Estimation of the Thermal Energy Release Rates from Gas Flare  (A Case Study in the Niger Delta Region)

E. E. Alagoa; B. Abovie; K. W.  Bunonyo

E. E. Alagoa Science Laboratory Technology Department, Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aleibiri, Nigeria
B. Abovie Electrical/Electronic Engineering Tech. Department, Bayelsa State Polytechnic, Aleibiri, Nigeria
K. W. Bunonyo MMDARG, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Federal University Otuoke, Nigeria

Keywords: Thermal Energy, Gas Flare, Gross Heating Value

Abstract

The continuous flaring of gas and the attendant environmental hazards are well known and documented in the public domain. Thermal energy radiation, a direct effect of gas flaring, is due to chemical energy in natural gas molecules being converted to heat, light in the form of luminous and non-luminous flames, and roaring sound during the combustion of natural gas at the gas flare stack tip. The thermal energy released from the burning of gas is transferred to the immediate surroundings by convection, conduction, and radiation, with radiative heat transfer being the more dominant of the other modes of heat transfer. Thermal energy release rates from gas flare depend on several factors, which include the gas stream composition, the volume rates, the gross heating value (BTU), the efficiency, and soot formation. The paper will critically examine these factors and focus on the gas composition and gas volume rates as the major factors of interest to estimate the thermal energy release rates. The paper also outlined the quantitative estimation of the thermal energy release rates in simple and clear terms. The associated gas stream composition of the flare gas was obtained from the flow station. Other gas flare data obtained from the flow station's operational. The log book includes the average monthly gas volume flow rates, flare stack combustion efficiency, and the ambient and stacks flame temperature. The gross heating value (BTU/SCF) of the flare gas stream was evaluated from the gas composition and the standard BTU/SCF data for pure hydrocarbons (alkanes) gases, respectively. The calculated gross heating value of the gas stream was 1,876.72 BTU/ft3 at standard conditions. The thermal energy release rates were calculated from the average monthly volume flow rates of gas and the gross heating value of the flare gas stream. The estimated thermal energy released from the flared gas ranges from 43494.34KW to 313271.12KW from the months of January to December 2011, with an ambient temperature range of 318k to 328K (45oC to 55oC). The thermal energy release rates increase with an increase in the volume rates of gas flared. This leads to the unhealthy release of excess heat load into the environment, causing an excessive rise in the surrounding temperature above normal (180C-300C).

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