HIGH PRESSURE SAFETY RELIEF VALVES IN ETHYLENE SERVICE Bernhard Féllmer and Armin Schnettler Bopp & Reuther Sicherheits- und Regelarmaturen GmbH (Mannheim, Germany) ' Philip Cornelissen ExxonMobil Chemical Belgium, a division of Esso BVBAYSPRL (Zeijncrecht, Belgium) ABSTRACT Research conducted in a high pressure polyethylene plant in Belgium, indicates that certain conventionally esigned and scaled-up safety relief valves did not open consistently with ethylene at 300 barg and also at 250 barg. Comparative tests in the high capacity at the High Pressure Laboratory of a German safety reli valve manufacturer showed that the same conventionally designed and scaled-up safety relief valves tested at a set pressure of 280 barg had high tft Fluctuations on air but did aot open on water. It was also demonstrated that a safety relic? valve designed by a German manufheturer, which opened reliably on air and on water at a set pressure of 250 barg also opened reliably on ethylene at a set pressure of 250 barg (Le supereritcal condition). ‘The comparative esis with ethylene in the polyethylene plant in Belgium showed also thet the blow down values on that valve with ethylene are similar to the blow down values with watcr, Therofore it looks like the ow ‘behavior in the safety relict valve with supercritical ethylene i similar as witha liquid ‘This plant testing on ethylene at 250 barg indicates that there are advantages to using the German manufacturer's designed safety reliof valves withthe certified “one trim design” fr liquid and gas. (©2002 ExxonMobil. 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The location ofthe saety relief valves was atthe cooled discharge of a reciprocating compressor (ethylene at 20 degrees C), Explanation of the term “conventionally designed and scaled-up safety relief valve” The majority of safety feet valve manufacturers use in general a scale-up approach for theit design of safety relief valves. This can mean that safety sellef valvgg in extreme process conditions suci as in high pressure polyethylene plants may have never been tested under the conditions or close to the conditions they are designed for. This isa code accepted method and has proven tobe a reliable approach for the process indusiry in general The observations and tests done in a high pressure plant in Belgium identified potential concerns with this approach. ‘On different occasions safety rele valves with set pressre 303 borg dd not open The pressure went above Ios of set pressure. Base on these observations, tess were done on the production line. The results of these texs were tht safety clit valves of 2 manufturers did not open (within 110% of set pressure) and That the Safuy velit valve ofa third manufacrer opened but did not reclose due wo galing. Properties of ethylene The real point of etyen i around $2 bry and 10 depres C. At presses above 52 bar, etylene i in uperstal sate and with increased pressure the properties of ethylene wil shit mre to those of igi than & gan This is an important factor to be considered inte Gesign of safety relief valves for ethylene a pressures ove the crtcal poi. The ideal soltion is to have a safety reli vale, which 8 sutable for tquid and gas trhout any changes to pars o etng of intros pas. 2. _ TEST RESULTS OF THE CONVENTIONALLY DESIGNED AND SCALED-UP SAFETY RELIEF VALVE AT THE HIGH PRESSURE LABORATORY WITH AIR AND WATER AND AT THE PLANT WITH ETHYLENE The conventionally designed and scated-up safety relief valve which did not open consistently with ethylene sized 1% D2% (ie. DN 40 x 65 / orifice do 10 mm) ANSI 2500 x 300 was certified for gas and had an adjusting ring, It sas tested at the High Pressure Lahoratory of a German manufacturer of safety relief valves with fir and water by recording the tM and the pressure as described in [1 and (2, Flow Tost with Air Fig, 1 shows the lift versus pressure diagram of the flow test wih air. The valve starts to open (ie. set pressure) at 248 barg and opened to a lift of about 0.5 mm