CALCULATION FOR FLARE STACK HEIGHT

THREE METHODS USED

1) FROM API RP 521 ,1990
2) FROM CF BRAUN PUBLISHED IN HYDROCARBON PROCESSING, JAN 1967
3) BRZUSTOWSKI AND SOMMERS AS MODIFIED IN API 521 ,1982
CASE : C.2 Example 1:

Sizing A Flare Stack Using The Simple Approach

INPUT DATA
Material Flowing In Stack =
Flow Rate, W =
Average Molecular Weight =
Flowing Temperature, T =
Heat Of Combustion, Hc =
Specific Heat Ratio, k = Cp/Cv =
Flowing Pressure At The Flare Tip, P =
Design Mach Number For Flare =
Design Wind Velocity, U =
Fraction Of Heat Radiated, F =
Fraction Of Heat Intensity Transmitted, Tau =
Max Allowable Radiation, K, at Dist R =
Distance, R, To Max Allowable Radiation =
Lower Explosive Limit, CL, =
Ambient Air Temperature, Ta =
Relative Humidity =
RESULTS

Req'd By
HC VAPOUR
100,000
46.1
760
21,500
1.1
14.7
0.2
20
0.3
1
2,000
150
0.021
520
50.0%

0
50
100
150
200
250

Deg R
BTU/lb
Psia
Mach_No
mph

BTU/hr/sf
Ft.
Mole Frac
Deg F

All 3
All 3
All 3
All 3
All 3
All 3
All 3
API , B&S
API , B&S
API , B&S
All 3
All 3
B&S
B&S

Simple Appr
API

BRAUN

B&S

1.50

1.50

1.50

72.31
30.65
109.45

0.00
89.84
26.14

40.83
30.38
86.86

Diameter of Flare, d, =
Center of Flame (Xc,Yc) Co-ordinates
Xc Co-ordinate from Tip
(Ft.)
Yc Co-ordinate from Tip
(Ft.)
Flare Stack Height, H,
(Ft.)
Distance From Base Of Flare

lb/hr

(Ft.)
BTU/hr/sf
2,065
2,550
2,517
2,000
1,428
1,002

Page

RADIATION
BTU/hr/sf
10,365
7,076
3,626
2,000
1,229
821

BTU/hr/sf
3,330
3,711
2,976
2,000
1,313
893

300
350
400
450
500

718
531
404
316
253

585
436
337
268
218

DISCUSSION OF METHODS:
The three methods are similar though there are a few key differences. The
Braun method is for still air only, while the Brzustowski and Sommers (B&S)
method is for use in a wind field only. The API method can be used with or
without wind. Both the API and B&S methods take into account the bend in the
flame due to wind velocity. All three methods determine stack diameter to give
an exit velocity that is a fraction of the sonic velocity.
The length of the flame is calculated in the API report as a log-log function
of heat release while in the Braun method the flame length is directly related
to stack diameter. In all methods the point that the radiation emits from is the
centre of the flame however, the calculation of this centre is different in each
case. API uses an arithmetic average of the flame length which is then added to
the stack height. The Braun method uses a geometric average of the stack
height and the stack height plus the flame length. The third method (B&S) uses
a two parameter correlation to determine the centre of the flame. These
parameters are a lower explosive limit concentration parameter and a
parameter for jet thrust and wind speed. The distances found from the
correlation are then added to the stack height.
The radiant heat reaching the ground is dependent on the fraction of the
heat generated that is radiated. Both API and B&S use a fixed factor. Braun uses
a correlation for the emissivity of the gas as a function of molecular weight.
This emissivity is then used as the fraction radiated.
DOW DESIGN PRINCIPLES:
See LPP 14.2
Flare stack height should be based on a maximum heat intensity of 3000
exceeds 1500 Btu/hr sq ft (including solar radiation of 400 Btu/hr sq ft).
LPP14.2 recommends the use of API 521.

