Seven reasons process engineers should replace VISUAL FLARE™ Safety Relief Design with AVEVA™ Process Simulation

Posted: June 18, 2025

Flare system design is a critical part of process safety. For years, engineers have relied on VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design to model their relief networks and validate compliance. But in this time of increasing process complexity and digital integration, engineers can no longer simply rely on a legacy tool like VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design. It might be tried and tested, but it is no longer able to keep up with the accelerating pace of today’s industrial demands.

AVEVA Process Simulation is the tool that meets the moment. It offers a modern, integrated alternative that’s more powerful, flexible, and future-ready.

Here are seven reasons why now is the right time to migrate.

1. VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design is a siloed, single-purpose tool

VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design is limited to flare system hydraulics. If you are working with complex relief scenarios tied to upstream processes, you’re forced to manually transfer data back and forth between tools.

With AVEVA Process Simulation, you can model flare systems within the broader process simulation, alongside compressors, separators, heaters, and control logic. This eliminates data silos and lets you evaluate cause and effect across the entire plant, not just the flare stack.

2. Integrated relief and process modeling = real accuracy

Relief loads often depend on process conditions: upsets, control failures, blocked flow cases. When you model flare systems in isolation (as with VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design), you end up guessing or manually inputting relief rates.

With AVEVA Process Simulation, you can generate dynamic or steady-state relief loads directly from process conditions. That means:

• More accurate sizing of headers and knockout drums.
• Built-in validation of scenarios like fire, overpressure, or equipment failure.
• A complete picture of relief impacts across the plant.

3. Keep everything in one model

No more duplicating streams, juggling versions, or worrying whether your flare model is still consistent with your process model.

With AVEVA Process Simulation, your flare system is just another section of your full model—connected to real equipment, driven by real scenarios, and available for ongoing updates throughout the plant lifecycle. This also simplifies documentation and audits; everything is traceable and everything is in one, centralized place.

4. Handle complexity with confidence

VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design can struggle with large or complex flare systems, particularly when looping, reverse flows or multi-phase scenarios are involved. It’s also limited in terms of custom logic or advanced control interactions.

AVEVA Process Simulation is built for complexity. With the solution, you can simulate:

• Multi-scenario pressure relief
• Multi-phase relief flows
• Dynamic depressurization
• Control logic for flare valves and blowdown
• Integration with safety instrumented systems.

5. Modern interface, modern capabilities

VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design hasn’t kept pace with modern simulation UX. In AVEVA Process Simulation, you can find the intuitive interface you’ve been looking for. The platform offers a clean, drag-and-drop interface, easy configuration of units, built-in libraries, and powerful visualization tools for pressure, flow, and composition profiles.

Experience the short learning curve and the extensive capabilities.

6. Built for digital twins and real-time operations

If you are looking to extend your models into operations, VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design is a dead end. It is unable to implement your models on the plant floor—or draw seamlessly on plant floor data to improve its models.  

AVEVA Process Simulation is designed to support digital twins and connect with real-time plant data via AVEVA’s broader software ecosystem. This opens the door to:

• Proactive relief system monitoring
• Dynamic analysis of flare system loads
• Operational insights during startups, shutdowns, and turndowns.

7. Support and futureproofing

VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design has limited updates and integration support. AVEVA Process Simulation, on the other hand, is AVEVA’s flagship simulation platform. It receives regular enhancements, broader interoperability (including cloud options), and is fully supported by AVEVA’s global technical services.

VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design served its purpose—but it’s no longer enough

As process safety requirements grow more complex and integrated modeling becomes essential, VISUAL FLARE Safety Relief Design is not up to handling all the variables and complexities. In such an environment, AVEVA Process Simulation is not only an advantage but a necessity if you want to offer your engineers a smarter and more complete solution. By migrating now, you gain end-to-end modeling in one platform, along with accurate and scenario-driven relief analysis, integrated support for dynamic simulations and digital twins, and long-term alignment with AVEVA’s innovation roadmap.

Learn more about AVEVA Process Simulation.