Relief System Piping

Design Basis

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CONTENT
1. RELIEF SYSTEM INLET PIPING
2. RELIEF SYSTEM DISCHARGE PIPING
Terminology
Set Pressure: the inlet pressure at which the relief
device is set to open (burst)
Back Pressure: the static pressure existing at the
outlet of a pressure relief device as a result of the
pressure in the discharge system. It is the sum of
the superimposed and build-up back pressure.
Built-Up Back Pressure: pressure existing at the
outlet of a pressure relief device caused by flow
through that particular device into a discharge
system.
Superimposed Back Pressure: the static pressure
existing at the outlet of a pressure relief device at
the time the device is required to operate. It is the
result of pressure in the discharge system from
other sources.
Srinivas Valle
Process Engineer
L&T-Chiyoda Limited
1. RELIEF SYSTEM INLET PIPING
Adequate inlet piping for pressure relief valve should be
provided for proper system performance. This requires
design consideration of the following aspect:
Excessive pressure losses. Too much pressure losses in
the piping system between the protected vessel and a
pressure relief device will adversely affect the system
relieving capacity and can cause valve instability. This
may also cause rapid opening and closing of the valve (or
chattering) which, in return, may cause a decrease in the
relief capacity and damage the seating surfaces.
Vibrations. Vibrations in the inlet piping may cause
leakage at the seat of a pressure relief valve, premature
opening, or premature fatigue failure of certain valve
parts, inlet and outlet piping, or both. Vibration in inlet
piping to a rupture disk may adversely affect the burst
pressure and life of the rupture disk.
1.1 Inlet Piping
Pressure losses can be reduced materially by rounding
the entrance of the inlet piping, by reducing the inlet line
length, or by enlarging the inlet line size. However,
during FEED stage of design, the length may still not be
known until the pipe route and equipment location are
established. For the purpose of hydraulic calculation, a
50m straight pipe length may be used.
The nominal size of the inlet piping must be same or
larger than the nominal size of PSV (Pressure Safety
Valve) inlet flange connection.
1.2 Relieving Capacity
For sizing the inlet and outlet line of the PSV, the relief
valve’s rated capacity which is based on the actual orifice
area should be used instead of the normal capacity (as
specifield in relief load summary)
1.2.1 Single PSV: The design flowrate for single valve
installation is the same throughout the line and is equal to
the rated relief valve capacity.
A selected (Eq’n. 1-1)
WH  W valve x
A required
where: WH = rated relief valve capacity
Wvalve = normal relief valve capacity
Aselected = actual orifice area
Arequired = calculated orifice area
1.2.2 Multiple PSV: In case of multiple valves installation,
the flowrate at the lead is equal to the rated relief capacity
divided by the number of the PSV excluding spare. In the
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case of lateral and subheader, the flowrate is equal to the normal relief capacity.

MAIN HEADER TO FLARE STACK

SUBHEADER

W
Equipment
V

LATERAL
WH / n
LEAD

LEAD
LEAD

WH / n

LATERAL

W
V

PROCESS LINE

Equipment
WH = Rated relief rate ; WV =Normal relief rate

n = working number of PSV (without spare)

Fig. 1-1 Typical Flare System Configuration

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1.3 Design Criteria
In sizing the inlet pipe of a pressure relief valve installed
3% Limit
Equipment
Fig. 1-2A Direct Installation
on a line directly connected to a vessel, the total non-
recoverable pressure loss between the protected
equipment and the pressure relief valve should not
exceed 3 percent of the PSV set pressure. When a
pressure relief valve is installed on a process line, the 3
percent limit should be applied to the sum of the loss in
the normally non-flowing pressure relief valve inlet pipe
and the incremental pressure loss in the process line
caused by the flow through the pressure relief valve.
When a rupture disk is used in combination with a
pressure relief valve, the pressure drop calculation must
include the additional pressure drop developed by the
disk.
Refer to Fig. 2-1 for the profile and relationship of the
pressure at relieving condition and pressure drop at the
inlet and outlet line of the pressure relief device.
1.4 Calculation Method
For the inlet line sizing calculation, the use of Inhouse
hydraulic program (Excel based or Prodraw)
recommended. Anchor pressure at the upstream of the
inlet pipe may be fixed at the relief valve’s relieving
pressure. Take note that the fluid properties should be
based on relieving conditions.
2. RELIEF SYSTEM DISCHARGE PIPING
Improper design or construction of the discharge piping
PROCESS LINE
3% Limit
Equipment
Fig. 1-2B Process Line Installation
from a pressure relief device can set up stresses that will
be transferred to the pressure relief device and its inlet
piping. The discharge piping system should be designed
to provide proper relief performance of the valve,
adequate drainage, and give a back pressure that does
not exceed an acceptable value for any pressure relief
valve in the system.
2.1 Piping
In case of an early design stage (FEED stage), when pipe
routes and lengths are not yet established, the piping
discharge length may be estimated by considering the
location of the equipment where the relief valve is
installed. Pipe length from the relief valve directly
discharging to the main header may be taken as
minimum of 15m. For relief valve discharging to a lateral
line and subheader, the length may differ depending on
the location of the equipment where the relief valve is
installed. It is therefore advisable to use a plot plan for a
is sound pipe length approximation.
 P < 0.03PS
Accumulated Pressure:*1
110% of Set Pressure : Single PSV (Non-fire Case)
116% of Set Pressure: Multiple PSV (Non-fire Case)
121% of Set Pressure: Single or Multiple PSV (Fire Case)

