Computer program product for reducing volatile organic compounds from gases with hydrocarbons

• US 9,423,126 B1
• Filed: 09/18/2015
• Issued: 08/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Archer Company, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The Archer Company, Inc.
• Inventors: Archer, Lary D., Archer, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): Huson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): MASHRUWALA, NIKHIL P
• Application Number:
  US14/859,157
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 431/12, 431/5, 431/202, 431/2, 110/190, 110/225, 110/185, 738/63
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 7/085 in stacks
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/02 of purifiers, e.g. for removing noxious material traps for solid residues F23J3/04
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/04 using washing fluids scrubbers for removing solids only F23J15/022
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/10 Catalytic reduction devices
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2219/40 Sorption with wet devices, e.g. scrubbers
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 7/00 Arrangement of devices for supplying chemicals to fire
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 1/002 using electronic means F23N1/04 - F23N1/10 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F23N 5/242 using electronic means

Abstract

A computer program product to minimize the formation of volatile organic compounds by creating an emission control flare stack and informing users connected to a controller of the emission control flare stack, wherein the computer program product includes a library of preset limits, computer instructions to: (i) monitor inlet of gas and oxygen/air to a shell; (ii) control ignition of the gas forming an intermediate gas; (iii) control temperature of the intermediate gas, (iv) control neutralization of volatile organic compound components in the intermediate gas forming an emission within 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015, and (v) providing information to users via a network continuously on compliance, such as with an executive dashboard.

Claims

1. A computer program product for controlling a formation of volatile organic compounds from gases using an emission control flare stack with a controller having a processor and data storage connected to a network, wherein the emission control flare stack has:

a shell with an inlet gas intake and an oxygen/air intake, a gas flow meter connected to the controller, an inlet gas regulator connected to the controller, an oxygen/air flow meter connected to the controller, an oxygen/air regulator connected to the controller, a burner with at least one igniter connected to the controller, a temperature sensor post burner connected to the controller, a plurality of cooling and heating tubes connected to the controller, a neutralization solution regulator connected to the controller, and an emissions sensor connected to the controller, wherein the computer program product comprises;

a. a library of preset limits comprising;

tables of gas content, oxygen/air content, temperatures, and neutralization solution content to produce emissions with volatile organic compound content that does not exceed the limits set in the 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015;

b. computer instructions for receiving sensed gas flow rates of a gas flowing into the shell;

c. computer instructions for comparing sensed gas flow rates into the shell to preset limits using the library of preset limits forming compared gas flow rates;

d. computer instructions for increasing, decreasing or stopping gas flow rates into the shell using a gas regulator and the compared gas flow rates;

e. computer instructions for receiving the sensed oxygen/air flow rates of oxygen/air flowing into the shell forming sensed oxygen/air flow rates;

f. computer instructions for comparing the sensed oxygen/air flow rates to preset limits in the library of preset limits forming compared oxygen/air flow rates;

g. computer instructions for increasing, decreasing or stopping oxygen/air flow rates into the shell using an oxygen/air regulator and the compared oxygen/air flow rates;

h. computer instructions for actuating or stopping an igniter of a burner to burn off undesirable components in the gas in the shell forming an intermediate gas;

i. computer instructions for receiving sensing temperatures of the intermediate gas;

j. computer instructions for comparing sensed temperatures of the intermediate gas with preset limits in the library of preset limits forming a compared temperature;

k. computer instructions for increasing or decreasing intermediate gas temperature using the compared temperature of the intermediate gas and controlling temperature to a plurality of cooling and heating tubes in the shell forming a temperature controlled emission;

l. computer instructions for receiving detected volatile organic compound concentration in an emission from the shell;

m. computer instructions for comparing the detected volatile organic compound concentration to preset limits in the library of preset limits forming a compared volatile organic compound value;

n. computer instructions for increasing, or decreasing introduction of a neutralization solution into the temperature controlled emission using the compared volatile organic compound value; and

o. computer instructions to transmit the detected volatile organic compound concentration either on demand or at preset intervals to an administrative server, a cloud computing processor and cloud computing data storage, at least one client device, and combinations thereof via the network providing information on volatile organic compound formation in an emission enabling users to take action when volatile organic compound formation exceeds limit identified in 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the neutralizing solution is injected at a low pressure into the intermediate gas in a flow direction opposite the flow of the intermediate gas.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein cooling and heating of the intermediate gas is by conduction heat exchange.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the neutralizing solution mists the temperature controlled intermediate gas at a low pressure, wherein the mist is introduced to the temperature controlled intermediate gas in a flow direction opposite to a flow direction of the temperature controlled intermediate gas.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the mist has a droplet size ranging from 1 micron to 3 microns.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, further comprises using a low pressure from 1 psi to 50 psi to inject the mist into the temperature controlled intermediate gas.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to time a reaction residence time of the intermediate gas from 5 seconds to 10 minutes to form an emission within the limits of 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions for preventing the igniter from actuating when the detected volatile organic compound concentration exceeds a preset limit.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising using as the neutralization solution a member of the group comprising:

ammonia, urea, and combinations thereof.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising using as the neutralization solution a catalytic oxidative-reduction oxygen catalyst, comprising a platinum, titanium, or rhodium supported catalyst.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising computer instructions to provide messages to an administrative server, the cloud computing processor with cloud data storage, at least one client device, and combinations thereof;

when volatile organic compound concentration in an emission is above the preset limits, or when a component of the emission control flare stack occurs enabling notification of a need to avoid volatile organic compound formation in an emission that exceed limits in 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising computer instructions to form an executive dashboard of information and messages to the administrative server, the cloud computing processor with cloud data storage, the at least one client device on all information sensed, and compared regarding volatile organic compound formation in an emission related to 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising computer instructions to form an executive dashboard of only user designated information using the administrative server, the cloud computing processor with cloud data storage, the at least one client device from the emission control flare stack and compared values regarding volatile organic compound formation in an emission related to 40 CFR part 63, effective 2015.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the information is detected and compared continuously by the controller and the information is continuously provided to the administrative server, the cloud computing processor and data storage, and at least one client device via the network.