRNING TEMPERATURE PROFILE FOR FL-2505

(MAIN FLARE HEADER)

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and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.
Process Design Guideline for Flare System Designs 8-0241-4503 Rev 0
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Reference:Interconnecting P&ID No. for

flare system 3276-92-02-41-1125
MAIN
FLARE
Flare SYSTEM
OSBL
141 oC
100m

147.5 oC
100m

154.5 oC
100m

162 oC
100m 900m
{Run Lengths inclusive of side
170 oC lengths (2x15m) for 6 expansion.
100m loops}

179 oC
Φ=48” 100m

189 oC
100m

200oC
100m

212.8oC
Φ=44” 100m
225.4 oC 227.6oC

OSBL 17m 50m 232.6 oC

GCU 36”x44” 32”x36”
50m
237.8 oC
Φ=32”
50m

243.1 oC
Φ=24”,L=15m
50m
248.7 oC
24”x32”
250 oC

Quench Tower Ovhd. Safety Valve Discharge

CONFIDENTIAL: The contents of this document are the exclusive property of ENGINEERS INDIA LIMITED
and are not to be used or reproduced for use by any other organization or individual.