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The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production

Article Code: 1-152-250

FLARE NETWORK SWEEPING GAS DEMAND


OPTIMIZATION IN GAS PLANT

*1 Mohammad Hosseinzadeh
2
Akbar Ehsaninejad
SOUTH PARS GAS COMPLEX-PH2&3
M_hosseinzadeh_78@yahoo.com
A.Ehsaninejad@gmail.com

Abstract :
For safety purpose a continuous purge with non condensable, oxygen free gas is required through
the flare system. The continuous purge ensures that atmospheric air does not enter the stack via the
flare tip during low flow condition; also purge gas limited the risk of burn back which causes
deterioration of the flare tip quickly. Sweep gas flow rate which had been calculated by vendor
(Total company) has been reviewed as per following:
Flare network studied and simulated with FLARENET by considering design criteria.
The simulated model was tested for two cases to insure right modelling.
Built up and superimposed back pressure was calculated for flare networks including HP, MP and
LP flare.
The calculation was corrected base on simulation results.
Base on the results:
During normal operation with calculated&recommended sweeping rate by Total Company, Actual
velocity was 4.5 times the design criteria.
New sweeping gas Flow rate was calculated base on simulation results and new required flow rate
was adjusted.
By applying these changes on the sweep gas flow, total sweeping gas rate for flare network
decreased to 2600 kg/h while the required and adjusted sweeping gas flow rate was 12000 kg/h
base on Total company calculation.
as a results export gas increased 0.30 MMStd.M3/day.

Keywords:
Sweeping Gas, Flare Network, FLARENET, Back pressure

Article Highlight:
Sweeping gas demand optimization guideline.
The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

1. Introduction
Flare System in PH2&3 comprises High pressure (HP), Low Pressure (LP) and Acid
Medium Pressure (MP) flare systems. Both the HP Flare and Acid Flare accommodate Wet
and Dry hydrocarbon gaseous via separate supply flare headers. Each system is limited to a
flare knockout drum, a flare stack and the piping between the drum and flare.
For each of the phase 2 & 3 three different flare systems are provided:
HP Flare (Sonic)
Acid Mp Flare (Subsonic)
LP Flare (Subsonic)
There are five headers (HP:Wet(FA)&Dry(FC) and MP:Wet(FS) & Dry(FT)) per phase for
gathering flare gaseous.For safety purpose a contentious purge with non condensable, oxygen
free gas is required through the flare system .The continuous purge ensures that atmospheric
air does not enter the stack through flare tip during low flow condition. Contentious purge
can be eliminated by using mechanical seal which is located at or below the flare tip that are
used to reduce the amount of contentious purge to prevent air infiltration into the flare stack.
Also purge gas limited the risk of burn back which causes deterioration of the flare tip
quickly.
Flaring through normal operation condition was around 0.65 MMStdM3 per day for
PH2&3 which was high for a gas refinary with design capacity 2000 MMSCFD of feed.
The main part of above flaring rate was related to sweeping gas flow rate which has been
adjusted base on designer calculation.
The purpose of the study was to calculate required sweeping gas demand and also conduct
a procedure for right calculatin.

2. Main Activity :
Main source of flaring has been identified.
Process Modeling of flare Network with Flarenet.
The modle has been checked to insure right modeling.
Hydraulic study of Flare network base on Design criteria and constraints.
Sweeping gas demand calculation.

2.1: Flaring from different sources:


As a result of first activity Flaring from different sources during normal operation has been
identified which was as per table 1:

Table 1:Normal Flaring from different sources


Source of Flaring during normal operation Kg/H
Purge and pilot 2518
Sweeping Gas 11700
Flaring through Dehydration unit 1400
Assist Gas 4400
Flash Gas from sweeting unit 1000
Total 21000 = (0.65 MMStdM3/Day)
The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

2.2: Modeling of flare Network with Flarenet( Flare system Analyzer):


The following documents has been reviewed for flare network simulation:
a) P&IDs related to flare network from the relieving sources (PSV, BDV, PV, etc) up
to the flare stack.
b) Isometric drawings of those parts of network which is going to be simulated.
c) For those isometrics which are not available, (lengths + fittings) or equal length .
d) Flare network configuration
e) Flare load summary of plant.
f) Process and mechanical data sheet of flare stack & KO drums.
g) Process and instrument data sheet of orifices which installed on Sweeping stations.
h) PSV,BDV,PV,etc Data sheet.
i) Line list & piping class of those lines which is going to be simulated.
j) Vendor prints of flare stack & Tip including mainly the vendor data sheet, general
drawings.
k) Design criteria
l) Design depressurization case
m) Total existing consumption of sweeping gas and assist gas.
Base on the above documents and field activity ,the flare network has been simulated
Relevant PFD is as per fig. 1:

Fig .1: Process Flow Diagram for simulated Flare network


The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

2.3: Check Simulated Model:


The model has been checked for two scenario by considering design criteria and
constraints:
The following constraints has been considered base on design basis:
Header:
I.
II.
III.
Tailpipes:
I.
II.
III.

