Pressure Safety Valve Design

• Presented to ES-317 at UWO in 1999

• Dick Hawrelak
 ASME Code
• Section VIII for Unfired Pressure Vessels
requires a PSV to be designed for the worst
case scenario (fire or other upset).
• PSV alone does not protect the pressure
vessel.
• Flames may impinge on the vapor space
causing vessel failure.
• Flammable liquid pressure vessels still
require water coverage.
 PSV Design Methods
• NFPA 30
• API-521
• Natural Gas Association.
 Problems
• Heat input uncertain.
• Wetted area versus vessel area.
• Protection factors for heat input reduction
are variable.
• Treatment of physical properties are
different.
 PSV1

• Single component fluid.

• Blocked in vessel.
• Fire conditions.
• Boiling liquid.
 DIERS

• Prediction of two-phase flow for PSVs

designed for single phase flow.
• Most often the vessel is filled beyond the
“swell” and “foam” heights.
• See example in PSV Folder in Chemical
Plant Design.
 PSV2f

• Single component fluid.

• Blocked in vessel.
• Fire conditions.
• PSV sized for two phase flow.
 PSV3

• Vessel with 100% vapor.

• Blocked in vessel.
• Fire conditions.
• Vapor expansion.
 PRDV

• Rupture disc sizing.

• Sonic or sub-sonic flow.
• Overpressure for any reason.
 PRDL

• Rupture disc sizing for flashing liquid.

• Homogenius Equilibrium Model.
• Landis CRITFLO method.
 PSV4

• PSV sizing for liquid expansion.

• No phase change.
 PSV5

• Sizing relief vents.

• Runaway reactions.
 HP Trip

• ICI method to lower vessel pressure before

PSV blows.
• Manual Pressure control station to by-pass
PSV.
• Would rather vent manually than allow PSV
to blow.
 EXPLO

• Explosion venting routine.

• Scale-up from pilot plant data.
 PSV Header and Flare Stack
Design

• Flare header design - multiple PSVs blow in

fire area 50’ x 50’.
• Complex headers for dry HCs, wet HCs, dry
liquid and wet liquid blowdowns.
• Flare KO drums.
• Three API-521 flare stack methods.
 Possible Exam Questions
• What are the four main problems with the
different PSV design methods?
• In a fire situation, does the PSV alone
protect the pressure vessel?
• Why would a PSV designed for sigle phase
flow under fire conditions relieve a two
phase vapor / liquid mixture?