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Air Assisted Flares

Air assist flare systems are an excellent option for almost any application that requires smokeless flow. Air flares have a much wider range of flexibility for smokeless flow, when compared to other assisted flares, because the blower and the air riser size can be customized to meet specific process conditions. Combined with advanced blower control provided by a VFD using Cimarron’s proprietary DRE MAX® controller, Cimarron’s Air Assisted flare systems are optimized to meet any smokeless, OOOOb, and emission requirements.

Models

  • Standard Air-Assist Flares

    • We offer standard design packages in sizes up to 8” gas inlet diameter and standard height increments up to 60ft OAH to fit your specific needs

  • Modified Standard Air-Assist Flares

    • We offer modifications to our standard design packages that can be customized to fit your specific needs

  • Custom Air-Assist Flares

    • We offer fully customized design packages for any size gas inlet diameter and any height requirement, that can be customized to fit your specific needs.

Markets & Applications

  • Petroleum refining
  • Petroleum production
  • Chemical processing
  • Pipeline transportation
  • Tank and barge loading facilities
  • Natural gas compression and production

  • Advantages:

    • Highest DREs achievable tested up to 99%+
    • Best smokeless technology available without need for steam source or gas
    • Coupled with DRE MAX® best in class performance throughout dynamic conditions
    • Efficient design coupled with DRE MAX® to reduce utility consumption and maintenance
    • Optimized materials and design for cost efficiency
    • Can handle any range of light to heavy compositions

  • Comprehensive Field Services

    We have a dedicated in-house service team with extensive dehydration commissioning, operating, and troubleshooting experience in most major basins. Rest assured that Cimarron will be available to support the product throughout its life.

  • Sytelink 360® Real-Time Monitoring

    Our real-time monitoring system, Sytelink 360®, helps optimize equipment performance and predict failures while providing data-logging capability on the cloud.

  • DRE MAX® Advanced Blower Controls & Energy Efficiency

    Automated Blower Control: DRE MAX® is the answer for operators who have an air assisted flare with a VFD blower that is adjusted manually and may not be burning efficiently, especially if the inlet flow rate is changing over time: not enough air will increase risks of smoke, too much air will increase risks of incomplete combustion and methane venting, even in the presence of a flame. DRE MAX® ensures that the right amount of air flow is always automatically sent to ensure the highest destruction efficiency and stay in compliance.

    Decrease the total amount of emissions by half: Because DRE MAX® was proven to achieve at least 99% DRE, it decreases flare emissions by at least 50% compared to regular 98% DRE flares. As a result, air-assisted flare with DRE MAX® can enable doubling the throughput of oil production in the case of routine flaring (in field test cases we have achieved 99.9% DRE).

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Technical Information

Expand sections below to see more information. If you’d like even more details, be sure to check out full Technical Library below.

  • How It Works

    Air flare systems are composed of two concentric risers and one or more blowers providing supplemental combustion air. A blower forces air into an outer air annulus where the process gas passes through an inner riser and upon reaching the flare tip, these two streams intermix. This air assist concept has three principal effects:

    • High-pressure airflow causes turbulence in the waste stream which improves mixing and therefore enhances combustion efficiency
    • Additional air is induced into the waste gas providing the oxygen necessary for augmented smokeless capacity
    • Constant airflow creates a cooling effect for extended flare tip service life

  • Additional Technical Information

    Typical Utility Consumption:

    * Standard voltage rating, 120 VAC enclosure can be provided upon request

    ** Standard voltage rating, 120 VAC voltage can be provided upon request, using oversized VFD

  • Design Parameter Considerations

    • Inlet Gas Temperature: Standard packages utilize carbon steel gas risers that can handle temperatures ranging from -20°F up to 600°F+. Low-temperature carbon steel can be utilized as a cost-effective solution for temps down to -50°F. For gas that is colder than -50°F, stainless steel process pipe is used.
    • Inlet Pressure: Flares can handle a range of inlet pressures up to 50 psig. The standard steel piping of the gas riser can structurally handle pressures higher than 50 psig, considering that flare systems are open to atmosphere and do not retain pressure. However, there is potential for the flare tip flame to break away or lift off form the flare tip at pressures higher than 50 psig. Special design considerations can be utilized at pressures higher than 50 psig to fit your specific needs.
    • Blower: Air Assist flare systems utilize a Vaneaxial or Centrifugal blower to provide combustion air to make the flare perform with smokeless flow. The correct amount of air is supplied to the waste gas stream and is referred to as the stoichiometric ratio, which varies depending on gas composition. The amount of air required varies depending on the gas flow rate and composition of the waste gas.
    • Variable Frequency Drives (VFD): The VFD is utilized to control the blower speed. As the gas flow rate varies, the VFD will need to adjust the blower speed to keep the correct stoichiometric ratio of air to gas, to ensure smokeless flow and also prevent over-aeration. Automatic control of the VFD is crucial to stay within correct range. The typical range of control for VFD settings is between 6 to 60 Hz on the blower.

  • Sizing Charts

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