Set Pressure for second valve and on multiple PSV

105%
Set Pressure = Equipment Design Pressure
(110% of Maximum Operating Pressure)
100%
(Upstream) (Downstream)

Built-up Pressure < 30% of Set Pressure

Velocity < 0.50 Mach

P < 0.10PS
Back Pressure at Header

*1: Calculate relieving capacity at this condition.

Fig. 2-1 Pressure Profile and Design Constraints for Pressure Relief Valves
2.2 Relief Capacity
In general, laterals and leads from individual devices are
sized based on the rated relief capacity of the device,
which is consistent with the value used to size the inlet
piping. In case of multiple valves, the flowrate at the lead
is equal to the rated relief capacity divided by the number
of the PSV excluding spare and in the case of lateral and
subheader, the flowrate is equal to the normal relief
capacity.
Main headers, flare headers and flare stacks shall be
sized for the maximum emergency relief load which is the
maximum unit relief load or simultaneous unit relief loads
that are generated within the plant as a result of a single
failure, whichever is greater.
It should be noted that header sizing might not always be
governed by the maximum individual relief load. Relief
load from a pressure relief valve that has low back
pressure may set the size of the header.
2.3 Design Criteria
When discharge piping for pressure relief valves is
designed, the combined effect of the superimposed back
pressure and built-up back pressure on the operating
characteristics of the PSV should be considered.
2.3.1 Sonic velocity limitation
The lead lines of the relief valve or flaring lines
downstream of control valves shall be sized for a
maximum velocity of not more than 75% of sonic velocity
(Mach number = 0.75) under the rated relief load . The
main headers and sub-headers shall be sized for a
maximum velocity of not more than 50% of sonic velocity
(Mach number = 0.5) under normal relief rate.
2.3.2 Pressure drop limitation
The maximum allowable back pressure (MABP) should
be limited to 10% of set pressure for conventional type
relief valve or 30% of the set pressure for balanced type.
The sizing of relief discharge piping can usually be
simplified by starting at the system outlet, where the
pressure is known, and working back through the system
to verify acceptable back pressure at each pressure relief
device.The isothermal flow equation based on inlet
pressure is as follows:
ƒ = friction factor L = equivalent length of pipe, in meter
Mw =Molecular weight D = pipe inside diameter, in meter
R = Gas constant A = Area, in square meter
W = mass flow rate, P = Absolute pressure
in Kg/hr 1= pipe inlet ; 2 = pipe exit
Note that the relief contingency that sets pressure relief
valve size does not always result in the maximum
pressure drop in the discharge line. This is particularly
true if contingencies result in the relief of different phases
or different molecular weight / specific gravity. Therefore,
relief load other than the one which sets pressure relief
valve size should also be checked for line pressure drop
and back pressure limitation.
When rupture disk are used as sole relieving device and
discharge into a closed system, the effect of the
superimposed back pressure on the bursting pressure for
the disk must be considered.
2.3.3 Noise level limitation
The noise level (or sound power level – measured in dB)
should also be considered. This criteria may vary
according to the type of flare being used in the disposal
system but for the purpose of a conservative design, 105
dB may be considered (for ground flare is 107 dB and
117 dB for elevated flare).
2.4 Calculation Method
For a simple and preliminary tailpipe sizing calculation,
the use of Inhouse hydraulic program(Excel based or
Prodraw) may be adequate. The pressure at downstream
of the tailpipe may be fixed at the expected maximum
system back pressure.
For a complete and detailed design calculation of the
discharge piping system, the use of Aspen Flarenet
hydraulic program is suggested. This program has been
designed for rating flare and vent system.
As a general guidelines, the calculation options

Fluid Type VLE Method Enthalpy Method

Hydrocarbon Peng Robinson Peng Robinson
Nitrogen Compressible Gas Ideal Gas
Steam Vapor Pressure Ideal Gas

Vapor flow in relief discharge piping is characterized by

rapid changes in density and velocity; consequently, the
flow should be treated as compressible. Actual flow
conditions in relief systems will normally be somewhere
between isothermal and adiabatic conditions. For most
cases, the slightly more conserverative isothermal
equations are recommended;however, the adiabatic flow
equation are recommended for cryogenic kind of
applications.
For two phase flow, Beggs & Brill equations are
recommeded.

Literature Cited.
1.Chiyoda Design Practice, “Flare hydraulic calculation”,
CDP P 2547 ER0
2. API Recommended Practice (RP) 520
3. API Recommended Practice (RP) 521
4. Leung, J.C., “Easily size relief devices and piping for
two phase flow”, Chemical Engineering Progress, P.28
(Dec.1996)
5. Flarenet, User manual.