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Pressure Safety Valves

Selection, Sizing & Design

Objectives

Applicable Codes
Introduction to PSVs
Installation of PSVs
Set Point selection
Sizing for Gas Relief
Types of Gas Releases
Determining Loads, Governing Cases
API Fire Circle
Fire Case

Role of PSVs

Suitable and controlled Release of


overpressure so that pressurized equipment
do not fail
Release must be adequate
Release must be safe
For vessels designed at pressures above 250
psig (but can be used at any lower pressure
vessels as well)

Some Applicable Codes

ASME Sec VIII Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code


API-520 pt. 1 Sizing & Selection of Pressure
Relieving Devices
API-521 Pressure Relieving & Depressuring
Systems
API 526

Types of Discharges

Based on Exhaust

To Atmosphere directly
To Atmosphere via:

Based on phase

Vent Stack
Flare Stack (for combustible or hazardous effluents)

Single phase Gas/Liquid


Multiphase Mixed/Critical

PSVs are the first line of active protection at Set


Pressure
Depressuring is done through Blow Down Valves
(simulation is part of process design lab)

PSV Types Based on Back-pressure

Conventional up to 10% back-pressure


Bellows - up to 30% back-pressure
Pilot up to 50% back-pressure
Some pilot types can go as high as 90-95%
back-pressure and require vendor guarantees

Installation of PSVs

Location
Pocket Elimination
Isolation Needs
Maintenance Needs
Tail Pipe over-pressuring limit @3% of MAWP
Safe discharge to Atmosphere
Rupture Disk

Set Point Selection

Set point can be any pressure < MAWP


For 2-PSVs one PSV operates at 100%MAWP,
other at 105% MAWP
For 3 PSVs, Set Pressure is at 95%, 100%,
105% MAWP
With vessel life set-points are lowered to derated pressure levels

Maximum Allowable Accumulated Pressure

Normally 10% (i.e. relief is at 110% of set


pressure)
For multiple valves other than fire case 16%
For fire case 21%

Sizing Formula

W
TZ
A is area of orifice required
A
CK d P1 K B K C M
W is required flow (lb/hr)
C is a coefficient
Kd is effective coefficient of discharge (0.62-0.975)
P1 is upstream relieving pressure (psia)
KB Back-pressure capacity correction factor (Kb=1)
KC is combination correction factor
T is the relieving temperature of Vapor (R)
k 1
Z is compressibility factor
2 k 1

M is molecular weight of the gas C 520 k


k 1
k is specific heat ratio
API 520 pt.1 2000 ed. Page 42 Sec. 3.6.2.1

API-526 Orifice Designation

Effective
Designati Orifice Area
on
(in)
D
0.11
E
0.196
F
0.307
G
0.503
H
0.785
J
1.287
K
1.838
L
2.853
M
3.6
N
4.34
P
6.38
Q
11.05
R
16
T
26

Custom sizes can also be


used

Example
Select the PSV size for a flow of 50,000 lb/hr of gas
having following properties set at 1000psia and 10%
overpressure allowed (conventional type psv).
M=20, k=1.3, T = 140F (600R), Z=0.85, Kd=0.975
Solution:
C = 347
P1 =1000 x 1.1=1100 psia
50000
600 0.85
A
0.678
347 1 1100 1 0.975
20
A= 0.678 in
Selected designation H (0.785in)
Rated flow = 0.785 / 0.678 x 50000 = 58,713 lb/hr
Flange Rating I/O: 600#RTJ x 150#RF
Size from API-526 (page-8): 2H3 or (2 x H x 3)

Types of Gas Releases

Low Momentum (Sub-sonic)


Jet Release (Sonic at Mach number Ma=1.0)

Determinant Critical Flow Pressure:

PCF
2

P1
k 1

k
k 1

For k= 1.3 Pcf/P1 = 0.739


Which means if pressure goes below 73.9% of
relieving pressure, the flow will become sonic/critical.
If downstream pressure is greater than Pcf, flow will
be sub-critical/sib-sonic
Majority PSVs will be sonic release!!!

Selected Relief Cases (API 521 Sec. 5)

Closed Outlet on vessels (Blocked Discharge)


Cooling water failure on condenser
Side-stream reflux failure
Lean-oil failure to absorber
Accumulation of Non-condensables
High Volatile liquid entry
Water in Oil
Light HC in hot oil
Overfill
Failure of Controls
Abnormal heat input
API RP 521 2007 Sec.5 , Page 23
Internal explosion

Common Relief Cases/ Governing Load

Blocked Discharge
Vapour Blow-by

A gas blow-by case can occur when liquid is fed from a


high pressure system to a low pressure system. On loss of
liquid level control, high pressure gas/vapor can blow
through the liquid line to the low pressure system.

Fire
Thermal Relief

Governing Load:
From potential relief cases, the case with the largest
flow is taken as governing. PSVs can be single or
multiple to stagger relief load.

API Fire Impact Area or Fire Circle

Pool fires are conservatively limited to areas


of 2500ft to 5000ft (API 521 sec 7.1.2)
Detailed fire simulations can be done for pool
fires (BP Cirrus, Shell FRED)
Circles of 28 to 40ft are used (2500 to 5000ft)
All vessels in these circles are considered as a
single scenario

Pressure Relief Valve- Liquid Case


PSV SIZING EXCEL SHEET

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