This case study presents a comprehensive review of gasholder sizing within a cokes gas network. The primary objective is to evaluate the impact of adjusting the gasholder size on reducing annual flaring volumes and providing a buffer for short-term discrepancies between cokes gas production and consumption. The study explores various operating strategies, including the effects of increasing or decreasing the gasholder size and incorporating substitute gas to manage short-term production-consumption mismatches.
Analysis
The assessment involved analyzing different gasholder sizes and current flaring data over an 18-week period, recorded minute-by-minute. This dataset included detailed records of gasholder levels, consumer demand, and flaring rates.
A statistical approach was employed to analyze the data, with the assumption that variations in gasholder levels reflect day-to-day fluctuations in cokes gas production and consumption. By either lowering or maintaining the current mean gasholder level while varying its size, predictions were made regarding annual flared volumes of cokes gas. The analysis also included the potential use of substitute gas to offset mismatches between cokes gas production and consumption.
Charts were developed to illustrate the relationship between annual flaring volumes and the use of substitute gas in relation to changes in gasholder size. These visual aids provided insights into the effectiveness of substitute gas in addressing production-consumption mismatches and highlighted the current operational status of the gasholder, including annual flared volume and rates.
Results
The statistical analysis yielded six alternative operating strategies, offering the client various options for optimizing gasholder size. The selection of the most effective strategy depends on the desired outcomes related to gasholder size, annual flaring volumes, and the use of substitute gas.
Furthermore, the analysis provided a quantitative understanding of the current operational strategy, including insights into the production, consumption, and flaring of cokes gas. This comprehensive evaluation supports informed decision-making regarding the optimal gasholder size and operational adjustments to minimize flaring and effectively manage short-term gas mismatches.
