HANDYMANUAL

ProgramFLARESIM
(Version4.0)

Off/OnshoreFlareStackDesign

Issue : Feb.2015
Status : ForProcessDepartmentInternalUseOnly
Preparedby : SeniorPEBaijanSavalan Paraf d.d.

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TableofContents

Introduction..................................................................................................................................................3
MainapplicationareaoftheFlaresim..........................................................................................................3
Example1OffshoreFlareStackDesign..................................................................................................4
InitialSetup...........................................................................................................................................4
InitialCalculations...............................................................................................................................10
Example2SonicTipDesign..................................................................................................................12
InitialSetup.........................................................................................................................................12
InitialCalculations...............................................................................................................................13
CompareResults.....................................................................................................................................14
Example3OnshoreFlareStackDesign.................................................................................................16
InitialSetup.........................................................................................................................................16
InitialCalculations...............................................................................................................................23
Resizingthestacklength.....................................................................................................................24

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Introduction
Flaresimisaprogramdesignedtoassistengineersintheevaluationofthethermalradiationandnoise
fromflaresystems.Flaresimalsoevaluatesthetemperaturesofsurfacesexposedtothethermal
radiationfromflaresystems.

Theprogramcananalysecomplexsystemswithmultipleflaretipsonmultipleflarestacks.Pipeflares,
sonicflaresandliquidburnersmaybemodeledusingarangeofalgorithmsincludingthose
recommendedbyAPIRP521guidelinesforflaresystemdesign.HoweveritisnotablethatFlaresimisa
toolwhichcannotreplacesoundengineeringjudgment.

Flaresimisapplicabletothedesignofflaresystemsforoffshoreplatforms,gasplants,refineriesand
chemicalplants.

MainApplicationAreaoftheFlaresim
ThepurposeofthisdocumentistoprovideanintroductiontotheuseofFlaresimbasedonthe
exampleswhichwillshowhowFlaresimmaybeusedtocalculatethermalradiation,noiseandexposed
surfacestemperaturesarisingfromflaringatoneormoreflarestacks.

Theexamplesbeginwithflarestackdesignsforoffshoreandonshoresituationswhicharethenrefined
andexpanded.Theexamplesattempttohighlightsomeofthecriticalparameterstobeconsidered
whendesigningasafeflaresystem.

Example1OffshoreFlareStackDesign
Example2SonicTipDesign
Example3OnshoreFlareStackDesign

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 Example1OffshoreFlareStackDesign
Thisexampleisbasedonthedesignofastackforanoffshorefacility.Itcoversthecreationofthemodel
sizingcalculationsandcomparisonofPipeTipandSonicTipperformanceoptions.

Itisassumedthataninclinedflareboomwillbeusedmountedonthesideoftheplatformwhichfaces
theprevailingwind.

Thedesignistobebasedonthermalradiationlimitsasfollows:

* 4.732kW/m2atthebaseoftheflarestack.
* 1.893kW/m2atthehelidecklocated46metersfromthesideoftheplatformand
* 9mabovethebaseoftheflarestack.

Thefollowingdesigndataisavailable

Fluid
Material HydrocarbonVapour
Flow 45359kg/hr
MolWt. 46.1
VapourTemperature 149oC
Heatofcombustion 50008kJ/kg
HeatCapacityratio 1.1
TipDiameter 18in
WindVelocity 9m/s

InitialSetup

1. StarttheFlaresimprogram.
2. Intheopening,settheunittoEuropeanFieldasshown.ThenclicktheNextbuttontomovetotheFluid
definitiontab.
3. IntheFluidtab,enterthefollowingdataitems,usingthetabkeyorthemousetomovefromfieldto
field.
Temperature=149oC
MoleWeight=46.1
LHV=50008kJ/kg
Cp/Cv=1.1

Notethatsomeofthesevalues(e.gTemperatureorCp/Cv)areoriginallydisplayedinpurplecolour
denotingadefaultvalue.Whenyouenteredavaluethecolourchangestobluedenotingauserspecified
value.

