RELIEF SYSTEMS IN PROCESS PLANTS

ARE THEY NEEDED?

RELIEF SYSTEM

SAFETY INTERLOCK
SYSTEM
Could
these all
fail due ALARM SYSTEM
to a
common
fault? BASIC PROCESS
CONTROL SYSTEM

Hint: Yes!!
RELIEF SYSTEMS IN PROCESS PLANTS
What’s in this
topic?

RELIEF SYSTEM

SAFETY INTERLOCK • Location

SYSTEM
• Equipment selection
ALARM SYSTEM • Documenting on
drawings
BASIC PROCESS
CONTROL SYSTEM • Maximum capacity
 RELIEF SYSTEMS IN PROCESS PLANTS

$ Increase in pressure can lead to rupture of vessel or pipe

and release of toxic or flammable material

- Also, we must protect against unexpected vacuum!

$ Naturally, best to prevent the pressure increase

- large disturbances, equipment failure, human error,

power failure, ...

$ Relief systems provide an exit path for fluid

$ Benefits: safety, environmental protection, equipment

protection, reduced insurance, compliance with
governmental code
 LOCATION OF RELIEF SYSTEMS

$ Identify potential for damage due to high (or low)

pressure (HAZOP Study)

$ In general, closed volume with ANY potential for

pressure increase

- may have exit path that should not be closed but

could be
- hand valve, control valve (even fail open), blockage
of line

$ Remember, this is the last resort, when all other

safety systems have not been adequate and a fast
response is required!
 STANDARD RELIEF METHODS

$ BASIC PRINCIPLE: No external power required -

self actuating - pressure of process provides needed force!

$ VALVES - close when pressure returns to acceptable value

- Relief Valve - liquid systems
- Safety Valve - gas and vapor systems including steam
- Safety Relief Valve - liquid and/or vapor systems

$ Pressure of protected
system can exceed
the set pressure.

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
 STANDARD RELIEF METHODS

$ BASIC PRINCIPLE: No external power required -

self acting

$ RUPTURE DISKS OR BURST DIAPHRAGMS -

must be replaced after opening
.

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of

Chemical Engineers and copied with the
permission of AIChE
 SOME INFORMATION ON RELIEF VALVES
$ Two types of designs determine influence of pressure
immediately after the valve
- Conventional Valve -pressure after the valve affects the
valve lift and opening
- Balanced Valve - pressure after the valve does not affect
the valve lift and opening
Conventional Balanced

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
 SOME INFORMATION ON RELIEF VALVES

$ ADVANTAGES

- simple, low cost and many commercial designs available

- regain normal process operation rapidly because the
valve closes when pressure decreases below set value

$ DISADVANTAGES

- can leak after once being open (O-ring reduces)

- not for very high pressures (20,000 psi)
- if oversized, can Achatter@, leading to damage and
failure (do not be too conservative; the very large valve is
not the safest!)
 SOME INFORMATION ON RUPTURE DISKS/
BURST DIAPHRAGMS
$ A wide range of materials and
designs are available

$ ADVANTAGES
- no leakage until the burst
- rapid release of potentially large volumes Copyrights by CCPS/American
Institute of Chemical Engineers and
- high pressure applications copied with the permission of AIChE

- corrosion leads to failure, which is safe

- materials can be slurries, viscous, and sticky

$ DISADVANTAGES
- must shutdown the process to replace
- greater loss of material through relief
- poorer accuracy of relief pressure the valve
SHOWING RELIEF SYSTEMS ON PROCESS &
INSTRUMENTATION (P&I) DRAWINGS

• Spring-loaded safety relief valve

To effluent handling

Process

• Rupture disc

Process To effluent handling

ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING

F1
 ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING
The drum can be isolated
with the control valves;
pressure relief is required.
We would like to recover
without shutdown; we
select a relief valve.

F1
ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING

Positive
displacement
pump
ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING

The positive displacement

Positive pump will be damaged if
displacement the flow is stopped; we
pump need to provide relief.
We would like to recover
without shutdown; we
select a relief valve.
ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING

Why are all

those valves
in the process?
ADD RELIEF SYSTEM TO THE FOLLOWING
PROCESS DRAWING

The extra “hand”`valves

enable us to isolate and
remove the heat exchanger
without stopping the
process.
The shell side of the heat
exchanger can be isolated;
we need to provide relief.
We would like to recover
without shutdown; we
select a relief valve.
 IN SOME CASES, RELIEF VALVE AND
DIAPHRAGM ARE USED IN SERIES - WHY?
• What is the advantage
of two in series?
• Why not have two
relief valves
(diaphragms) in
series?

