ALEXANDRIA, Va., Dec. 2 -- United States Patent no. 12,486,979, issued on Dec. 2.
"Flare tips" was invented by John W. Olver (Blacksburg, Va.) and Garabit Jack Sarkis (Beirut).
According to the abstract* released by the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office: "A center flare tip assembly (16) and plenum flare tip assembly (18) with arms (20), having the outside of the center flare tip assembly (16), both inside and outside of the tips (18), the outside of the arms (20), and/or adjacent features of the flare tip (12) are covered with a high emissivity thermal layer (14) with an emissivity greater than 0.85. This reduces flare metal temperatures by thirty percent (30%) or greater, and increases flare life by two (2) to five (5) times current life."...