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ThefulllistofcoloursusedbyFlaresimtodisplayvaluesis:

Purple Fxeddefaultvalue
Red Calculateddefaultvalues
Blue Userspecifiedvalue
Grey Fixed,unchangeableinputvalue
Black Calculatedresult

TheremainingvaluesforRefPressure,LowExplosiveLimit(LEL)andSaturationcanbeleftattheir
defaultvalues.Thefinishedviewisshownbelow

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 NotethatFlaresimrequiresthelowerheatingvalueforafluidforitscalculations.Itisassumedthatthe
valuegivenisthelower,netheatingvalueratherthanthehigher,grossheatingvalue.

WhentheentriesarecompleteclicktheNextbutton.

4. IntheTiptabselectthetiptypetoaPipeTip.InthedropdownselectionfortheFFactormethodselect
theGenericPipemethod.

TheFFactor,i.e.thefractionofheatradiatedbytheflame,isacriticaldesignparameterforflaresystem
design.TheGenericPipecorrelationhasbeendevelopedtopredictFFactorsacrossarangeofexit
velocitiesandfluidmolecularweightsandisgenerallyrecommendedforinitialcalculations.

5. IntheTiptab,entertheFluidMassFlowRateas45359kg/hr.Afterthisentryhasbeencompleted,the
TipDiameterfieldisupdatedtoshowthetipdiameterrequiredforthedefaultMachnumberof0.45.

Inthisexamplethetipdiameteris18insothecalculatedvaluewillbeupdatedto18in.TheMach
numberwillbeupdatedto0.199toindicatethevelocityforthenewdiameter.Whenalltherequired
inputsarecompleted,theviewshouldbeasshownbelow.ClicktheNextbuttontomovetothenexttab.

6. Inthenexttab,theEnvironmenttab,enterthewindspeed.Sincethevaluegivenis9m/s.Ifyouwishto
seeothervalue,firstselecttheunitthenenterthevalue.

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 TheremainingitemscanbeleftattheirdefaultvaluesnamelyWindDirectionas0(i.e.North),
Temperature15oC,Humidity10%andtheUserTransmissivity1.0withtheTransmissivityMethodsetto
Userspecified.Notethisdefaulttransmissivitymethodwithaspecifiedtransmissivityvalueof1.0is
themostconservativeoption.

ThefinalinputistoremovethetickfromthecheckboxlabeledIncludeSolarRadiationwhichmeans
thatthespecifiedsolarradiationvaluewillNOTbeaddedtothecalculatedvalueofflareradiation.

IncludingsolarradiationleadstoamoreconservativedesignanditsinclusionisrecommendedbyAPI
521.Howeversomesourcessuggestitcanbeexcluded.Solarradiationcanhaveasignificantimpacton
theflaredesignwhenlowradiationvaluesareconsidered.Sincealowdesignradiationisconsideredfor
theHelideckinthiscasethesolarradiationcanbeexcludedforthisexample.

Thecompletedviewisshownbelow.ClicktheNextbuttontocontinue.

7. IntheStacktab,selecttheVerticalOrientationto60degreesfromhorizontal.ThensettheStack
HorizontalOrientationangleto0(i.e.North.)TheStackLengthwillbeleftunspecifiedtoletFlaresim
calculateit.

Thecompletedformisshownbelow.ClicktheNextbuttontocontinue

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8. IntheReceptorstab,clickonthedefaultreceptorpointRP_1andrenameittoStackBase.Setits
DistanceDownwindfromStackto0mandconfirmthattheAllowableRadiationforthepointis4.732
kW/m2.NowclicktheAddbuttontocreateanadditionalreceptorpointfortheradiationattheHelideck
andenterthelocationasNorthing45.72m,Easting0m,Elevation9.14mandtheradiationlimitas
1.893kW/m2.Thecompletedformisshownbelow.ClicktheNextbuttontocontinue.

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9. IntheCalculationstab,selectthecheckboxtosettheCalculationMethodtoMixedandsettheFlame
Elementsto25.
TheMixedmethodisacompromisedesignedtogivethebestaccuracyforcalculatingradiationboth
closetoandfurtherawayfromtheflame.Assuchitisagooddefaultmethod.25flameelementsis
usuallysufficienttocalculatetheflameshapewithareasonabledegreeofaccuracy.
Thecompletedviewisshownbelow.TheSetupWizardiscompletednow.SoclicktheFinishbutton.

