Flare Upgrades

Flare Upgrade in Progress

Flare Upgrade in Progress

Whether supplying a new replacement flare or a refurbished / remanufactured Flare, Argo Flares often recommend various optional upgrades in order to achieve an extended service life of a flare.

These updates are recomended based on past experiance, or following a detailed workshop inspection, and in some cases a dedicated failure analysis. Argo Flares will identify any weak areas in your flare design and suggest improvements. During Inspection Argo will investigate and consider the following:

Improvements:

  • Flare Material upgrades
  • Material thickness changes
  • Fixing and attachment details
  • Weld spec’s and filler materials
  • Weld size and configuration
  • Reinforcing Pad sizes etc.
  • Pilot design, materials and orientation

Hints:

  • Welds should be full pen where possible
  • Pads should be kept to a minimum and minimum width
  • A small change in Pilot Nozzle material, can increase the life expectancy to match that of the flare for a minimal cost increase, and reduce the potential of a dropped object occurring

Materials used for flare manufacture have traditionally been CS, 316L, 800H, DS, 310, 309, 625 etc. These all have good redeeming features but also weaknesses. Fine tuning material selection along with detail changes, can add years to life expectancy.

This is achieved by:

  • Checking your current process operating conditions, along with any future requirements, against the historical design date and if necessary reworking your flare design parameters to suit.
  • Undertake a thorough NDT program on the material to be retained. All regions are 100% visual, 100% DPI and a level of radiography is agreed with the client (usually matching that of the original design).
  • Looking at the failed regions and making design changes to the problematic areas. This could be material upgrades and changes in weld details and replacing cast for wrought materials where beneficial.
  • Paying careful attention to the pilot and ignition system.

Argo Flares “the home of flare refurbishments and tailored flare design and supply”