Page

634
469
360
283
229

API RP 521 ,1990 - APPENDIX C

C.3.2

page 88

CALCULATION OF FLARE DIAMETER

page 89

Mach No. = (1.702E-5)(W)[ T / k*MW ]^0.5 / (P*d^2)

page 58

Rearrange equation and solve for Flare Diameter, d

Specified Mach Number =
Diameter Squared =
Flare Diameter, d, for Specified Mach No. =
C.2.3

page 85
2.15E+09
171.2

BTU/hr
FT

Fig 6A, p37

CALCULATION OF FLAME DISTORTION CAUSED BY WIND VELOCITY

Wind Speed = Lateral Wind Velocity, U, =

Stack X- Sectional Area = (0.785)(d)^2 =
Exit Ideal Gas Dens =(MW)(P)/10.73/Deg R =
Cubic Feet / sec exit stack =
Sonic Velocity = 223(k*DEGR/MW)^0.5 =
Actual Exit Gas Vel Fr Stack, Uj = cf/sf =

29.33
1.76
0.0831
334.3
949.64
189.90

Ratio Wind Velocity / Exit Velocity, U / Uj =

0.1545

SUM Delta X / Length = dX / L =

SUM Delta X = (dX/L)(L) =
SUM Delta Y / Length = dY / L =

0.84
144.62
0.36

SUM Delta Y = (dY/L)(L) =

C.2.5

sf
ft.

CALCULATION FOR FLAME LENGTH

Heat Liberated, Q = (W)(Hc) =

Flame L = (0.008222719)(Q)^0.46273 =
C.2.4

0.2
2.24
1.50

FT/SEC
sf
lb/cf
cf/s
ft./s
ft./s
Define as U

For Fig 7

CORELATION OF AP1 521 FIG 7

CORELATION OF AP1 521 FIG 7

61.30

CALCULATE REQUIRED FLARE STACK HEIGHT

Design basis
Specified Dist Fr base Of Flare Stack, R =
Specified Max Allow Radiation, K, at R =
Fraction Of Heat Intensity Transmitted, Tau =
Fraction Of Heat Radiated, F =
Heat Liberated, Q = (W)(Hc) =

Plot on Fig 7
0.1545
0.1545
0.1545
0.1545

150
2,000
1
0.30
2.15E+09

Page

Page 87

Ft.
BTU/hr/sf

BTU/hr

D = { (Tau)(F)(Q) / [(4)(3.14)(K)] }^0.5 =

R' = R - (0.5)(Delta X) = R - Xc =
H' = [ (D)^2 - (R')^2) ]^0.5 =

160.20
77.69
140.10

FT
FT
FT

H = H' - (0.5)(Delta Y) = H' - Yc =

109.45

FT

Page

DETERMINE Q FOR DIFFERENT RADII FROM FLARE

DISTANCE FROM FLARE
FT
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500

Page

D^2
Q
FT^2
BTU/HR SQFT
24857
2065
20126
2550
20395
2517
25664
2000
35933
1428
51202
1002
71471
718
96740
531
127009
404
162278
316
202547
253

CF BRAUN PUBLISHED IN HYDROCARBON PROCESSING, JAN 1967

MAX VELOCITY=MACH_NO*SQRT((32.17*K*TEMP*1546)/MW)
189.93847507 FT/SEC
VAPOUR DENSITY=MW*PRESS/(10.73*TEMP)
VAPOUR DENSITY =
0.0831007505 LB/CUFT
STACK AREA=FLOW/(3600*DENSITY*VELOCITY)
STACK AREA =
1.7598660221 SQ FT
STACK DIAMETER =