10. WhentheFinishbuttonisclicked,thedataistakentocreatetheFlaresimobjectswhichareneededfor
theinitialmodel.TheCaseNavigatorviewwillbedisplayedtolistalloftheseobjectsasshownbelow.
Atthispointyoucanopeneachobjectsviewbydoubleclickingonthemtoseehowthesetuphasbeen
initialisedthevalues.

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InitialCalculations

Thedesignisreadytorun.ClicktoCalculateatthetopoftheCaseNavigator.Thebuttonwillchange
toshowaprogressbarasthecalculationruns.MessageswillbeoutputtotheError/Warnings/Infolog
toshowprogressasshownbelow.

Whencalculationsarecompletethecolourofthelogpanelwillchangetosummarisethestatusofthe
calculations.Agreencolourindicatessuccess,yellowthatsomewarningsweregeneratedandredthat
errorswereencountered.

Wecannowreviewtheresults.ClickStack1intheCaseNavigatorviewandclicktheViewbutton.The
viewwillshowthatthestacklengthhasbeencalculatedas75.10m.

DoubleclicktheGrid1itemintheRadiationtab.ThenselectPlotintheDisplaydropdown.The
radiationisoplethsaredisplayedasshownbelow.

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FinallyopentheReceptorsummaryviewbydoubleclickingtheReceptorPointbranchlabelinthe
CaseNavigator.Asshownbelow,theRadiationResultslineshowsthatourdesignradiationlimitof
1.893kW/m2hasbeenmetfortheHelideckreceptorwhiletheradiationvalueattheStackBase
receptorislowerthanitsallowedvaluelimitat2.418kW/m2.

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Example2SonicTipDesign
ThedesignproducedinExample1meetsourdesignradiationlimitsbutrequiresalong75.10mstack.
Sincewearedesigningaflarestackforanoffshoreplatformwewishtominimisethelengthandhence
theweightoftheflarestackasmuchaspossible.Thereforewewillattempttoreducetherequiredflare
stacklengthbyredesigningthesystemusingasonicflaretip.

InitialSetup

Thefluiddata,environmentaldataandradiationlimitsarethesameasforExample1.

1. CreateanewtipbyselectingtheTipbranchintheCaseNavigatorviewandthenclickingtheAdd
buttonorbyselectingtheAddTipdropdownmenuoption.
OntheDetailstaboftheTipviewthatopensenterthefollowingdata:

Name=SonicTip
TipType=Sonic
NumberofTips=1
SealType=None
FractionHeatRadiatedMethod=HighEfficiency

2. OntheNoiseInputtaboftheTipviewenterthefollowingdata:
CombustionNoiseMethod=StandardReference.

3. MovetotheLocation&Dimensionstabandenterthefollowingdata:

OnStack=MainStack
Length=1m
AngletoHorizontal=90
AngletoNorth=0
ExitDiameter=18in
RiserDiameter=18in
ContractionCoefficient=1.0(default)
ExitLossCoefficient=1.0(default)
Roughness=9.843e4in(default)
CalcSonicOpening=Selected

4. ClickontheFluidstabandenterthefollowing:

FluidName=FlaredGas
FluidMassFlow=45359kg/hr

5. AtthispointtheStatusTextatthebottomoftheTipviewshouldindicatethatthetipdatais
complete.Closetheview.

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6. IntheCaseSummary,selectthebranchlabeledTip1andthenclicktheIgnorebutton.

InitialCalculations

Thedesignisreadytorunthecalculations.OnceFlaresimhasfinishedcalculating,checkthe
Errors/Warnings/InfologpaneltoconfirmthattheexpectedcalculationsforthetwoReceptorPoints
havebeencompleted.

OpentheStackviewfortheMainStack.Thenewlengthcalculatedforthestackis20.61m.

OpentheReceptorSummaryview.Asshownbelow,thisindicatesthattheStackBasereceptorpointis
nowthecontrollinglimitsincethethermalradiationatthispointisstillcalculatedas4.731kW/m2.The
radiationattheHelideckreceptorpointis1.714kW/m2.

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CompareResults
Thenewdesignwiththesonicflaretipisclearlybettersinceitleadstoamuchshorterstackthatwill
saveagreatamountofweightandhencecostoverourinitialdesignusingthepipeflaretip.Itisworth
doingadetailedcomparisontounderstandthedifferencebetweenthedesigns.

ThefractionofheatradiatedvalueforthePipeflaredesignis0.35whilethatfortheSonicdesignis0.1.

