Burner Management System (BMS) not required for flare
The need for a Burner Management System (BMS) depends on the type of combustion equipment and its
purpose, operating conditions, and risk profile. Let’s compare the use of BMS for flares versus furnaces
and boilers:
🔥 What is a Burner Management System (BMS)?
A BMS is a safety control system designed to:
• Manage safe startup, shutdown, and operation of combustion burners,
• Prevent fuel buildup before ignition,
• Detect flame presence,
• Shut down fuel in case of flame failure,
• Ensure proper sequencing of purging, pilot, and main burner operation.
🔧 BMS for Furnaces and Boilers
✅ Required and Critical
BMS is mandatory and regulated in furnaces and boilers due to:
• Confined space combustion: Flame instability or fuel accumulation can cause explosions.
• High operating pressures: Uncontrolled combustion can damage equipment and pose safety
hazards.
• Intermittent firing: Furnaces and boilers cycle frequently; hence require flame detection and ignition
logic.
• Compliance with standards: API 556, NFPA 85, and EN standards require BMS for safe operations.
🟢 Key BMS Features in Furnaces/Boilers:
• Purge sequence
• Pilot and main burner management
• Flame detectors (UV, IR)
• Shutdown logic for flameout
• Safety interlocks
🔥 BMS for Flares
⚠ Generally Not Requiredas a Traditional BMS
Flares, particularly open or elevated flares, differ significantly:
🔹 Purpose: Safety & Environmental Protection
Flares are designed to burn off excess hydrocarbon gases safely to prevent overpressure or environmental
release — not for heat generation or process control.
🔹 Continuous vs Intermittent Operation
Most flares operate in continuous pilot mode, with:
• Continuous pilot flame (monitored by thermocouple or flame ionization detector),
• No buildup of fuel in a confined space (unlike furnace),
1
• Combustion happens in open atmosphere, reducing explosion risk.
🔹 Safety Implication
While flame detection is critical, a full BMS is usually not installed because:
• There’s no burner sequencing or controlled shutdown like a boiler,
• Flare tip/pilot system is simpler, managed by Flare Pilot Monitoring System or Flame Arrestor +
Ignition System,
• Emergency flows bypass ignition control — safety is handled via mechanical design (e.g., purge
seals, snuffers, flame arrestors).
✅ So, Do Flares Need a BMS?
Feature Furnace/Boiler Flare
Confined combustion
Yes No
chamber
Explosion risk from fuel
High Low
accumulation
Requires purge &
Yes No
sequencing
Yes (Pilot
Requires ignition control Yes
only)
Requires flame monitoring Yes Yes
Full BMS required Yes Not typically
Instead of a BMS, flares use:
• Pilot ignition control systems
• Flame detectors (thermocouples/UV/IR)
• Flame front generators (FFG) or spark rods
• Alarm/shutdown for pilot failure (in some cases)
🧩 Summary
A Burner Management System (BMS) is essential for furnaces and boilers due to confined combustion and
explosion risks. However, for flares, particularly open atmospheric systems, a full BMS is not necessary.
🔹 Instead, flares require:
• Reliable pilot ignition system
• Continuous flame monitoring
• Fail-safes for flameout (e.g. alarms, relight mechanisms)
If the flare is enclosed or has complex burner control (e.g. air-assisted or staged combustion), then some
elements of BMS may be applied, but not in the full extent as with boilers.
