Creative Ideas for Energy Saving – Part 2: 001 – Heat Recovery Modification of Torches

Thread Content

I was preparing to participate in this event; I didn’t expect that the first session had already taken place, and I happened to catch the second one. As a layperson in the petrochemical industry, I’ll talk about heat recovery from flares. I often pass by a certain petrochemical facility, and every time I see those ever-burning flames, my family asks me whether it’s okay that they don’t burn out It seems like such a waste, so I said no. Although I don’t have this equipment at my workplace, my teachers explained this principle to me during my time in school. The problem is that burning mixed exhaust gases leads to unstable combustion, which poses serious safety risks; that’s why it’s necessary to install the device at a high altitude in order to ensure proper combustion. I’ve been thinking ever since about whether it’s possible to make use of this residual heat, to some extent at least. Since it’s not possible to utilize this heat by burning it in a relatively enclosed space, what if a bypass torch is designed at the top of the torch? Boiler tubes could be installed on this bypass, creating an open-type furnace. In that way, some of the heat could be used to heat water. Ignoring efficiency issues for now, preheating water would still be possible, and it might also help reduce the amount of coal needed for the boiler. Let’s see if this works.