OVERPRESSURE PROTECTION

PHILOSOPHY
Short Course
November 30, 2013
Untirta, Serang - Banten

M. Surya Abadi Ginting

Course Content
1. Introduction
2. Definitions
3. Causes of overpressure
4. Types and applications of pressure safety valves
5. Limitation of relieving pressure
6. How does it work
7. Avoid Chattering
8. Sizing of pressure safety valve for gas or vapor service
9. Sizing of pressure safety valve for liquid service
10.Sizing for vaporizing liquid

Introduction
All pressure vessel shall be adequately protected against
overpressure. It can be done by installing Pressure Relieving
Devices on it such as pressure safety valve or rupture disc.
The function of relief devices is to:
1. Prevent overpressure
2. Remove excess fluid safely
3. Protect equipment, piping and people
4. Prevent loss of material
Relief devices are mandated by industry codes and standards,
national, state, client and corporate requirements.

Definitions
1. Pressure Relief Valve (PRV) : a pressure relief device (PRD)
designed to open and relieve excess pressure and to
reclose and prevent the further flow of fluid after normal
conditions have been restored (API 520, 2000).
2. A Safety Valve is a spring loaded pressure relief valve
actuated by the static pressure upstream of the valve and
characterized by rapid opening or pop action (API 520,
2000).
3. Set Pressure is the inlet gauge pressure at which the PRD is
set to open under service conditions (API 520, 2000).
4. Blowdown is the difference between the set pressure and
the closing pressure of a PRV (API 520, 2000).

Definitions
5. Back Pressure : the pressure that exists at the outlet of a
Pressure Relief Device (PRD) as a result of the pressure in
the discharge system
6. It could be either constant or variable. It is the sum of
superimposed and built-up back pressures
7. Superimposed back pressure is the static pressure that
exists at the outlet of a PRD at the time the device is
required to operate
8. Built up back pressure is the increase in pressure in the
discharge header that develops as a result of flow after
the PRD or devices open

Definitions
9. Maximum Allowable Working Pressure : the maximum
gauge pressure permissible at the top of a completed
vessel in its normal operating position at the designated
coincident temperature specified for that pressure
10. Accumulation is the pressure increase over the MAWP of
the vessel allowed during discharge through the pressure
relief device, expressed in pressure units or as a
percentage of MAWP or design pressure
11. Overpressure is the pressure increase over the set pressure
of the relieving device allowed to achieve rated flow. It is
the same as accumulation when the relieving device is set
to open at MAWP of the vessel

Causes of Overpressure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

External fire
Blocked outlet
Automatic control failure
Tube rupture
Thermal expansion of blocked in fluid
Reflux failure
Utility failure such as cooling water, instrument air, etc
Abnormal heat or vapor input
Process changes/chemical reactions

External Fire
1. 21% overpressure of equipment that exposed to fire
(ASME Sec VIII)
2. Pressure relief protection of piping from fire exposure is
not required (KBR)
3. Equal to or less than 25 ft above the source of the flame
needs to be considered (API 2000)
4. If many equipment are protected by a single PSV for fire
case, interconnecting piping that expose to fire should be
included in the wetted surface area
5. Air fin coolers that elevated above 25 ft do not require
relief protection

External Fire, Pool Fire

Blocked outlet

Other Scenario

Blocked Outlet
It occurs due to a number of reasons such as:
1. Instrument failure
2. Mechanical failure
3. Inadvertent valve closing by operator

4. Utility failure
The required load capacity due to blocked outlet can be
determined based on mass balance in the system. The system is
shown as below. What is the required load capacity?

Blocked Outlet

V-5

Automatic Control Failure, Gas Blowby

The automatic controller can fail because of :
1. Instrument air failure
2. Mechanical malfunction of control valve
3. Improper manual operation by operator
4. Plugging
5. Fail open or fail close must be evaluated

Credit can be taken for interlocks on ESD system only for the
flare header load and not for individual relief valve sizing.
Please refer to the following scheme, based on mass balance,
what is the load capacity once the CV is stuck open?