EQUATION 3
EQUATION 2
EQUATION 1

1.50 FT

DESIGN BASIS:
DISTANCE FROM FLARE STACK
150
MAX RADIATION AT D
2000 BTU/HR SQFT
FOR DIAGRAM GO TO CELL AK143
RADIANT HEAT=(0.048*HEAT_COMB*FLOW*SQRT(MW)/(4*PI*(D^2 + H*(H+120*DIA))
EQUATION 16
WHERE D IS DISTANCE TO RADIATION
H IS STACK HEIGHT
REARRANGE AND SOLVE FOR STACK HEIGHT
EQUATION BECOMES A QUADRATIC
A=
1
B= 179.67440729 EQUIVALENT TO FLAME LENGTH
C= -5379.8414923
QUADRATIC SOLUTION

26.14

STACK HEIGHT

26.14

DETERMINE Q FOR DIFFERENT RADII FROM FLARE

DISTANCE FROM FLARE
FT
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400

Q
BTU/HR SQFT
10365
7076
3626
2000
1229
821
585
436
337

Page

OR
FT

-205.81

450
500

Page

268
218

C.3

BRZUSTOWSKI AND SOMMERS AS MODIFIED IN API 521 ,1990

p-88

C.3.2 Calculation Of Flare Diameter

p-89

Flare Diameter, same calc as in Simple App

C.3.3

1.50

FT

Location Of Flame Center

p-89

Sonic Velocity = 223(k DEGR/MW)**0.5

Sonic Velocity =
Actual Exit Stack Velocity =

949.64
189.93

FPS
FPS

Lower Explosive Limit Concentration Parameter, CL

CL bar = (CL)(Uj / Uo)((Mj / MWa)
CL bar

LOG CLBAR
Log base 10
-0.66284892

0.2173

Calculate Parameter for Jet Thrust & Wind Thrust, djR

djR = (dj)(Uj / Uo)((To*Mj / Tj)^0.5
djR =

Log base 10
LOG DJR
1.735907564

54.4

THE THREE PARAMETER LOG-LOG-LOG GRAPHS FOR FLAME CENTRE AS A HORZONTAL DISTANCE XC
AND A VERTICAL DISTANCE YC HAVE BE CORRELATED
From Fig C-2A, Page 90
LOG10 Xc =
Xc =

1.6110
40.83

ft.

vs 58 eg

LOG10 Yc =
Yc =

1.4826
30.38

ft.

vs 100 eg

From Fig C-3A, page 92

C.3.4

CALCULATION OF THE DISTANCE FROM THE FLAME CENTER TO THE

OBJECT POINT BEING CONSIDERED.

Design Basis
Specified Dist Fr Base Of Flare Stack, R =
Specified Max Allow Radiation at R =
Fraction Of Heat Intensity Transmitted, Tau =
Fraction Of Heat Radiated, F =

150
2,000
1.00
0.3

Page

Ft.
BTU/hr/sf
B&S Rec use estimate

Heat Liberated, Q = (W)(Hc) =

Relative Humidity =

2.15E+09
50.0%

D = { (Tau)(F)(Q) / [(4)(3.14)(K)] }^0.5 =

C.3.5

160.20

BTU/hr

FT

DETERMINATION OF FLARE STACK HEIGHT, H

R' = R - Xc =
H' = [ (D)^2 - (R')^2 ]^0.5 =
Height of Stack = H' - Yc = H =
Tau Estimate, p-94, Eqn (C-1)

109.17
117.24

FT
FT

86.86

FT

0.80

Page

50% Humidity, D from B&S

DETERMINE Q FOR DIFFERENT RADII FROM FLARE

DISTANCE FROM FLARE
FT
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
500

Page

D^2
Q
FT^2
BTU/HR SQFT
15413
3330
13830
3711
17247
2976
25664
2000
39081
1313
57497
893
80914
634
109331
469
142748
360
181165
283
224582
229

RECOMMENDED MACH NUMBERS ARE 0.2 FOR CONTINUOUS FLARES AND 0.5 FOR EMERGENCY. (0.7 IS THE MA

API RECOMMENDS .2 FOR METHANE AND .3 FOR HEAVIER GASES.

