Jump to content



Featured Articles

Check out the latest featured articles.

File Library

Check out the latest downloads available in the File Library.

New Article

Product Viscosity vs. Shear

Featured File

Vertical Tank Selection

New Blog Entry

Low Flow in Pipes- posted in Ankur's blog

Reboiler Tube Rupture Steam Fraction

tube rupture relief reboiler

This topic has been archived. This means that you cannot reply to this topic.
1 reply to this topic
Share this topic:
| More

#1 solnoid

solnoid

    Brand New Member

  • Members
  • 4 posts

Posted 30 June 2016 - 01:39 PM

All,

 

I have a general question about tube ruptures for reboilers on distillation columns. I was able to calculate the tube rupture rate based on accepted methods. For the sake of this inquiry, let's say it resulted in 10,000 lb/hr.

 

Next, I looked at the boiling point of the column contents at relieving conditions. This boiling point was higher than the steam temperature at relieving conditions, so I assumed that nothing more would vaporize due to the tube rupture.

 

However, if I mix the tube rupture stream and the feed to the column together to a flash block in Aspen at steady state, I get a vapor rate that is double the original tube rupture rate at ~20,000 lb/hr. The normal feed to the column is heavier organics, and the water is driving down the boiling point.

 

Is it overly conservative to assume that there will be a fraction of water in the column at equilibrium with the column feed during the relieving event? Or will the steam displace vapor out of the relief valve without intimate mixing of the column contents?



#2 Pilesar

Pilesar

    Gold Member

  • Members
  • 1,347 posts

Posted 13 July 2016 - 01:26 PM

The usual evaluation scenario would be to assume the column is normally operating when the reboiler tube ruptures. This means that you likely have a working condenser also. Does your 'overly conservative' feed mix case set the PSV size when the bottom of the column does not boil at relief conditions? In that case, loss of cooling will probably calculate to cause a larger relief load.






Similar Topics