Flame Arresters: Oil, Gas & Petrochemical

Elmac Technologies offers a wide range of explosion prevention systems for the global petrochemical, gas and oil processing and distribution industries. Our flame arresters protect storage tanks, vapour recovery systems and other key processes against the effects of accidental vapour ignition.

Most flame arresters comprise an element and housing suitable for installation into pipework or process plant. The element is a permeable matrix that quenches the flame, but allows gas to flow. In the event that a flame front reaches the element, the flame is extinguished and the accompanying pressure wave or shock wave is attenuated.

Applications for the global petrochemical industry include:

Vents for storage tanks & waste vapour vents

• Both in-line and end-of-line flame arresters are fitted on the vent nozzles of storage tanks. In-line arresters are used where gas or vapour needs to be vented at a safe distance from the tank or vent

Vents on drainage water handling

• As the surface water that collects in refinery drainage systems can become contaminated with HC products, vents on drainage systems are fitted with end-of-line flame arresters to prevent a flame reaching the drain

Loading facilities & vapour recovery systems

• In-line flame arresters are fitted on vapour return lines to provide vital explosion prevention

Incinerators, furnaces & flares

• In-line flame arresters are used to protect gas supply lines. Fitted in the supply line, they prevent the burner flame from travelling back along the line to the gas source

Pumps & rotating machinery

• Any machinery handling flammable material which could, in an upset condition, generate excessive heat or sparks is fitted with an in-line arrester to prevent the passage of a flame to the source of the gas