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Caesar II
PSV or pressure safety valves are very common to any process industry. To protect any equipment from
overpressure PSV systems are used in lines. Two types of PSVs are extensively used in process
industries: a) Open discharge PSV and b) Closed discharge PSV. Due to any uncertain event if pressure
of any equipment becomes higher than the set pressure of the installed PSV s then they pop up and
reduce the system pressure. During popong up activity the PSVs exert huge reaction force over the
system. During analysis of PSv connected stress systems we have to consider this reaction force. This is
the main reason that PSV connected systems become stress critical. The following write up will try to
explain the methods used during analysis of such systems using Caesar II.
Required Documents for analysis:
The following documents are required while inputting in Caesar II.
Stress isometrics
The following figure (Fig. 2) shows the points where the reaction force is required to be applied for open
discharge PSVs.
Fig.2: Reaction force Application point for open discharge PSV connected systems.
Fig. 3 shows the application point (If required) of reaction forces for closed discharge PSV connected
systems.
Fig.3: Reaction force Application point for Closed discharge PSV connected
systems.
Caesar II load cases for PSV connected systems:
PSV forces are considered as occassional forces. So occasional Stress due to PSV reaction force has to
be calculated and to be limited within 1.33 times Sh (As per code ASME B 31.3). Here Sh=Basic
allowable stress at hot condition. Based on company practise PSV reaction force is added either with
Design temperature case or with operating temperature case. Also some organisations have the practise
of making One PSV popping up and other stand by load cases. Accordingly make the load cases as
shown below:
Fig.5: Caesar II simple load cases for analysis PSV connected system
The following load cases assumes two temperatures (T1=Operating temp, T2=design temp) alongwith
Wind and Seismic load cases:
L1.
WW+HP
HYD
L2.
W+T1+P1
L3.
W+T2+P1
L4.
W+T1+P1+F1
L5.
W+T1+P1+F2
L6.
W+T1+P1+WIN1
L7.
W+T1+P1+WIN2
L8.
W+T1+P1+WIN3
L9.
W+T1+P1+WIN4
L10.
W+T1+P1+U1
L11.
W+T1+P1-U1
L12.
W+T1+P1+U1
L13.
W+T1+P1-U1
L14.
W+P1
SUSSustained case
L15.
L4-L2
L16.
L5-L2
L17.
L6-L2
OCCPure Wind
L18.
L7-L2
OCCPure Wind
L19.
L8-L2
OCCPure Wind
L20.
L9-L2
OCCPure Wind
L21.
L10-L2
OCCPure Seismic
L22.
L11-L2
OCCPure Seismic
L23.
L12-L2
OCCPure Seismic
L24.
L13-L2
OCCPure Seismic
L25.
L15+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L26.
L16+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L27.
L17+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L28.
L18+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L29.
L19+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L30.
L20+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L31.
L21+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L32.
L22+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L33.
L23+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L34.
L24+L14
OCCPure Occasional+Sustained
L35.
L2-L14
EXPPure Expansion
L36.
L3-L14
EXPPure Expansion
Output Study:
Check Code stresses for load cases L1, L14 and from L25 to L36. It is better to keep stresses for
L1 and L14 below 60% and for the rest within 80%.
It is a better practice to use 3 way restraints in both inlet and outlet piping of PSV connected
systems if feasible (As shown in figure 2 and 3 above). However if not possible then try to
provide 3 way restraint in outlet only by layout modification.
In normal operating case Safety valve inlet line temperature will be operating temperature up to
inlet of safety valve and Safety valve outlet line will be in ambient temperature up to the header.
Sometimes a Dynamic Load Factor (DLF) of 2 is used for calculating PSV reaction force.
If any stress failure or abnormal routing changes are required, then certain local area from header
can be used average temperature for 2 meters or 5D which is higher (Safety valve outlet joining
at header junction point) and also shall be taken process engineers approval.
If required stress engineer shall provide R.F pad for the trunnion type support.
If connection of psv closed system is emerging from header with 45 put SIF for this tapping. If
required tapping point of the outlet line and outlet header shall be reinforced to reduce SIF.
In case of any safety valve assembly is placed on top platform of any vessel, Support can be
taken either from top platform or support can be arranged from the top portion of vessel taking
clip from the vessel. In both the cases the load and locations of support or clip equipment vendor
must be informed though the mechanical group along with the clip information.
Note: Please reply in comments in case of any confusion or if you want to add something.