Great article! ! Introduction to the Torch Tower and a detailed explanation of its functions
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The flare tower of the Yulong Petrochemical Integration Project (Phase I) is 168 meters tall and weighs 2,100 tons; it is the tallest flare in all of Asia. Its installation was completed at the end of July 2023, and it serves as an important system for ensuring safety and environmental protection. On August 15, 2024, the 1.5 million tons per year ethylene plant of Yulong Petrochemical’s integrated refining and chemical production project (Phase I) officially moved from the construction phase to the trial operation phase. At present, the first phase of the 10-million-ton refining unit, Series 2, has been officially put into operation, while the chemical processing unit, Series 1, is expected to come online by the end of the year ； Meanwhile, a series of units for refining 10 million tons of crude oil, as well as the second series of chemical processing units, will also be fully ready for operation by the end of the year, with trial operations to be carried out at an appropriate time. Following the implementation of the first phase of the Yulong Island refining and chemical integration project, the refining capacity across the province decreased by 6.96 million tons, which can result in a reduction of 4-5 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
「\"Introduction and Functions of the Torch Tower\": During the production process, chemical plants generate many flammable and explosive gases, many of which are harmful to human health. Most of them are heavier than air; if released into the atmosphere, they will spread and settle on the ground, reaching very high concentrations. This can cause severe environmental pollution and harm human health. If exposed to an ignition source, it can lead to fires or even explosions. To prevent these dangers from occurring, people gather them and burn them to avoid future problems. The torch converts these flammable, explosive, toxic, and corrosive gases into harmless carbon dioxide, water, or other substances that are non-toxic or less toxic through combustion. Burning these fuels in this way is indeed somewhat wasteful, so the factory is doing everything possible to recover the flare gas and use it as a useful fuel. However, even with thorough recycling, torches cannot be eliminated, because in the event of an accident, it is still necessary to use them to burn off large amounts of flammable gas in order to ensure safety.
Therefore, the flare system can be considered the last line of defense in a chemical plant. 1 Why do some torches have different shapes? The two types of torches are elevated torches and ground torches. Each of the two types of torches has its own advantages.
(2) Elevated torch: Its flame is far above the ground, burning at the top of the torch tower. The top of the torch tower is equipped with a torch head, which is fitted with an eternal flame. This flame remains lit once ignited by an igniter, and any exhaust gas that reaches the torch head is immediately ignited. Advantages: Elevated torches have a high capacity for treating exhaust gases, and their construction cost is low. Disadvantage: Due to the high speed of the flare gas outlet, the noise generated during combustion is unavoidable. At the same time, the thermal radiation generated by the massive flames at the tip of the torch has a significant impact on the workers and equipment located near the elevated torch. Based on their support methods, elevated torches can also be divided into tower-supported torches, cable-supported torches, and self-supported torches.
2 What gases are the flares used to treat? Different factories have varying requirements and usage patterns for flares. For example, the flares in refineries are usually located in the sulfur workshop to handle hydrogen sulfide gas. Gases treated by flaring include: 1. Refinery purge gases and waste gases; 2. Non-recyclable gases emitted from oil wells along with crude oil; 3. Gases released from blast furnaces; 4. Gases generated by coke ovens that cannot be utilized; 5. Waste gases produced in chemical processes. The flaring gases originating from refineries, crude oil production, the chemical industry, and coke ovens (in smaller proportions) are primarily composed of hydrocarbons with low molecular weights and high calorific values. The flare gas from the blast furnace consists mainly of inert components with low calorific value and CO. Torches are also used to burn off the waste gases generated in sewer treatment, gasification, rocket engine testing, nuclear power plants equipped with sodium/water heat exchangers, heavy water plants, and ammonia fertilizer plants.
3 What are the typical torch systems? 1. Main gas collection pipes and pipelines for collecting gas from various process units. 2. Buffer tanks (de-gassing tanks) used for removing and storing condensable liquids and entrained liquids. 3. Special sealing tanks, water seal tanks, or devices to prevent backflow of exhaust gases. 4. One or more burners and flare stacks. 5. If necessary, gas igniters and starters are also required to ignite the mixture of exhaust gases and air. 6. For smokeless flares, an external driving force (steam purging or forced ventilation) is needed; natural gas, fuel gas, inert gas, or nitrogen can all be used as purging gas
4 What are the structural components of a torch? Below are the structural components of the non-dismountable overhead torch.