at 278 berg. So with accumulation of 12% the lit ‘Seems quite poor, With decreasing pressure high lit lutuations occurred until the valve closed at 228 bang which ‘eorresponds toa blowdown of 8%, Flow Test with Water TAC the set pressure 250 barg the valve did not open at @ pressure increase until 290 barg. As the pressure: could not be increased more the set pressure was reduced in stops from 250 barg to 245; 240; and 230 barg in order to perform the finctional tosts with waler. But as the safety relief valve did not open up to 290 berg (occumelation 26%) a fi versus pressure diagram is not available, To start recording the signals by a trigger the Tift has to reach about 0.2 mm. For comparative tests with Ethylene at 250 barg, tests wore carried out in the plant on Nov-7-00 “The valve was set with air a 250 barg. During the test in the plant with ethylene the valve did Rot open at a pressure of 300 barg of 20 9 accuraulation, Therefore a lift versus pressure diagram is not available,3. _ TESTS CONDUCTED ON THE Si 0614 SAFETY RELIEF VALVE AT 250 BARG ON AIR, WATER AND ETHYLENE Fig2 shows the German manufacturer's Safety Relief Valve type Si 0614 sized DN 40 x 65 / orifice diameter do 7 mm, ANSI 2500 x 300. The trim is designed unique for gas and Iiquid service and has no adjusting ring, The certified discharge coefficient is 0.79 for gas and 0.53 for Higuid at rated lif 5 me. The functional test with air is demonstrated by the recorded signals lift versus time (see Fig.3) and pressure versus time (see Fig.4). The two graphs show how the action of the safely relief valve is @ consequence of the pressure variation with the time, [From the recorded signals li-ime Fig.3 and pressure-time Fig, the liftpressure diagram Fig.5 can be figured ‘out without time to evaluate the functional behavior ofthe saety relief valve. The result ofthe funetional test FULO4585.STR on 18.11.99 with aes: Set pressure (Pop) p= 255 barg ‘Opening pressure Pe 273 bare (at LS mm lit) Closing pressure Pe = 250 -barg ‘This results in “Accurmulation = 1% Blowdown, = 2% i.e, vry small blowdown with ar. ‘The result ofthe funetional test FUWO1360,STR of i 0614 with water is: Set pressure > 246 barg Opening pressure Be = Garg GL > LS mm i) Closing pressure P= 27 bag This sults in ‘Accumulation 0% Blowdown 118% ‘The results of the test FLILO0295.BSM of Si 0614 with ethylene ae shown in Fig. 7-9 Due to the fact thatthe buffer volume between the tested safety relic? valve and the piston compressor was very small, pressure oscillations of up to. 2% occurred as shown in Fig.8, At response of the safety elief valve the system pressure broke down immediately, the safety relief valve closed and the system pressure again increxsed for further response of the safety reli valve. b the table the results of the functional tests are given for etylene (with both responds) and for comparison the results for water and air Fuld] SerPressure | Opening Presure | Closing Presure [| Accumulation | Blowdown ‘bare | ar i aiigtene maf SR HG 0% Fav 1. response, etiglene’ Bw Bs TRE 13% 30% 2. response water 6 a6 207 0% Tw ai 255 273 250 7% 2% ‘The comparison shows that 7 ‘the accumulation with ethylene and water is small but with ai is big 7 the blowdown with ethylene and water i big but with sir is small, ‘Therefore it looks like the flow behavior in the safety relief valve with supercritical ethylene is similar as with a liquid 4, _ TESTS WITH TYPE Si 8305 SIZE 1/2 G 2 1/2 ANSI 900 x 300 The safety relief valve type Si 0614 had positive results for ethylene service. For bigger sizes the type Si 83 Fllfills the requirements which were Found out for ethylene service.