Flame Arrestor keeps getting plugged

[Smoothcriminal]

Hello Everyone,

Over the past two weeks, we have been having a recurring issue with the Flame arrestor plugging. This particular flame arrestor is located on a pipe connected to the High pressure/Low pressure knockout pot. Has any body ran into this type of issue with the flame arrestor getting plugged?

 

[georgeverghese]

Flame arrestors are not a reliable device for flashback prevention in oil and gas installations - use purge gas with instrumented monitoring at central control room instead.

 

[Nanook1]

What is in the process? At my plant we have flame arrestors that foul due to either rust flakes/ material falling off of piping and clogging the flame arrestor. The other source is organics accumulation causing fouling. A good steaming will work on organics, but if the source is rust accumulation then try an anti rust chelating agent. That is how you clean it, but doesn't help the issue from happening.

If this is a new issue that has recently arisen then ask yourself "has something changed in the process that might cause accumulation?". The other thing to ask yourself is "what is the arrestor originally sized for". They size those elements based on a worst case chemical and its rating e.g. kerosene will have a different deflagration characteristics than acetylene or hydrogen. Also, you need a different arrestor based on where it is installed in your system. I would do your due diligence, but I would also probably reach out to the manufacturer to help you verify that the arrestor is meeting your application and is sized correctly.

My 2 cents

 

[LittleInch]

Agree - plugged with what?

The pipe from the knock out pot goes to the flare?

Has the KO pot been working at a different level?

Why only the last two weeks - running OK before that?

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