Safety Distances for Gas Flares: What Thermal Radiation Has to Do with It
A gas flare safely burns off residual gases — but in doing so it radiates considerable heat into its surroundings. How close may people, plant and neighbouring buildings come to a flare? This question is not left to feeling but can be answered by calculation, and combustion simulation is the tool for it.
The Decisive Quantity: Thermal Radiation
The safety distance of a gas flare is measured by the heat flux density that still arrives at a given location — expressed in kilowatts per square metre. The further from the flame, the lower the radiation. Different protection goals carry different admissible limits: a value at which people may still remain briefly is lower than one that applies only to unmanned areas.
What the Simulation Delivers
A CFD combustion simulation represents the flame: its extent, the temperature distribution and the thermal radiation it emits. From this, the heat flux density arriving at any point in the surroundings can be determined — and with it, the distance beyond which a given limit is no longer exceeded.
The result is a sound basis for defining safety distances as required in the sense of the relevant codes — such as TRAS 120 for biogas plants.
Conclusion
Safety distances for gas flares are not values from experience but calculable quantities. Simulating the flame's thermal radiation lets you define distances on a solid basis — safe enough for people and plant, without over-sizing unnecessarily.
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