Quantifying flare combustion efficiency using an imaging fourier transform spectrometer

Mid-wavelength infrared (MWIR) hyperspectral imaging may be used to calculate the flare combustion efficiency from standoff measurements, without requiring any information about the fuel flow rate to the flare. Species column densities are found using a spectroscopic model, which is combined with a 2D velocity field from an optical flow model to obtain the mass flow rates of carbon-containing species within the plume. The technique is demonstrated by measuring the combustion efficiency of a steam-assisted flare at a petrochemical refinery.