Inspection of the discharge volume from the refinery’s low-voltage flare system?
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In refineries equipped with a gas holder recovery system, when the leakage rate from the low-pressure system is greater than the amount recovered by the gas holder, how can the flare system for low-pressure leaks be effectively inspected to identify quickly and accurately which device is experiencing abnormal leakage?
If the safety valve of the unit trips, it should be possible to check inside the unit. It seems that it’s not possible to check the flare system
Check each device’s safety valve for leaks.
What do you all think about installing a flow meter?
I personally think it’s not feasible. Firstly, flow meters are used for accurate measurement; here it is sufficient to have a qualitative understanding of whether the device is discharging fluid, and there is no need for precision at all. Most importantly, installing a flow meter will increase the back pressure in the flare system, which is undesirable for flare emissions; too high a back pressure can even reduce the protective effect of the system during emissions.
What does this back pressure mean? Does a flow meter increase resistance?
Of course it will increase. Back pressure refers to the pressure behind the safety valve during discharge; the higher this pressure, the more dangerous it is for the equipment being protected. An important criterion in the design of a flare system is to control the back pressure behind the safety valve
Flow meters are not very suitable for low-power systems; it’s necessary to choose the right type of flow meter. The values related to low-power components are uncertain, which can lead to inaccurate measurements. Pressure gauges can be used at the boundaries of various devices; if the discharge volume is too high, the pressure in the water seal will increase. It’s easy to determine which device’s pressure has risen.