Tau est =
0.80
See Table 3
THE MAXIMUM RADIANT HEAT IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE CENTRE OF THE FLAME. THE DISTANCE TO THE MAX SH
AT THE X COORDINATE AS SHOWN IN THE RESULTS SECTION.

Measured from Tip Of Stack

A FLARE STACK WILL GENERALLY BE TALLER IF IT IS DESIGNED

FOR WIND AS THE FLAME IS BENT OVER AND THEREFORE CLOSER TO THE
GROUND FOR A GIVEN STACK HEIGHT

Y=

X=
H' = 140

30.65

72.31
D=

Page

160 FT.

150 ft.

Page

Fig 6A, API-521, p-37

174.57 Log to the base 10

U / Uj

AP1 521 FIG 7

AP1 521 FIG 7

Symbol & alt + 0165

BTU/hr
Flame L
5.00E+07
4.00E+08
7.00E+08
6.00E+10

30
80
100
800

2.15E+09
Slope m
Constant b

Calc'd Flame L
30.03
78.60
101.84
798.71
171.16
EXP(Const b)

0.84
0.84 LINEST =
0.462729938 -4.8008544 0.0082227185
0.36
0.36 Correlation Of Fig 7, Page 39, Approximate Flame Distortion
SUM DELTA X / L (1)
3.089306209
0 SUM DELTA Y /L (1)
SUM
SUM
SUM
SUM
SUM

DELTA
DELTA
DELTA
DELTA
DELTA

X
X
X
X
X

/L
/L
/L
/L
/L

(2)
(3)
(4)
(5)

1.526372211
0 SUM
0.845128886
0 SUM
0.844910939 0.844910939 SUM
0.952089306
0 SUM
0.844910939 SUM
U / Uj

The constants in this

section were in error.

DELTA
DELTA
DELTA
DELTA
DELTA

Y
Y
Y
Y
Y

/L (1)
/L (1)
/L (1)
/L (1)
/L

dX/L
0
0.025
0.03
0.035
0.04
0.043
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08

Page

0
0.5
0.539638889
0.579277778
0.618916667
0.6427
0.666574567
0.695436131
0.719838236
0.7409763

0
0.009
0.01
0.02
0.03
0.045
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08

0.09 0.759621395
0.1
0.7763
0.114 0.797041818
0.2
0.8804328
0.3
0.9227763
0.4
0.944844

Page

0.09
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5

0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3

Page

0.9590175
0.961
0.963
0.965
0.967
0.969
0.971
0.973
0.975

0.6
0.7
0.8
0.9
1
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4

LAME LENGTH

Page

Page

21% O2 & 79% N2

MW air = 28.84

NTAL DISTANCE XC

Page

Page

Page

.5 FOR EMERGENCY. (0.7 IS THE MAXIMUM).

ME. THE DISTANCE TO THE MAX SHOULD BE SET

Page

Page

Fla m e L e n g t h , L , f t .

Plot on Fig 6A
2.15E+09
2.15E+09

171.2
171.2

1000

100

10

171.1646575
1
1.00E+07

1.00E+08

1.00E+09

1.00E+10

1.00E+11

He at Re le as e , BTU/hr

U=
-2.43252813

Fig 6A, API-521, p-37

0.1545
0 < 0.009

1
0.800002
0.78258046
0.71638288
0.66152882
0.595860868
0.5696238
0.538746166
0.510721422
0.485316718

dX/L or dY/L

0.070333032
0 >0.009, <=0.045
0.358156192 0.35815619 >0.045, <=0.4
0.296799938
0 >0.4, <=1.0
0.128879061
0 >1.0
0.35815619

0.025
0.5
0.043
0.6427
7.92777778 0.30180556

1.2
1
0.8

dX/
L

0.6
0.4
0.2

Page

0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Ratio of Wind / Exit Ve locity