First case: Gas train Depressurization with 1313 MMscfd which have been considered in
order to size the HP flare headers and main sub-headers.
The depressurisation of each gas train (N 1, 2, 3 or 4) is the governing case for the HP
flare headers and main sub-headers line sizing.
The results is as per table 2:

Table .2:Comparison between Design & Simulated case (HP Flare)


Case: Gas train 4 depressurization ( 1313 MMSCFD)
HP Wet HP Dry
Design Simulation Design Simulation
Gas train B/L 15.45 15.35 13.86 13.74
Gas train End of Header 15.78 15.13 14.17 13.93
At KO Drum Outlet 11.11 10.9 11.11 10.9
At stack base 5 4.8 5 4.8

Second Case: Depressurisation of gas train 1 (or 3) leads to 182 MMscfd (467 055 kg/h) to
Acid MP Flare which is the design case.
The results of Superimposed back pressure and build up back pressure are as per table 3.

Table .3: Comparison between Design & Simulated case (MP Flare)
Case: Gas train 3 depressurization (182 MMSCFD)
MP Wet MP Dry
Unit (at B/L)
Design Simulation Design Simulation
Gas train B/L 2.78 2.62 2.52 2.49
Gas train End of Header 2.78 2.69 2.63 2.62
At KO Drum Outlet 2.22 2.17 2.22 2.17
At stack base 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.7

The results of simulation was very close to the flare network design scenario,so the model
was accurate and we trust to the simulation results.
The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

2.4: Back Pressure calculation during normal operation:


As insurred about the results , back pressure has been calculated during normal operation.
The calculation has been done for all flares,but the results for HP flare was as per table 4:

Table .4:Back pressure during Normal Operation (HP Flare)


Case: Normal Operation (Sweeping) (Simulation)
Unit (at B/L) HP Wet HP Dry
Gas train B/L 1.114 1.113
Gas train End of Header 1.18 1.123
At KO Drum Outlet 1.113 1.113
At stack base 1.112 1.112
Stablization Unit B.L 1.29 -

2.5: Sweeping Gas demand calculation:


Sweeping gas demand for each header to be calculated base on back pressure calculation
and by considering sealing device ,each header size(sectional area) and sweep gas
velocity.As an example table 5 shows sweeping gas before and after this study for HP flare:

Table .5: Sweeping gas before and after this study for HP flare Wet(FA) & Dry(FC)
HP sweeping adjustment
Flare header Sweeping mass flowrate (Kg/h)
Unit New Flare Header
Size Line number Tag No. Existing
recommended
100/2 34" 34"-FA-100.24051-B48-N 1002-FI-0181 450 119 FA3
100/2 6" 6"-FA-100.24052-B48-N 1002-FI-0182 20 4 FA3
100/1 34" 34"-FA-100.14051-B48-N 1002-FI-0181 450 119 FA2
100/1 6" 6"-FA-100.14052-B48-N 1002-FI-0182 20 4 FA2
101/3 26" 26"-FA-101-34057-B23S-N 1013-FI-0161 300 69 FA3
101/4 26" 26"-FA-101-44057-B23S-N 1014-FI-0161 300 69 FA3
101/1 26" 26"-FA-101-14057-B23S-N 1013-FI-0161 300 69 FA2
101/2 26" 26"-FA-101-24057-B23S-N 1014-FI-0161 300 69 FA2
103/2 34" 34"-FA-103.24015-B48-N 1032-FI-0170 600 119 FA3
103/1 34" 34"-FA-103.14015-B48-N 1032-FI-0170 600 119 FA2
105/3 16" 16"-FC-105.34020-B48-N 1013-FI-0162 220 26 FC3
105/4 16" 16"-FC-105.44020-B48-N 1014-FI-0162 320 26 FC3
105/1 16" 16"-FC-105.14020-B48-N 1013-FI-0162 220 26 FC2
105/2 16" 16"-FC-105.24020-B48-N 1014-FI-0162 320 26 FC2
106 34" 34"-FA-106.14007.B48-N 1061-FI-0130 150 92 FA2
106 34" 34"-FA-106.14008.B48-N 1061-FI-0131 150 92 FA3
106 34" 34"-FA-106.14010.B48-N 1061-FI-0132 150 92 FA2/FA3
106 6" 6"-FA-106.14003.B48-N 4
121 6" 6"-FC-120.14007.B01-N 1201-FI-0175 7 1 FC2/FC3
122 16" 16-FC.122.14017-B01-N 1221-FI-0191 105 26 FC3
Total (Kg/h) 4982 1174
The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

