neqsim-flare-radiation-screening

name	neqsim-flare-radiation-screening
version	0.1.0
description	Educational flare thermal-radiation screening using the public API 521 / API 537 point-source equation. USE WHEN: a task needs a public, screening-level estimate of radiant heat flux at a distance from a flare and a check against allowable radiation limits before detailed flare and radiation design.
last_verified	2026-06-18
requires	{"python_packages":[],"java_packages":[],"env":[],"network":[]}

Flare Radiation Screening

Use this skill for public, educational flare thermal-radiation screening. It estimates radiant heat flux at a distance from a flare using the open API 521 / API 537 point-source model and compares it to common allowable limits so an agent can decide whether a detailed flare-radiation study is needed.

When to Use

• When a user asks how far personnel or equipment must be from a flare for a given relief rate.
• When an agent needs a quick radiation triage to scope a flare or relief study.
• When examples must run without confidential flare designs, vendor tip data, or company radiation criteria.

Inputs

• mass_flow: flared mass flow in kg/s.
• heat_of_combustion: lower heating value of the flared gas in MJ/kg.
• distance: distance from the flame center to the receptor in m.
• fraction_radiated: fraction of heat radiated F, default 0.2.
• transmissivity: atmospheric transmissivity, default 1.0.
• allowable_flux: allowable radiant flux in kW/m2, default 6.31 (API 521 limit for a few seconds of exposure).

Outputs

• total_heat_release_kw: total combustion heat release Q.
• radiant_heat_flux_kw_m2: radiant flux at the receptor.
• allowable_flux_kw_m2: the supplied allowable flux.
• flux_ratio: ratio of computed flux to allowable flux.
• radiation_warning: ok, watch, or high.
• assumptions: public assumptions used by the placeholder model.

Engineering Method

The Python class FlareRadiationModel uses the open API 521 / API 537 point-source equation only:

• the total heat release uses Q = mass_flow * heat_of_combustion.
• the radiant flux uses q = tau * F * Q / (4 pi r^2), treating the flame as a single point source.
• the warning compares the flux to the allowable limit using simple rule-based thresholds.

Common public allowable radiation limits from API 521 are about 4.73 kW/m2 (continuous exposure), 6.31 kW/m2 (a few seconds for escape), and 9.46 kW/m2 (equipment and structures). This is educational and screening-only logic. It does not include flame length and tilt, wind, multi-point flame models, view factors, solar radiation, or shielding. It is not a vendor flare method or a replacement for validated flare-radiation design and a qualified safety review.

Python Usage Pattern

from flare_radiation_screening import FlareRadiationModel

model = FlareRadiationModel()
result = model.evaluate(
    mass_flow=50.0,
    heat_of_combustion=46.0,
    distance=60.0,
)

print(result.radiation_warning)
print(result.radiant_heat_flux_kw_m2)
print(result.flux_ratio)

Related NeqSim Functionality

For validated flare-radiation calculations, redirect to existing NeqSim classes:

• neqsim.process.equipment.flare.Flare — flare model with estimateRadiationHeatFlux for radiant flux at distance.
• neqsim.process.equipment.flare.FlareStack — flare stack sizing and tip selection.
• neqsim.mcp.runners.FlareRadiationRunner — runner that drives flare radiation calculations.

This skill is a public point-source triage layer that decides when to invoke those validated flare classes.

Validation Checklist

• Mass flow, heating value, and distance are positive and in the stated units.
• Example inputs are public and synthetic.
• Tests cover ok, watch, high, and invalid-input cases.
• Results are described as educational screening indicators.
• Real design is redirected to validated methods, API 521, API 537, and qualified review.

Common Mistakes

Symptom	Cause	Fix
Flux far too low	Fraction radiated set too small for the gas	Use an F value appropriate to the gas composition
Distance criterion always passes	Allowable flux set too high	Use the API 521 limit matched to the exposure scenario
Heat release wrong order of magnitude	Higher heating value mixed with lower heating value	Use a consistent lower heating value basis

Limitations

• No proprietary flare designs, vendor tip data, or company radiation criteria are included.
• No flame length, tilt, wind, view factor, or solar radiation is modeled.
• No shielding, dispersion, or multi-flame interaction is considered.

References

• NeqSim repository: https://github.com/equinor/neqsim
• NeqSim Skills Guide: https://github.com/equinor/neqsim/blob/master/docs/integration/skills_guide.md