ABLE FlareMaster FT Ultrasonic Flare Gas Metering System

Dual-Verified Ultrasonic Flare Gas Metering with Real-Time Data Repair and Velocity Extension

Incorporating the EDM (Enhanced Density Module) and the DataFlow Data Analysis System, the ABLE FlareMaster is a highly innovative Flare Metering Enhancement Tool. ABLE Instruments proudly presents the ABLE FlareMaster Ultrasonic Flare Gas Meter, engineered with several unique features that enhance performance. One key innovation is its dual redundancy supervisory system, which acts as a measurement augmentation tool to address common issues such as transducer contamination and the loss of measurement at high gas velocities.

As the first SIL 2-rated flare gas meter, the FlareMaster FT is capable of accurately measuring flare gas flow velocities reaching several hundred metres per second. Its compact flow transmitter design allows for seamless retrofitting to any existing flare line nozzle configuration, ensuring broad compatibility and reliable performance.

FlareMaster is a modular system designed as a bolt on-bolt enhancement system that will work with any manufacturers ultrasonic flare meter, or it can be an integral part of our own ABLE FT flare meter.

Features:

• Industry-Leading Safety Certification: The only flare flow meter available with SIL2 rating.
• Hazardous Area Ready: Certified for use in ATEX Zone 1 environments.
• Exceptional Measurement Precision: Achieves ultra-low error rates—down to ±0.034% in density, molecular weight, and mass flow calculations.
• Regulatory Compliance Built In: Fully traceable to AGA10 and API standards and compliant with upcoming measurement tier regulations.
• Methane Emissions Reduction Support: Designed to assist with methane combustion efficiency in line with evolving EU legislation.
• N2GEN™ Gas Composition Analysis: Advanced software automatically subtracts nitrogen to accurately determine methane concentration and gas composition.

Have a particular project in mind? We’d welcome a call on +44 (0) 1189 169 420

New FlareMaster developments, which are being driven mainly by the new EU Methane Emission Laws (Effective May 2024), have resulted significant measurement improvements by quantifying the gas composition. The new legislation requires the energy sector to monitor, report and verify methane emissions. The FlareMaster N2GEN is a breakthrough technology that utilises spectral analysis to determine gas composition, with a focus on nitrogen and methane. It delivers highly accurate measurements of density, molecular weight, and mass flow, achieving error margins as low as ±0.034%. By eliminating the need for external gas analysers, it reduces both operational costs and engineering constraints. Additionally, it complies with traceable standards such as AGA10 and API, ensuring it meets current and future regulatory thresholds.

In summary: ABLE’s FlareMaster and N2GEN technologies address critical issues in flare measurement accuracy, comply with new regulations, and support the industry’s drive toward net-zero emissions. This reduced uncertainty greatly improves the flow velocity measurement.

Did you know? The ABLE FlareMaster FT is the only SIL rated flare meter on the market. View Certificate

FlareMaster System Options:

System Integration:
A flare gas metering installation requires not only a world-class flare gas meter but also, in most cases, a fully integrated metering system. ABLE’s FT ultrasonic transducers can be directly installed onto the flare line, including via hot tapping without shutting down the flare. However, the meter is often supplied spool-mounted with integrated pressure and temperature measurement for greater accuracy and ease of integration. To ensure the system meets all customer installation and project specifications, ABLE provides comprehensive design and fabrication services, along with project management and full documentation control as part of its end-to-end project management offering.

Valve Isolation:
The ABLE FlareMaster FT uses a pair of non-intrusive ultrasonic transducers, with built-in provisions allowing transducer withdrawal from the process under pressure for inspection or maintenance without requiring flare shutdown. Traditionally, this has been achieved using a single ball valve, which provides adequate isolation but lacks the enhanced safety offered by double block and bleed (DB&B) valves. DB&B valves ensure both primary and process isolation, along with a safe method for venting any gas or liquid trapped within the assembly. As a significant additional safety feature, ABLE Instruments includes double block and bleed valves with all flare gas meter proposals to meet the highest safety and operational standards.

Transmitters:
Flare gas meters should receive temperature/pressure transmitter inputs to enable the meter to calculate standard volumetric flow for maximum accuracy and optimum performance.

Spools:
ABLE instruments offer a full design and fabrication service for spool pieces. Custom spool piece design ensures:

• Line Integrity
• Complete ‘drop in’ prefabricated/calibrated system
• Materials compatibility
• Full adherence to customer specifications
• Optimum installation for transducers and associated transmitters
• Performance to manufacturer stated specification

Calibration:
ABLE strongly recommends that all flare gas meters be calibrated before entering service. Calibration should be carried out under conditions that closely resemble actual operating environments to ensure accuracy and reliability. This process provides the end user with a calibration curve tailored to the control system, helping to characterise the meter and reduce measurement uncertainty. Traceable calibration also confirms that the meter has been built to the required specifications and tolerances.

Hot Tapping:
ABLE provides a comprehensive hot tapping service that allows flare gas meter transducers, as well as pressure and temperature transmitters, to be installed on existing pipework without the need to empty the line. This enables a full installation to be completed without interrupting or shutting down the ongoing process.

FlareMaster DataFlow – Enhanced Data Gathering and Analysis Tool:
DataFlow is a powerful data gathering and analysis tool that enables remote monitoring and interrogation of flare gas meters (FGMs) from a safe location. It provides users with real-time displays of key process data, including mass and standard volume flow, velocity, temperature, and pressure. Historical records of both measured and calculated data are also readily accessible for analysis and reporting.

• Enables remote interrogation and monitoring of flare gas meter (FGM) systems from a safe area
• Provides real-time display of flare gas process data, including mass and standard volume flow, totalised flow, velocity, temperature, and pressure
• Stores historical records of both measured and calculated data
• Offers customisable graphs for process parameters with the ability to save graph templates
• Supports remote alarm settings for all instruments or individual FGMs
• Displays records of gas composition and compressibility inputs specific to each FGM

Gas Sampler:
The FlareMaster Gas Sampler is specifically designed to capture gas samples under steady-state conditions as they exist within a flare line. Each sampling cylinder features an external magnetic indicator that displays the movement of the internal piston, which accurately determines the volume of the collected sample. To ensure safety, both the process and pre-charge sides of the cylinder are fitted with rupture discs to prevent accidental overpressure. Once collected, the gas sample is analysed using a gas chromatograph to establish a detailed gas composition profile for the flare gas meter. When used in conjunction with ABLE’s FlareMaster Enhanced Density Module (EDM) software, this data provides the flare gas meter with comprehensive density inputs. This capability corrects for any variations caused by density-distorting gas compositions, thereby significantly improving the accuracy of mass flow measurements. As a result, the overall uncertainty in flare gas metering can typically be reduced by up to 5%, enhancing both performance and compliance.

ABLE FlareMaster Specifications: