Sizing Calculations

The sizing that can be done for a blowdown valve usually involves calculating either: The total time required to blowdown a fixed volume of gas from one pressure to another Calculating the valve flow coefficient (Cg) in order to blowdown a given volume in a fixed period Both of the calculations use the same formula it is just rearranged to solve for the required variable. The formulae are as follows:

Calculations
A. Critical Flow (Pf > Pc) _____ Cg = (93V/t) (G-TZ ) Ln (Pi/Pf)

V = actual enclosed volume of piping or vessel (ft ) t = time to blowdown (min) G = specific gravity T = temperature degrees R ( F + 460) Z = compressibility factor Pi = initial pressure (psia) Pf = final pressure of enclosed volume Pc = pressure below which letdown to flare system is not sonic B. Subcritical Flow (Pf < Pc) If Pf < Pc, the following equation for subcritical flow must be used in addition to the one above: __ _ __ Cg = (3.133VC1 t) (G-TZ ) Ln [(Pc + Pc - Pa) (Pf + Pf - Pa)] V = actual volume (ft ) t = time to blowdown (min) G = specific gravity T = temperature degrees R ( F + 460) Pi = initial pressure (psia) Pf = final pressure (psia) of enclosed volume Pc = critical pressure (psia) Pa = atmospheric pressure C1 = valve Cg/Cv Critical pressure can be calculated by: Pc = Pa / (1-(C1 / 59.64)2
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Pa = atmospheric pressure C1 = valve Cg/Cv