7. Results :
Base on simulation results:
Sweeping gas flow rate which was calculated already base on design recommendation for
sweeping gas rate was much higher than requirement.
During normal operation with calculated/recommended sweeping rate by Designer, Actual
velocity is 4.5 times the required velocity.
Base on simulation:Flare header back pressure is around 1.2 & 1.3 bar during normal
operation but design sweeping rate,has been calculated base on P = 5.5 barg by designer.
By applying these changes on the sweep gas flow, total sweeping gas rate for both phases
in all flares decreased to 2600 kg/hr.(for more detail refer to the attached file).
As the sweeping gas is supplied from fuel gas network so fuel gas decreased and export
gas increased consequentelly.
Total flaring during normal operation decreased from 0.65 MMstdM3/day to 0.3
MMstdM3/day and the same amount increased to Export gas.
Fig. 2 shows total flaring during normal operation.

Normal Flaring Before and After Adjustement(MMStdM3/Day)

1.300

1.200

1.100

1.000

0.900

0.800

0.700

0.600

0.500

0.400

0.300

0.200

0.100

0.000
10-Dec-11

11-Dec-11

12-Dec-11

13-Dec-11

14-Dec-11

15-Dec-11

16-Dec-11

17-Dec-11

18-Dec-11

19-Dec-11

20-Dec-11

21-Dec-11

22-Dec-11

23-Dec-11

24-Dec-11

25-Dec-11

26-Dec-11

27-Dec-11

28-Dec-11

29-Dec-11

30-Dec-11

31-Dec-11

1-Jan-12

2-Jan-12

3-Jan-12

4-Jan-12

5-Jan-12
5-Dec-11

6-Dec-11

7-Dec-11

8-Dec-11

9-Dec-11

Fig. 02:Normal Flaring before and after this study.

Fuel Gas Saving = 0.3 MMStd M3/Day and Export increased 0.3 MMStd M3/Day
consequently.
Flaring Reduction = 0.3 MMStd M3/Day
The Second Symposium on Sustainable Gas Production
Article Code: 1-152-250

Saving Results from Emission resuction as per table .6:

Table.6:Emission Reduction resulted from this study:


Emission Reduction
(t/d) (t/d) (t/d) (t/d) (t/d) (t/d) (t/d) ( tCO2 eq.) (t/d) (t/d) (t/d)

CO SO2 flared VOC NOx N2O CO2 CH4 Total of direct GHG C2H6 C3H8 PM

627.48 0.17 87.47 87.85 0.4190 223390.23 662.73 237437.38 75.91 39.15 48.41

Currency value for emission reduction is between 5 to 8 /Ton of CO2.

8. Conclusions :
This methodology demonstrated by hydrolic study and field test results so can be used for
sweeping gas demand optimization in each gas plant.

Nomenclature :
Pressure, Bar
Wet HP Flare
Dry HP Flare FC
Wet MP Flare FS
Dry MP Flare FT
Greek Symbols
Density, kg/m3

Reference:
[1] pressure-Relieving and depressuring system,ANSI/API standard 521,Fifth edition,January 2007.
[2] The JOHN ZINK Combustion Handbook,CHARLES.BAUKAL,JR.,PH.D.,P.E
John Zink company,LLC,Tulsa,Oklahoma,CRC press.
[3] Design Documents of PH2&3 :
Process Design Basis of Unit 140 - Flare System
Process Basis of Design and Overall Process description
Process sizing criteria (5 - Flare & cold vent systems)
Relief and Blowdown philosophy
Operating, Control and Maintenance Philosophy
Safety Concept
Safety Relief Valves General Requirements
Calculation Note for Depressurization Study
Process Basis of Design for Flare Discharge Scenarii

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