The New Performance Benchmark For Detonation Flame Arresters

Elmac Technologies® has developed the UCA Series of unstable detonation arresters with better pressure drop and flow performance than any equivalent stable or unstable detonation arrester currently on the market.

By combining their E-Flow™ element technology with a patented High Energy Dissipation System (HEDS™), Elmac have created a series of detonation arresters which not only protect against unstable detonations, stable detonations and deflagrations; but which can offer operating energy savings of over 10% and 30% compared to the market leading stable and unstable detonation arresters respectively.

Added to this the fact that unstable detonation arresters have no restrictions on placement within piping systems, or any requirement for secondary protection measures; then the UCA Series sets new benchmarks for performance, versatility and economy.

The UCA series of detonation arresters is designed and manufactured according to the latest flame arrester standard EN ISO 16852, and is ATEX approved and certified for gases in explosion groups IIA1 and IIA.

Over the past 2 years Elmac Technologies has invested heavily in new product development and has, as a result, successfully developed their enhanced flow (E-Flow™) flame arrester element technology which is now used in their EVA, EVB, EHB and ESA series of end-of-line arresters.

The development of the E-Flow™ element technology was achieved by drawing on the benefits of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to model the behaviour of a system in order to investigate the flow behaviour, including the study of flow patterns and the prediction of pressure drop. This information was then used to optimise designs for the end-of-line flame arresters whilst avoiding the need for costly plant trials.

The next logical step was to take the lessons learned from the development of the end-of-line arresters and transfer the technology to in-line deflagration flame arresters. This was successfully achieved in ElmacÂ’s LCA and LEA series of in-line flame arresters.

To complete the development schedule Elmac’s engineers then turned their attention to detonation arresters with the aim of creating the world’s best-performing devices. Merely installing E-Flow™ technology into a standard unstable detonation arrester did not provide sufficient improvement in terms of pressure drop and so a new High Energy Dissipation System (HEDS™) was developed and patented. HEDS™ facilitates suppression of the detonation shockwave within the arrester housing allowing for a reduction in the number of element banks required in the arrester; thus lowering resistance to flow and reducing the weight of the device.