SAFETY DEVICE FOR IGNITING FUEL GASES DISCHARGED BY A FLARE

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURESafety device for igniting fuel gas discharged by theorifice of a flare stack, incorporating a pilot lightwhose nozzle issues into the vicinity of the orifice ofthe flare, said pilot light which is equipped with anignition device is connected by a supply pipe to anauxiliary fuel gas source, said supply pipe being providedwith a valve having an opening position and a closingposition which are controlled by a mechanism connectedby a first servo-system to the detector detecting theadmission of the gas to be burned into the flare stacksuch that the detection of a flow of gas into said stackcontrols the opening position of the valve and thedetection of the stoppage of this flow controls the closingposition of the valve, wherein the ignition means of thepilot light comprises a refractory body located in theextension of the nozzle of the pilot light, said solidbody being provided with heating means for raising itand maintaining it at a temperature of at least 800°Cand constituting a thermal energy store such that thereduction of its surface temperature due to a stoppageof the heating means is below 50°C per minute in therange 700 to 1000°C and wherein the mechanism is connectedby a second servo-system to a detector detecting thetemperature of the solid body in such a way that thedetection of a drop in said temperature to below 800°Ccontrols the opening position of the valve.