Gas Blowby

Stuck opening

Tube Rupture
1. Relief protection due to tube rupture is not required if the
design pressure of low pressure side is equal to or higher
than 2/3 of the design pressure of high pressure side. The
2/3 is generated from the test pressure design criteria. The
test pressure can be either1.3 or 1.5 of design pressure
depending on the process fluid (ASTM B.31.3)
2. Vapor flow, total relief load is W1 + W2 or 2W2
whichever is greater (see the Example)
3. Liquid flow, total relief load is W = 2x1343xd2(P)1/2
4. Tube rupture may occur at the tube or at the back side of
tubesheet

Thermal Expansion
1. Thermal expansion of liquid filled equipment and piping is
required if they can be blocked in and subsequently
heated by :
a) Solar radiation
b) Hot side of heat exchanger
c) Heat Tracing
2. Applicable for long section of piping and cold side of shell
and tube exchangers
3. 10% overpressure is allowed for vessels and 33% for
piping
4. 3/4 x 1 RVs is usually applied for thermal protection on
piping and calculation is not required

Types of Pressure Safety Valve

1. Conventional Back Pressure < 10% Set Pressure
its outlet is usually vented to atmosphere due to non-toxic,
its operational characteristics are back pressure dependent
2. Balanced
Back Pressure < 35% Set Pressure
Its bellow could minimize the effect of the back pressure
Protects spring from corrosion
3. Pilot
It is not affected by built-up back
pressure

Conventional

Balanced

To minimize the effect

of back pressure

Pilot

Limitation of Relieving Pressure

Relieving pressure shall not exceed:
1) 3% for fired and unfired steam boiler
2) 10% for vessel equipped with a PRD
3) 16% for vessel equipped with multiple PRD
4) 21% for fire contingency, either one or multiple

How does it work?

How does it work?

Vapor or Gas Service
Its operation is based
on a force balance

How does it work?

Vapor or Gas Service

How does it work?

Vapor or Gas Service

Non-Vented Bonnet or Vented to ATM

Increase in backpressure will increase PSV opening pressure (higher than set pressure).
Set pressure shall be reduced by adjusting spring setting (reduce Fs) or vice versa

Lift of Disk

Avoid Chattering
Chattering is the resulting of:
1. Excessive Inlet Pressure Drop
2. Excessive built-up Back Pressure
3. Oversize Valve
4. Valve handles at high different rate

Process engineers or instrument engineers need to know the fundamental of

pressure safety valve in order to be able to size a PSV properly based on API RP
520 and 521 to avoid the chattering.

Sizing PSV for Gas/Vapor Service

Critical gas flow behavior : either critical or subcritical

Critical if pressure downstream of the nozzle (back
pressure) critical flow pressure (Pcf)
Subcritical if the pressure downstream of the nozzle Pcf
Critical flow pressure ratio is an isentropic coefficient
dependent as shown below:

If the set pressure of the PSV is less than 30 psig, ASME

Section VIII specifies a max. allowable overpressure of 3 psi

Critical Flow
Under critical flow condition, effective discharge area of
pressure relief devices in gas or vapor service is determined
based on the following formula (SI):

while for steam service using (SI)

A = required effective discharge area, mm2

W = required mass flow through the devices, kg/hr

Critical Flow
C = 315 if k is unknown, the coefficient is determined from

k = Cp/Cv
Kd = effective coefficient of discharge (either 0.975 or 0.62)
P1 = upstream relieving pressure in absolute
Kb = correction factor due to back pressure only for bellow
Kc = combination correction factor, (with 0.9 or without 1.0)
T = relieving temperature, R
Z = compressibility factor

Critical Flow
M
V
G
KN

= molecular weight
= required flow through the devices, Nm3/min at std
= specific gravity at std
= correction factor for Napier equation
= 1.0 if P1 1500 psia, if P1 > 1500 psia, KN equals to

KSH = superheat steam correction factor

= 1.0 for steam at saturated at any pressure

Kb for Conventional PRV, Vapor/Gas only

Kb for Balanced PRV, Vapor/Gas only

Subcritical Flow
Under subcritical flow condition, the required effective
discharge area for a conventional and pilot type is calculated
based on the following formula:

