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Westech In-Line Flame and

Detonation Flame Arresters
An Explosive Situation
Explosions due to flame arrester failures are destructive,
expensive and potentially deadly. Prior to 1989, no arrester
provided protection against all types of flame propagation.
In fact, no practical technology existed for testing
detonation flame arresters used in piping systems. Existing
flame arrester standards were clearly inadequate for in-line
applications. Improper arrester selection and application
lead to storage tank and processing unit explosions.
Without an arrester designed and tested to meet the levels
of protection required, the potential for a major disaster is
high.

With the existing and future guidelines for emissions

control comes a new challenge for safe facility operations.
Installation of marine vapour recovery and destruction
systems creates a high potential for disaster. In fact, an
earlier explosion at a marine vapour control system in the
U.S., pointed out the need for enhanced standards and in
particular, the need for an adequate test standard for
in-line arresters. Overdriven Detonation
Also referred to as unstable detonation. The condition that
The advent of USCG, CSA and CEN standards is a major exists during the transition of a combustion process from
step forward in safe facility operation. Investigations and a deflagration into a stable detonation. This transition
research continue on Detonation Flame Arresters. usually has the characteristic of producing extremely high
explosion pressures in a relatively short time frame.

Definitions Stable Detonation

End-of-Line Flame Arrester A detonation which has speed and pressure
This type of flame arrester is used where the potential characteristics which do not vary significantly as the
ignition source is located outside the vessel or flow system detonation progresses through a confined system, hence
that is being protected (unconfined); the flame travel length the term "stable".
is no greater than that used for flame arrester testing
(typically 5 feet/1.25 m), and there are no restrictions in the Maximum Experimental Safe Gap (MESG)
protected side piping. The maximum gap between equatorial flanges in a
spherical volume that will just prevent flame transmission
In-Line (Detonation) Flame Arrester from the vessel to the flammable gas mixture
An arrester which has been designed and tested to arrest surrounding it.
flame fronts of varying pressures and speeds with both
restricted and unrestricted protected side piping as well as Momentum Impulse
long run stable and overdriven detonations. A phenomenon associated with increasing lengths of
stable detonation travel. As the detonation travels down
Deflagration the line, the duration of temperature and pressure effects
A flame front that propagates by the transfer of heat and associated with the detonation increases up to a run-up
mass to the unburned gas ahead of the flame front. Flame distance of 300 pipe diameters.
speeds can range from less than 1 m/s to greater than
350 m/s (supersonic) for very high pressure, turbulent
flames. Overpressures can range from a very small fraction
to as much as twenty times the initial pressure.

Detonations (Gaseous)
A flame front that propagates by shock wave compression
ignition in a flammable gas mixture. Flame speeds are
supersonic with Mach numbers ranging from 5 to 15. The
pressure of stable detonation usually ranges from about
20 to 30 times the initial pressure but an overdriven
detonation can achieve compression ratios in excess of
300 at the moment of transition from deflagration to
detonation.
The Westech Breakthrough
Westech is an international company which has been
servicing the needs of oil, gas, chemical and municipal
I sewage industries for more than 30 years. Its detonation
flame arrester program began by investigating the cause
of flame arrester failures in vapour control systems.
Westech discovered that existing flame arresters were not
capable of preventing flame passage, regardless of piping
configuration. It was also proven that existing standards
governing flame arrester performance were inadequate for
in-line use. Westech concentrated on developing a
comprehensive in-line detonation flame arrester standard
which led to an advanced level of flame front arrestment
technology. Actual tests were conducted rather than
calculating results on paper, as had been the accepted
practice in the past.

Westech 18” diameter 1002’ test tube for momentum testing of

detonation flame arresters. This is the longest arrester test tube in
the world.

Arrester Function
Quenching of the flame is accomplished by using a device
which breaks the flame into very small "flamelets" that are
passed through small flame channels in the arrester
element. These flame channels cool the flame front below
the ignition temperature of the vapour mixture thereby
quenching it. The function of an in-line (detonation) flame
arrester falls into three categories: Overdriven detonations and long run stable detonations are two types
of flame propagation seen in pipeline explosions. Overdriven
detonations have the characteristic of very high pressure for short
• Quench Flame Propagation durations, whereas long run stable detonations create high sustained
• Free Vapour Flow pressures. Both types of flame propagation subject the arrester to
different pressure and temperature characteristics, which have to be
• Independent Passive Operation addressed by additional testing.
Westech's World Class Test Facilities
Westech has the most sophisticated detonation flame
arrester test facility in the world. Line sizes up to 18" in
diameter and 1,000 feet (305 m) in length are used to
test our arresters. Some of the most severe pipeline
explosions in the world are generated at this facility.