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ByselectingtheFlaresimmethodcalculatethefractionofheatradiatedinbothdesigns,theprogramis
calculatedanappropriatevalueforthedifferenttips.Howeversincethisissuchanimportantfactorin
thedesign,theheatradiationfactortobeusedshouldbeconfirmedwithyourflaresystemvendorprior
tothefinaldesign.

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 Example3OnshoreFlareStackDesign
Thisexampleisbasedonthedesignofastackforanonshorefacility.Itcoversthecreationofthemodel
stepbystepusingthestacksterileareacalculationandsizingusingthemaximumradiationinagrid
duringaGeneralPowerFailure(GPF)scenario.Thesterileareawillbecalculatedatanelevationof2m
whichrepresentsthetypicalheadheightforpersonnel.

Thefollowingdesigndataisavailable

Stack
Name LPFlare
Location Atorigin,0,0,0
Length 85m
Inclination Vertical
Orientation 0deg

Tip
Name PipeFlareGPF300th
Type Pipe
Length 0m
Inclination Vertical
Orientation 0deg
ExitDiameter 36in
RiserDiameter36in
MassFlow 300,000kg/h

Fluid
Name FlareGasGPF
RefPressure 1.5bara
Temperature 160C
Composition MoleBasis
Methane 0.20
Ethane 0.20
Propane 0.30
iButane 0.10
nButane 0.15
iPentane 0.02
nPentane 0.02
nHexane 0.01

InitialSetup

1. StarttheFlaresimprogram.
2. Intheopening,settheunittoEuropeanFieldasshown.ThenclicktheNextbuttontomovetotheFluid
definitiontab.
3. OnthePropertiestaboftheFluidviewthatopensenterthefollowingdata:

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Name=FlareGasGPF
CalculationMethod=REFPROP
Temperature=160C
Pressure=1.5bara

MovetoOptionstabandentertheinformationbelow:

CorrectTemperatures=Yes
IsentropicEfficiency=0%
FlashMethod=PR(default)

WhentheIsentropicEfficiencyissetto0%Flaresimwillfollowanisenthalpicthermodynamicpathto
bringthefluidfromthereferenceTemperature&Pressuredowntothepressureatthetipexit.
Inthecompositiontabaddthecomponentsandfractioninmolebasisasgiveabove.
FlaresimcalculatesthefluidpropertiesafterrunningthemodelifREFPROPthermopackageisselected.

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4. OntheOveralltaboftheEnvironmentviewthatopensenterthefollowingdata:

Name=9DNoSolarNoAten.
WindSpeed=9m/s
WindDirection=0(windblowingfromtheNorth)
IncludeSolarRadiation=No(boxunchecked)

API521statesthatsolarradiationshouldbeconsideredonacasebycasebasis.Considerationshouldbe
giventothefrequencyoftheflaringevent,theprobabilityofpersonnelbeingpresentintheexposed
location,theeaseordifficultyofscapefromtheexposedlocation,etc.

Accountingforthesecriteriaandthefactthatthescenariosubjecttostudyrepresentsanemergency
scenariothesolarradiationwillbeexcludedinthisexample.

TransmissivityMethod=UserSpecified
TransmissivityValue=1

Avalueof1isthemostconservativeoptionasitdoesnottakecreditforatmosphericattenuation.
OtherParameters=leaveasdefault

MovetoDispersionDatatabandenterthefollowingdata:

CorrectW.SpeedforHeight=Yes

ThisoptionwilluseawindspeedvsheightcurvetocorrectthespeeddefinedintheOveralltabandwill
haveaneffectonbothradiationandtemperaturecalculations.

OtherParameters=leaveasdefault

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5. SelecttheStacktabandenterthefollowingdata:

Name=LPFlare
Stacklocatedattheorigin:
Northing=0m
Easting=0m
Elevation=0m
Length=85m
AngletoHorizontal=90deg
AngleFromNorth=0deg
SizeThisStack=No(boxunchecked)

MovetoSterileAreatabandenterthefollowingdata:
SterileAreaElevation=2m(headheight)
CalculateSterileArea=Yes

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 Updatetheradiationtablewiththefollowinglimitvalues:
1.6kW/m2(ForcontinuousexposurefromAPI521)
3.2kW/m2(Allowedduringemergencyescape)
4.7kW/m2(For2minemergencyactionsfromAPI521)

6. SelecttheTipsandenterthefollowingdata:

Name=PipeFlareGPF300th
TipType=Pipe
NumberofBurners=1
SealType=None
FractionHeatRadiatedMethod=GenericPipe
GenericpipeFfactorisaproprietarycorrelationbasedonrefittingothermethodsacrossarangeofexit
velocitiesandmolecularweightsandrepresentsagoodapproachwhenmodelinggaspipetips.

