A Study on the Element Technologies in Flame Arrester of End Line

Abstract

An end-line flame arrester allows free venting in combination with flame protection for vertical vent applications. End-line flame arresters are employed in various fields, especially in shipping. In flame arresters, springs are essential parts because the spring load and the spring's elasticity determine the hood opening moment. In addition, the spring has to work under a high-temperature condition because of the burning gas flame. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the mechanical load and elasticity of the spring when the flame starts to appear. Based on simulations of the working process of a specific end-line flame arrester, a thermal and structural analysis of the spring is performed. A three-dimensional model of a burned spring is built using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Results of the CFD analysis are input into a finite element method simulation to analyze the spring structure. The research team focused on three cases of spring loads: 43, 93, and 56 kg, correspondingly, at 150 mm of spring deflection. Consequently, the spring load was reduced by 10 kg after 5 min under a 1,000 oC heat condition. The simulation results can be used to predict and estimate the spring’s load and elasticity at the burning time variation. Moreover, the obtained outcome can provide the industry with references to optimize the design of the spring as well as that of the flame arrester.