Why is the pressure

indicator provided?
Is it local or remotely
displayed? Why?

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
 IN SOME CASES, RELIEF VALVE AND
DIAPHRAGM ARE USED IN SERIES - WHY?

Why is the pressure

indicator provided?
If the pressure increases,
the disk has a leak and
should be replaced.
Is it local or remotely
displayed? Why?
The display is local to
• What is the advantage reduce cost, because we
do not have to respond
of two in series?
immediately to a failed
The disc protects the disk - the situation is not
valve from corrosive hazardous.
or sticky material.
The valve closes when
the pressure returns
below the set value.
Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
 WE SHOULD ALSO PROTECT AGAINST
EXCESSIVE VACUUM

• The following example uses buckling pins

overpressure

underpressure

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
SOME VAPOR AND DUST EXPLOSIONS REQUIRE
VENTS

$ Control and direct the explosion affects

Structure vent closed

Structure
explosion
WE MUST SAFELY PROCESS OR DISPLOSE
OF MATERIAL FROM RELIEF SYSTEM!
To environment Vent steam, air

Holding for later processing Waste water treating

From
relief

Recycle to process Fuel gas, fuel oil, solvent

Recover part to process

Immediate neutralization Flare, toxic materials

WE MUST SAFELY PROCESS OR DISPLOSE
OF MATERIAL FROM RELIEF SYSTEM!
A process example with several forms of effluent handling

Copyrights by CCPS/American Institute of Chemical Engineers and copied with the permission of AIChE
 SIZING RELIEF SYSTEMS

$ DETERMINE THE RELIEF FLOW (maximum

possible)

$ DETERMINE THE SET PRESSURE

- based on process needs and equipment materials and

construction

$ SELECT THE RELIEF TYPE

- based on advantages/disadvantages of both

$ CALCULATE THE NEEDED AREA FOR FLOW

$ SELECT THE COMMERCIAL DEVICE FROM

VENDOR=S SPECIFICATIONS
 DETERMINING FLOWS FOR SIMPLE SITUATIONS

“Source” Relief Flow

Liquid or vapor Fin Fout = ?

filled system

Fout = ?
Two-phase Q
system with
heat input

Liquid system Tsource T Fout = ?

with no phase
change and
with heat
transfer
 DETERMINING FLOWS FOR SIMPLE SITUATIONS

“Source” Relief Flow

Liquid or vapor Fin Fout = F

? in
filled system

Fout = Q(V
? g-Vl)/Hvap
Two-phase Q
system with
heat input

Filled Liquid system Tsource T Fout = Q/C

?
with no phase p
change and
with heat
transfer What is the mechanism for heat transfer? Radiation or
convection?
 DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM FLOW FOR THE
OVERHEAD VAPOR
PC

Relief Under what

conditions is the
vapor at its
LC
maximum?
F R

Z
D
A
q XD

LC

A
XB
 DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM FLOW FOR THE
OVERHEAD VAPOR

PC

Relief
The maximum vapor
occurs when
LC
F R 1. Maximum feed vapor.

Z 2. Maximum reboiler duty.

D
q A 3. Complete loss of
XD
condensation (loss of
V
cooling water).

LC

A
XB
DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM FLOW FOR THE
RELIEF SYSTEM
DETERMINE THE MAXIMUM FLOW FOR THE
RELIEF SYSTEM
In addition to the
shell-side fluid, we
must consider the
possibility of a leak
from the tube side.
This might be a large
flow or require special
processing because of
hazards.
Key question, which
side is at higher
pressure?
 DETERMINING THE AREA FOR VALVES IN LIQUID
SERVICE