[At the development of the new series of API- Safety Relict Valves type Si 83 designed acc. API 526 (see Fig.10), ‘extensive investigations of the fluid-low were done with modern measurement technology for the recording of the function, the discharge capacity and the flow force. A new method of “Plowforce ~ Characteristic - Measutement” gives the possibility of an extensive review of the quality ofthe shape of all parts in the flowing area and the information of possible pars-optimizing (2). Due to the high productive power ofthe High Pressure Laboratory it was possible to do the verifications of the required characteristics for a larger field of pressure and size much larger than needed for an ASME - eetiication, In addition to these measurements spevial flow calculations with CFD give knowledge about focal uid dynamies ana therefore the possiblity to optimize with high accuracy the pas in te flowing area. The special features of the new series Si 83 of API !Saety Relief Valves. with ASMI + designed ace API 526 = one trim design for gas and liquid = with blowdowa ring but alvays inthe down position, Le. not active *NBeeertfication ace. ASME VEIL and TURV certification ace German Code = high discharge coeflicents for gus: Kd = 0.86 and for liquid : Kd = 0.675 blovedown values for liquid fess than 20% ace. German Code and TUEY Cert NB certification report ‘TUEV - cerification with recorded signals and at high capacity POV centfication sion and also stated in the “To prove the suitability ofthis type Si 83 for ethylene service functional test was carried out with an ordered valve Si 83 at air and water. The ordered safety reli valve isthe type Si 8305 size 1YsxGX2"5 ANS! 900x300 for ethylene service in aplant in Baton Rouge / Louisiana USA. The two tests were carried out without changing any setting ofthe valve, The test records are shown in Fig. 11 and 12, The results are: Air BULOLO2S 12.0601 77harg spring 1-33-61096-551 +4,3%/ 9% Water FUWO0SO1 13.06.01 80 barg spring 1-33-61096-551+6,7%/-15% ‘As the two enclosed test records show the functioning Is very stable and reliable. The blowidown for water is 15% ‘hich is neatly the same figare es with the type Si 0614 with blowdown of 12% for water. So the suitability ofthe type Si 83 for ethylene service is given. 8. _ CONCLUSION “The use of the German manafacture’s Safety Relief Valve with “one trim design” for liquid and gas has. advantages for ethylene service. 3. REFERENCES (1) Poller, Band Sclnotter, A, Modemer Grofiprafsand Me Sicherheitsventite und andere Armaturen, 3R. international, 34 (1995), Het 12, p.664 to 665, Des. 1995 ‘Translation available: “Modem Large-Scale Test Stand for Safety Valves or other Valves" [2] Fischer, G; Folimer, B. Moderne API- Sicherheitsventil- Baureihe entwickelt and Schnestler, Aden neuesten Erkemntnissen. Industricarmaturen, Heft 2, p. (24 69 130, May 1997. Translation available: “The modem API-Safety Valve Series, Designed in Accordance with the Latest Trends”aT ae Lift (mun) 7 ‘System pressure (bard) Fig.L: Flow test with air ofthe conventionally designed and sealed-up safety relief valve Fig2: Safety Relic Valve type Si 0614 orifice do~ 7 mm (with face to face dimension 0 replace the eon, SV)Flow Test Results Medium: Air Fig: Prossure-Time Diagram / Functional test of Si 0614 with airote Uae aya siosttssconivoh tx LELEESLETL ii | | afte Y tH tH HH LL 41 i He i Fig 5: Lif-Pressure Diagram / Functional tst of Si 614 with air TIRE CAM SE ies aus abate Faeroe Lit ms) Syston pressue are) Fig.6: LiN-Pressure Diagram / Functional test of Si 614 with waterFig: Functional Test with Ethylene: Lift-Pressure-Diagram Si06i4 ON 40x63 ANSI 25001300 / do = 7mm Fig 10: Safety Reliet ‘NB cettifiedProjekt: Exxon-Ethylen Set pressure P= 76.7 bars Opening pressure Pe = 80,0barg Reclosing pressure Ps 69.8 bar, Si 8305 G02, do~ 21,8 mm ‘Accumulation 43% DN 40x65, ANSI 900x300 SKB"G Blowdown 9.0% Lift vs. Time. Litt se 7 e 8 0 h Row Ww 8 6 oY Me Me Sm Time ‘stempressure vs. Time Pressure P+, P- Fig. 11; Punctional test air Si 8305 G-02 (Test [d : FULO1025.8SM)Projekt: Exxon-Ethylen Set pressure P= 80, bar g (Opening pressure Pe 85,5 bar_g Reclosing pressure Ps = 68.0 bang 88305 G02, do = 21,8 mam Accumulation 6% DN 40x65 ANSI 900x300 SKB Blowdown 15.1% Lift “ systomprossure P+ Fig.12: Functional test water St $305 G-02 (Cost ld: FUWOOSO1.BSM)