1.2

1.4

1.6

0.5
0.6427

0.8

dX/
L

0.6
0.4

0.462309557
0.4414878
0.3142008
0.2489898
0.2045808
0.174969625

0.2
0
0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

Ratio of Wind / Exit Ve locity

Page

1.2

1.4

1.6

0.150004552
0.129315371
0.112712464
0.100006213
0.091007
0.08633
0.08183
0.07733
0.07283

Fig 7, Approximate Flame Distortion, Page 39

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

x3

y3
0.04 0.6057971

x
x2
y2
0.012
0.76
0.15
0
-5.5072464 0.82608696
x1
0
0.05
-20

0.76
0

y1
1
0
1

0
1
0.01
0.800 Section 1
0.012
0.760
0.013 0.75449275
0.015 0.74347826
0.02 0.71594203 Section 2

y
0.04
0.05
0.075
0.1
0.125
0.15
0.175
0.2
0.225
0.25
0.275
0.3
0.325
0.35
0.375
0.4

Page

0.6057971 0.60359753
0.57 0.5696238
0.49 0.49770571
0.445 0.4414878
0.4 0.39769582
0.365
0.335
0.315
0.295
0.275
0.265
0.25
0.235
0.225
0.21
0.205

0.36346005
0.33631528
0.3142008
0.29546043
0.2788425
0.26349984
0.2489898
0.23527425
0.22271955
0.2120966
0.2045808

0.03
0.04
0.05
0.06
0.07
0.08

0.66086957
0.6057971
0.5696238
0.53874617
0.51072142
0.48531672

Page

0.09 0.46230956
0.1 0.4414878
0.2 0.3142008
0.3 0.2489898
0.4 0.2045808

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Page

Sketch

Figure C-1

Dimensional References for Sizing a Flare Stack

dX

Yc

Xc
D
H

R'
R

Page 61

Sketch

Page 86

dY

Page 62

Fig. 6A

Fig. 6A - Flame Length Versus Heat Release

Flame Length, Feet

1000

171.2
100

Fig 6A
Data Pt.

10

1
1.00E+07

1.00E+08

1.00E+09
Heat Release, BTU / hr
Page 63

1.00E+10

1.00E+11

Fig. 6A

1
1.00E+07

1.00E+08

1.00E+09
Heat Release, BTU / hr

Page 64

1.00E+10

1.00E+11

Fig 7

Fig. 7 - Approximate Flame Distortion Due To Lateral Wind On Jet Velocity From Flare Stack

Ratio dY / L or dX / L

1.2

0.8
dY / L
dX / L

0.6

Data Pt.
Data Pt.

0.4

0.2

0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7
0.8
0.9
Ratio U/ Uj
Page 65

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

0.2
Fig 7
0
0

0.1

0.2

0.3

0.4

0.5

0.6

0.7
0.8
Ratio U/ Uj

0.9

Page 66

1.1

1.2

1.3

1.4

1.5

Table 3

Table 3

No.
1

Maximum Design Flare Radiation Levels Including Solar Radiation (250 - 330 BTU/hr/sf).
Permissible Design Level (K)
BTU/hr/sf BTU/hr/sf
wo Solar
Solar
4,700

300

BTU/hr/sf
Total
5,000

kW/m2
Total

Conditions

15.77

Heat intensity on structuress & in areas where

operators are not likely to be performing duties &
where shelter from radiant heat is available (eg behind
equipment).

2,700

300

3,000

9.46

Value of K at design flare release at any location to

which people have access (eg at grade below the flare
or service platform) exposure should be limited to a few
seconds, sufficient for escape only.

1,700

300

2,000

6.31

Heat intensity in areas where emergency actions

lasting up to 1 minute may be required by personnel
without shielding but with appropriate clothing.

1,200

300

1,500

4.73

200

300

500

1.58

Heat intensity in areas where emergency actions

lasting several minutes may be required by personnel
without shielding but with appropriate clothing.
Value of K at design flare release at any location where
personnel are continuosly exposed.

Page 67

Table 3

page 36

Page 68