SincePCF1l > Pm the' pressure difference ofctp= }'i~ Pc"" 'Nil!

be the driving force of process fluid fl~iJlg across the tube where C
P SEr '" 150 psig
ture.,6 . ..'
d'
Combi
., , ~Iare ,; 2. Pressure reUefthrough PRY. The second PIl'S5UIl""liefU ten as:
--~--'---,
is the process fluld coming from the high pressure side, WL = 1
low pressure side flowing across the PRVor¥ice into lhe Uquh
.. ,Low pressure sIde. pressure side. . ' ,• .I simulatiol
, CWS CWA
Its flow mechanism is similar to the pressure "eliefthl:oughf,f
H contracta
tube rupture discussed previously; Again, the critical flow
' .. ; '. clition at the orifice must be checked for vapor piiase. Eq.· ~~l:~~~r~
, .
be rewritten as: which eVE
HIgh pressure sldo
'. ( 2 ·.· )~/(k-,l) ";, ,. similar tc
Design pressure of low pressUI'e'slde: 150 pslg
= K +I ' (2n Two-p
Operating pressure of high pressure sIde; 330 psig. .. P CFO P REL

where oYape
Fig. f -Process flow dlagraml . tube brec
'.:. " PRa = Relieving pressure.at·the low I!ressJre side oThe -
= 150'psig (110%)
. + 14;7
. psi area of 01
Flow direction = 179:7. 'p sia . \ Calcu
K = 1.1, rate of specific heats (from computer Wv= :
HIgh pressur!!
' ; . low pre ••ure
Back pressure " simulation results) where dl
side . ' side side ' ..
. ( 2 )1.1/(1.1-1) Liqui'
" PCFo . =179.7 - • .
, ' . 2.1 , . WL =:
, .. ""
= 105.07psia> where dJ
/
PCffl '" 201.54 psla
' ~~be rupture) • I-
• PCFO 1:1 195.07 psi!!

(PRVoriflce) , . I •

Since Pcra> PBACKJ the pressure

'1 ;.
~ere~ce,
_ ::
dp:::; PREt 7"
1
Total
Pcro , will be the driving force of process fluld flowing across',' ATOJj.1J
\ '
PBACK = 19.7 psla the PRY orifice." '. " ,. ".- YapOl
R= VI
Defining th'; relieving tlo~ for tube ruptUre cases. Wher
• . " J
bulk f1ul,
Yapor flowing through tube break without phase ch!lllg",-, ; pressure
, Heat e:JIchanger -' PAil . --, Crane Eq.. 3-22' can be· used for ~ompressible fluids flowing; , ing pre.,
through a sharp-edged orifice based on the assumption men.... . Thet
fig. 2~Pressure: profile'of. tube rupture •. tioned previously.•. I •. lated by
.. I, "'
., W v = 1,891YdZ C(dPIV)05 shownh
The whole flow mechanism can be handled as two pressure Only one cross-sectional area included.
• " .. , . ' I
reliefproccsses in a .seri~s· as shown in Figs. 1and 2. . where r= 1-0.317 dPIPIi ,. Notes. I
The pressure profile for' the two relief processes IS illus- The equation is summarized from the figures on page A-2b cuiating
trated in' the follo,ving'example: , " '. " Curre
of Crane' for Simplifying the lengthy calculations. .
L Pre•• ..,.;, reUeftIll-ough t~be ruptt:re. When a tube rup- C ',,; 0.6, flow coefficient for square~edged orifices (from ., adopt th
tures, the process fluld at 330 psig or 344_7 psia wUl flow across f1owco[
Crane figures on page A-20r . ,
the tube ruptUre into the low pressure side. With a PRY installed critical :
d'=3.1416A vI4
at the low pressure side with a 'rellef pressure of 110% of its under tl
design pressure, i.e., PRF.L= 150 'psig (110%)+ 14.7 psi= 179.7. It should be noted 'that ~ritical pr~ssu~e must be checked sistent.
psia, the low pressure side will be unde.179.7 psia. But the flow since under critical flow condition the actual pressure at a Obvi,
may be controlled by' the. critlcal flow pressure at .the tube rupture opening (throat) cannot faU below the critical flow must b(
rupture for vapor phase, if the critical flow pressure is higher. pressure even if a much lower pressure exists downstream. 6 pressun
than the relieving pressure at the low pressure side. Incorrect use of the pressure at the low pressure side may mentiQ!
The critical flow pressure at the tube rupture can be cause oversizing the PRY. This common mistake should be the two.
expressed as the following, as recommended by API 520 Eq. I: avoided. . The
Combining aU the previously given variables, the previous across t
.( 2 )K/(K-l) equation can be rewritten as:
P CFR =P, - - (I) thevap.
K+I Wv ~ 1,444.6 Av(l-0.317 dPI P,) (dPI W V)O.5 (3) ommen
where . . .' uld rnti(
P, = Operating pressure at the high pressure side Uquld flowing through tube break without phase change. pressur
=344.7 psia Critical condition does not need to be considered for liquld flash in
K = 1.1, ratio of specific heats (from simulatlon results) flowing through the tube break without phase change. Crane This
Eq. 3-21' can be used for liquld flowing through a sharp-edged for the
. ' ( 2 )l.l/{l.l-ll orifice: pressUI'
PCFR =344 17 - ,
. 2.1 '. W L ~ 1,891 d' C (dP W L )O:5
as ahea
ture is v
= 201.54 psia .. Only one cross· sectional area inclUded.
uid rat
60 HYDROCARBON PROCESSING, 1992