ACCELERATED RESPONSE FOR DELIVERY OF SMOKE SUPPRESSANT TO FLARES

摘要

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREAn improved apparatus for very rapidly providing asupply of smoke suppressant to a flare stack, uponthe incidence of flow, up to 10% of maximum rate offlow, of waste gases, which is provided in additionto the conventional apparatus for controlling the flowof smoke suppressant, such as steam, to the flarestack, upon the initiation of large volumes of wastegas flowing to the flare stack. This improved apparatuscomprises a flow detector in the conduit carrying thewaste gases to the flare stack, which is sensitive toflows up to 10% of maximum. The outputs of the flowdetector, in the form of high and low pressure tubes,are connected to a pressure differential switch, whichconnects power to an appropriate solenoid valve, whichcontrols a limited flow of smoke suppressant, such assteam, to the flare stack. Each of the parts namelythe flow detector, pressure switch, and solenoid valveare very rapid-acting, so that as soon as the flow ofwaste gases reaches a selected level, the flow ofsuppressant is started, and combustion at the top ofthe flare stack will be smokeless from the first flowof gas.