PROCEDURE NO.

PAGE OF
PTD-DGS-105 1 3
PREPARED BY DATE
PROCESS TECHNOLOGY PROCEDURES Edited from existing April 30, 2000
doc by J.R.Barnhart
APPROVED BY
DEPARTMENT: PROCESS ENGINEERING JRB
SUBJECT: FLARE HEADER SIZING DESIGN GUIDE REVISION DATE REV.
11/01/2002 1

1.0 SCOPE

This design guide1 establishes procedures for designing a flare system using a flare
header design computer program.

2.0 RESPONSIBILITIES

The process engineer is responsible for the design and sizing of flare headers.

3.0 DEFINITIONS

The following definitions pertain to flare header sizing:

1. Destination pressure, expressed in pounds per square inch absolute (psia), is the
terminal pressure from where the program works back. For flare stack, use 2
pounds per square inch gage (psig), unless the actual pressure drop across the
stack is known.
2. Minimum inside pipe diameter fixes the minimum inside pipe diameter and is used
only when a minimum size is required; otherwise, leave the input blank.
3. Fixed inside pipe diameter fixes the pipe inside diameter and is used when
pressure drops are being calculated or when the pipe diameter is predetermined;
1
otherwise, leave the input blank.
4. Average gas temperature is the average gas temperature of the streams entering a
pipe. Average gas temperature is calculated using the following equation:

W1 W2 Wh
T  T1  T2  ...... Tn (Eq. 3-1)
W W  Wn

5. Mach number limit is the largest ratio of fluid velocity to the speed of sound in the
fluid. Use a mach number limit of 0.5 for header and 0.5 for branches.
6. Maximum percent backpressure is the maximum pressure that develops at the
outlet of a relief valve. Use 10 percent of set pressure for conventional valves and
30 percent of set pressure for balanced valves.
7. Gas temperature is the temperature downstream of the relief valve, which must be
calculated assuming adiabatic expansion.

1
Rev. 0 of the Design Guide was adapted with minimal changes from a Pasadena document, DSG-MP12C, 10/92
 8. Viscosity (optional) is the property of gas or liquids as expressed in centipoise at
the flowing temperature. The computer uses 0.02 if this value is omitted.
9. Specific heat ratio (optional) is the ratio of the specific heat at constant pressure to
the specific heat at constant volume for any gas. The computer uses 1.4 if this
value is omitted.
10. Critical case is the determining case for the pipe diameter, as indicated on the
computer printout.

4.0 PROCEDURE

1. Review the program manual and follow the examples, paying attention to:
a. The line identification method
b. Case studies and critical cases
2. Study the flare system to determine:
a. Flare system layout (see Figure 1)
b. The different cases to be simulated
c. Line identification method (allow for the addition of lines later)
d. Relief valve operating conditions, including allowable percent backpressure
e. Pipeline lengths and routing. Disregard the knockout drums; add their entrance
loss to the inlet piping and their exit loss to the discharge piping.
3. Lay out the system so that lines and relief valves can be clearly numbered and
identified.
4. Run the flare sizing program.
5. The simulation should be evaluated for the following considerations:
a. Some pipeways have limits on the maximum pipe diameter, and two headers
may be necessary.
b. Since this represents cost, the ideal design would be of minimum weight.
c. Each branch line needs to be checked by using backpressures calculated by
this program at the junction of each branch with the header. To confirm that
calculated size does not exceed the maximum allowable backpressure, use
relief valve capacity, a Mach number of 0.7, and run line sizing. Increase
branch line size, if necessary, to meet the criteria of a Mach number of 0.7 and
maximum allowable backpressure.