The energy industry uses various types of direct and indirect fired heaters in the production of oil and gas. Starting up and operating a gas or oil burning heater can introduce a real safety risk to the operation of any facility. One way of controlling this hazard is by installing a Burner Management System (BMS) to your process heater.
The BMS is an engineered hazard control used by oil and gas operators to ensure the safe start-up, operation, and shut down of a process heater. It also helps to save fuel costs, minimize maintenance, improve uptime, and creates a safe environment for the personnel working near the heater. A Burner Management System is also a safeguard to prevent process heaters from exploding in the event of an upset condition.
Components of the Burner Management System
| Components | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Burner | It is where fuel, oil or gas is mixed with air and burned to produce heat. Large heaters often have multiple burners where the combustion process occurs. |
| Controller | A microprocessor used to sequence or control the fuel valves and ignitor(s) of the burner system through the processes that involves purging, ignition, operation, and shut down. |
| Flame Detector | It is a device that helps to sense the absence or presence of a flame and offers a proper signal to detect it. |
| Igniter | It is a device that is permanently installed to provide ignition energy to light the main burner. |
| Valves | Used to control or shut off the flow of gas or oil in the fuel system. |
Functions of the Burner Management System
The primary purpose of the BMS is to ensure start-up and detection of the main flame, control and monitor the process, and assure proper shutdown sequences. Other functions include the following:
- Prevent the equipment from starting and firing up until combustion chamber purge has been completed.
- Stop the start-up of the equipment when the conditions are unsafe.
- Control the sequencing of components during start-up and shut-down of the system.
- Protect against the admission of inappropriate quantities of fuel to the heater.
- Provide the status and feedback on components’ condition to the operator.
Benefits of Using a Burner Management System
BMS systems can help enhance the overall plant performance, reduce the possession charges, and ensure controlling obedience in the plant.
- Safety
Using the BMS can help increase the safety of workers and reduce the chances of accidents on site. - Eco-Friendly
In addition to protecting from the threat of a natural gas explosion, using a BMS also helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. - Reduced Costs
It helps to minimize the expenses by reducing intervention and shutdown time and ensuring quick recovery from process upsets. In addition to this, it requires less maintenance and fewer training requirements to operate it, thus reducing the overall ownership costs. - Improved Reporting Capability
It helps to simplify the operation of the unit by providing alarm notifications and sending out operator help messages.
What Happens If You Don’t Use a BMS?
When you do not have a burner management system, the chances of fire and accidents increase. If a pilot flame goes out, the burner gas will flow, despite the absence of proper temperature control. However, this will cause the main burner gas to vent out until you shut it off manually. This creates a very critical situation that can cause damage, proving to be dangerous and expensive.
We Deliver High-Quality Burner Management Systems
At Aspire Energy Resources Inc., we believe in providing the best results as per the specifications of our clients. We can help you choose a burner management system to reduce emissions and operating costs.
If you are looking for a burner management system (BMS) or line heaters for sale or rent, be sure to call us on 403-314-5422 or 1-800-993-9958. You could also fill out our online form to get a quote.
