An ignition coil consists of a laminated iron core surrounded by two coils of copper wire. Unlike a power transformer, an ignition coil has an open magnetic circuit — the iron core does not form a closed loop around the windings. The energy that is stored in the magnetic field of the core is the […]
Read moreIt is paramount that the proper set of components are used in a suitable configuration in fuel trains, otherwise operations and safety can be seriously compromised. Fuel trains vary considerably depending on the specifics of the application. Their variation is specified in safety standards/codes that are either recommended or enforced. In the USA, fuel trains […]
Read moreOften known as “rotten egg” gas due to its characteristic odor, H2S is a deadly gas capable of killing within minutes of exposure. It is regularly encountered in upstream oil and gas operations. This low-lying gas found in wells, pipelines, and storage tanks is produced by the bacterial decomposition of the organic matter found in […]
Read moreThe main objective of industrial burner operators is to keep operations safe, efficient, and cost-effective while abiding by all relevant environmental regulations. One way to achieve these goals is to ensure that the proportion of fuel and air that is mixed in the combustion process of the heaters is optimum. There is a sweet spot […]
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BMS (Burner Management System) standards can be distinguished as being prescriptive or performance based. Prescriptive standards specify what safeguards should be implemented based upon lessons learned from previous incidents and near misses. They do not specify how to properly implement them. The prescriptive requirements are always general and not always applicable to the wide variety […]
Read moreWould it be useful to know how reliable a BMS is? How long before it should be upgraded? There is a whole branch of knowledge called Reliability Engineering that can help answer these questions. The failure rate (λ) for a BMS is defined as the percentage of components failing per unit time. This varies throughout […]
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Most Burner Management Systems (BMS) pass through several lifecycle stages corresponding to the changes in their sales. The figure below shows a representative lifecycle bell curve based on typical BMS sales history data. It shows six common life cycle stages: introduction, growth, maturity, decline, phase-out and obsolescence. The introduction stage is usually defined by high […]
Read moreBMS (Burner Management System) standards vary from each other in the details of what is acceptable and unacceptable. Click here to download a PDF of some international BMS standards with respect to their differences.
Read moreAs oil and gas fields mature, their natural strength that drives the oil or gas out of the subsurface formations declines until wells require help getting the oil out of the ground through artificial lift methods. For artificial lift to stay economically feasible, it is critical that the hydrocarbon production stays high and the cost […]
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Burner Management Systems (BMS) are special types of control systems. They are used in installations where typically there are great environmental extremes. The fact that, after initial installation, most BMS function for prolonged periods of time without shutting off, means that the electronics generally undergo more severe operational conditions than those of other electronic systems. […]
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