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Industrial plant with flare infrastructure

Flare Stack and Pilot Flame Monitoring

Remote thermal observation for industrial flare tips and pilot flames.

GoThermal helps industrial operators in South Africa assess thermal imaging for remote flare stack and pilot flame monitoring. Infrared cameras observe flame heat signatures so operators can review flare activity and respond to configured alarms. Camera selection, optics, mounting and alarm logic must be matched to the site.

A suitable installation can monitor regions of interest around the flare tip and individual pilots. Flame visibility and alarm reliability depend on distance, line of sight, gas composition, background conditions and commissioning. Specify the smallest pilot to be resolved and validate performance under the operating conditions expected at your plant.

Discuss your application with GoThermal to define the camera, software, enclosure and control-system interfaces required. Monitoring supports operator decisions and does not replace the plant safety system or its approved operating procedures.

Remote Flame Observation

Site-Specific Pilot Visibility

Optics Matched to Distance

Commissioned Alarm Thresholds

Why Continuous Flare Monitoring Matters

Flare stacks burn waste or relief gases at refineries, petrochemical plants, gas facilities and landfill sites. A visible flame and a lit pilot are important operating indicators, particularly when gas flow and ambient conditions change.

If a pilot is lost, flare gas may not ignite as intended. Remote observation can support a faster operational response without relying solely on periodic visual checks. It supplements, rather than replaces, the instruments and safeguards specified for the flare system.

Thermal imaging distinguishes flame heat signatures from their surroundings during day and night operation. Suitability in rain, fog, smoke or strong background radiation must be assessed for the selected camera, spectral response and installation.

Flare Monitoring Capabilities

Site-Specific Flare Observation

Pilot Flame Visibility Assessment

Thermal image illustrating a flare heat signature

Flame Size and Condition Review

Single- or Multi-Stack Project Design

Thermal Monitoring Design Considerations

Thermal cameras, application software and configured alarms can provide continuous observation of flare tips and pilots. The final scope is defined through a site assessment, not a one-size-fits-all specification.

Thermal image illustrating a flare heat signature

24/7 Thermal Monitoring

Observe flare tips and pilots remotely during day and night operation. Continuous availability depends on power, communications, maintenance and the selected equipment. Include loss-of-signal and equipment-health checks in the project requirements.

Pilot Flame Observation

Configure alarm regions around the pilots and commission flame-presence thresholds against normal operating conditions. An alarm indicates a condition for investigation; it does not guarantee that every outage will be detected or that false alarms cannot occur.

Flame Condition Review

Flame size, relative temperature and visible smoke can help operators assess changing flare conditions. Thermal imaging alone does not directly measure combustion efficiency, destruction efficiency or emission concentrations. Those measurements require an appropriate validated method and additional instrumentation.

Application Analytics

Specify the analysis functions actually available in the chosen camera and software. Region-based thresholds and event review can support anomaly detection. AI functions, where required, must be confirmed for the proposed configuration rather than assumed to be standard.

Configured Alarms and Records

Route configured alarms to the operator interface supported by the selected equipment. Define event logging, notification paths, response procedures and retention requirements during design. SMS, cloud dashboards and reporting are project-dependent options.

Audit-Supporting Documentation

Recorded images and event logs can support operational reviews and environmental audits. They do not by themselves establish regulatory compliance. Confirm the monitoring method, record format and retention period required by the relevant authority and site permit.

Environmental and Hazardous-Area Suitability

Select weather protection and hazardous-area certification for the installation location. ATEX or IECEx approval applies only to the specific certified assembly and its permitted conditions of use. Check the exact certificate, zone, gas group, temperature class and installation requirements before procurement.

Control-System Integration

Confirm the interface list for the proposed camera, software and plant control system. Manufacturer examples include Ethernet, digital I/O, Modbus and OPC on specific equipment. REST APIs, cloud access and cybersecurity provisions must be verified for the selected solution.

Benefits for Your Operations

Operational Awareness

Review pilot and flare conditions remotely to support timely investigation.

Audit Support

Retain the agreed records for review against site permit requirements.

Process Insight

Use flame observations alongside plant instrumentation to inform operational decisions.

Maintenance Planning

Review events and equipment health to help prioritise inspection and maintenance.

Project Scalability

Define single- or multi-stack monitoring according to camera coverage and software capacity.
Visible flame at an industrial flare stack

Industries We Serve

Oil Refineries

Assess remote observation of flare tips and pilots.

Petrochemical Plants

Review flame conditions alongside the plant control system.

LNG & Gas Facilities

Define alarm handling and operator response requirements.

Waste-to-Energy & Landfill Gas

Assess line of sight, weather exposure and maintenance access.

How the System Works

1. Assess: Provide stack height, viewing distance, pilot arrangement, gas composition and hazardous-area classification.

 

2. Configure: Select optics, enclosure, monitoring regions, interfaces and recording requirements for the site.

 

3. Commission: Validate flame visibility and alarms across expected operating conditions and agree maintenance and response procedures.

Flare monitoring camera illustration

Frequently Asked Questions

Thermal monitoring camera installation

What is flare stack monitoring?
Flare stack monitoring is the observation of the main flare and its pilots to help operators assess flame presence and changing operating conditions. Thermal cameras detect infrared heat signatures and can support configured alarms and event records.

 

Why is pilot flame monitoring important?
Pilots ignite the main flare gas stream. A pilot outage can leave gas unignited, so flame observation and a defined operator response are important parts of the site monitoring strategy.

 

Does thermal imaging measure combustion efficiency?
Not on its own. Thermal images can show flame size, relative temperature and changes in flame appearance, but combustion efficiency, destruction efficiency and emissions require suitable validated measurement methods and additional instrumentation.

 

Does a monitoring system guarantee environmental compliance?
No. Compliance depends on the applicable regulations, site permit, accepted monitoring method, installation and operating procedures. Images and event logs can support an audit but are not proof of compliance by themselves.

 

Can flare monitoring integrate with our control system?
Integration depends on the selected camera and software. Confirm supported protocols, digital I/O, alarm handling, network security and recording requirements against your plant control-system specification before ordering.

Are all flare monitoring cameras ATEX certified?
No. Hazardous-area approval applies to a specific certified assembly and its conditions of use. Confirm the zone, gas group, temperature class, enclosure and installation requirements for the proposed equipment.

How are false alarms and viewing distance assessed?
There is no universal zero-false-alarm or detection-distance guarantee. Camera resolution, lens, pilot size, gas composition, line of sight and background conditions determine suitability. Validate thresholds and visibility during site commissioning.

Take the Next Step

Discuss your flare stack and pilot monitoring requirements with GoThermal. Share your site conditions so the team can help define a suitable monitoring scope.

Get a Quote

Complete the enquiry form below to request a site-specific quote. Do not include sensitive plant-security information. If the form does not load, contact GoThermal or call +27 11 557 9200. Read our privacy policy.

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