Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

API 520, ASME PV Code Sec VIII Div 1

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Pressure Relieving Devices for Pressure Vessel & Piping System

Types

Relief Valve ( Automatic Pressure Relieving, Actuated by static pressure upstream, primarily used for liquid service): Spring Loaded disk Safety Valves (characterized by rapid full opening or pop action, gas & vapor service) Safety- Relief Valve ( suitable for either liquid or gas service): Spring Loaded Disk; Discharges through short tail vent pipe to atmosphere or to a low pressure manifold discharging to remote but safe location. Performance may be affected by back pressure. Balanced Safety Relief Valve: Piston Type, Bellow type; These valves make higher pressure in the relief discharge manifold. Pilot Operated Safety valve: The spring provides 75% of the disk loading and balance load is provided by the pilot valve. Pilot valve relieves the gas pressure as set pressure is reached and then the safety valve opens wide. Rupture Disk (thin metal diaphragm held between flanges) Vacuum Breaker Valve

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Pressure Relieving Device Ratings

Pressure relief devices shall prevent the pressure rise of the vessel more than 10% or 3 psi whichever is greater. Pressure relief valve set pressure is the inlet pressure at which it is adjusted to open under service conditions. In gas service it is the popping action which starts at set pressure and for liquid it is the start of discharge. Set pressure tolerance shall be within +/ - 2 psi for pressure upto 70 psi and + / - 3 psi for pressure above 70 psi. Pressure relieving devices such as Relief valves, Safety valves etc are presumed and sized accordingly to experience a maximum relief pressure up to 110 % of the valve set pressure which is also the maximum allowable working pressure of the pressure vessel or piping associated. Where fire exposures are expected the maximum relief pressure can be 120 % of the set pressure.

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Sizing of pressure relieving device

Safety and Safety-relief valves for Gas service:
0.5 0.5

A= W(TZ) / CKP1K(M) where A is effective discharge area of valve in sq. in.; W is required flow through valve, lbs/hr; C is coefficient determined by specific heat ratios of gas; K is effective coefficient of discharge, 0.975; P1 is upstream relieving pressure in psi; K is capacity correction factor due to back pressure, 0.7-0.9; Safety Relief valve for Liquid Service:
0.5 0.5

A= (gpm) G / 38 K.Kp.Kw.Kv (1.25 p pb) where A is effective discharge area, sq.in.; gpm is flow rate; K is coefficient of discharge, 0.62; Kp is capacity correction factor due to overpressure, usually 1; Kw is correction factor due to back pressure, usually 1; p is set pressure, psi; pb is back pressure in psi; G is specific gravity of liquid

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Installation Guidelines & Precautions

Valve inlet piping is required to be designed suitably so that overstress and excessive pressure drop at inlet to valve is avoided or reduced. Avoid inlet piping vibrations otherwise valve will leak or fail due to fatigue Excessive pressure loss at inlet of relief valves may cause chattering (rapid opening & closing) In case of gas service, total pressure loss in the inlet pipe from equipment to the valve shall not be more than 3% of the set pressure. Nominal size of the piping shall generally be equal or more than the valve inlet flange bore size. Inlet pipe shall generally be the active flow line. Discharge piping shall also be such that it does not create high stresses on valve either due to its sustained or expansion/ displacement stresses. Discharge pipe shall be independently supported and not supported on the discharge side of the valve itself. Discharge reaction forces are to be determined and valve & piping system shall be analyzed for safety.
0.5

Horizontal Reactive force, F= (W/ 366) ( kT /(k-1)M ) where k is Cp/ Cv.

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Installation Guidelines & Precautions (Contd.)

Pressure relief valves require regular maintenance so they shall be mounted as such to get proper approach. This shall be as close to the pressure source as possible and mounting on vessel nozzle is most preferred. In case of area where pressure fluctuations are foreseen, the relief valve shall be mounted away from such source and in stabilized pressure condition area at a distance sufficiently farther downstream. They shall not be close to orifice plates or flow nozzles, elbows or other valves. Valves shall be handled carefully. Storage at stores shall be with care and valve shall be kept clean. Pre-installation inspection shall be done. Relief valve shall be visually examined. All temporary protective coatings are removed before installation. The piping system shall be cleaned , purged before installation of valves.

Pressure Relieving Devices: Types, Selection & Installation

Inspection Guidelines

Pressure relief valve for compressible fluid ( gas) shall be subjected to capacity certification. The test is done using saturated steam, air or gas. Pressure relief valve for incompressible fluid (liquid) shall be subjected to capacity certification. The test is done using water. The valves shall be checked that they have proper guiding arrangements The spring shall be inspected that the full lift spring compression is not greater than 80 % of the solid deflection. The permanent set in springs are not more than 0.5% Cast Iron seat and disks are not permitted Guide, disk and disk holder shall be of corrosion resistant materials. Operational and capacity tests are conducted. Primary pressure part of the valve is pressure tested at 1.5 times the design pressure. Seat tightness test are conducted Testing time shall be sufficient.