Safety and Pressure Relief Archives

Relieve Valve Set Pressures

As the title of this column implies, I intend to present various topics related to Process Engineering Design based on my knowledge and experiences. I will convey what approaches I think you should be taking. I will stress "the correct way" so don't ex...

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Relief Valves: "What Can Go Wrong" Scen...

What can go wrong in a chemical facility? Plenty! A report in the August 2000 issue of CEP1 shows that operator error or poor maintenance was the leading of cause of accidents for unfired pressure vessels eight years running. The ProblemAccidents not o...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 1

This is a real story. A rupture disk manufacturer presented a seminar to a group consisting of junior and more senior level process design engineers (yours truly included) with a few instrument engineers thrown in. After about an hour of hearing terms...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 2

Part 1 of this series on rupture disks for Process Engineers covered why you use a rupture disk and when you might want to use this device. This part will discuss how to size the rupture disk. Subsequent parts will include how to set the burst pressure...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 3

Part 1 of this series on rupture disks for Process Engineers covered why you use a rupture disk and when you might want to use this device. Part 2 discussed how to size the rupture disk. In this part, I will cover how to set the burst pressure. Subsequ...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 4

Part 1 of this series on rupture disks for Process Engineers covered why you use a rupture disk and when you might want to use this device. Part 2 discussed how to size the rupture disk. Part 3 discussed how to set the burst pressure. In this part, I w...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 5

Part 1 of this series on rupture disks for Process Engineers covered why you use a rupture disk and when you might want to use this device. Part 2 discussed how to size the rupture disk. Part 3 discussed how to set the burst pressure. Part 4 discussed...

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Rupture Disks for Process Engineers - Part 6

Part 1 of this series on rupture disks for Process Engineers covered why you use a rupture disk and when you might want to use this device. Part 2 discussed how to size the rupture disk. Part 3 discussed how to set the burst pressure. Part 4 discussed...

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Tank Blanketing Basics Covered

Tank blanketing, or padding, refers to applying a cover of gas over the surface of a stores commodity; usually a liquid. Its purpose is either to protect or contain the stored product or prevent it from harming personnel, equipment, or the environment....

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Flow Through Orifice Plates in Compressible Flu...

The calculation of compressible flow through orifice plates at high dP (critical flow) appears to be carried out incorrectly in most instances. This flow condition is often encountered on gas plants, compressor stations and pipelines where orifice plat...

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Pyrophoric Iron Fires

At one time or another, most refineries experience spontaneous ignition of iron sulfide either on the ground or inside equipment. When this occurs inside equipment like columns, vessels, and tanks and exchangers containing residual hydrocarbons and air...

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