The arresters are subjected to test explosions which are

continuously monitored by eight computers, each with
a sample rate of 100,000 samples per second.
Specialized instrumentation is used to collect data from
highly responsive customized gas analyzers, and
pressure, temperature and optical flame sensors. A
single test explosion generates 4 megabytes of data
which is analyzed to evaluate arrester performance.
On-line analysis has recorded flame speeds of up to
Mach 7 and explosion pressures in excess of 3,000 psi
(200 bar). Measurement of these kinds of speeds and
pressures requires critical accuracy. All calibrations, gas
analysis, pressure, temperature and optical
measurements from the arrester tests are fully traceable
and reproducible.

All tests are monitored by independent third party

review organizations and accredited by standards
organizations.

Unrivalled R & D
Westech's first step was to evaluate a number of sites
where explosions had occurred. This led to the writing
of "A Summary of Investigations from Ten In-Line Flame Raising Flame Arrester Standards
Arrester Failures" which addressed the inadequacy of Research testing discovered the primary reason for
current arrester designs and test standards. From this flame arrester failures in the past and this led to the
investigation it was obvious that a true in-line arrester development of Westech's "A Comprehensive Test
capable of providing protection, regardless of piping Method for In-Line Flame Arresters". This test method
configuration, was required. has been used as the cornerstone for all existing
Detonation Arrester Standards.
The development of the USCG, UL, FM, CSA and CEN
standards has advanced the area of arrester For this work, Westech was awarded a Certificate of
certification. However, research into flame propagation Merit in the invention category of the 1989 Canada
by Westech has established the need for further Awards for Business Excellence and the 1990
standards development. Rather than meeting the Canadian Gas Processors' Association (CGPA) Award
minimum standards, Westech voluntarily tests arresters for Innovative Excellence.
for flame front phenomena such as momentum impulse
shock, precompressed deflagration to detonation
transition, thermal flux, reignition of downstream Raising Flame Arrester Standards
unburned gases, downstream reflected shock wave From the ground breaking research into flame front
failure, lean mixture detonations and lower MESG phenomena came a new generation of true in-line
vapours. In order to ensure maximum facility protection, detonation flame arresters. This extensive research and
Westech has also tested to established installation development lead to an arrester designed to provide
criteria related to upstream pipe size changes and the protection when installed anywhere in the piping
venting of combustion products. system.

Westech has made the commitment to work with Although the first priority was to design an
standards associations worldwide to ensure that arrester that would provide maximum protection,
new developments from research are incorporated this was not enough. Westech also designed a
into future test standards. Because of this product that would solve many of the operational
commitment to continued research and problems common with current flame arrester
development, our customers can be assured of the designs.
highest level of protection now and in the future.
 Considerations for Arrester Application and Selection
Selection of the correct arrester requires a detailed look at the application and must be based on the following:

Testing and Certification Vapour Composition

Acceptance testing which proves the capability of an For the purposes of arrester selection, a gas
arrester is the only guarantee of arrester performance. classification used by the USCG and others is
With the growing need for flame arresting devices, Maximum Experimental Safe Gap (MESG). There is no
many companies are producing arresters. guarantee of performance if the arrester is used in an
Unfortunately, only some of these devices are tested to application where the vapour has a lower MESG value
minimum performance standards and some are not than that for which the arrester has been tested.
tested at all.
Operating Pressure
Explosion Capability The operating pressure for the system in which the
At the minimum, an arrester should be tested to meet a arrester is to be installed should not exceed the
recognized standard which requires testing for pressure at which the arrester has been tested.
overdriven detonations, stable detonations, long run Operating pressure is critical as the pressure associated
stable detonations and deflagration testing with with the flame in both detonation and deflagration
restricted and unrestricted (with and without elbows modes is a direct function of initial line pressure at the
and/or valves) downstream piping. time of ignition.

Explosion Capability
Endurance burn capability refers to the ability of the
arrester to withstand the heating effects of a flame
which has stabilized on the face of the arrester. This
condition is caused when a flame travels toward the
arrester, is prevented from passing through to the
protected side, yet remains burning at the face of the
arrester. The intent of an endurance burn test is to
determine the length of time an arrester can
withstand this stabilized flame without heating
the arrester element to the point where the
flame is allowed to pass to the protected
side. Establishing an endurance burn
capability is important as it ensures a
defined amount of response time allowed
for disruption of the
gas flow feeding the
stabilized flame.

Arrester Location
Once the ignition sources and the specific facility
components requiring protection are identified, the
detonation flame arrester can be placed anywhere
between the two, regardless of distance and pipe
configuration.

In systems where tanks are manifolded together, there

should be one arrester providing protection for each
tank. When evaluating ignition sources in manifolded
tank systems, each tank must be considered. In order
to provide protection between tanks, in-line (detonation)
flame arresters should be installed not only on the
collection line, but on each tank.
 Corporate Headquarters
5636 Burbank Cres. S.E.
Calgary, Alberta
Canada T2H 1Z6
Phone: (403) 252-8803
Fax: (403) 253-6803
Email: sales-export@[Link]