SmokePROOF™ Automated Smokeless Flare Control System

We help our customers boost their profitability and minimize downtime across their operations by identifying and removing bottlenecks in their processes, creating more efficient and reliable performance. 

John Zink offers advanced solutions, including cutting-edge burners and heat recovery systems, that help our customers optimize energy efficiency across many different industries while reducing emissions and operational costs.

John Zink specializes in engineered-to-order solutions that significantly enhance operational reliability for industrial facilities worldwide. With decades of expertise in combustion and emission control, we ensure your operations are not just efficient, but consistently reliable. 

John Zink is a global leader in combustion and emission control, with a strong presence in the refining market. Our extensive portfolio includes advanced process burners, flares, and vapor control systems designed to enhance operational efficiency, safety, and environmental compliance for refining operations.

John Zink has advanced solutions, including flares and vapor recovery systems, designed to optimize LNG operations and ensure compliance with stringent environmental regulations. John Zink's commitment to innovation and customer-centric approach has positioned the company as a trusted partner for LNG projects worldwide.

John Zink serves the petrochemical and chemical industries with advanced combustion solutions and emission control systems. With a focus on reducing emissions, improving efficiency, and enhancing safety, our expertise is backed by a strong reputation and a history of innovation in this sector.

Refineries rely on flares to safely burn waste gases, but these systems can also be significant sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With tighter regulations and increasing sustainability goals, optimizing flare systems is essential. This article outlines three proven methods to reduce emissions and enhance flare efficiency, sharing advanced insights from John Zink’s decades of experience.

Increased focus on greenhouse gas emissions is driving operators to explore ways to reduce those emissions. The flare is one area of interest for reduced emissions. This paper will explore various techniques that can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from flares.

Cold weather can create serious challenges for steam or water-assisted flares, leading to ice buildup that threatens both safety and performance. Ice blockages inside the flare can increase back pressure and risk overpressuring connected equipment, while external ice formations may compromise structural integrity and endanger personnel.

This guide outlines key equipment vulnerable to cold conditions and steps to mitigate risks. Cold weather, defined as any condition that causes water to freeze on or inside the flare system, becomes a concern when ice accumulates enough to impact operation or stability. For specific operational guidance, always refer to the manufacturer’s manual.

Pilots are the heart of a flare. Without healthy pilots, a flare can easily become a vent. When a failure occurs in pilot fuel piping, it can significantly affect pilot performance and consequently flare performance. No one expects when installing a flare for the pilot fuel piping to fail, but it does happen. Insufficient tightening of threaded connections, flanges without double nuts or another mechanism to prevent loosening, flame impingement from adjacent flares, flame impingement from a damaged flare, improper piping support, and corrosion are all potential causes of pilot fuel piping failing. This paper will discuss steps that can be taken to mitigate the issue if it arises and preventative measures to lessen the probability of it occurring. The following assumptions are made:

1. A flame front generator (FFG) is available and functional.
2. The vent gas can’t be routed to another flare.
3. The damaged flare will not be shut down for repair.

(Warning: Operation without pilots can result in the venting of waste gas and its consequences and may violate local regulations.)