Patent ID: 11906161
Assignee: nan
Field: Environmental technology (Chemistry)
Classification: CPC F | IPC F

Claim 0:
1. A process of remotely sensing combustion zone net heating values (NHVcz) of industrial flares in order to monitor the flare NHVcz, and thereby allow for the maintenance, in real time, of the regulatory NHVcz threshold of 270 BTU/scf, said process comprising the steps of:
sensing IR radiance emitted in a plurality of distinctive spectral bands by combustion products in gaseous phases or aerosols from within the combustion zone of a flare stack;
in real time, generating combustion zone net heating values for the flare by continually calculating, as a combustion index, the ratio of the radiance of the distinctive spectral bands;
in real time, calculating the NHVcz in accordance with EPA flare stack regulations;
correlating the combustion index and the NHVcz to determine flare performance; and
continually allowing for the adjustment of assist media to the flare in order to maintain the flare performance at or above the NHVcz threshold of 270 BTU/scf.