Industry Insights
The global flame arrestors market size was valued at USD 276.2 million in 2017. It is expected to witness growth with rising spending on Exploration and Production (E&P) of shale gas and tight oil in countries such as U.S. and Canada. Flame arrestors are fire protection devices which are used in storage tanks, pipelines, and vents of storage tanks to protect stored flammable liquid from fire.
Flame arrestors market revenue, by product, 2015 - 2025 (USD Million)
The growth in industries such as pulp and paper, oil and gas, chemical processing, power generation, and mining is expected to drive demand for flame arrestors in the forthcoming years. These industries employ huge storage tanks, ventilation systems, pipelines, and other process equipment where protection from fire is necessary.
In U.S., the standards are set by the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Comité Européean de Normalisation (CEN), and Canadian Standards Association (CSA) for testing of flame arrestors for safe facility operation. With the rise in E&P of shale gas in U.S. and China, demand for flame arresters is expected to grow.
Segmentation by Product
• In line
• End of line
In-line arrestors are majorly used in piping systems to safeguard the downstream equipment. Sometimes, the origin of explosion might cause fire to spread with the gas flow and the flame might enter from both directions. A bi-directional flame arrester is required in such scenarios. The equipment are also used in several systems including vapor control systems which accumulate gases radiated by solids and liquids. The gases controlled through vapor control systems or expelled into the atmosphere are typically flammable. As a result, demand for in-line products is estimated to grow in the forthcoming years.
Major applications of end-of-line product forms include liquid and petroleum storage tank vents and vents on oilfield storage tanks. Flame arresters prevent fire in the air from entering into the enclosure or vent. They also protect and prevent the tanks from explosions if the gas flowing through the vent is hit by lightning. Furthermore, some of the end-of-line equipment stop fire in an enclosure and prevent explosive atmosphere in refineries if they are installed in exhaust stacks and furnace air inlets.
Segmentation by Application
• Pipeline
• Incinerator
• Ventilation System
• Storage Tank
• Others
Different types of flame arrestors can be used in piping systems which have extreme flow to pressure drop features. These products are extremely important in pipelines carrying combustible mixtures, as the risk of fire is high. They operate by intruding the combustion wave by reducing the flame facade by means of a heat sink which has narrow passageways and a high surface-to-volume ratio, such as a woven wire gauze, wire screen, metal honeycomb, porous metal plate, or parallel metal plates.
The metal plates are able to absorb the flame heat and extinguish it, consequently stopping it from moving through the flame arrester. The positive outlook towards oil and gas sector on a global level is expected to increase spending on the installation of pipelines for transporting liquids and gases such as natural gas, biofuels, and oil is expected to promote the product usage. This, in turn, is expected to propel the flame arresters market over the forecast period.
Segmentation by End User
• Power generation
• Oil & gas
• Pharmaceuticals
• Mining
• Chemicals
• Others
Flame arrestors play a vital role in protecting the whole plant and prevent any sorts of deflagrations, unstable detonations, and stable detonations within the plant. Power plants are equipped with vapor recovery systems where flame arrestors are required. Flame arrestors are fitted in the vapor recovery venting lines to avert any core ignition source, which can be from a pump, scrubber, or a fan spreading back into the tanks’ vapor area.
The production of tight oil and shale gas was 1.5 billion barrels and 10.37 TCF per day in 2012. In 2017, the U.S. production of tight oil and shale gas reached 5.2 million barrels per day and 16.76 million barrels per day respectively. Thus, rising drilling activities shale gas and tight oil is projected to boost demand over the forecast period.
Segmentation by Region
• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• Central & South America
• Middle East & Africa
Asia Pacific emerged dominant accounting for 38.4% of market share in 2017. Positive outlook towards the industrial sector such as pharmaceutical, chemical processing, power generation, and oil and gas in emerging economies such as India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and others is expected to propel growth. Furthermore, need for energy resources and rising oil exploration activities all over the world are projected to fuel demand for flame arrestors to protect operating plants and equipment in near future.
Competitive Landscape
Major players operating in the global flame arrestors market include PARKER HANNIFIN CORP, Pentair Plc, BS&B Safety Systems, L.L.C., PROTEGO - Braunschweiger Flammenfilter GmbH, Elmac Technologies Ltd. and Emerson. Companies are emphasizing on strengthening their brand presence through product differentiation and implementing new production processes.
For instance, PROTEGO owned one of the largest R&D facilities for flame arresters and tank vents in 2017. In the same year, PARKER HANNIFIN CORP spent around USD 116 million in R&D activity. Companies are also expanding their manufacturing facilities. For instance, in June 2017, PARKER HANNIFIN CORP opened a manufacturing facility with a learning and development center for exploring new technology and product development.
