8 replies to this topic

[jahanlou]

What is the criteria or specification for installing a rupture disk horizentally on a pipe or a vessel?

[astro]

MODERATORS - I'd recommend that this post be moved to the relief devices sub-forum, which is it's appropriate location.

What is the criteria or specification for installing a rupture disk horizentally on a pipe or a vessel?

You should acquaint yourself with API RP 520 Part II : Sizing, Selection, and Installation of Pressure-Relieving Devices in Refineries - Installation (as well as API RP 520 Part I and API STD 521).

The copy that I have access to is the 5th edition, which I believe is current but it's up to you to check.

Section 9.4 discusses mounting position:

Rupture disk devices may be installed vertically or horizontally.

Appendix A (Rupture Disk Installation Guidelines) goes into further detail with this comment of note and relevance:

A.3.7 Verify that the application is designed in such a manner that fluid accumulation on the downstream side of a rupture disk device cannot influence and potentially elevate the rated pressure of the disk. Any fluid accumulation on the downstream side of a rupture disk can cause the rupture disk to burst at a pressure greater than its rated pressure.

You also need to consider the rupture disk manufacturer's specific advice because the above is generic.

Personally though, and on pure preference, I would opt for installation in the vertically upright position, unless other over-riding drivers (maybe layout?) forced the design to an alternate configuration.

[fallah]

I would opt for installation in the vertically upright position, unless other over-riding drivers (maybe layout?) forced the design to an alternate configuration.

RD installation in vertical run may lead to fluid accumulation on its downstream side.Thus,seems horizontal run installation with the possibility of having free drain in both sides of the RD would be preffered.

[JoeWong]

What is the criteria or specification for installing a rupture disk horizentally on a pipe or a vessel?

I am not a piping engineer and i am not familiar with "common term" used in piping.
When you say "...installing rupture disc horizontally on a pipe or a vessel", do you mean :

i) Insert RD horizontally into a vertical pipe or vessel ? OR
ii) Insert RD vertically (from top) into a horizontal pipe or vessel ?

RD : Rupture disc

[Qalander (Chem)]

Dear Joe Hello/Good Afternoon,
Although I'm also not a Piping engineer as such.

However Presumably it is Most usually considered related to the pipelines(piping) orientation position to the normal horizontal grade;whereas

I conceptually take each rupture disk if installed(almost invariably) as vertical to piping between the intended flanged faces.
Hope this helps.
Many other forum colleagues would throw brighter Light with even brighter ideas.

[astro]

I concur that the basis of the installation direction is in line with the axis of the piping orientation or Joe Wong's option (i).

[fallah]

I concur that the basis of the installation direction is in line with the axis of the piping orientation or Joe Wong's option (i).

With this configuration,how do you solve the problem may raise due to fluid accumulation on the downstream side of RD?

[Dacs]

I concur that the basis of the installation direction is in line with the axis of the piping orientation or Joe Wong's option (i).

With this configuration,how do you solve the problem may raise due to fluid accumulation on the downstream side of RD?

Just thinking out loud here

I suppose that the TS question is with respect to a manifold with the piping (that has the RD) installed horizontally.

Maybe you can place the RD on the highest point in the piping and have some sort of sloped/free draining configuration. That should address the fluid accumulation. But I suppose this won't be practical in every application especially if the main (flare) header is higher than the tailpipe.

Or maybe just install the RD nearest to the main header to minimize the potential for condensation, although you may have issues with unrecoverable pressure loss across the tailpipe.

Or (if the RD is installed vertically) install the RD and place an elbow (that leads to the main header (free draining)) as near (to the RD) as possible to minimize the static head accumulation on top of the RD.

Or maybe one can rig some sort of telltale indicator (like a pressure gauge adjacent to the RD) will inform the operator of some sort of liquid accumulation (via a slight increase in pressure readout due to static head imposed by the liquid).

[djack77494]

Several interesting points are being made and discussed here. I think confusion over what orientation is meant could be avoided if we specified "in a horizontal run" or "in a vertical run (of pipe)". Regarding the concerns about liquid buildup on the RD, those concerns may or may not be valid. It depends on whether the fluid is a clean, dry gas, a moist vapor, or a liquid. It also depends on the destination. Will it discharge into a wet flare system? Just the presence or absence of liquid is not a problem so long as good assumptions are made and the design is based on those assumptions.