Back to Basics Sizing Pressure-Relief Devices DaNiEL A. Crowt, ‘Micisan Techwotocteat Univ. ScoTr A. TrpLeR Tue Dow CHemicat ComPANY Although relief devices may never be activated, they must be designed and sized to function correctly every time they are necessary. This article provides an introduction to sizing pressure-relief devices for liquid and vapor service. Aint protects process equipment frou the luzards of high (or low) pressure in a operates by opening at a designated pres- sure and ejecting mass from the process. The ejected mass contains energy — the removal of the energy reduces the process pressure A previous article in CEP (1) provided a basic overview of pressure-relief systems. That article stressed the impor- tance of properly locating. selecting, designing, and main- taining pressure-relief devices to ensure that they operate ‘when their service is required. ‘This aticle follows up with an introduetion to sizing _pressure-relief devices to ensue that they function properly. ‘More detailed information on relief sizing is provided in Refi. 2-4, Relief device basics “The pmmpace of lief cing isto determine the prnper discharge area of the relief device and diameter of the asso- ciated inlet and outlet piping. Ifthe relief device is under sized, high pressure and equipment failure may result. Ifthe relief device is oversized, the relief may become unstable 4 60 yx cae outro = SERENE 99 ‘4. Figure 5. Use tis diagram to determine the backpressure conection {actor K, fr balanced-Dellows ele valves in lqui orice. The Nowe Iscawtiing the equaton K, = 1.1165 ~0.01(P for P,> 17 and cata ‘tom Ret. 1 =Vacosty Conan Factor ie 10 10100 10000 00,000, = Reyna Number A Figure 6 Use this cagram to determine the viscosity correction ‘actor, K, fr both convertion and balanced-bellows ref valves in qud sence. fhe que i drawn wsing the equation In K, = 0.0857 = ‘0.958; 35 571/Rand data rom Ret. 3. CEP Ocoee 2019 wimakrmorcen FBBack to Basics viscous), the value of K, decreases, and a larger relief area is required. Fora Reynolds number greater than 16,000, viscosity correction is not needed (Le, K,= 1.0), However, in order to calculate the Reynolds number, the relief area mst be Anown. This may require solving Eq. 4 by tral and error. In this case, fist assume a viscosity comection factor of| K,=1 Oana caletate the relief area, then ealonlate the Reynolds number. In most cases, the Reynolds number will bbe much greater than 16,000. However, ifthe Reynolds rnunber isles than 16,000, use Figure 6 to determine a new viscosity conection factor, and calculate a new relief area and Reynolds number. Repeat this procedure until the sotu- tion converges on a Reynolds number. Liquid sizing example ‘A detailed study has determined the required relief flow through a conventional spring-operated relief valve on a pro- cess vessel to be 300 gpm of water. Assume a set pressure of 100 psig. a maximum overpressure of 10%, a temperature of 70°F, and no backpressure. ‘With a set pressure of 100 psig and an overpressure of 10% of the set pressure, or 10 psig, the upstream relieving pressure, P,, is 110 psig. Fora conventional reel valve, wo backpressure cor rection is necessary (K, = 1.0). The volumetric discharge rate, Q, through the relief valve is given as 300 gpm. The discharge coefficient, K, is not specified; fora preliminary estimate, assume K,~0.65 ‘The Reynolds number through the relief valve is not known, However, ata volumetric discharge rate of 300 gpm, win Back Fatec Capt witout Backers Ky ° 0 10 a0 ww GO 7 Bw 100 Ft at EERE ‘4 Figure 7, Use this lt to determine the backpressure correction factor, {for conventional soring-operated reli devices in vapor service tis aun using th equation and constants in Table 2 and data from Ret. 3 74 ouaeroorgcen Cowcer2013 CEP the Reynolds number is almost certainly above 16,000. Ts, assume X= 1.0. The liquid is water at 70°F, so Gnlong1b Homa 1) 300 gpm Feta feat oa) ope 6 in? ‘Thus, the minimum required relief orifice area would be 1.16 in? in this example. Sizing for gas service For