SIZING, SELECTION, AND INSTALLATION OF PRESSURE-RELIEVING DEVICES IN REFINERIES, PART ISIZING AND SELECTION

43

Table 7Properties of Gases

Gas

Specific Heat
Ratio
Critical Flow
Condensation Flammability
(k = Cp/Cv) Pressure Ratio
Specific
Critical Constants Temperature
Limits
at 60F and
at 60F and Gravity at 60F
One
(volume
One
One
and One
Pressure Temperature Atmosphere percent in air
Molecular
(psia)
(F)
mixture) References
Weight Atmosphere Atmosphere Atmosphere
(F)

Methane

16.04

1.31

0.54

0.554

673

116

259

5.015.0

Ethane

30.07

1.19

0.57

1.058

718

90

128

2.913.8

0.969

742

50

155

2.734.8

Ethylene

28.03

1.24

0.57a

Propane

44.09

1.13

0.58

1.522

617

206

44

2.19.5

Propylene

47.08

1.15

0.58a

1.453

667

197

54

2.810.8

2, 3

2.007

529

273

11

1.88.4

Isobutane

58.12

1.18

0.59a

n-Butane

58.12

1.19

0.59

2.007

551

304

31

1.98.4

1-Butene

56.10

1.11

0.59a

1.937

543

276

21

1.49.3

2, 3

2.491

483

369

82

1.48.3

Isopentane

72.15

1.08

0.59a

n-Pentane

72.15

1.08

0.59a

2.491

490

386

97

1.47.8

2.421

586

377

86

1.48.7

1-Pentene

70.13

1.08

0.59a

n-Hexane

86.18

1.06

0.59a

2.973

437

454

156

1.27.7

Benzene

78.11

1.12

0.58

2.697

714

552

176

1.37.9

2, 3

100.20

1.05

0.60a

3.459

397

513

209

1.07.0

Toluene

92.13

1.09

0.59

3.181

590

604

231

1.27.1

2, 3

n-Octane

114.22

1.05

0.60a

3.944

362

564

258

0.96

4.428

552

610

303

0.872.9

n-Heptane

n-Nonane

128.23

1.04

0.60a

n-Decane

142.28

1.03

0.60a

4.912

304

632

345

0.782.6

Air

29.96

1.40

0.53

1.000

547

221

313

2, 3

Ammonia

17.03

1.30

0.53

0.588

1636

270

28

Carbon Dioxide

44.01

1.29

0.55

1.519

1071

88

109

2, 3

2.02

1.41

0.52

0.0696

188

400

423

4.074.2

2, 3

Hydrogen sulfide

34.08

1.32

0.53

1.176

1306

213

77

4.345.5

2, 3

Sulfur dioxide

64.04

1.27

0.55

2.212

1143

316

14

2, 3

Steam

18.01

1.33

0.54

0.622

3206

706

212

2, 3

Hydrogen

15.527.0

aEstimated.

References:
1. Physical Constants of Hydrocarbons C1 to C10, ASTM Special Technical Publication No. 109A, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1963.
2. International-Critical Tables, McGraw-Hill Book Co., Inc., New York, New York.
3. Engineering Data Book, Gas Processors Suppliers Association, Tulsa, Oklahoma,1977.

COPYRIGHT American Petroleum Institute

Licensed by Information Handling Services

2, 3

50

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 520

Table 8Values of Coefficient C

k

1.00
1.01
1.02
1.03
1.04
1.05
1.06
1.07
1.08
1.09
1.10
1.11
1.12
1.13
1.14
1.15
1.16
1.17
1.18
1.19
1.20
1.21
1.22
1.23
1.24
1.25
1.26
1.27
1.28
1.29
1.30

315a
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347

1.30
1.31
1.32
1.33
1.34
1.35
1.36
1.37
1.38
1.39
1.40
1.41
1.42
1.43
1.44
1.45
1.46
1.47
1.48
1.49
1.50
1.51
1.52
1.53
1.54
1.55
1.56
1.57
1.58
1.59
1.60

347
348
349
350
351
352
353
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
360
361
362
363
364
365
365
366
367
368
369
369
370
371
372
373

1.60
1.61
1.62
1.63
1.64
1.65
1.66
1.67
1.68
1.69
1.70
1.71
1.72
1.73
1.74
1.75
1.76
1.77
1.78
1.79
1.80
1.81
1.82
1.83
1.84
1.85
1.86
1.87
1.88
1.89
1.90

372
373
374
375
376
376
377
378
379
379
380
381
382
382
383
384
384
385
386
386
387
388
389
389
390
391
391
392
393
393
394

1.90
1.91
1.92
1.93
1.94
1.95
1.96
1.97
1.98
1.99
2.00

394
395
395
396
397
397
398
398
399
400
400

aThe limit of C, as k approaches 1.00, is 315.

3.7 SIZING FOR STEAM RELIEF

where

3.7.1 General

A = required effective discharge area, in.2 [mm2](see

1.2.2).

Pressure relief devices in steam service that operate at critical flow conditions may be sized using Equation 3.8.

W = required flow rate, lb/hr (kg/hr).

US Customary Units

P1 = upstream relieving pressure, psia (kPaa). This is the

set pressure plus the allowable overpressure (see
3.4) plus the atmospheric pressure.

W
A = ----------------------------------------------------------51.5 P 1 K d K b K c K N K SH

(3.8)

Kd = effective coefficient of discharge. For preliminary

sizing, use the following values:
= 0.975 when a pressure relief valve is installed with
or without a rupture disk in combination,

SI Units
190.4 W
A = -----------------------------------------P 1 K d K b K c K N K SH

COPYRIGHT American Petroleum Institute

Licensed by Information Handling Services

(3.8)

= 0.62 when a pressure relief valve is not installed

and sizing is for a rupture disk in accordance with
3.11.1.2.