F2 = subcritical flow coefficient which define as

r = ratio of back pressure to upstream relieving pressure

P2 = back pressure in absolute

Subcritical Flow, F2 using Figure

Sizing PSV for Liquid Service

Pressure relief valves that are designed for liquid service
require capacity certification. It can be initially sized using (SI)

Q
Kw
Kv

= flow rate, liter/min

= correction factor due to back pressure
= correction factor due to viscosity

p1
p2

= upstream relieving pressure, kPag

= back pressure, kPag

Sizing PSV for Liquid Service

1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

6.

Initially, Kv = 1, (non-viscous fluid)

The A value should be changed based on API 526
Calculate Reynolds Number, R, (SI-Dimensionless)

= absolute viscosity at flowing temperature, cP

Then calculate the Kv based on the following figure
The A then recalculate based on the new Kv
If the A size bigger than step no.2, then the calculation
should be repeated using the next larger standard orifice
size

Sizing PSV for Liquid Service

Sizing PSV for Liquid Service

Pressure relief valves that are designed for liquid service
which do not require capacity certification. It can be initially
sized using (SI)
This method assumes effective coefficient of discharge,
Kd = 0.62 and 25% overpressure. Additional capacity
correction factor, Kp, is needed for relieving pressures other
than 25% overpressure.
p = set pressure, kPag
pb = total back pressure, kPag
Kp = correction factor due to overpressure

Sizing PSV for Liquid Service

Sizing for Vaporizing Liquid, Fire

The following method is used to calculate the required orifice
area for PRV on vessels containing liquids that are exposed to
fire.
1. Determine the total wetted surface area
2. Determine the total heat absorption (BTU/hr)
a) Prompt fire-fighting and adequate drainage exist :
If it does not exist :
3. Determine the rate of vapor or gas vaporized from the
liquid ( lbs/hr) :
4. Calculate the minimum required relieving area
b)

Wetted Area Calculation

Sphere :
Horizontal cylinder with flat ends :

Horizontal cylinder with spherical ends

Vertical cylinder with flat ends

If E < L then,
If E = L then,
Vertical cylinder with spherical ends

Vessel Sketch
A = wetted area, square feet
B = effective liquid level angle, degrees
= cos-1 [1 (2) (E) / (D)]

Vessel Sketch
E = effective liquid level, ft, 25 ft from the flame source
Es = effective spherical liquid level, feet
up to a max horizontal dia. or 25 ft whichever
greater

Environmental Factor

Vessel Contains Vapor/Gas Only

The relief load (lb/hr) can be determined using :

M = relative molecular mass of the gas

A = the exposed surface area of the vessel, square feet
Tw = the recommended maximum wall temperature of vessel
material, R2
T1 = gas absolute temperature, at P1, oR

Vessel Contains Vapor/Gas Only

Carbon steel plate material, Tw = 593oC or 1100oF. If vessels
are fabricated from alloy material, the value of Tw should be
changed to a more appropriate recommended maximum.

The attachment files are some of the causes of overpressure that

will be discussed further. The data will be used to size the PSV
using the formula as mentioned before.

RD is installed at Upstream of PRV Due to

Safety
a. Plugging PRV inlet
b. Prevent PRV opening
2. Environment (Passing or
Leaks)
3. Cost
a. Corrosive fluid (CRM
PRV is more expensive
than CRM RD + PRV)
b. Longer overhaul
c. Extended life span
1.

References
1. API RP 520, Part I Sizing and Selection, 7th Ed, 2000
2. API RP 520, Part II Sizing, Selection and Installation of
Pressure-Relieving Devices in Refineries 4th Ed, 1994
3. API Std 521, Pressure-Relieving and Depressuring Systems,
5th Ed, 2007
4. Crosby, PRV Engineering Handbook, 1997
5. Lesser, PRV Engineering Handbook, 2010
6. Workbook for Chemical Reactor Relief System Sizing,
1998