OntheNoiseInputtaboftheTipviewenterthefollowingdata:

CombustionNoiseMethod=StandardReference.

MovetotheLocation&Dimensionstabandenterthefollowingdata:

OnStack=LPFlare
Length=0m
AngletoHorizontal=90deg
AngletoNorth=0deg
ExitDiameter=36in
BurnerOpening=100%
RiserDiameter=36in
Roughness=0.025mm(default)
CalcBurnerOpening=No(boxunchecked)
ClickontheFluidstabandenterthefollowing:
FluidName="FlareGasGPF"
MassFlow=300,000kg/h

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AtthispointtheStatusTextatthebottomoftheTipviewshouldindicatethatthetipdataiscomplete.

Sinceweareinterestedinstudyingtheradiationatheadheight,wewillcreateareceptorgridtoplot
theradiationcontoursatthisheight.

OntheExtenttabenterthefollowingdata:

Name=Grid@HeadHeight
GridPlane=NorthingEasting
ElevationOffset=2m(headheight)
NorthingMin=250m
NorthingMax=50m
NorthingPoints=41
EastingMin=150m
EastingMax=150m
EastingPoints=41

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 Wecancustomisetheisoplethlinesdisplayedontheplot.OntheRadiationtabchangethedisplayto
PlotandclickontheCustomisebuttontoopentheplotpropertiesview.GotoContourDetailstaband
selectthecheckboxestoshowonlytheisoplethvaluesfor1.6,3.2and4.7kW/m2.

7. Finallyweneedtoselectaradiationmethodtoperformthecalculations.OpentheCalculationOptions
viewintheCaseNavigator,select"Mixed"radiationmethodandsettheNo.FlameElementsto25.

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InitialCalculations

Thedesigncanberunandtoreviewtheresults.Openthe"LPFlare"viewandgototheSterileAreatab.
Thedistancestomeeteachofthespecifiedradiationlimitsaredisplayedonthetableasshownbelow.

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OpentheReceptorGridviewtoinspecttheisoplethsplotbyclickingontheRadiationtabandthen
selectingPlotastheDisplayoption.Itpresentsthecontoursfortheradiationlimitsofinterestathead
height,thesameasthesterileareacalculation.

Themodelproducedfortheexistingflareiscalculatedadistanceof120mfromtheflarebasetothe4.7
kW/m2radiationlimit.Duetotheproximityofprocessequipmentandactivitiestakingplaceinthe
vicinityoftheflaretheextentofthecalculatedsterileareisnotacceptable.Theflareheightneedsto
meetamaximumpermittedradiationlevel4.7kW/m2onahorizontalplaneelevated2mfromground
(headheight).

Resizingthestacklength

1. Openthe"LPFlare"viewandenabletheSizeThisStackcheckboxundertheDetailstab.
2. Openthe"Grid@HeadHeight"view,selecttheMaxRadiationtabandenteraSizingConstraint
of4.7kW/m2.Closetheview.
3. Createagridfortheverticalcrosssectionthroughtheaxisoftheflaretovisualiseradiation
levelsatdifferentelevations.

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 OntheExtenttabenterthefollowingdata:

Name=ElevationGrid
GridPlane=ElevationNorthing
EastingOffset=0m
ElevationMin=0m
ElevationMax=300m
ElevationPoints=41
NorthingMin=250m
NorthingMax=50m
NorthingPoints=41

4. Runthedesign.
5. Thesizingcalculationsarecompletednow.
6. Checktheresults.Openthe"LPFlare"view,thestackheighthasbeenincreasedto106mto
meetthe4.7kW/m2atheadheight.Thelocationofthemaximumradiationpointat2mof
elevationisdisplayedintheMaxRadiationtabof"Grid@HeadHeight"is51mdownwindas
shownbelow.

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