conventional spring-operated relief devices in gas ‘or vapor service, choked flow through the relief orifice is assumed. Choked flow through an orifice is represented by the following equation (2): a WK AP, ps2) (9 ‘where JV is the mass flowrate (mass/time); K, is the dis- ‘charge coefficient (unitless); P, is the upstream relieving pressure Lor vapor service (absolute pressure): i die heat ‘capacity ratio of the gas or vapor (unites); M/s the molecu- Jar weight of the gas (mass/mol);R, isthe ideal gas constant (pressure-volume/mol-deg.): and 7's the absolute tempera- ture (dex). ‘To simplify the calculation, the term C, which isa fanc~ tion of only the heat capacity ratio, is defined as: “A Figure 8. Use this pat to determin the backpressure corection factor, for balanced-bellows reli devices in vapor serie. tis drawn using ‘he equation and constants in abe 3 and data from Ret. 3. ‘Copyright© 2013 American Insitute of Chesca Engines (NICHE)as a 7 @ Equation 5 is modified by adding a compressibility fac- tor, =, to account for nonideal gas behavior, and the back- pressure correction, K, to account for backpressure. With these adjnctments, Fa. S can he salued fh the relief area: amelie 0 K,and K, are normally provided by the valve ‘manufacturer. For prelininary sizing puxposes, a discharge coeficient,K,, 070.975 is used. The backpressure comrec- tion factor. X,, is determined by Figure 7 or 8, depending on ‘whether the relief device is a conventional spring-operated device or a balanced-bellows valve. Data for Figure 7 were derived from the equation in Table 2 and data for Figure 8 ‘were derived from the equation in Table 3. For Figure 8, K, isa fiction ofthe ratio of the back- pressure and the set pressure. For Figure 7, X, isa function of the ratio ofthe backpressure and the maximum allow- able relieving pressure, Pg. Which is determined from the allowable accumulation: PL, =11% Py forunfied pressure vessels P_=121% Py forvesselsexposed to fire (8) 2 =1.33%P,,. for piping Runnin backpressure correction factor for convention: poser 44 66-00% 06 [1.197510 13 63-00% 1204 | 1.70310 15 56-0036 1.203 | 1.14310 17 51-90% 42148 | 1.100510 ‘Table 3. For balanced-bellows relief devices in vapor ee etre Cee erecta 3 Figure 8. 10%, oa7o7 ‘where both Pygyp and P,., ate in gage pressure its, To ‘use Figure 7, the backpressure and P,, must be converted to absolute pressure nits with an eatiation sich as: paP,+147 () vi in pg al jin pi Gas sizing example A spring-operated relief device must be sized for a pressure vessel containing an ideal hydrocarbon vapor. ‘The controling scenario has a mass discharge rate, IF, (of 50.0 kas. Assume a vessel Pyegyp Of 8 bars, no SUPT ‘imposed backpressure, a buillap backpressure equal to 10% of set pressure. and a process temperature of 473 K. Areview of nomnal operating pressures coucludes that set pressure, P, of 7 barg will be used. The vapor has a ‘molecular weight of 100, a heat capacity rato of 1.3, and is ideal so == 1.0. ‘Thisis an unfired pressure vessel, so from Eq. 8, the ‘maximum allowable relieving pressure in gage units is: (1.1)(8 barg)=8.8 barg ‘The absolute maximum pressure is then P,= 88+ 1.013 =0,813 bara=9.81410° Nim. The backpressure is 10% of Ae set pressure —(0.10\7 bang) ~ 0.7 ba. To use Figure 8 to find the backpressure conection, &,, the percent absolute backpressure is needed: Backpressure, abs. Backpressure, abso PSssure + Overpresure) abs _ 0.7 bara + 1,013 bara 9.813 bara From Figure 7, at 17.5% absolute backpressure, K,,~ 1.0. 