$ Basic equation for flow 2 gc  P

F = C0 A
through an orifice 

$ Rearrange to solve for F 

area and add correction A =
C0 K v K p K b 2 g c ( P s - Pb )
factors

Ps = set pressure ; Pb = back pressure

Kv = viscosity correction (  1.0 as Re  large, 30,000)
Kp =overpressure correction, depends on the overpressure from relief device
(lower overpressure gives a smaller Kp and larger area)
Kb =back pressure correction,  1.0 for balanced valve
= 1.0 for conventional valve
 DETERMINING THE AREA FOR DIAPHRAGMS IN
VAPOR SERVICE
$ Basic equation for flow through an orifice venting to
atmosphere
2 gc  P
F = C0 A To flare

K.O.
drum
$ Rearrange to solve for Burst
area without correction diaphragm

factors Liquid
recovery

• What special factor

is important in the
diaphragm relieving to
a recovery system?
 DETERMINING THE AREAS FOR VALVES AND
DIAPHRAGMS IN VAPOR OR GAS SERVICE

$ Often, the flow is sonic or Achoked@ - in this situation,

the flow depends on the upstream pressure but not the
downstream pressure. This occurs when Ps > 0.5Pb ; this is
rough estimate, see references.

$ The defining equation is

*
F choked = K A P
With K* depending on T, heat capacity ratio, mol. weight, back
pressure, and compressibility

Question: How do we know if the flow is choked?

Does this mean that an increase in back pressure has no effect on flow?
 DETERMINING THE AREAS FOR VALVES AND
DIAPHRAGMS
FOR EXOTHERMIC REACTORS

CAUTION!

$ Two-phase venting has proved difficult to model reliably

- DIERS, (Design Inst. for Emergency Relief Systems) formed by

companies and AIChE- goals are to determine sizing methods, verify
experimentally, and prepare program

$ Experience has shown that

- Two-phase flow occurs often- Two-phase flow during runaway

reactions requires a much larger area than predicted by one-phase
methods
 DETERMINING THE AREAS FOR VALVES AND
DIAPHRAGMS
FOR EXOTHERMIC REACTORS

CAUTION!

$ A standard experimental apparatus is used to collect adiabatic data on

runaway reactions

- small scale so little hazard - gives results for sizing relief devices (T
and P vs time; flow regime - foamy or non-foamy; and viscosity -
laminar or turbulent regime)
 SAFETY RELIEF SYSTEMS,
WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

• These are self-actuated, no external power is required

• Two major devices are relief valve and rupture disk
• Relief is required for all closed volumes
• We must divert material to a adequate handling
system

We are now ready to gain experience in designing and

evaluating safety relief systems.
 REFERENCES
Andrew, W. and H. Williams, Applied Instrumentation in the Process Industries, Volume I: A Survey,
Gulf Publishing, Houston, 1979

Andrew, W. and H. Williams, Applied Instrumentation in the Process Industries, Volume II: Practical
Guidelines, Gulf Publishing, Houston, 1980

Crowl, D. And J. Louvar, , Chemical Process Safety: Fundamentals with Applications, Prentice Hall,
Englewood Cliffs, 1990

Driskell, L., Control Valve Selection and Sizing, Instrument Society of America, 1983

Fauske, H. And J. Leung, New Experimental Technique for Characterizing Runaway Chemical
Reactions, CEP, p. 39-46, August 1985

Fisher, H., DIERS Research Program on Emergency Relief Systems, CEP, p. 33-36, August 1985

Issaca, M., Pressure-Relief Systems, Chem Engr., p.113-124, February 22, 1971

Jenett, E., Design Considerations for Pressure-Relieving Systems, Chem. Engr., Part I, p. 125-130, July
1963; Part II, p. 151-158, August 19, 1963

Kern, R., Pressure-Relief Valves for Process Plants, Chem.. Engr., p. 187-194, February 28, 1977

King, R., Safety in The Process Industries, Butterworth Hieneman, Oxford, 1990
 RELIEF SYSTEM LEARNING TASKS

1. Review the CCPS WWW material

(on course site in restricted area)
Lesson 1. Relief Required
Lesson 2. Runaway Reactions
Lesson 3. Safeguards (explosions)
2. Review this lesson and solutions.
3. Read Perry’s Handbook, seventh Edition,
p. 26-26 to 26-38, 26-73 to 26-74
 RELIEF SYSTEM WORKSHOP

1. Review the distillation process on the next page.

2. Locate several relief systems.
3. Evaluate each system for proper location and
choice of relief device
4. Find a location that should have a relief system but
does not.

Remember, the figure could have errors for

teaching/learning purposes.