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[invssse]

Dear Members,

I would like to initialize a general discussion thread on how to estimate the relief load for reboiler tube rupture scenario. Please let me know if a good answer already exists.

 

When tube rupture is a credible scenario for reboiler of a distillation column, heat source, say steam, will flow into distillation column that would further cause over pressure of column itself.

 

I am wondering if there is a general while not complicated method that can be used to estimate relief load in this case. 

 

I am not so sure if the following methodology is acceptable and conservative enough?

 

1. Assume the steam flow from rupture will go up to the top and be condensed over there(because condenser still works);

2. The latent heat released by condensed steam is totally used to vaporize hydrocarbons at column overhead.

3. The vaporized hydrocarbons are assumed to be relief flow.

 

W[relief load] = W[steamFlowAtRupture] * Lamda[steam@relieving condition] /Lamda[ColumnOverhead@relieving condition]

 

W: weight flow, kg/hr

Lamda: latent heat, kcal/kg

 

Can you shed some lights on this? Thank you.

[Bobby Strain]

 

Like any case, you need to perform an energy and material balance. You should not assume anything.

 

Bobby