3, T= 473K, and M= 100 keskg-mol, 1.175 oF 17.5% aatateerk ST = ran io> KEREmOLK)” SN Assuming a discharge coefficient of K,= 0.975. the ‘minimum required area is determined from Eq, 7: ‘_ sOkgs rani HEEEMY (5679) 81210" Ni) oN Cay 1.53107 m? 2056 (0.9760 ‘Copwictt ©2013 American nti of Chemical Enginoor (AICHE) 100 kgikg-mol CEP Ocoee 2019 wimskrmorcen 7SBack to Basics and from the area, the equivalent orifice diameter of the relief device is determined by: Ga _ stow fg = A) 140 m=1400m This scenario requires a relatively lage orifice size of 14 0.6m hecance the relief valve must handle a lange wo ‘mettic discharge rate. Wrapping it up Relief devices are safety systems that you hope are never activated. However, i they do activate, they must be designed and sized properly to ensure that they work every time, ‘Nomenclature ~ equivalent orifice area (area) simplification temn defined by Eq. 6 specific gravity ofthe liquid at the flowing tex- ‘peratueseferenced fo water at 70°F (unitless) sravitational constant (engthvanassforee-time") adjustment factor for backpressure in vapon/gas sernice (utes) discharge coefficient (uitless) adjustment factor for viscosity in liquid service (onitiess) adjustment factor for backpressure in liquid service (amitlss) = molecular weight (massmol) ‘upstream selieving pressure (gage pressure) in ‘Eq, 4 and (absolute pressure )in Eq. 7 ‘= total backpressure (gage pressure) percent gage backpressure (iitlss) ‘muaximum overpressure for Vapor service (gage pressure) maximum allowable working pressure, MAWP. (Gane pressure) set pressure (gage pressure) pressure drop across the orifice (forcelarea) -volumetne discharge rate (Volume/tame) ideal gas constant (pressure-volume'mol-deg) absolute temperature (dee.) average discharge velocity ofthe ftuid through the relief orifice (distancetime) mass flow rate (mass/time) compressibility fctor for nonideal gases (onitless) heat capacity ratio ofthe gas or vapor (usitess) density ofthe fui (mass/volume) -=reference density (mass/volume) 7S wouaeroorgcen Ccwcer2013 CHP DDANIELA. CROW sth Harber H. Dw Profesor for Chemical Process salty at ichigarfeehelogial un. ougeton, Ml Phone: (926) ‘7322, Ena contGm ed). He as been moved with process Safety ction ad research ince 98, Kes thao or edo ‘ot seyaral books on proces safety has produced many modes and Student certs programs rhe Safety and Chemis ngmetng Edocton (GAC) program, ani past ecto of ACRE gant {outa roe ae Pogess. He waked fo Wo yen a 3 process onal enginee fort. Regls Paper Co, and en spent 6 years {cacting a Wayne sate Uni Dero ee ong Mage Th Ingots researh sin flamed and esc and he consaits ‘thdusy inthe seas. ea obo of the AICHE SACRE Com Inte, te 12 Comme on Loss Prevention the Chem Car Rules ‘Commie, and e ASTM Ex Commiiceon he Haar Patna of ‘Chemicals. He's. Felon oF AUC, the Cnet or Chemicl Poss Safty (CPS), the cs Di of Corcal Meath and Safety, rite Nationa pelea Society Hehas recived numerous award Incingmosecnty the Mer Award Hom the Mat Kay O'Conhor Proce Saety Centr Texas ABM Uni Hereceved 285 in Wel ‘ence rom the Ponsyania sate Un dan MS nd PRD chr tgioung rom the Unio is. ‘SCOTTA. TUR she Ovrpessute Protection Exports i Laer fo The Dow comical Co. aidan MI Pon: 89) 636.6634 mal “XtplerQdom con) eas bce employed by Bow Cherlin ‘any of manufacturing and engineering eles ice 985. He has ove So youts of ovrprssue protection dsl expatica ad assumed is ‘utent olen 2007. He eee Sn chemclengeerig am the chigan Technological Unk LITERATURE CITED 1, Kelly, B.D, “Wha Presse Retief Realy Mess” Chem ng Progres, 106(9), pp 75-30 (Sep. 2010). 2 Crow,D.A, and 3-F Lowvar, “Reif Sizing,” Copter 10 ‘3. American Petroleum Institute, “Recommended Practice fo the Sing, Selection, snd Lsalltion of ‘System in Refineries,” APLRP 50, Pat She. APL, ‘Washington, DC C008), 4. Fisher HG. eal, “Emerpency Rei Syste Design Using _DIERS Teeholgy American institute of Chemical Engineers, [New York NY (1992), |S. Anderson Greemrood and Crosby, Technical Service Manta ‘wor andesongreenoad comlteratre asp (Aug. 2013) (6 American Society of Mechanical Engineers, “Boiler and ‘Pressure Vessl Cade” Section VI, “Rls for Construction of ‘Pressure Vesa, "ASME, New York NY W013). Apprtionat Resources American Institute of Chemical Enginers “Guidelines for Pres- sure Reif and Event Handing Systems,” Center for Cem- ‘al Proms Safty (CCPS), Now York, NY (1998). “Hetlemnans, M, “The Safty Relief Valve Handbooks” Eleevir, (Oxford, UK (2000), ‘Male, M, “Pressure Bali Devices,” Mc-Graw Hl. New Yo, NY eID). Copyigtt © 2013 Amencan Instat of Chemieal Enginsers (ACNE)