New Direct Flame Monitoring Technology to Help Operators Comply with Increasingly Stringent Flaring Regulations

Known shortcomings of current flare monitoring methods plus new EPA standards drove the need to develop a new direct flare combustion efficiency (CE) measurement and monitoring method – a technology that directly, autonomously, and continuously monitors flare performance in real time. This patented method, known as VISR, or Video Imaging Spectro-Radiometry, utilizes a multi-spectral infrared (IR) imager to simultaneously measure the relative concentrations of combustion products, carbon dioxide (CO₂), and unburned hydrocarbons (HC) at the pixel level. Directly monitoring flare CE eliminates inaccuracies associated with the current practice of monitoring indirect parameters (heating value, velocity, etc.). Because VISR devices can operate autonomously, no aiming or manual data reduction is required. Remote measurement removes the need for contact with corrosive process streams, making VISR devices less costly to maintain and operate over time. This paper will discuss the VISR technology and how it can be used to generate continuous, real-time data on CE and smoke, allowing operators to optimize flare performance in real time.